Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 6:29 AM
Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
“I wonder if our names determine our destiny, or if destiny leads us to choose certain names.”
“Nefertiti” is an amazing novel about one of Egypt’s most legendary rulers. This is the tale of Nefertiti’s ambitious rise to the throne, but it’s also the story of the relationship between two sisters. Nefertiti’s half-sister, Mutnodjmet, is the narrator of the book which chronicles Nefertiti’s marriage to Prince Amunhotep until her death. Michelle Moran depicts two sisters who are as different as night and day but ultimately will do anything for each other. Nefertiti is calculating and shrewd, and she plots with her father to keep her family in favor of the Pharaoh and make sure that his second wife, Kiya, stays out of the picture. However, Mutnodjmet doesn’t approve of her family’s deceitfulness, and she also yearns for a life of her own that amounts to more than being her sister’s handmaiden.
Moran put in a lot of research for her first book and it really paid off. She didn’t spend pages explaining what things were but incorporated those aspects and the fact smoothly into the story. I am far from an expert on ancient Egyptian culture but from what I found out after this book piqued my curiosity, this book while not 100 percent accurate, is close enough while adding in fiction to keep it entertaining.
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 lengthy, 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, and there are very few dull moments.
“Nefertiti” was an interesting take on a highly unusual Egyptian time and family. It was a time of change and just as Mut and Nefertiti were changing the whole Egyptian world was changing with them. I applaud Michelle Moran for writing a novel on a woman is still for all intents and purposes an enigma to us. Akhenaten’s unpopular decision to replace Amen with Aten lead to his name and that of his family being erased from history. As a result, little information is available on Nefertiti, but Moran used the most accepted theories available on her life to creating an unforgettable novel that will hook you from page one.
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 6:01 AM
The Moon in the Palace by Weina Dai Randel
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 11:15 AM
Synopsis:
There is no easy path for a woman aspiring to power. . . .
A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor’s attention. Many paint their faces white and style their hair attractively, hoping to lure in the One Above All with their beauty. Some present him with fantastic gifts, such as jade pendants and scrolls of calligraphy, while others rely on their knowledge of seduction to draw his interest. But young Mei knows nothing of these womanly arts, yet she will give the Emperor a gift he can never forget.
Mei’s intelligence and curiosity, the same traits that make her an outcast among the other concubines, impress the Emperor. But just as she is in a position to seduce the most powerful man in China, divided loyalties split the palace in two, culminating in a perilous battle that Mei can only hope to survive.
The first volume of the Empress of Bright Moon duology paints a vibrant portrait of ancient China—where love, ambition, and loyalty can spell life or death—and the woman who came to rule it all.
My Review:
“I knew now: love and destiny were two wild horses that could not be curbed. They galloped in different directions and ran down different paths where streams of desire and hope would not converge. To follow one was to betray the other. To make one happy was to break the other's heart. Yet I supposed that was part of life, a lesson we had to learn. To grow up was also to give up, and to build the future was to dissolve the past. The only thing we could do was hope for the best, to believe that the horse we chose would find us a safe destination.”
Wu Zetian is China’s female emperor. The Moon in the Palace chronicles the early life of Empress Wu. Mei, as Wu is called in this novel, receives a prophecy at five years old that she will be the mother of emperors and an emperor in her name. Her fate pleases her father and believes Mei will bring her family honor. When she enters the palace at thirteen, she believes she will at once lead a good life. However, she soon finds that there is treachery in the court, as hundreds of women are fighting to receive the Emperor’s affection. Mei realizes she must stay ahead of her enemies so she can survive and bring her family honor.
Mei is a woman who is devoted to her family. She wants her parents to be proud of her. When she goes to the palace, she is very naive and trusting. She soon realizes that she cannot trust anyone in the harem because they too have the same ambition as Mei. Mei becomes more observant. She is always planning for her survival. She finds a few friends and is very loyal to them. She is also very compassionate. Even though she does not like her enemies, she still feels some pity for them. She yearns to live the life she wants and fights for her happiness. She does not want to be someone’s pawn. Thus, throughout the course of the novel, Mei develops into a mature and capable young woman. I love that she is such a smart woman, yet is still ruled by her heart and makes some less than perfect decisions. It makes her feel a much more realistic to me.
There were many other characters I loved. Like Pheasant , he’s my favorite. I also like Noble Lady. And there are many characters I hate, like the Pure Lady and Rain. And then there are many characters I feel are grey-area. For example, Jewel, Mei’s mother. I feel like it’s a strong aspect of this novel, that it has created characters I love, hate, pity, and so on. There are so many characters who induced emotions in me while reading, not just Mei.
Along the way, the author takes us backstage at the Imperial Court, where we get a glimpse of the inner workings of the Emperor’s vast wardrobe, the silkworm nursery, the epic polo matches, and other fascinating locations behind the palace gates. It’s obvious that the Moon in the Palace is extensively researched, and yet the author wears her historical expertise as lightly as the elegant silks of her characters. Sumptuous descriptions of the sights, sounds, and even tastes make you feel you are right in the middle of the action.
This book was everything I expected. It lyrically portrays all the violence and beauty of one of China’s most cosmopolitan eras. I enjoyed the inclusion of harem politics and plots. While this is a fictional account, I am sure many similar events happened.
It is about duty, friendship, love, loyalty, choices, loss, and sacrifices. This novel is about a woman who is searching to find her happiness. Full of court intrigue, action, danger, and a forbidden romance. Moon in the Palace left me breathless and utterly captivated.
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 5:03 AM
October Book Wrap Up
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 10:40 AM
So, without further ado, let’s get started, shall we?
1. Joseph, The Good Giant by Stjepan Varesevac Cobets (✬✬✬✬✬)
A great children's fantasy fairy tale that took me back to childhood, in a magical world full of adventures. A wonderful short story I would recommend to both adults and children.
2. Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale (✬✬✬✬✬)
A delightful surprise, this story had great lighthearted intelligent dialogue that makes you love the main characters even though they have many faults. I was prepared to not like the story, but I was charmed and consumed it in a single afternoon. Thank you, Laura Kinsale for both your sense of humor and your talent to write such a sweet story of love.
3. Figures In Silk by Vanora Bennett (✬✬✬✬)
With so many novels now revolving around various players who also feature in this novel — Richard III, Edward IV, the Tudors — it is a relief to find that Vanora Bennett’s focus in her second novel is not on life at court itself but on how the political machinations affect and disrupt the lives of London’s ordinary citizens and particularly its powerful merchants.
4. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (✬✬✬✬✬)
A remarkable study of human nature - in life, all of us have felt anger, hatred, jealousy, heartbreak, desire, guilt and belief, and disbelief. The author does a great job of depicting this myriad of emotions, common to human sense, in the book which is so beautifully written.
5. Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott (✬✬)
I suppose the author felt she had a very good idea about Sir Isaac Newton and his unusual rise to prominence at Trinity College, Cambridge. Sadly, she did not present it very well and produced a book that was not only very confusing but almost unreadable, despite the beautiful descriptive language used in many places. I found it difficult to follow the plot if you can call it a plot, and sometimes I had the strongest urge to just close the book and not reopen it.
6. The Countess and the King: A Novel of the Countess of Dorchester and King James II by Susan Holloway Scott (✬✬✬)
This book is rich in period detail and is well researched. Still, I found the book somewhat tedious, as it seemed to try too hard to be clever. So, though I enjoyed it I often found myself to be disengaged from it. Those who like historical fiction and tales of Restoration English, however, will find something to enjoy in this book.
7. Before Midnight - A Retelling of Cinderella (Once Upon a Time) by Cameron Dokey (✬✬✬✬)
Dokey in the author's afterword speaks about the origins of the story, from the Brothers Grimm to the older Charles Perrault that gives the true name of Cinderella. The novel isn't very long, just under two hundred pages, so there isn't much room for much development for the characters, but the writing and plotting are fairly tight, and the author doesn't forget to put in some descriptive passages that create some lovely imagery.
8. The Guardian Angel's Journal by Carolyn Jess- Cooke (✬✬✬✬✬)
This book had me on the first page. The storyline is unique. An angel comes back to earth to save herself. The storyline was so different and so interesting. The descriptions by the author are vivid. When she describes the angel’s wings, which are nothing like one would imagine, your mind’s eye can see these magnificent creatures.
9. My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares (✬✬✬✬)
A tender love story with an abrupt ending. I enjoyed turning every page, waiting in anticipation for them to be reunited again. I feel like the ending sort of trailed off, a little unfinished.
10. The Collector by Stjepan Varesevac Cobets (✬✬✬✬✬)
What a brilliant short story. This story is a great mystery with great character development and interesting surprises. The Collector is not what you expect and is absolutely worth your time, especially if you like science fiction and mysteries.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 9:05 AM
Synopsis:
The Last Great Dance on Earth is the triumphant final volume of Sandra Gulland's beloved trilogy based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte. When the novel opens, Josephine and Napoleon have been married for four tumultuous years. Napoleon is Josephine's great love, and she his. But their passionate union is troubled from within, as Josephine is unable to produce an heir, and from without, as England makes war against France and Napoleon's Corsican clan makes war against his wife. Through Josephine's heartfelt diary entries, we witness the personal betrayals and political intrigues that will finally drive them apart, culminating in Josephine's greatest tragedy: her divorce from Napoleon and his exile to Elba. The Last Great Dance on Earth is historical fiction on a grand scale and the stirring conclusion to an unforgettable love story.
My Review:
“We are born, we live and we die - in the midst of the marvelous.”
The Last Great Dance on Earth is the ending volume in Sandra Gulland’s trilogy about Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon. It follows The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. and Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe. This book opens in 1800, with Napoleon as First Consul, and finishes with Josephine’s death in 1814, shortly after Napoleon’s downfall and exile to Elba. As with the preceding two books, it is told in the form of fictional diary entries by Josephine, interspersed with letters to her from Napoleon and others, which tell the story of Napoleon’s battles and other events which Josephine could not have witnessed herself.
Gulland describes the splendor and the balls and banquets of Napoleon’s empire in loving detail and makes you feel as if you were there. She especially shows the magnificence of Napoleon’s coronation, from the point of view of Josephine, who never wanted a crown. Gulland makes the times come alive for the reader.
It was an excellent ending to a brilliant trilogy. Gulland has done her research and France comes alive through the eyes of Josephine Bonaparte. Compassionate, kind and well-loved in France, Josephine also gives us a very intimate and sympathetic insight to Napoleon Bonaparte. I enjoyed this whole series and would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the French Revolution, the French Republic and the rise of Napoleon. It is engrossing, humorous and heart-rending.
Although each book in the trilogy can be read on its own, I highly recommend reading the whole trilogy from the beginning, starting with The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. (you can find the review here) and Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe (you can find the review here), to get the full effect. Following Josephine’s life from her childhood in Martinique to the end is an extraordinary experience.
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
