Customer Reviews

The Curse of the Pharaohs

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This second novel of the Amelia Peabody series is unfortunately not quite as enjoyable as the first one.

The setting is still the 19th century Egyptian archeological milieu and there is still a good dose of humour throughout the book, but the convoluted plot is hard to follow and of course totally unrealistic. Secondary characters are rather stereotypical and one-dimensional: an Irish journalist, an American millionaire, a French nun, a German archaeologist, etc.

More care could have been taken in editing. Some elements, though amusing at first, become tediously repetitive. Such is the use of the window to enter their bedroom by the main characters. Also, specific expressions such as `time is of the essence' are repeated two or three times in a few pages for no plausible reason.

Someone looking for light entertainment with a touch of information on Antiquity will however consider this book worthwhile.

This book finds our heroine Amelia Peabody married to the archeologist she met in Crocodile on the Sandbank. They have made their home in England where they have put their first love (digging around in Egypt) on hold while they raise their son and Professor Emerson teaches archeology. But this life is not what they are suited for. When an opportunity presents itself to re-engage themselves in an expedition whose leader died (or perhaps murdered)they jump at the chance.

As the Emersons set about to dispel the idea of the Curse of the Pharoahs (a trumped up idea) they meet with a plethora of strange characters, each a possible suspect in the death of Lord Baskerville who was the original archeologist. There is the tabloid writer, the brash American investor, the superstitious Egptian natives, two other archeologists who are assisting the Emerson team, a young woman and her mother (Madame Berengeria) who believes that she is the reincarnation of a high-ranking Egyptian queen and that Professor Emerson is her long-lost love. There is also the appearance of the white veiled figure who threatens the group during the nights and leaves danger in its wake.

All in all a captivating story for mystery fans. The plot moves along rapidly and it would behoove the reader to pay attention to the details as set forth in order to find the true culprit.

I would say this is a most satisfying story either as a summer read or one to curl up with by the fire.

I just started on the Amelia Peabody books. Crocodile on the Sandbank I thought a little stilted and the writing a little dull, even though I loved the characters. The plot is lightweight but still entertaining. But I really thought this book was much much better: the writing was crisper, funnier, snappier. I find the relationship between Peabody and Emerson an updated version of Jane Eyre and Rochester--or the wonderful couple from Bronte's Villette. If you don't like that kind of interaction you won't like this. As a feminist I find nothing insulting or backwards about this portrayal. It is ironic and hilarious. The mystery is fully enjoyable.

Tedious and inane come to mind. It is written as a first person narrative consisting almost entirely of a stream of disparaging comments about everyone else written in a "catty" pseudo-feminist style, rambling descriptions of Egyptian archaeology - real or imagined - thinly veiled racist comments about the "ignorant natives" of Egypt and inept sexual innuendo. The book is very slow moving and the plot seems forced. The characters do not come across as real. Very disappointing. Leave this one on the library shelf.

Dull and inane come to mind. Consists mostly of Peabody's artificially "catty" - sometimes racist - first-person remarks about everyone she meets (even the cat), fuzzy descriptions of Egyptian "archaeology" (...). The plot is slow moving, cliché and peopled with characters that come across as cardboard cutouts. I found more of pennance than pleasure in this read. Avoid it.

Another wonderful book in the Amelia Peabody series. It is especially good because it introduces Amelia's son, Ramses, a very clever child.

I give this book three stars simply because Ms. Peters writes such great characters, but the plot of this book seemed a rehash of Crocodile on the Sanbank. Unless your an aboslute fan of the series and need to read every book, then it won't hurt to skip this one. Go on to the next one, it's better.

Okay, am I the only one who found the (audio) version of this novel extremely irritating? I guess its just me, judging by all the positive comments about this book, but Amelia Peabody and her verbally and physically abusive hubbie, Emerson are complete zeros in my book. The plot seems to be a mirror of the previous novel...And the characters...:sigh:.

Amelia: Amelia is a complete cold fish, referring to her baby in the first part as 'it', and talking 'down' to the reader in a most condescending manner possible. 'Emerson,' is a coward and a bully, 'growling' and threatening and bullying people to get his way. At one point he shoves a man down the stairs in a fit of pique. Not hero material in my book. Ugh. I don't know why Amelia stays with him a single second longer than she has to.

Overall, since I bought it, I'm forcing myself to finish it, but I find this book to be extremely irritating and tedious... Mostly because the main two characters just did NOT work for me.

For those not familiar with this series you're in for a treat. Amelia Peabody is a proper Victorian woman who's married to a famous Egyptologist, but don't be fooled by her. She's, by far, an unusually unpredictable woman. She finds trouble, solves mysteries and foils the "master criminal" and manages to still have tea on time. A great read!

These are fun books; the author is having fun with her characters and with us, her tongue firmly in her cheek. In fact, the characters are more interesting than the pseudo-creepy mystery. Everybody is a "character." Even if they are stereotypical, Peters really differentiates them in intriguing ways. And she waxes almost poetic in her description of Egyptian desert sunrises and sunsets-no one would be out in the sun at noon, right?

Readers who will especially enjoy the Amelia Peabody series are less those seeking a good mystery than a bit of eery suspense or those who (wish to) travel to Egypt or who enjoy history and archaeology. Peters scathes or satirizes Egyptology (in which she has a degree) as it was practiced a century ago by her contrasts between the deftly caricatured actual historical officials and her progressive protagonists. These novels will also appeal to readers who like novels of relationships and love conspiracies (which are dense and often unsuspected [hint, hint]), as well as gentle "modern" feminist sentiments in a Victorian romance, or light and quietly humorous writing. The mysteries are like an entertaining excuse to push her characters into incidents that reveal and develop them. It's also the rare series where child care is an issue (here the question of who stays with the baby), since we're beginning to see Amelia and Radcliffe's precocious child emerge in his obstreperous role through the early books of the series. This strong biographical flavor requires you to start at the beginning with CROCODILE.... (I once made the mistake of starting in the middle and gave up that try.)