Nefertiti: A Novel
 

Nefertiti: A Novel

by Michelle Moran

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,... (read more)

Top tags: historical fictionegyptfictionnefertitiroyalty (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (2)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

Laura T
  • Rated 4 stars

I was given a pile of books to read by a friend, and do to my disinterest in this subject, I left this one until last. Well, I shouldn't have! Even though it was a longer book, the author made every chapter exciting. It was a page turner and you really wanted to find out what happened to her endearing "characters." I also learned a little bit about Egyptian history, especially with the author's notes in the back. I'm excited to read the next book, which details the history of Nefertiti's...

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Didn’t Like It

2 of 2 members found this review helpful.
Coyotemusic
  • Rated 2 stars

My Amazon review:
Wow ... I cannot believe all the great reviews on this book. The themes in this novel have been done to (black) death (and done better) in historical fiction. If I never read another novel with a woman gifted at herb-lore, a Queen struggling to produce a male heir or an outbreak of the plague, I'll be happy.

It's been said before, the bulk of the characters were unlikeable. It was way too long, and the detail was generally uninteresting. Plus - it's NOT...

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Community:
  • Rated 3.934211 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4.7 stars
 

Newest Comments

  • She

    she said:

    A bit disappointing...it read like a soap opera, but the characters themselves were intriguing. So much more could have been said.

    posted Wednesday, January 2 2008
  • Simone333

    simone333 said:

    Faultless research? I think not. Excellent writing? Nope. Damn poor writing in my op. But then I am comparing it not to other "light" reading, but to real artistry. Perhaps that isn't fair. In any case, I readt the thing, but only because it was there. Like eating something because it's all you can find in the cupboard. The whole thing was rather awful and lifeless until about half way through. I had about come to that point where loathing the two awful sisters (one a wasp, the other a doormat) was going to make me throw the book out a window. At that point something happened to the writing. It didn't get better, it merely got a trifle interesting. And then it ends on a completely wrong note. The old walking into the sunset ploy. Worst fault of all: Moran has no idea what the new god Aten was all about. First, the new pharoah was genuine in his reverance for a god who believed in peace and the goodness of man. He released prisoners, he halted much cruelty, he tried for statesmanship in his dealings with others. He also knew all idols were false and that god was something not to be grasped by the intellect.. God was ineffable, beyond imagining, therefore no statue...which confused the simple and infuriated the priests who made a good living from the offerings to the idol of Ammon. Secondly, it was a wise politcal move if it had worked. Over the centuries the priests and cult of Ammon had become almost more powerful than pharaoh. They collected taxes and amassed huge fortunes. Pharaoh was being cut out and losing his ability to do anything without the priests of Ammon allowing it. The attempt to break this headlock on his own power was nothing but heroic. Moran presents him as a fool and a madman. He was neither and her novel does not tell us anything like historical truth. Shallow irritating work.

    posted Wednesday, September 5 2007
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