Nefertiti
by Michelle Moran

Sisters Nefertiti and Mutnodjmet of Egypt have a relationship similar to that of another famous pair: Anne and Mary Boleyn. Nefertiti, calculating and ambitious, becomes the chief wife of the young and impetuous pharaoh Akhenaten, while ‘Mutny’ stands in the shadows and plays handmaiden to her sister. As she approaches marriageable age, Mutny begins to resent her position and is wary of the new religion that Akenaten is forcing on the people of Egypt. She begins mapping a life away from court, though her sister continues to yield great power over her.

Egyptian history has never really intrigued me as European history has, but I found this novel to be quite an interesting read. The way of life is so foreign, but the characters have timeless personalities and the fascination of the age-old problems of politics and religion always make a great story. I was quite satisfied with the ending, however the author has written a sequel that comes out on September 16th called The Heretic Queen, which is based on the later life of the character Mutny.