I learned so much from this book! It was well-researched and so insightful. Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the ARC!

This book was very informative and well researched. A bit long, but, none the less, wonderful. I love anything Egyptian and loved this book.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti, parents of Tutankhamun, vary in reputation from good to bad. Their analyses in this work are presented through historic events and objects to present informed and documented opinions. Hieroglyph representations display the divine attributes and identities of these two figures; the accuracy is questionable since they were influenced by the royals themselves. There is much to learn through these carvings about the rulers, considered the first offspring of the creator deity, themselves, as well as the development of the writing and grammar systems. This couple together revised the faith and sought a new space to perform rituals. Akhenaten’s prime interest is religion; Nefertiti whose name reflects the beauty with which she is associated.is a worthy companion ruler to her husband. He depicts himself as a victor and at times an inventor; she is Known worldwide for her famous profile in artistic depictions. They are together portrayed as special, unique, divinely-blessed and adored by their people. John Coleman Darnell and Colleen Darnell’s work is unique; it is a creative, artistic and historic analysis of a dynasty. They have made these distant figures human at times, experiencing emotions. There is much to learn; however, for this reader it was at times too technical and confusing.

Whether the reader is new to the study of ancient Egypt and its rulers or holds a degree in ancient civilizations, Egyptologists John and Colleen Darnell offer numerous opportunities to absorb facts along with speculation and debate featuring the reign of Egypt's Golden Couple, Akhenaten and Nefertiti, parents of King Tut. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between the couple and the "one true god" Aten as a kind of triumvirate that rules Egypt. Into the mix is cast the builders of palaces, rulers of other lands, modern archeologists, enemies in war, hieroglyphs, songs and poetry of the time. With Western exposure focused mainly on Tutankhamun, this book
lays the groundwork for eyeing similarities to the world of today.

Especially noteworthy is the inclusion of the Hymn to Aten that reads as a tribute or ode to the great god of the sun..

Readers may find it distracting that some chapters feature differing time frames which may impact the overall flow of this important body of work.

This book is a deep dive into the lives of Akhenaten and Nefertiti who were the parents of Tutankhamun (King Tut). My interest in reading this book was that I knew Akhenaten and Nefertiti radically changed the worship of the gods during their rule, something that I find quite interesting.
There is a lot to be absorbed by reading this book. Basic knowledge of the history of the time is helpful but not completely necessary, this book provided enough background information to get the reader through.
A few things that I appreciated about the book were the chapter layout, the discussion of scholarly debates and research of this time period, and the bibliography. Each chapter started with an imagined scene based on research evidence. The rest of the chapter expands on the research. Of particular interest to me was the explanation of hieroglyphics, how they are translated, and where translation can be difficult. The bibliography sets out the sources and makes clear the depth of research that went into writing this book.
It took me slightly longer than average to read this book, but it was time well spent.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion.

It was a little hard to follow, but enjoyable for giving a glance into the world of Ancient Egypt undergoing such a monumental transformation. I liked the vignettes at the beginning of each chapter, which really helped set the scene. On the other hand, I felt like the authors skipped around a lot.

The subject matter of this book was very interesting, and it was clearly well researched by incredibly knowledgeable (and passionate) authors. I would have given this book a 4 star review, except for the fact that a lot of the time this book read too much like a college textbook. Meaning it was a little dry. Hence only the 3 stars. HOWEVER....I would still recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in ancient Egypt.

Thorough and entertaining look at King Tut’s parents - considered gods and goddesses and the journey the authors took to uncover their information.

Egypt's Golden Couple such an interesting read. Especially for a lover of Egypt history. Getting to know Akhenaten and Nefertiti on a personal level after years of study. Their way of life and the choices they made every day. This is a must read for any fan of Ancient Egypt history.

There are many pharaohs that come to mind before the heretic, Akhenaten: Rameses II, Hatchepsut, Khafre of the Great Pyramid of Giza, and even a few of the heretic's direct descendants: Tutmose and Amenhotep III. But when it comes to royal couples, Akhenaten and his beautiful queen, Nefertiti, reign supremem.

There is a lot of literature on the couple and their time ruling Egypt. To summarize, the pharaoh (who was crowned Amenhotep IV before changing his name to acknowlege the one god) consolidated the worship of gods into the worship of Aten, the sun with warm hands at the end of its rays, and went so far as to move the kingdom's capital from Luxor/Thebes to a site now known as Al Amarna then known as "Akhetaten."

What the Darnells bring to the story is a bit of new evidence. Subsequent pharaohs dismantled the heretic's capital city, and removed many references to the royal couple during the subsequent, short reign of their son, Tutankhamum, and thereafter. What archaeologists have found in recent years is the remains of those temples were used as filler material for the pylons and buildings of later dynasties. This has opened a host of new clues about the couple and their grandiose intentions, as well as a peek into life in Akhetaten.

The second element cleverly spun into this book is the Darnells' structure. Each chapter begins with a detailed dramatisation from the lives of Akhetaten and Nefertiti: a chariot ride through the city, a coronation, even the workshop where the famous bust of Nefertiti was created. These scenes put the reader front and center into the world and the worldview of the subjects. The second part in each chapter goes into the archaeological evidence that underpins the descriptions.

What I think the Darnells (the galley I read from NetGalley identified John AND Colleen Darnell as the authors, not just the latter) achieved for me was an insight into the mind of Akhenaten. His heresy wasn't necessarily a rejection of Egyptian theology as it was a revelation of it. Akhenaten really did see himself as the embodiment of god--and in many respects, even conjugal relations, he and Nefertiti acted out the work of god.

I also "saw" the city of Akhetaten for the first time through their rich descriptions and detailed analysis.

Egypt's Golden Couple isn't just a look AT the lifetime of a fascinating royal marriage, it is a look INTO the minds that turned a great civilization on edge and created a new city, and a new ideology that fascinates still today.

I haven't read much history focusing on Egypt's history so when I had the opportunity I was so excited. This exquisite, well described history of Egypt and the time of King Tut's rule did not disappoint. I was mesmerized by much of the rich history and customs of these times. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to read more on Egypt.

The hardcover will be nearly 400 pgs so there’s a lot here. I’ve had a long fascination with ancient Egypt, so I very much enjoyed visiting the past with these guides.

The Darnells’ research shines throughout this book. It’s obvious they are intimately familiar with hieroglyphics, the geography, Egyptian customs and much more, so the imagined lives portions that began each chapter didn’t bother me because they were clearly built on a solid foundation of knowledge. The way they wrote about the daily lives were taken from many sources and woven together in an interesting way.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for this review.

Egypt's Golden Couple by John and Colleen Darnell is an interesting look at Akhenaten and Nefertiti the parents of Tutankhamun.
By examining various records, information and art the authors try to bring to life the past. At several points in the book the others comment that the Egyptian considered the remembrance of the dead is a sort of immortality that the ancient Egyptians would have appreciated.
The authors also attempt to give a more rounded version of Akhenaten who as they say "has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world's first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled."
The biggest drawback for me with the book was the time jumps in the narrative were sometimes jarring and could have been distinguished a little better in the text.
Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress and the authors for the ARC of #Egypt'sGoldenCouple.

I've always been fascinated by Egyptian history, ever since I started learning about it in sixth grade (MANY years ago!). The parents of King Tutankhamun, Akhenaten and Nefertiti, were viewed as Gods on Earth and supreme beings. This book was extremely dense and full of information. The author examines their lives, reign, politics and religion, and the impact it had on Egypt going forward. I appreciated the rich detail; it's clear the author spent an enormous amount of time incorporating primary sources and the book was well-researched.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. I previously only had a passing knowledge of Akhenaten and Nefertiti but after reading this I almost feel like we have met.

My only disappointment is with the lack of pictures, illustrations, and maps that might have made it easier for an amateur like myself to follow the content.

I looking forward to a follow up book on the author's latest discoveries!

As we reach the century-mark of the discovery, I found myself turning back to my younger self. I was obsessed with ancient Egypt as a kid, and this book kept everything I loved as a kid and took it to a more in depth, adult level deep dive.

I will be buying a physical copy, if only so I can highlight passages.

This was an in-depth and discerning account of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, one of Ancient Egypt's iconic power couples. Part archaeological analysis, part travelogue, and part fictional reimagining, this book takes readers on a chronological trek through their lives and reign. It focuses on how they reshaped various aspects of Egyptian art, architecture, politics, culture, and religion, paying special emphasis on how they took Egyptian solar worship from polytheistic to monotheistic.

Egyptology has long fascinated me. I have always been interested in history, in pyramids and hieroglyphics, in the lives of pharaohs and their wives and their progeny, so I hoped there would be much to entice me in this book. A lot of new knowledge I would be able to accrue. There were informative passages and intriguing insights about Akhenaten and Nefertiti that were new to me, and I relished those with readerly vigor, but at times they were overshadowed by the disjointed pacing, which could be dense at best and cumbersome at worst. The transitions that existed between the travelogue and research sections weren't always obvious, either. They could be difficult to follow. I had to focus hard, chew on them a bit until I was able to catch up again.

Overall, I thought this was well-researched and educational. My only complaint is that I wish it would've had a more cohesive flow because I believe it would've elevated my reading experience. Still, I would recommend this to anyone who's interested in Ancient Egyptian history.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.

King Tut (Tutankhamun ) is a household name and November 2022 marks the centennial of the discovery of his tomb. His parents, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were viewed as Gods on Earth due to their transformation of solar worship, innovations in art and urban design, impact on culture, religion, and politics.

This one took me some time to get through as there is a lot to absorb. I have always been interested and in ancient Egypt: the pharaohs, pyramids, artifacts, history, and the way of life, so I thought I would love this book. There were parts that were immensely interesting and informative and others that had me wondering how is this entirely a nonfiction history book with the opening chapter sections which tell scenes/imagined scenes from the character's lives? I know these were added to give readers insight into life back then, but for some reason, I didn’t care for them.

The authors know their stuff and have done a lot of research throughout their careers. While some might find the imagined scenes interesting and worthwhile, they hindered my enjoyment of the book. Don't get me wrong, this is still a worthwhile read especially those who are interested in Egyptology.

Well researched, interesting, and informative.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love reading about archaeology and what it tells us about the lives of the past, but this was written in such an incredibly dull way I could hardly drag myself to the end. It needed much more editor intervention and polishing, particularly evening out poor transitions, tone, and exposition.

A great dive into Egypt’s most extraordinary and iconic power couples.

This one took me a while to trek through, but I appreciated all of the narrative-like openings to the chapters, giving you glimpses of life in Ancient Egypt. I admit I was totally lost trying to keep track of the names and who was who. I feel like I needed a physical family tree in my lap anytime I opened the arc of this on my phone 😂 I will definitely be referring back to this for writing research when the physical copy comes out. It was very research-heavy, which is to be expected, but I always like history books that appeal to the historical figures humanity. Grant it, everyone mentioned in this book died thousands of years ago, but still. Other than that, it was an interesting read.

Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Plot: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Pacing: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 」