Neferura is the story of the only child of Pharaoh Hatshepsut manoeuvring court intrigue in order to protect her mothers unprecedented reign which happens to occur in a strained co-regency with her half-brother (and Hatshepsut’s step-son) Thutmose. There have been so many historical fiction and mythological retellings that have centred on Greek and Roman histories in recent years, it was refreshing and exciting to be able to read about Ancient Egypt, especially through the lens of a woman (who was surrounded by powerful women) and set during one of the most intriguing and captivating periods of Egypts 3000+ years of history.
I appreciate the way this story is structured, using language that is contextual to the time and place (rather than what the audience may already know from general knowledge or school) it really helped maintain a sense of immersion in the story. The story was well written, Neferura’s feelings and emotions came off the page and the detailed descriptions meant that much of what she saw or heard was incredibly easy to visualise. Each characters motivation was clear and believable, particularly the ‘big three’ powerplayers (Neferura, Hatshepsut and Thutmose), who were written quite well, there were windows where I felt sympathy for Thutmose even though he was the villain. The plot was well paced an engaging, without being difficult to follow. Additionally, while there was some very brief (and relevant) explanations or accounting of cultural or religious events or practices that took place, there were no lengthy explanations that bogged down the story or patronised the reader.
With my own background in Egyptology, I had to put my own thoughts and interpretations of this period to the back of my brain to enjoy the story. Ultimately, the personalities were characterised and presented in a manner that clashed with my own thinking. In saying that, the beautiful thing about Ancient Egypt is the many different interpretations that are available based on evidence. While this story did differ from my own thinking (such as strong hostilities between Hatshepsut and Thutmose) the overall structure adhered to the evidence we have available. I really enjoyed connecting the characters in this story with the names of people I have come across in my non-fiction reading. Often, I struggle to ‘turn off’ in historical fiction, especially given my time in university and teaching background, but found that I wasn’t annoyed with any anachronisms or glaring historical errors, which made the reading experience all the more enjoyable.
I found the end a little bit rushed, I would have liked it to be a bit more fleshed out, I had a few plot questions while reading the epilogue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.
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