A review by jessicamusch
River God by Wilbur Smith

adventurous dark informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

An Ancient Egyptian saga, told from the lens of our hero Taita, the slave of a rich and powerful lord and sworn to care for Lostris, the masters’s daughter. When Lostris is married off to the old Pharaoh, Taita follows her into a high stakes world of deception and treachery. 

I don’t think this book was meant for me - it likely resonates better with a male audience. 

It irritated me to no end that our hero Taita is good at literally everything - medicine man, horse groomer, spy, architect, engineer, matchmaker, seer - he can do it all. Taita would feel more three dimensional if he had some limitations, but he doesn’t. 

I did like the telling of then very sad origin story of our hero. Although the telling of castration and murder was extremely graphic, it fit the time. I also liked the backdrop of ancient Egypt and the way that historical facts and practices are woven into the narrative.