The Heretic Queen
Ratings10
Average rating4.1
15
Ratings10
Average rating4.1
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.From the Hardcover edition.
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Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
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Oh, what a novel! I wish it had not come to an end. Every time I picked up the book to settle in for a read, I was swept into the world of Egypt with Pharaoh's and Warrior Queen's. I was impressed by Nefertiti, Michelle Moran's debut, but The Heretic Queen surpasses my admiration by far.
Our story is told from a first person perspective straight from the mouth of Nefertari, beloved of Ramesses, and Warrior Queen of Egypt. From a child to a woman, as a reader you get to hold onto her tale. I giggled with her, and I became enraged at her enemies. I felt empathy for her situations and I praised her for her morality and decisions for love instead of revenge.
Nefertari is one for the heart, she has gone in and is there to stay. I wish her story could continue, because I would just love to soak in more. Michelle has truly a winner on her hands here. It is one of those books that I doubt I will lend, because I just want to read it again (sorry, go buy your own!). It makes me think about so many things. Although, I do believe it is a fabulous novel and can be fully enjoyed on it's own, it does make me desire to go back and re-read Nefertiti, because I have know realized things that I have missed.
Nefertiti and her Pharaoh left a legacy that was difficult if not impossible to follow for our dear Nefertari, but in this novel she is shown as a masterful work of beauty. She overcomes the “sins of her fathers” and moves beyond. So many elements of historical value are found within these pages that I want to buy a textbook or book a plane trip to learn more. Michelle gives you just a taste and it is the teaser of the mind. She is an author to watch and look forward to for more, that can know go without having to be said.
I cannot wait for Cleopatra's Daughter next year!
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Had I reviewed this halfway through I probably would've gone with a solid 3-Star rating. It seemed to be repeating and circling on and on and on without making any story progression.
But by the end, I understood the purpose a little better. The last section of the book makes a detailed explanation of the historical facts that framed the story of Nefertiti. History does not play out as quickly as a Hollywood plot and to keep the basic integrity of the story, the author had to pause accordingly.
I am always impressed with authors in the historical fiction category, making history richly remembered and facts colorful. This book is a great example of that.
This book was dope, as all of Moran's books have been so far. It's odd that the publishers put so much emphasis on the Exodus on the back cover blurb since it's basically a tertiary plot, but alas. Really enjoyed the characters and the pacing was great. I sat it in a few big chunks, which is rare for my ADHD brain. Definitely recommend for fans of Ancient Egypt. Don't expect Tolstoy, of course, but it is a really fun read.
