The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
by
Natasa Djordjevic
- 2:07 PM
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Synopsis:
In ancient Egypt, a forgotten princess must overcome her family’s past and remake history.
The winds of change are blowing through Thebes. A devastating palace fire has killed the Eighteenth Dynasty’s royal family—all with the exception of Nefertari, the niece of the reviled former queen, Nefertiti. The girl’s deceased family has been branded as heretical, and no one in Egypt will speak their names. A relic of a previous reign, Nefertari is pushed aside, an unimportant princess left to run wild in the palace. But this changes when she is taken under the wing of the Pharaoh’s aunt, then brought to the Temple of Hathor, where she is educated in a manner befitting a future queen.
Soon Nefertari catches the eye of the Crown Prince, and despite her family’s history, they fall in love and wish to marry. Yet all of Egypt opposes this union between the rising star of a new dynasty and the fading star of an old, heretical one. While political adversity sets the country on edge, Nefertari becomes the wife of Ramesses the Great. Destined to be the most powerful Pharaoh in Egypt, he is also the man who must confront the most famous exodus in history.
Sweeping in scope and meticulous in detail, The Heretic Queen is a novel of passion and power, heartbreak and redemption.
My Review:
“This is how memories are; what seems so clear and unforgettable at one moment vanishes like steam the next.”
History interwoven with fiction make for a most enjoyable view of the customs and traditions of Egypt. The love between the two protagonists is clear from the beginning. This is a story of intrigue, deceit, passion and a thirst for power. The unusual beliefs that the Egyptians had about matters like death, and the ceremonies done to ensure that their dead are recognized by the gods in the afterlife displayed in the story pull you brilliantly into the Egypt of Ramses II.
I loved the character of Nefertari. She was trapped in this life where people hated her because of crimes by family members she’d never even met; she spent her entire life unsure of what would happen to her when she grew up. Then one day, her dreams came true - she was engaged to be married to her childhood best friend and the love of her life, who is also the Pharaoh. Just when she felt like all her childhood fantasies were becoming a reality, she realized her life as Rameses’ wife would be filled with challenges - the Egyptian people didn’t respect her, her in-laws all hated her, and it was possible that someone was trying to sabotage her just as had been done to her aunt, Nefertiti. I felt a lot of sympathy for Nefertari and rooted for her throughout the book - she was an easy character to like and relate to.
I felt the plot was a fast-paced, entertaining, and light-hearted. There is a beautiful love story between Ramses and Nefertari, enough of palace intrigue and plotting and scheming, battles, wars, pirates, evil priests, loyal friends, grand palaces, and even grander tombs.
The author does an absolutely wonderful job of describing not only the characters, who come alive but also the sights and sounds of ancient Egypt. I could smell the figs wafting on the breeze, hear the roar of crowds, and see the splendor of Egypt’s Nineteenth dynasty.
The simplicity of Moran’s writing style and storytelling grasps your attention. The story becomes addictive in small, measured steps and your imagination gets the better of you, that said, I found this to be a credible, fascinating look into this era of history.
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
