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: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 」

This was definitely an enjoyable read, both for amateur history buffs and people who consider themselves more of a lay expert. It was well written and well researched as well as I could tell, Once again, not a huge fan of the fact that there were zero illustrations which for me are key for any history book. Definitely a good place to start for anyone who is interested in the most current research on Akhenaten.

A deeply fascinating account of one of Ancient Egypt’s power couples. I found this book to be fascinating both in narrative and scholarship. The authors did an amazing job of crafting a strong story for the general reader while also utilizing the primary source material to drive this narrative as well. This book would be a great fit for general readers as well as Egyptologists.

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader's copy of this book.
This was a very interesting collection of the Darnell's vast research. I have read about ancient Egypt and its dynasties, but this was far more in depth than anything I had seen before. The only thing I would have changed (and maybe it's this way in the final version) would be to add illustrations. I spent a lot of time Googling things I read about.

Cleverly written to draw us into what life would have been like in the time of the gods. The writing seamlessly weaves in information and details, as if they were part of the story, and goes back and forth between the present-day historical perspective and the ancient imagined tale. It’s engaging and informative.

The Darnells, a husband and wife team of Egyptologists, combine scholarship, detective suspense, and adventure in Egypt's Golden Couple. I have always been fascinated by Egyptology, so I particularly enjoyed this book. Like The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women, Egypt's Golden Couple is part history, part archeology, and part fiction. Each chapter opens with a scenario that is fictional derived from known facts about the subjects, and even the backdrops of the scene are based on actual paintings and bas-reliefs on the walls.

Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti have been portrayed in widely differing accounts and depicted as an incestuous tyrant or an innovator who affected nearly every aspect of Egyptian life. He established the world’s first monotheist religion. The images, the gold funerary mask of his son Tutankhamun (King Tut) and the painted bust of his wife Nefertiti, are among the most recognizable in the world, right up there with Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers.”
Akhenaten and Nefertiti transformed Egyptian solar worship from polytheism to monotheism. While doing so, they changed the face of Egyptian art and architecture. The Darnells weave a delightful story about these two rulers. I enjoyed the in-depth view of Egyptian life, but some readers may find it slow going, particularly in parts that talk about the difficulty of reading and translating heiroglyphs: The verb is written with three phonetic signs. The first sign is a chisel … which we can approximately pronounce as ‘ab’ …

Overall, this is a great read, but be prepared to learn more about ancient Egypt that you might wish to.

Part historical imagination, part travelogue, and part historical analysis, considering Akhenaten, Nefertiti, the prelude, and the consequences.

The authors begin with Amenhotep III's conception, well beyond what might be imagined. Much is made of Amenhotep III and the development of many of the features of the kingship and Aten cult which would become more prominent under Akhenaten. Akhenaten's youth, growth, adulthood, religious ideology, development and move to Akhetaten, and behavior are detailed. And then...the postlude, with speculation about Nefertiti as Neferneferuaten, Meritaten as Smenkhkare, and a bit about Tutankhamun.

The authors still believe Nefertiti is the mother of Tutankhamun; whether they think she is the Younger Lady who has been confirmed as Tut's mother by DNA is not stated. The authors are conversant with recent scholarship on Akhenaten and Nefertiti and their politico-religious ideology.

A good read for those interested.

*--galley received as part of early review program

WHEN AKHENATEN AND NEFERTITI WERE GODS ON EARTH

In fourth grade, I knew I wanted to be an archaeologist. I was obsessed with Egyptian history and culture. I wish this book would have been around then.

Exploring these two powerful rulers and all they accomplished was a pleasure. The research that went into this is astounding. There is so much mythology and misinformation out there about this time in our history. This cleared up a lot of things for me.

If you are at all a history buff, this is a book you should read. I loved reading it.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press November 01, 2022

I was torn with this book. Parts of it were really good and overall, a very interesting and informative novel. I did not like the mix of a semi-fiction and the non-fiction parts. I would have been happy with just non-fiction writing. It took me away from the basis of the story. Again, this was still very interesting and I’m glad I read it. Thanks to the publisher and author for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Became Gods on Earth is a fantastic well-researched nonfiction book that tells the story of the rulers of Egypt during the Amarna Period. The book remains fascinating while containing tons of facts and information on Nefertiti and Akhenaten. The author does an excellent job at setting the stage for what he'll be delving into. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of Egypt!

Countless children have grown up with a fascination of the ancient world and I was no exception. Egypt, of course, is high on the list of people's interest, with their pyramids and incomparable leaders such as Nefertiti and Tutankhamen. But while I grew up and eventually earned degrees in history, I didn't have much of opportunity to study anything Egyptian in any depth.

In comes John Darnell's and Colleen Darnell's Egypt's Golden Couple, a highly accessible book about Akhenaten and Nefertiti, King Tut's equally famous parents. It's thoroughly researched (and includes an informative set of bibliographic essays) and readable, and is great for anyone with an interest in Egypt's history, whether amateur or professional. I absolutely enjoyed this one.

Thanks very much to St. Martin's Press for inviting me to read this ARC in exchange for a review through NetGalley.

A vivid and exhaustive telling of historical characters that I did not know much about.
I highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Egypt's Golden Couple: How Akhenaten and Nefertiti Became Gods on Earth is a well-researched and extremely in-depth look at the couple. If you have any interest in Akhenaten and Nerfertiti, this book covers everything from what archeology says to the past contradictory representations of Akhenaten. I didn't know much about the topic when I opened the book, but found the chapters easy to follow despite that.

My favorite part of this book was the short fiction excerpts included at the start of each chapter that cover some of the events. Those excerpts were perfect for people like me who sometimes get overwhelmed by the amount of information in a non-fiction book. Those fiction excerpts helped me digest the book and picture the information presented.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have always had an interest in Egyptology, having had a parent who was an art historian who focused on Ancient Egypt. I remember seeing the Tutankhamun exhibition years ago. One aspect of Egyptian art history that I found completely fascinating was the Amarna period--the years of the Pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Queen Nefertiti--their new religion and family focused rule.

This book instantly grabbed my attention. It is eminently approachable. The writing style is clear and informative. Each chapter begins with a fictional vignette that relates to the chapter contents. The ensuing chapter then details the history and relevant art historical details that relate to the chapter focus. It's a very unique and engaging way of disseminating the story, similar in style to The Real Valkyrie, a book I read last year.

The contradictions and conflicts regarding this unusual period in Egyptian history were well delineated, as were the artistic creativity and unique styles that flourished during the Amarna period.

I think this is an excellent resource and entertaining book for anyone from the most erudite art historian to the most casual reader.

Highly recommended.

EGYPT'S GOLDEN COUPLE
BY: JOHN COLEMAN DARNELL & COLLEEN DARNELL

This is a biography or can be classified as history as it entails ancient Egypt as referred to by these two authors' who are John Coleman Darnell and Colleen Darnell. This is a meticulously researched non-fiction book that depicts Akhenaten and Nefertiti's reign in ancient Egypt who ruled during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Akhenaten is the father of King Tutankhamun , or "King Tut" whose discovery is
this November, 2022, will mark a century when Howard Carter discovered him in November, 1922. one-hundred years ago. Howard Carter who was a British archaeologist made the discovery of King Tutankhamun or Tutankhaten.

This is a very multifaceted biography or history regarding Akhenaten, Nefertiti and for most of the book discusses Akhenaten who changed his name from Amunhotep IV at approximately five years into his reign. Akhenaten's rule encompasses a lot of detailed information. This book informed me about his parents on both the paternal and his maternal genesis. I was contacted by someone that works for the publisher to read this and it is fascinating. The Darnell's made their own discovery in May of 2017 with their team. It is found in the Epilogue, so be sure to read the entire book because there is also a helpful Appendix section that cites all of the sources that are annotated with footnotes throughout this book. Nefertiti and Ankhenaten had many daughters, but Nefertiti was not King Tutankhamun's mother. King Tutankhamun died only nine years into his reign at the age of eighteen, of unknown causes. Possibilities that are speculated that might have caused his death are malaria or an injury caused from a fall from a chariot are suggestions in this book. The most magnificent of all of the treasure in his undisturbed tomb for three millennia is his twenty-two pound gold mask placed over his head. I have written more about King Tutankhamon than Akhetnaton, who this book is mostly about. Akhetnaten was the world's first monotheist and along with Nefertiti their religion and politics are the subject of many conflicting biographies. In this biography the Darnell's who are Egyptologists have their interpretations offered here derived from excavations, visiting museums, artifacts and hieroglyphic texts have recreated Akhenaten and Nefertiti culture as a scholarly narrative.

Publication Date: November 1, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, John Coleman Darnell & Colleen Darnell and St. Martin's Press for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#EgyptsGoldenCouple #JohnColemanDarnell #ColleenDarnell #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I found this book to be both an absorbing read and full of interesting facts ensuring the history lesson about the Amarna Period one easy to pick up. The book was well researched. Whether you are starting your Egyptian journey with this book or have much information previously acquired I think this book will significantly add to your knowledge.

Thank you for the chance to read this book. My opinions are my own.

I have a long-standing interest in Egyptology. From TV documentaries, to seeing the traveling Tutankhamen exhibit when I was young, to spending hours at the Michal C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta, I have encouraged and fed my curiosity about the Ancient World.

I couldn’t wait to dive into this book. It took longer than normal for me to read it mainly because I drove from Florida to Wisconsin during this time!

I did like the vignettes at the beginning of the chapters as they introduced the subject matter in a very concrete way, such as the introduction about the ship’s captain of the boat carrying stone materials from the quarry. Instead of just jumping into the discussion about the materials and the quarry, the example set the stage so that you could apply the information more readily.

Sometimes the narrative took a deep dive into the etymology of the names of the Gods or ruler’s names. It spent a lot of time talking about the forms of the Sun God, who apparently took many different names and appearances from the traditional polytheistic worship system, over to the monotheistic system instituted by Akhenaten (wherein he was worshipped as a king-god or god-king.)

Akhenaten and Nefertiti were not the only rulers examined. Akhenaten’s parents were Amunhotep III and Tiye; Tutankhamen was the son of Akhenaten of Nefertiti. All were discussed to flesh out the motives and history of the time. A fascinating part of the Dynasty indeed.

I spent a bit of time looking up photos and other descriptions of the monuments, places, art, and individuals covered in the book. As I was reading a pre-publication eGalley, it didn’t have maps or photos. Those will really enhance the final form.

Thank you to authors Colleen Manassa Darnell and John Coleman Darnell, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for my review. I didn’t receive anything in return and my opinions are my own.

I am posting on NetGalley, Goodreads, and BookBub immediately, and upon publication I will post on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Instagram.