Sunday, September 21, 2008

Review: The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

Some would call the Pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti visionaries. They ended the polytheistic religion of Egypt and destroyed the greedy and corrupt temples of Amun. They instituted a revolutionary monotheistic system, worshipping one God, the Aten. Unfortunately, thousands of years of religious belief could not be erased so easily. Their reign ended in disaster and the old religious order was restored, ending a line of kings stretching back over a hundred years.

Michelle Moran starts this novel several years after the events of her first novel, Nefertiti. The sole survivor from the previous royal line is Princess Nefertari, niece of Nefertiti. She has been raised at the court of the current Pharaoh, Seti I, and alongside the royal heir, Ramesses. They are fast friends. In fact, he is one of her only friends and the only reason the other children tolerate her. She is the victim of the backlash of hatred against her deceased family. She is called 'heretic' and worse and is blamed for the actions of her relatives.

As they grow up, the close friendship of Nefertari and Ramesses blossoms into love. But few at court want Nefertari as Egypt's queen and her enemies try to turn the people against her, too. Fortunately for Nefertari, she is a gifted woman. She has an affinity for language and is able to learn the political intricacies of the court. She has brains and courage. Her journey to the throne of Egypt is breathtaking.

The author has vividly recreated the stunning courts and palaces of Ancient Egypt. Her imagining of the life of Queen Nefertari and the Pharaoh who will be known to history as Ramesses the Great makes for an engrossing and fascinating historical novel. I particularly liked the inclusion of the Egyptian calendar at the end of the book, the first of these that I have seen. I have read quite a lot of historical fiction set in Ancient Egypt and have always wondered how their calendar of seasons corresponds to our own.

I loved The Heretic Queen and impatiently await Ms. Moran's next book, Cleopatra's Daughter. Visit her wonderful website!

The Heretic Queen is published by Crown. ISBN 978-0-307-38175-0.

Order The Heretic Queen from Amazon

8 comments:

Literary Feline said...

I am really looking forward to reading this one. I enjoyed Nefertiti quite a bit. Thank you for a great review!

The Tome Traveller said...

I enjoyed Nefertiti, too and thought that this one was equally good. Thanks for the comment!

Zibilee said...

I am hoping to read both soon, it sounds like a great series.

Anna said...

Nefertiti is my favorite of the books I read this year, and I can't wait to read this one!

--Anna
http://diaryofaneccentric.blogspot.com

Ruth King said...

I can't wait to read this one. I loved Nefertiti and will be reviewing it soon.

Anonymous said...

I'm getting this one in the mail next week. I'm glad you liked it! Great review.

S. Krishna said...

Great review! I really want to read this one.

tashiana said...

hmmm a book giving some historical figures some personality + romance
im intrigued


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New Hampshire, United States
Bibliophile, Anglophile, Traveller... I have been an avid reader all of my life, since I took the Dr. Seuss Dictionary away from my Mom when I was less than a year old because I wanted to read it myself. In college, where I earned my degree in English Literature, I was often asked "What are you going to do with it?" Now I finally have the answer to that question!!! Being employed as a Flight Attendant for twenty years has given me a lot of life experience and, better still, a lot of time to read. I love to travel for fun, too.