Nefertiti

Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.

This post has been updated with my new format as of January 27, 2016with the Ultimate Book Blogger Plugin.

Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped by all that her strong personality will temper the young Amunhotep's heretical desire to forsake Egypt's ancient gods, overthrow the priests of Amun, and introduce a new sun god for all to worship.

From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people. Her charisma is matched only by her husband's perceived generosity: Amunhotep showers his subjects with lofty promises. The love of the commoners will not be enough, however, if the royal couple is not able to conceive an heir, and as Nefertiti turns her attention to producing a son, she fails to see that the powerful priests, along with the military, are plotting against her husband's rule. The only person wise enough to recognize the shift in political winds—and brave enough to tell the queen—is her younger sister, Mutnodjmet.

Observant and contemplative, Mutnodjmet has never shared her sister's desire for power. She yearns for a quiet existence away from family duty and the intrigues of court. Her greatest hope is to share her life with the general who has won her heart. But as Nefertiti learns of the precariousness of her reign, she declares that her sister must remain at court and marry for political gain, not love. To achieve her independence, Mutnodjmet must defy her sister, the most powerful woman in Egypt—while also remaining loyal to the needs of her family.

Love, betrayal, political unrest, plague, and religious conflict—Nefertiti brings ancient Egypt to life in vivid detail. Fast-paced and historically accurate, it is the dramatic story of two unforgettable women living through a remarkable period in history.

The Heretic Queen

I loved this read! It was quite interesting coming from the perspective of her sister. Nefertiti was one of the most beautiful queens of Egypt, but she was also ambitious, and she wanted more than to just be the wife of the pharaoh. She wanted to rule in her own right. Had she been married to any other pharaoh, she might have had a better chance at achieving more of what she wanted, but she was married to Akhenaton, the “builder king” as he was called. He wanted to bring a new era into Egypt. Instead, he angered the priests and many of the people. He wanted a richer Egypt, but instead he almost bankrupted the country, and refused to build the army, or protect his kingdom. As the Hittite invasion comes closer and closer, the army wants action, but the King refuses to muster troops.

As the story progresses, you learn the ups and downs of being close to the royal family, and have to deal with betrayal, backstabbing, and yearning for a life of ones own..

“Compulsively readable” is right! This is by no means a masterpiece, but I found it very interesting. I was right with Mutny when she was burning with rage about how selfish Nefertiti was acting, how frustrated other people were with her not following plans, how worried they were when pharaoh was getting really unhinged. It's a good read.
The last 40 or so pages of the book seem kind of abrupt, though. Things just... happen. So quickly. You're like “Wait, what?” I wish the ending was a little more fleshed out.
Also I don't know if I just majorly misread something, but the end of one chapter refers to Nefertiti as being 27, then the next chapter says she's 31 but the children who had just been born in the previous chapter are 9 years old. So the kids aged 9 years but Nefertiti only aged 4?? Very odd.

Other note: I love one of the reviews complaining about the main character being “13-year-oldish”. She's literally 13 at the beginning of the book. She's a teenager for the majority of the book. I'm not sure what you're expecting there. A 13 year old whose entire life HAS to revolve around her prettier sister is going to sound like a 13 year old. Sorry?