Customer Reviews

The Heretic Queen: A Novel

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been waiting for this book for almost a year now (it was released August 7th here in England), and let me be the first one to say, it doesn't disappoint! I was expecting it to arrive on or after the publication date, but Amazon shipped it early and I finished the entire novel in under two days. I'm going back to read it for a second time now, to savour the feel of ancient Egypt that Michelle Moran so vividly brings to life.

Unlike Nefertiti, in which a side character (Nefertiti's sister Mutny) does the narrating, this book is narrated by Nefertari. She is Mutny's daughter, but Mutny has died in childbirth, leaving her daughter alone in a hostile court that has forbidden the names of Mutnodjmet and her heretical family to be spoken. There doesn't seem to be a very bright future for young Nefertari until one of pharaoh's sisters (the nicer one) determines to help her win the heart of Ramesses.

But even if she marries him, it doesn't mean he can make her Chief Wife and that her children will inherit the throne. The people of Egypt still remember Nefertari's family with loathing, since Nefertari's aunt - the "Heretic Queen" Nefertiti - abolished Egypt's gods. It's a long road for Nefertari and Ramesses, and I enjoyed every page of it. The adventures they have are just unbelievable, yet all of them are historically factual. From fighting pirates, to facing Ahmoses (or Moses, as he is known), to going to war with the ever-threatening Hittites, this is one of those books you won't want to put down.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, fiction, or even romance. And no, you don't need to have read Nefertiti to appreciate this book. It stands on its own and is simply wonderful.

Ms. Moran skillfully immerses us in the fascinating world of an Egyptian court - charged with intrigue, fraught with danger.
Although tentative and unsure of herself at first, Nefertari grows into a brave and confident woman, overcoming the machinations of her enemies.
A bust of this ancient queen proves her to be as Ms. Moran portrays her - beautiful, delicate and proud.
Thanks to Ms. Moran's seamless blend of fact and fiction the so-called "Heretic Queen" is a queen to be remembered.

'The Heretic Queen' is a followup novel of Moran's first novel, Nefertiti. While that one probably had the more interesting subject, Moran didn't execute the novel aspect so well. She took Nefertiti's sister as a main character, and told the story in the eyes of someone that well...was well more away from court than at court. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the novel being titled 'Nefertiti'. (Read my review on 'Nerfertiti' for more information)

But Moran must've realized her error, for she made Nefertari the main character this time, making the story much more alive, and much more closer to the action.

At the beginning, Nefertari is the neglected royal from the last dynasty, her future dim. Later, one of the Phaoroah's sisters rescued her and made her rose to greatness. But that didn't make Nefertari's life any more easier, since she had to compact with enemies from and outside of court. This tells the tale of how she overcame all her troubles and eventually became the woman that she is.

However, for people who have read 'Memoirs of a Geisha' (wonderful book, by the way), the leading female characters will seem eeriely familiar to you. Nefertari is like Sayuri, Iset is Pumpkin, the sisters are Hatsumomo and Mameha respectively. And we can all guess which side won. It seems like that the characters from Arthur Golden's wonderful book decided to jump out from Japan and travel all the way to Egypt.

Still, its a wonderful read. Grab a copy and be prepared to fall into the Egyptian court.

Things I liked:

-I found this book absolutely fascinating. The world of Egypt is described in a way that I can easily picture being there.
-It is written from the Princess Nefertari's view, I never got bored of her character and I found her enthralling
-I loved all the court intrigue, I found myself biting my nails, figuratively that is, when people where plotting against Nefertari.
-Even though I already knew the story of Nefartari and how it would end, I was still waiting and hoping that everything would turn out well in the end for her. It just shows how well the author created the world and how involved I was in it.
-It was extremely helpful to have a glossary at the back of the book, I referred to it often. There is also a little historical note from the author at the back which I found interesting as well.

Things I didn't like:
-It was a little long for me, and it didn't really have that "unputdownable" factor, but I pretty much liked everything else.

Overall a very fascinating read and very eye opening to the world of ancient Egypt. I give this a 4 out of 5

'The Heretic Queen' covers a period several years after the timeline of previous novel 'Nefertiti'

Once more, the author is taking us into a fulfilling journey through time with her simple and beautiful prose. This historical fiction recounts the life of young Nefertari, niece of Nefertiti, from her orphan years in the court of Seti 1 through the days after her coronation as Queen of Egypt.

It is clear from the start that the story although based on facts is highly romanticised for appeal. The author has let her imagination fill the gaps in history with creative speculation to grasp the reader's attention and plunge him into the Ancient Egyptian world of Ramesses the Great with all its splendour and tribulation.

Through the ups and downs of life, Nefertari narrates how although a Princess she is first treated like an outcast but her love for Ramesses since childhood and her determination to succeed will be her triumph. By 15, fluent in 5 languages and highly educated, this young woman not only wins the heart of a future Pharaoh but also of a nation, her skills and wits made her a successful Queen admired and respected by her followers.

This novel is a heart-warming love story and a delight to read.

My friend loaned me the book, I
did not want it to finish,. I returned
it to her.Then bought the book for myself..

Once I finished reading "Nefertiti", I couldn't wait to read this book! I was not disappointed. Some second books tend to be less quality than the first, but this book just continues to deliver an amazing account of history. Once again, the characters in the book are so vivid, that I found myself feeling for them. Moran is truly gifted for describing the Egyptian way of life as it was and for immersing her reader in the story as well as the facts.
I truly believe that this book would be excellent even if you havent read "Nefertiti". This book doesn't lag behind by describing the details of the last book, it merely mentions important points from the last book and that is all. It never becomes tedious to the reader. I guarantee that if you haven't read "Nefertiti" by the time you finish this book, you will want to.