Review | Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Read a synopsis of Nefertiti here.

Review

Nefertiti
by Michelle Moran

So I was reading Nefertiti on the subway yesterday, and I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I actually missed my stop because I was so engrossed in Mutny’s world. For those precious fifteen minutes, I was no longer on a crowded subway car beneath the bustling NYC streets, but far, far away in a land where Pharaohs ruled and pyramids comprised the cities’ skylines. As a born and bred New Yorker, I’d like to think I know this city and its subway system like the back of my hand, so I can tell you with astonishment that I have NEVER, ever before missed a subway stop because of a book I was reading. I suppose there is a first time for everything, because such was the case with Nefertiti, an enthralling tale of two sisters whose family’s rise to power was tantamount to Egypt’s ultimate historic destiny. My somewhat laughable subway debacle is just a small testament to the gripping nature of Moran’s storytelling; the real proof is in the novel itself.

Ancient Egypt was completely new to me as a hist-fic setting, and Nefertiti made for an incredibly fascinating read. My limited knowledge of Nefertiti and her reign comes from a couple of programs I’ve caught on the History and National Geographic Channels covering this enigmatic Queen of Egypt, and never before have I encountered Nefertiti’s story as told in such an addictive, captivating manner. I am in awe of Moran’s ability to mesh archeological knowledge with imaginative writing to create a story that fills in blanks that historians are still struggling to uncover to this day. Part of what makes this novel so amazing is that there is very little known about this time in history (1351 BCE), which further attests the author’s ability as a creative novelist. The characters in this book are so definitively characterized, so inherently believable, and the author expertly outlines the Egyptian way of life during the time of its 18th Dynastic rule, covering topics ranging from art and architecture to religion and the birth of monotheism in civilization.

I commend the author for including an Afterward at the end of this book. Because historians and archeologists are still uncovering new facts and information about Nefertiti’s time, much of the book is fictionalized based on the author’s academic perception of what most likely took place (hence the genre, historical fiction). I always like it when my hist-fic books end with an Afterward explaining to the reader what from the novel is fact and what aspects are fiction. I usually research interesting historical characters myself after I’ve read about them, but I also like to gain insight to the author’s thought process in making certain decisions with his or her fictionalized account of an historical figure.

I’m rating Nefertiti 5/6 Wives of Henry VIII; my one minor criticism being that it was light on some transitional details. I felt at a couple points the story advanced quickly without an explanation of how we arrived there (i.e. a woman learns of her pregnancy on one page, and on the very next page, gives birth). At 457 pages (paperback), it was a somewhat long novel so I can understand the author’s hesitation at not wanting to overdo it with the unimportant details. This may just be a matter of preference, and I don’t think it took away from the story at all, as in my overall opinion this book really could do no wrong. I recommend Nefertiti to anyone who already loves historical fiction, and also to those unfamiliar with the genre looking for a delicious first taste. I cannot wait to read the sequel, The Heretic Queen!

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