Shelly's Book Blog

Sphinx's Princess, by Esther Friesner, drew me in right away and kept me hooked. Set in ancient Egypt (14th century, B.C.), the book follows Nefertiti, a young, beautiful woman, who is forced to leave her home and family in Akhmin to live at at Pharaoh Amenhotep's court in Thebes. Her father's sister, Amenhotep's Great Royal Wife, Queen Tiye, is terrified of losing her privledged position and wants Nefertiti to marry her son, Thutmose, as a means of securing her son's and her own future. Unfortunately, Thutmose isn't at all the type of man Nefertiti could love. He is cold and seems to care about no one but his pet cat.

Nefertiti is strong and smart, though, and she finds ways of making the best of her life in Thebes. She befriends Thutmose's brother and one of his sisters, and she is able to secretly continue the writing lessons she had enjoyed back home. Friesner weaves much historical detail into the story, such as the names of many Egyptian gods and the ways in which the people worshipped them, the customs of the royals, the  means of transportation, and the clothing, jewelry and make-up styles of the time. It never feels like a history lesson, though. The characters are well developed and the story is fast paced and engrossing. I look forward to reading the sequel, Sphinx's Queen.