Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Iconic Queen forever fascinating - a powerful novel of one of the most dramatic times of ancient Egypt, 2 April 2008
Having recently seen the famous bust of Nefertiti, part of the Ägyptisches Museum Berlin collection and currently on display in the Altes Museum my interest in the most famous Queen re-emerged. I could not resist buying this novel. And what a powerful novel that is.
Once you start reading it is very hard to put this book down. It is well written, rich with details and not only Nefertiti but a whole area of Egyptian history becomes alive, an area of a religious revolution. Palace intrigues, struggles for power and happiness, religious fights and domination capture the reader instantly. The story is told by Mutnodjmet, the younger half-sister of Nefertiti. Yes, it is a bit like "The Other Boleyn Sister" in this respect, but otherwise both books are only comparable as they intrigue readers from page one.
While in reality much is unknown about the descent and life of Nefertiti, Michelle Moran places Nefertiti and her family in a plausible way. I like especially that she does not creates Nefertiti and Akhenaton as the great romantic couple, but shows the Queen as a beautiful, but power-hungry, manipulative woman and arrogantly blind to the troubles arising. This is the arrogance of the powerful which ever so often is the cause for their downfall . Nefertiti is not the one you like, but still one finds her fascinating. Pharaoh himself shows all the signs of a religious fanatic, dangerous then as today.
All in all this is a book you should not miss. I enjoyed every page of
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Iconic Queen forever fascinating - a powerful novel of one of the most dramatic times of ancient Egypt, 30 Jun 2008
Having recently seen the famous bust of Nefertiti, part of the Ägyptisches Museum Berlin collection and currently on display in the Altes Museum my interest in the most famous Queen re-emerged. I could not resist buying this novel. And what a powerful novel that is.
Once you start reading it is very hard to put this book down. It is well written, rich with details and not only Nefertiti but a whole area of Egyptian history becomes alive, an area of a religious revolution. Palace intrigues, struggles for power and happiness, religious fights and domination capture the reader instantly. The story is told by Mutnodjmet, the younger half-sister of Nefertiti. Yes, it is a bit like "The Other Boleyn Sister" in this respect, but otherwise both books are only comparable as they intrigue readers from page one.
While in reality much is unknown about the descent and life of Nefertiti, Michelle Moran places Nefertiti and her family in a plausible way. I like especially that she does not creates Nefertiti and Akhenaton as the great romantic couple, but shows the Queen as a beautiful, but power-hungry, manipulative woman and arrogantly blind to the troubles arising. This is the arrogance of the powerful which ever so often is the cause for their downfall . Nefertiti is not the one you like, but still one finds her fascinating. Pharaoh himself shows all the signs of a religious fanatic, dangerous then as today.
All in all this is a book you should not miss. I enjoyed every page of it.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exotic and compelling....., 4 April 2009
I have a very strong interest in Ancient Egypt and therefore buy almost every book I can lay my hands on that has any reference to that era! This novel by Michelle Moran was certainly a good buy. Moran writes with vivid descriptive text and makes Egypt come alive. She definitely knows how to engage all of the senses when writing and does a fabulous job of transporting you there.
The story is told by Mutnodjmet (Mutny), Nefertiti's younger half sister. As another reviewer mentioned this does give the book a slightly reminiscent feel of 'The Other Boleyn Girl' but the similarities almost end there. There is a strong sense of rivalry beyond the sisters and Nefertiti is not presented as the most likeable character. She is fiercely ambitious, determined to claw her way to the top and manipulative with it. Mutny is a much softer and sensitive person and this gives a great sense of balance to the book. I think it would be too power hungry without Mutny's influence throughout the novel. Although Nefertiti does provide the greatest interest throughout the book.
This is a dramatic and powerful novel that is filled with corruption, deceit and intrigue that kept me gripped throughout. There is also a good dose of romance and a touch of war included for good measure.
All in all this book about one of Ancient Egypt's most powerful royal couples is a fantastic read and you should definitely buy it!
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