Neferura

Neferura is the story of the only child of Pharaoh Hatshepsut manoeuvring court intrigue in order to protect her mothers unprecedented reign which happens to occur in a strained co-regency with her half-brother (and Hatshepsut’s step-son) Thutmose. There have been so many historical fiction and mythological retellings that have centred on Greek and Roman histories in recent years, it was refreshing and exciting to be able to read about Ancient Egypt, especially through the lens of a woman (who was surrounded by powerful women) and set during one of the most intriguing and captivating periods of Egypts 3000+ years of history.

I appreciate the way this story is structured, using language that is contextual to the time and place (rather than what the audience may already know from general knowledge or school) it really helped maintain a sense of immersion in the story. The story was well written, Neferura’s feelings and emotions came off the page and the detailed descriptions meant that much of what she saw or heard was incredibly easy to visualise. Each characters motivation was clear and believable, particularly the ‘big three’ powerplayers (Neferura, Hatshepsut and Thutmose), who were written quite well, there were windows where I felt sympathy for Thutmose even though he was the villain. The plot was well paced an engaging, without being difficult to follow. Additionally, while there was some very brief (and relevant) explanations or accounting of cultural or religious events or practices that took place, there were no lengthy explanations that bogged down the story or patronised the reader.

With my own background in Egyptology, I had to put my own thoughts and interpretations of this period to the back of my brain to enjoy the story. Ultimately, the personalities were characterised and presented in a manner that clashed with my own thinking. In saying that, the beautiful thing about Ancient Egypt is the many different interpretations that are available based on evidence. While this story did differ from my own thinking (such as strong hostilities between Hatshepsut and Thutmose) the overall structure adhered to the evidence we have available. I really enjoyed connecting the characters in this story with the names of people I have come across in my non-fiction reading. Often, I struggle to ‘turn off’ in historical fiction, especially given my time in university and teaching background, but found that I wasn’t annoyed with any anachronisms or glaring historical errors, which made the reading experience all the more enjoyable.

I found the end a little bit rushed, I would have liked it to be a bit more fleshed out, I had a few plot questions while reading the epilogue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.

I enjoyed this very much. Since I was a kid I have loved all things ancient Egypt so this was right up my alley. I really enjoyed this and had a great time reading it.
I just reviewed Neferura by Malayna Evans. #NetGalley
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This was absolutely wonderful! It had it all: strong, likeable heroine, excellent plot and writing, wonderful historical accuracy and world-building. Fans of Kate Quinn and Michelle Moran, along with those who loved Madeline Miller's "Achilles" will be very satisfied with this lovely novel. Highly recommended!

I would like to thank Sourcebooks and Malayna Evans for the opportunity to read this ARC (advanced reading copy). I love books on Egypt and was pleased to find that this covered a time in Ancient Egypt that has not been written much about-the rule of Hapshepsut, the female Pharaoh. The detail was amazing and the plot line was fantastic. It kept me intrigued from beginning to end. The descriptions were amazing and made you feel like you were right there in Ancient Egypt. This book will not disappoint in terms of suspense and immersion of one into the reign of Hapshepsut. I highly recommend it.

Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres and this was a great read, it been a while since I have found a book that goes far back with the story line. It was a good read and seeing the notes from the author at the back sharing some of the facts was very nice.

I really liked how Malayna Evans brought the characters to life and created a secret society of women.

Neferura is a wonderful merging of fantasy and history -- my first experience with author Malayna Evans, but certainly worth the read.

An amazing and hard to put down book about Hatshepsut’s daughter, one of the most mysterious figures in history. No one knows much about this lost princess, but this story does a marvelous job of presenting what her life could have been like, caught between her mother and her half brother/husband.

I always enjoy reading Egyptian novels, it worked well overall with the description. The characters felt like they belonged in the Ancient Egyptian elements. Malayna Evans does a wonderful job in creating the setting and I enjoyed how well it was done. I loved getting to know Neferura and her world.

Neferura by Malayna Evans was an exciting, expressive look into the world of Pharaohs and court, and the politics that run not just a country, but a family. Daughter of the self-proclaimed female Pharaoh Hatshepsut, Neferura is left to take on the title of god's wife, fulfilling the role that should be allocated for queen, not princess. Dedicating her life to running the priesthood and ensuring favour and blessings for her people, Neferura is appalled to discover the dedication and selflessness of ruling Egypt is not the guiding principle for her mother and brother. Caught between their stubborn struggle for power over Egypt, Neferura tries to ensure the safety of the people trusted to her, and avoid being the tie-breaking pawn in her family's battle for domination.

Though not able to claim being prettiest, cleverest, or most capable, Neferura trusts her own abilities, and learns to reach out to the women around her, all of them together weaving a net that can keep Egypt safe. Strong themes of the power of women, in every station of life, learning to trust others, learning to question those you love, and how to keep the balance of doing the right thing and not letting yourself be used for the wrong thing.

It was written spectacularly, and I was immersed so easily into the world and culture. I loved the characters and the historical relevance. Fantastic work!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I rather enjoyed this unique historical fiction read! It was very well written and the setting and detail were just outstanding. I also liked the themes emphasized, such as the life of women in this time and their struggle for autonomy and power.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This book is about a forgotten daughter, Neferura, born of a legendary Egyptian pharaoh and the path she must take to escape her own dangerous fate.

I absolutely love Egyptian history so to be able to read this story about Neferura, the daughter of Hatshepsut, was wonderous. The story was beautifully written and i found it an exciting read with beautiful written characters that peaked the imagination, I felt like I was there.

I would definitely love to read more books from this author

I almost forgot how much I love historical novels set in Egypt. This was pure joy to read, not a single moment without intrigue, deception or scheming. There are several whodunit plots within the story, with Agatha Christie-esque twists, which I enjoyed immensely.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an Advance Review Copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this gifted ebook is return for my honest review.

This is a historical fiction dating thousands of years back to the time of the Pharaohs. If that is not intriguing enough, the book itself, from its very beginning, makes the reader fall for the story.

This story is based on an actual historic character about whom not much is known except that she was subjected to court intrigues and that she died young (Yes, this book made me go check out the Wikipedia page on Neferura). I love the way the author took this character and gave her life. It also paid that the author is a student of Egyptian history.

The underlying theme of this book is how feminine strength prevails and how sisterhoods formed have transcended ages and eras. Even in the extremely patriarchal society of the Pharaohs, women form bonds and ultimately win the freedom to lead their lives independently. I absolutely loved the end and the twist there. The characters, in all their strengths and flaws, were superbly sketched. The plot was well thought out, and the story was well paced. It was an intriguing read. I loved every page of this book.

I would love to read more from this author, and would recommend this book to all fantasy and historical fiction lovers.

I know very, very little about the actual age of pharaohs, so this historical fiction was a new setting for me. Other books I've read in this setting had a lot of magic in them. This does not. It is straight historical fiction. And it's incredibly well done. Focusing on palace intrigue, powerful women, and what power even means, this is a rich world with fantastic characters. Anytime a piece of historical fiction has me so intrigued I start researching in the middle of the book, I call it a win. If you are a fan of high stakes political intrigue and/or classical Egypt, grab this one, as it will scratch both interests perfectly.

Neferura by Malayna Evans is a Historical fiction/Feminist Ancient Egyptian retelling

Author has a PhD in Egyptology! You’d think that would make this more academic but boy can Evans weave a tale while also encapsulating the world of Ancient Egypt (or Kemet as it was called), having you learn something and be entertained!

MC, Neferura, is daughter to famous pharaoh Hatshepsut. Not much was known about Neferura but Evans used what is known to create this captivating novel!

Evans uses ancient Egyptian names and terms to reflect the time period which I loved! She did use some modern terms in places where it would be difficult for modern readers to recognize (like pharaoh wasn’t a term used back then).

The novel paints vivid pictures of ancient Egypt, I feel my childhood hyperfixation returning 😅😍 The story is intriguing and I can clearly picture the scenery and opulence of the court. The pacing was well done, I did not want to put this down!! There were a few twists and I only guessed one of them. I loved the characters, each person was well developed and had their own stories/personalities so you really get to know everyone, even the more minor characters!

I especially enjoyed seeing how women wielded power back then, in both large and small ways. Some of the characters had this sort of “quiet power” to affect their communities without getting credit or being seen for their accomplishments, which only makes me think about how much women truly affected history without being credited!

The ending felt perfect, it tied most things up but also left it open a bit. I also enjoyed the author’s note to learn more background about Neferura and Hatshepsut’s reign.

If you enjoy court intrigue, found family/sisterhood, and are looking for a historical retelling not set in Greece, I’m begging you to pick this up!! It is divine and I need Evans to write more ancient Egyptian stories 🥹 (although she does have 2 middle grade books so maybe I’ll pick those up while I wait)