Review: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (originally reviewed 12/07)
Nefertiti: A Novel
by Michelle Moran
I found this book difficult - if not, at times, outright impossible - to put down once I'd started it. Michelle Moran did a wonderful job of evoking Nefertiti, fleshing her out from a pretty bust in Berlin to a proud woman who was a talented seductress and schemer, and above all else ambitious.
Her story is told through the eyes of her sister, Mutnodjmet. Mutnodjmet is a quiet girl who just wants to live a "normal" domestic life, but is drawn into the world of royalty and intrigue by her family's ambition. The love and affection of the two sisters is strong, but Nefertiti is extremely jealous and wants all of the attention of her sister focused toward her. Mutnodjmet's father is one of the highest-ranking men in Egypt and rarely shows affection for his second daughter; her mother is a well-married commoner and often seems oblivious to the affairs of the palace. However, stray comments here and there show that she often knows far more than Mutnodjmet expects.
Egypt really comes to life in this novel. Moran's words are evocative without becoming tedious; she uses just enough description to build up images of temples and palaces in your mind without weighing down the narrative with lengthly, complex descriptions. Her words conjure up the blue of the sky and the breeze on the Nile as the royal barge floats down the river, and the relationships of the characters are a joy to read.
I don't know a lot about the history of Egypt at this time, but I definitely would like to learn more now. But I probably have picked up a bit more than the average American in my day so a few things did leave me curious:
- Horemheb eventually becomes Pharaoh, and history records that he had a wife named Mutnodjmet. Did Moran marry Mutnodjmet to the wrong army general?
- From what I've seen of his portraits, Amunhotep was not an attractive guy. Everyone talks about how handsome he is. I wonder if the perception was that skewed (one sees what they want to see) or if this is just some "dressing" for the historical fiction.
History changes aside, the book was really fun. I am sure I will read it again and again.
Buy the book on Amazon.com, or add it to your wishlist.
by Michelle Moran
I found this book difficult - if not, at times, outright impossible - to put down once I'd started it. Michelle Moran did a wonderful job of evoking Nefertiti, fleshing her out from a pretty bust in Berlin to a proud woman who was a talented seductress and schemer, and above all else ambitious.
Her story is told through the eyes of her sister, Mutnodjmet. Mutnodjmet is a quiet girl who just wants to live a "normal" domestic life, but is drawn into the world of royalty and intrigue by her family's ambition. The love and affection of the two sisters is strong, but Nefertiti is extremely jealous and wants all of the attention of her sister focused toward her. Mutnodjmet's father is one of the highest-ranking men in Egypt and rarely shows affection for his second daughter; her mother is a well-married commoner and often seems oblivious to the affairs of the palace. However, stray comments here and there show that she often knows far more than Mutnodjmet expects.
Egypt really comes to life in this novel. Moran's words are evocative without becoming tedious; she uses just enough description to build up images of temples and palaces in your mind without weighing down the narrative with lengthly, complex descriptions. Her words conjure up the blue of the sky and the breeze on the Nile as the royal barge floats down the river, and the relationships of the characters are a joy to read.
I don't know a lot about the history of Egypt at this time, but I definitely would like to learn more now. But I probably have picked up a bit more than the average American in my day so a few things did leave me curious:
- Horemheb eventually becomes Pharaoh, and history records that he had a wife named Mutnodjmet. Did Moran marry Mutnodjmet to the wrong army general?
- From what I've seen of his portraits, Amunhotep was not an attractive guy. Everyone talks about how handsome he is. I wonder if the perception was that skewed (one sees what they want to see) or if this is just some "dressing" for the historical fiction.
History changes aside, the book was really fun. I am sure I will read it again and again.
Buy the book on Amazon.com, or add it to your wishlist.