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//author: mesu andrews//
//series: book 1, treasures of the nile//
//genre: christian fiction//
“You will be called Anippe, daughter of the Nile. Do you like it?” Without waiting for a reply, she pulls me into her squishy, round tummy for a hug.
I’m trying not to cry. Pharaoh’s daughters don’t cry.
When we make our way down the tiled hall, I try to stop at ummi Kiya’s chamber. I know her spirit has flown yet I long for one more moment. Amenia pushes me past so I keep walking and don’t look back.
Like the waters of the Nile, I will flow.
Anippe has grown up in the shadows of Egypt’s good god Pharaoh, aware that Anubis, god of the afterlife, may take her or her siblings at any moment. She watched him snatch her mother and infant brother during childbirth, a moment which awakens in her a terrible dread of ever bearing a child. Now she is to be become the bride of Sebak, a kind but quick-tempered Captain of Pharaoh Tut’s army. In order to provide Sebak the heir he deserves and yet protect herself from the underworld gods, Anippe must launch a series of deceptions, even involving the Hebrew midwives—women ordered by Tut to drown the sons of their own people in the Nile.
When she finds a baby floating in a basket on the great river, Anippe believes Egypt’s gods have answered her pleas, entrenching her more deeply in deception and placing her and her son Mehy, whom handmaiden Miriam calls Moses, in mortal danger.
As bloodshed and savage politics shift the balance of power in Egypt, the gods reveal their fickle natures and Anippe wonders if her son, a boy of Hebrew blood, could one day become king. Or does the god of her Hebrew servants, the one they call El Shaddai, have a different plan—for them all?
I adore biblical fiction, so when I saw the synopsis for The Pharaoh's Daughter, I HAD to read it!
When I began reading, I was immediately drawn into the history, politics, and drama of Ancient Egypt. I was captivated by the religious culture and the ramifications on its people--particularly its royal daughters. The author spun the tale of a frightened little girl as she grows up, becoming the wife of a powerful soldier, fiercely dedicated to the gods of her people; living a life of secrecy as she covers up her fear of childbirth with the discovery of the baby Hebrew, once destined for destruction...
I was fascinated at how well the pieces of history were all tied together and founded with the solid truth of God's word. I loved the pages at the end in which the author explains how she 'found' Pharaoh's daughter in the pages of history, and how she used the various historical figures to explain and tell the true story of Moses...a fictional rendering, yes, but so well researched that I would not be surprised if it was closer to the truth than we might think!
The prose of the story was beautiful and fluid, the characters were real and relatable, the plot moved at the perfect pace, lingering enough to fall in love with the characters, but swift enough to span the 20 some years that make up the story. I loved the two most dominant lessons of trusting the Lord and overcoming fear! I found Miriam's love and satisfaction in her Lord especially inspiring. Such a beautiful picture of the Hebrews in ancient Egypt--content in their God. I'm looking forward to reading more of Miriam's story in book 2, coming out next year!
Because of some of the romantic elements in the story, I wouldn't recommend the book for anyone under 16.
All in all, such a beautiful story--creative and inspiring, based on solid truths. Well worth the read!
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review
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