A beautiful and haunting suspenseful historical fiction novel-twists and turns make for another fabulous Marie Benedict novel! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read.

Marie Benedict is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. I was so excited to read this book, with dual timelines set in Egypt. In this book, we read about Hatshepsut, the lost pharaoh, and Evelyn, who will do anything to find Hatshepsut's tomb. I loved the writing style and how Marie Benedict tied the two timelines together. A five star read!

I enjoy dual timelines, but this one was a bit harder to follow, perhaps because both were in the past. Still I felt that I learned a lot, which is why I read historical fiction. Not as engaging as Benedict's other books, but still a good read.

This dual narrative swept me into two worlds (1920s Egypt and ancient Thebes) with seamless pacing and rich historical detail. Evelyn Herbert’s unwavering moral compass and Hatshepsut’s fierce resilience made both timelines deeply compelling, and the story sparked a genuine desire to explore Egypt’s buried legacies further. Benedict masterfully reclaims forgotten female power, making history feel urgent and alive.

I was excited to be able to read the ARC of Benedict’s latest - she’s one of my faves. The ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review - comes out Mach 24, 2026.

This is the story, told in two times from two POVs, of Lady Evelyn Herbert and Queen Hatshepsut. Lady Evelyn (Eve) was the daughter of Lord Carnarvon and was one of the three people to be the first to enter Tutankhamen’s tomb. Hatshepsut is a little known figure in Egyptian history: daughter of one Pharaoh, wife of another, and ultimately Pharaoh herself.

Books like this are the reason I love historical fiction. I went deep down a rabbit hole reading about the life of both Eve and Hatshepsut who reigned over a period of great prosperity. Little is known about her, so I’m sure Benedict had to infuse quite a bit of imagination in her chapters.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book This book was sooooo slow paced and boring! The only saving grace was her portrayal of strong females. Not for me!

"Daughter of Egypt" by Marie Benedict fits comfortably alongside her previous works and other historical fiction novels that offer feel-good romps through major moments in history while intentionally glossing over some of the harsher realities and deeper tragedies of the era. As expected from Benedict, the story sails over complex historical issues, only briefly touching on the topic of Egypt's artifact theft, but never delving deeply into those difficult discussions.

The main characters in this book feel particularly weak. Lady Evelyn and Hatshepsut, who should both be compelling figures given their real-life stories, come across as underdeveloped, and the narrative never quite allows them to become three-dimensional. The sections featuring Hatshepsut are especially thin; she reads more as a historical sketch than a living, breathing ruler, which might be due to the limited source material but nonetheless disappoints compared to Benedict's other heroines.

Overall, "Daughter of Egypt" is about what I anticipated from Marie Benedict, but unfortunately, it is less fleshed out than her earlier work. For readers who enjoy her brand of accessible historical fiction with its focus on remarkable women and swiftly-moving stories, this book fits the bill, but it lacks the substance that could have made the historical figures at its heart truly shine.

Interesting dual timeline novel. In the 1400s in ancient Egypt we learn about the life and rule of Hatshepsut, the only female ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. She was the daughter of a Pharaoh then the wife of one. When her husband died his son was only a very young child so Hatshepsut, who was seen as the daughter of both a god and a Pharaoh, managed to convince the Egyptian people that it was the will of the gods that she rule along with the child. She fulfilled this role for a couple of decades until her enemies captured her daughter and demanded her death. She was then essentially erased from ancient Egyptian history.

In the 1920s we have Eve. A British daughter of an archeologist who spends his time and money excavating Egyptian artifacts and tombs and sending many of the objects recovered to England. There is much here about the politics of the British colonization of Egypt and how that affected to archaeological digs and handling of the objects. Eve is allowed to accompany her father for these digs and falls in love with ancient Egypt, particularly Hatshepsut. It becomes her quest to find Hatshepsut’s tomb.

I fully enjoyed this book though I don’t think ancient an Egypt is my thing. I loved reading Hatshepsut’s story and Eve definitely redeemed herself to me along the way. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC.

I might have been at a 4.75, but I rounded up to 5 😂 Marie Benedict is one of my favorite authors. Our physical book club reads 1-2 Marie Benedict books a year together. I love that she’s a local author from the Pittsburgh area as well. So, I will preface this review with the fact that I love her books.

📜 I loved the dual timelines between the 1920s and the 1400s BC. My only complaint about this book is that I wanted more of BOTH timelines’ stories.

📜 The present and ancient day Egyptian settings were pretty thrilling to me. I’m going to Egypt in 2027 with my mom and will be visiting many of the places mentioned in this novel, including the Valley of the Kings and King Tut’s Tomb, so it was really cool to start getting into this history more deeply now. I plan to go to all the museums and do more research before my visit because I love ancient Egyptian history!

📜 I am a huge sucker for stories about women lost to history, and the pharaoh Hatshepsut definitely counts as one of those, considering her history was literally scratched out by her people about two decades after her death! I’m not sure I loved the books explanation of what happened (since this was factionalized), but it honestly worked great for the story.

📜 And, Lady Evelyn Herbert was the first person to enter King Tut’s tomb in 1922! Her story and progressiveness in the field of archaeology also deserves to be told. And I enjoyed the way her character was fictionalized (based off real life research) very much.

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict Is a novel of fiction, but I did find the parts that took place in Egypt very interesting, especially since they were based on an actual woman who lived and reigned, Hatshepsut. As for Lady Evelyn, although she was involved in finding Hatshepsut's tomb, her part of the story wasn't nearly as interesting as I hoped it would be. She wasn't engaging and far to silly to be so. Read it if you love Egyptian stories, if not, read at your own risk. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

As usual, Marie Benedict delivers a fascinating historical novel. Daughter of Egypt provides a look into the lesser known female Pharaoh Hatshepsut. There is much unknown about Hatshepsut and Benedict capitalizes on this to create an intricate story. With a dual timeline structure, we also follow along with the story of Eve Herbert in the 1920s. Eve is known to have done archaeological work alongside her father Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, most notably the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Benedict provides parallel stories of how both these women struggled against the gender roles and stereotypes of their times. I enjoyed the narrative stories of these strong female characters, but I also delighted in learning more about Egypt, both in the times of the pharaohs and in the modern times around the excavations of The Valley of the Kings and Egypt's struggle for independence. Overall a very enjoyable book.

Another exceptional historical fiction gem from Benedict: this time focused on two real women: the most powerful female Pharoah of Egypt Hatshepsut with any mention of her name having been mysteriously destroyed, and an amateur woman archaeologist, Lady Evelyn Herbert, who in the 1920’s was the first to step into King Tut’s tomb and who grew up in the estate featured on Downton Abbey. The novel alternates diving into both of their complex story lines as they each struggle to overcome male prejudice and come into their own.

Evelyn comes from an upper crust English family and her mother expects her to “wed well .” But Evelyn longs to escape the endless and boring cotillion balls and outings to dig in the dirt for Egyptian treasures. She’s been mentored for years by Howard Carter, a reknown British Egyptologist and archeologist, who has been living at the estate since Evelyn’s childhood, under a partronage from her dad Lord Carnavon. Each year for digging season, Howard and her Dad go off to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt to search the parcels of land they’ve acquired as part of Britain’s oversight of Egypt. Their Dad wants to find the tomb of Tutankhamun, while Evelyn and Howard secretly want to unravel the mystery of Hatshepsut.

But revolt from British rule has been brewing among the Egyptians, led by the brave, passionate wife of the president of Egypt who galvanized women to rise up and march for their country’s independence and to protest against England’s controlling protectorate. The Egyptians want to take over the digs and keep all the spoils discovered for themselves as a restoration of their heritage. And this introduces a third heroine to Benedict’s masterful illumination of history in the successful move of Egypt into independence.

Running currently to this story, we dive into the days of Hatshepsut, and slow her rise from the sacred attendant to a powerful Egyptian god to ultimately moving her way up the leadership hierarchy serving as counselor for young Pharoahs until taking on the role of Pharoah herself symbolically draped in men’s clothing. During her peaceful and long reign, Hatsepsut brought prosperity to the Egypt through strategic foreign trades, negotiated peace with resentful and threatening neighbors, and expanded their territory. So what led to her name being obliterated from all monuments and her virtually disappearing from history: the fact she was a woman or something else?

Mostly thought provoking is how Benedict captures two women, thousands of years apart, fighting for ascendancy in male dominated worlds and how dismissive male told history has been to their legacies.

This is what Benedict does best: breathe vibrant life into overlooked women in history to make them unforgettable.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

I always enjoy Marie Benedict's books about strong women in history. Daughter of Egypt is a very interesting read about Hatshepsut, female pharaoh of Egypt and Englishwoman Lady Evelyn Herbert's quest to find her burial place. The novel delves into how women were often undervalued and under documented in history. I like how Marie Benedict explored the differences in English and Egyptian culture. Lots to discuss for book groups.

“like the desert sand . . . one day, women will sweep up into a mighty storm and transform the land.”

As a lover of Ancient Egypt and historical fiction, as well as stories with strong female characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

We follow the interconnected stories of passionate women in two different times and places, Hatshepsut and Evelyn Harper, both determined to step outside of constricting gender roles.

Clever, intuitive, and skilled at the intricacies of politics, Hatshepsut is the perfect choice to carry on her father's legacy and lead Egypt into a time of peace and prosperity, except that women don't become pharaohs. Rather than enduring a tedious cycle of dinner parties and balls in search of a suitable husband, Eve dreams of excavating in the golden sand of Valley of the Kings alongside her father, in search of Hatshepsut's tomb.

Sadly, for both of these women, most of the pushback they receive comes not from the men in their lives, but from other women, particularly their own mothers. Yet as the Egyptian people rise up to claim their independence from Britain, we catch an inspiring glimpse of women from all walks of life working together and empowering one another.

Marie Benedict has written a fascinating story about women who dared to follow their own hearts.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book. I am leaving a review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict!
This is a well researched book and although it is fiction, it is based on actual events and real people from history. The story bounces between the time of Hatshepsut approximately 1486 BCE and 1922 when Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon were excavating in the Valley of the Kings. I was not sure at first how I would feel about the point of view of Lord Carnarvon's daughter Eve who accompanied Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon on their expedition that resulted in the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.
I have long been fascinated by ancient Egyptian history, the only female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, and repulsed by foreign archeologists who not only removed burial items sanctioned by the British protectorate of Egypt but also removed and sold items that were not sanctioned. I am also deeply disgusted at the display in museums of the mummified remains of buried bodies.

Anyone with an interest in Ancient Egypt or British Colonialism should race to get a copy of DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, historical fiction from bestselling author Marie Benedict (THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, others). I applaud this author's serious effort to bring to light stories about intriguing women who have received little recognition for their intellect and achievements.

The novel actually tells the stories of two daughters of Egypt, who lived 17 centuries apart:

• Lady Evelyn Herbert (1901-1980), an amateur Egyptologist is the privileged daughter of George Herbert, 5th Lord Carnarvon (1866-1923), known for providing the money behind many archeological digs involving noted Egyptologist Howard Carter (1874-1939), including their final 1922 trip that resulted in discovering the intact tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. (Yes, THAT Tutankhamen!)

• Hatshepsut (circa 1505–1458 BC) - one of the few women to reign as Pharaoh of Egypt in her own right, at a time when many did not belief any woman could rule, let alone one like Hatshepsut, who made her country more peaceful and prosperous.

Moving back and forth in time, Benedict weaves a story of two women struggling to be recognized for their gifts, rather than limited by their gender. 19-year-old Lady Evelyn has accumulated considerable knowledge of ancient Egyptian civilization over years of exposure to both her father and Howard Carter. Yet even her own mother urges her to concentrate on finding a husband rather than fulfill her dream of being part of a dig. Hatshepsut, according to Benedict, was trained by her father to be a leader. Yet when circumstances lead her to a position of power, where she excels, competing political factions question her right to be there.

It was not clear to me how much of this historical fiction is fact based and how much author's conjecture. The real Lady Evelyn was certainly involved in the discovery of Tut's tomb. But the character of Lady Evelyn is obsessed with discovering the tomb of Hatshepsut, and expresses disappointment when King Tut's is found instead. From the modest research I've done, there's no evidence I can find that either was the case. So, I'm thinking it's really the author who's fascinated with Hatshepsut and needed a way to tie her own interest to the more contemporary story of Lady Evelyn.

Regardless, DAUGHTER OF EGYPT is a captivating novel. Hatshepsut's rise to power is indeed a fascinating story, especially because of the serious effort (made after her death) to erase her name from Egyptian history, including removing her very name from the buildings she built. The author offers her own reasonable explanation for why this happened, though no one knows the truth.

In addition to the limits societies often place on women, there are other interesting themes raised in the novel. Questions about colonialism were just as thorny to me. Lord Carnarvon's final trip to dig up artifacts (for both his personal collection and to sell for profit) coincided with the 1922 end of Egypt's designation as a British Protectorate, amid a growing independence movement in Egypt. So, who should own the contents of Tut's tomb? Tut's own country whose history it is? The dominant British empire with more resources to protect the artifacts? Or a rich aristocrat who's financed the actual discovery? Not easy questions to answer. And the reason why many modern museums and governments are wrestling with these very questions today. Also, why is it none of the locals participating in these digs ever get mentioned? The book will make you think. Another good reason NOT to miss DAUGHTER OF EGYPT.

I had high expectations for this given the writer’s list of publications. This was my first time reading her. What a bummer.

This is a dual timeline book bouncing between the story of a wealthy English woman coming of age in the 1920s in the time of the archeological dig of King Tut and a story covering a much larger chunk of the life of Queen Hatshepsut, Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.

I had to really drag to finish this book. If it were not an arc for review, I would not have finished it at all. The Hatshepsut story is far more interesting, possibly because, in order to cover more years of her life or because of an expertise on the subject, she writes differently. Her primary timeline though, following the privileged Lady Eve is… a bad Downton Abbey copy. The writing about character’s emotions or thoughts is just poor, she belabors points and dynamics that don’t need to be, repeating them over and over again, and there is an unconvincing, unnecessary romance that serves no purpose. It feels like she is “talking down” to the reader.

I think this book is trying to speak to the situation of women in the world today via the juxtaposition of these women from history. The problem is, it doesn’t really say anything.

Because this one is such a rough review. I’ve only posted it on StoryGraph.

I was excited to read Daughter of Egypt because Egypt has long fascinated me. Marie Benedict delivers a rich, immersive story that goes beyond a narrow lens to show what it meant for women to seek power in times that resisted them. She plants us firmly in the heat and beauty of Egypt while weaving a fast-paced narrative that kept me turning pages. The dual timelines of Hatshepsut, Egypt’s lost female pharaoh, and Lady Evelyn Herbert, daughter of Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle, blend history, mystery, and just enough romance. Both women are determined, brave, and far ahead of their time, making their stories deeply compelling. This book will be one of my top reads of the year and left me eager to learn more about Hatshepsut and Egypt’s enduring mysteries.

*Thanks NetGalley for the ARC*
3 Stars rounded up.

Daughter of Egypt is split between two stories from two different women. One, 1920's Evelyn Carnarvon, a rich 20 year old that has a fascination with archeology in Egypt and finding Hatshepsut's tomb. The second woman is Ancient Egyptian "queen" Hatshepsut.

I found Hatshepsut's story the more entertaining one. I could picture her on her throne reigning the Nile. Both women have unnecessary small love stories. Hatshepsut is relative enough and alright given her situation, but Evelyn's is annoying. Honestly Evelyn annoyed me throughout the entire book. I hated this character. She's rich, she cares more about her "expedition" (I say this, as I know she just dusted off some artifacts, while the workers did the digging), than the Egyptian people's independence. She was whiney, and had that "I'm the main character/strong independent female trope, so everything I do will be correct and more knowledgeable than historians that have been doing the job for decades. It was stereotypical of a character. "Best at everything, falls in love, stops doing the things she loves for a man."

I have had Benedict on my TRL for a while, and what better way to do that with an ARC?
Unfortunately, if this is her writing style, I think Daughter of Egypt is where it will end. I found the writing to be too simplistic. I understand that many authors have "dumbed-down" writing to entice the readers of today, but it was a little oversimplified for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of "Daughter of Egypt" by Marie Benedict. I was very excited to read the newest book by Marie Benedict, who is one of my favorite authors. I loved her focus on a relatively-unknown female Pharoah of Egypt and the female who helped uncover King Tut's tomb back in the 1920s. I thought the two timelines worked well and the story was very interesting. Overall it was a good but not great read. I think I was waiting for something more that never came. I love all things Egypt and appreciate the time and research that the author put into everything.