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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Royals, scheming, deception, political intrigue and power struggles are what this book is all about. The book tells the story of Neferura, the daughter of Hatshepsut. While living in the royal courts, Neferura experiences the ups and downs of life through her relationships with her family members, friends, and several influential figures in Ancient Egypt. The first-person narrative follows Neferura as she navigates her position at court, focusing on the power struggle between Hatshepsut and Thutmose.

For anyone interested in ancient Egyptian history and historical retellings - this is a book you should read.

The book has a good premise, exploring the paths to power and the price that comes with it. It is mostly centred around the lives of the women surrounding Neferura and shows the multiple facets of women empowering each other, as well as women fighting each other. I also appreciated that the book was (as far as I am aware) not marketed as a feminist retelling, allowing the story to stand on its own. The recent influx of feminist-mythological retellings has struggled to reconcile the historical/mythological facts of characters and modern readers' expectations of what a feminist version would look like. This does not mean that this book lacks strong female characters. We learn that the people with true power are not the ones we suspect and that power comes in many different forms.

However, I found the ultimate powerlessness of Hatshepsut and Neferura hard to believe. Despite their intelligence, political power and potential for heroism, they fall short and are unable to achieve their goals. All it takes is for Thutmose (by all accounts a spoiled brat) to appear with the accusation of murder and the carefully constructed web of power crumples. He can simply show up and make demands, and Hatshepsut is willing to sell off Neferura to maintain her legacy, seemingly without pushback.

While I liked the premise of the book, my enjoyment of the book was slightly dampened by the fact that the narrative felt flat. The plot hinged on scheming and deception, which could have added intrigue to the story, but didn't feel fully thought out. Neferura, as well as the friends willing to help her with her schemes, feel unreasonably naive in many instances. Having lived through multiple assassinations in her closer surroundings, you would expect Neferura to deploy a little more caution in her scheming. Her unquestioning belief in proper rituals, the gods will and her Mother's innocence and benevolence make her appear naive. Despite the character's interesting roles and potential for complex development, their personalities and motivations (besides their hunger for power) were not fully fleshed out, making it difficult to connect with them.

The novel's fast pace, easy-to-follow plot and interesting premises will likely be appealing to many readers. Despite my somewhat harsh words in the previous paragraph, I enjoyed the book and liked how it transported me back to my 10-year-old self, who was utterly obsessed with watching documentaries about ancient Egypt. I also appreciate the thought that went into the use of names and terminology that would have been appropriate to the period.


*I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this book. I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. *

The few glimpses I've had of Egyptian mythology were from Moon Knight and this book completely immersed me in a new perspective of the gods and history surrounding this culture. Neferura is a strong character forced to part her way in a court full of schemes and secrets. Even though I felt the book was fast/slowed-paced, (it took time to get to the real action) I enjoyed how Neferura started to learn how to pull the strings in a court where women seemed weak with the sole purpose of giving heirs. However, I do feel that some secondary characters that were important to Neferura needed depth in the story, and some of their actions could've been better shown than told. All in all, it was an enjoyable read, and cannot wait for everyone to know the story of Neferura.

Thank you, NetGalley, and to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.

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!

This book reminds me my teen years where I was so obsessed with the archeology. Well I still am and that’s why I guess, that I liked this book so much. This book was full of history and mythology. This novel follows the personal and political journey of the title character Neferura through the shifts of power in the Pharaoh's palace.

Y’all, This book did not disappoint me at all because, one: the author has an extreme world building to take us to the ancient Egypt and second: there is intriguing characters. . There are so many side characters that interact with Neferura throughout the novel who made me love and root for them. this book was full of strong women supporting other women, which is something that I adored.

However,This book did have a slow start, and it took me a long time to get into the flow of the story. Once the plot got moving, though, I was hooked. The internal and external struggle of Neferura kept me turning the pages to see how she would react to the next obstacle thrown at her.

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.

This was an okay read for me, it was kind of boring and predictable but I enjoyed learning some new historical info and I liked the setting. I didn't find myself particularly rooting for anyone or like the characters and I don't think the story was as interesting as it could have been.

It’s been a minute since I’ve got to dive into a book about ancient Egypt, so I was extremely happy when @netgalley and @bookmarked allowed me to have an early copy for review.
This book has one of my favourite things, a historical figure I knew nothing about. I love finding new people in history to learn about and Neferura was definitely an interesting one.
I highly recommend reading the author’s notes at the end of this one, @malaynaevans gives an excellent description of what we have actually been able to learn about this hidden woman and where she made some guesses and got creative.
Covering a short but interesting snapshot out of a long and fascinating dynasty we get to watch a young priestess, daughter of two pharaohs, get thrust into a vipers nest disguised as a marriage. Though raised at court she has been blissfully unaware about the schemes and machinations of those she loved best. Her life now hangs on her ability to learn to navigate this underworld, fast.
Hitting shelves Feb 13 2024.
#bookstagram #read #egyptianhistory #pharoah #womenofhistory #booklover #bookaddict #bookworms #reading #readersofinstagram #reading #readmorebooks #reader

I enjoyed Neferura!
I don't think I've read any books set in Egypt so this was my first and it definitely won't be my last.

The characters weren't the best but I really enjoyed the story so it didn't bother me much.
The writing was good and the book definitely felt like it was well researched.

I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing an ARC of Nefurura! While I did enjoy this novel, I did find myself struggling to get through the story at times. In my opinion, the title character was portrayed with a naïveté that did not seem accurate to her position and power. While I am no historian, this made it difficult to jump into the novel and root for the character. Additionally, I didn’t find myself particularly invested in the events of the story. The end was somewhat predictable, and I didn’t feel shocked or enthralled by the twists and turns of the plot. The pacing definitely played a role in this; it took nearly half of the novel for things to ramp up.

While I did struggle with the story, however, I did appreciate its setting in ancient Egypt. I’ve never read a novel of this kind, and I thought it provided really interesting insights into Egypt’s history. Given all of the recent influx of Greek mythology and historical fiction, it was nice to read something different and well-researched. While this novel had its strengths and weaknesses, it still made for a fun read—one that will be enjoyed by fans of historical fiction and ancient Egypt.

I liked this book well enough. I loved the historical aspect of it, the lies, the deceit, just everything about the various relationships. But u will say it was a bit of a slow pace read for me and took a while to get into it. I think the author did well with atmospheric descriptors. There were times eye I felt like I was really there.

I subtracted a star for pace, which for me was slow, but might not be for others. Overall I did not feel this was a 5 star book but it's at least 3.5. The other half star comes from the authors PhD in Egyptology, which makes sense as to why the book is fictional but detailed and rich in history.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Malayna Evans, and sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book for my personal review.

I love a re-telling and I love ancient Egypt. I have this 3 stars just because this book was exactly that, middle of the road for me this year. However, I loved the character I just wanted so much more. I feel like the book was a bit rushed, I wanted more history of the characters, more descriptions of the atmosphere, more of the politics. That being said I loved Nerefura's interactions with her troupe and friends and the mysteries that kept unraveling throughout the book. There truly were characters, specifically Iset, whose fates I felt deeply invested in. I expected the ending about half way through reading, but I still liked how it all came together.

Neferura was an excellent portrayal of Ancient Egypt. I think the author did an incredible job of setting us right in the scene. Immersive language, fast paced and fully developed characters come together to create a great novel. I think Malayna Evans could become a bright name in the mythology genre.

I have no explanation for it, but I have always felt a connection to ancient Egypt, so when I saw this book was written by an Egyptologist, I was incredibly excited to dive in. It did not disappoint! Hands down the best thing about this book is the incredibly thorough and accurate depiction of ancient Egyptian culture and traditions. Evans' descriptions are handled with care (this is where her prose is strongest) and the world feels vibrant and immersive. The glossary was also a lovely touch.

The issues I had with the book came down to storytelling and pacing in relation to Neferura's journey. Although I loved the romance and intrigue and appreciated the elements of friendship, feminism and harsh truths regarding the treatment of women, I did have a bit of trouble connecting with Neferura as a character. Her first-person narrative felt detached at times, reading more like third person, and I walked away wanting to know her on a deeper level. I also think more attention to weaving the mythology into the storytelling, particularly within the first half of the book would lend to a better flow overall as the first half felt slow and the ending a bit rushed.

In general, though, I would recommend this book, particularly to those with a keen interest in Egypt.

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

This is a spectacular historical novel inspired by real people who ruled Ancient Egypt. What makes this story stand out is the precarious balance the author has achieved in sharing history and sharing a story. Evan’s story focuses on love and power.

What I loved most was getting inside the mind of a woman during this period in history. I was curious about what she experienced, her rights, her setbacks, her limitations, her practices, her way of thinking and her challenges. I was continuously comparing it with what we modern women experience and noting what we’ve lost or gained throughout history. As I turned over the last page, I had a deeper appreciation for the contribution this intriguing society has made to our modern one.

Neferura held a unique position in history. Not only was she an only child, but she was also the child of two pharaohs. Neferura’s challenge was that she couldn’t envision a different way to be powerful because she had no example to follow. I loved having a front-row seat to her growth and bravery to forge a path where there wasn’t one before. I read in awe of how she struggled with her half-brother’s return and sidestepped the secrets and resulting chaos. I truly rooted for her as she traversed the challenges and pitfalls in her journey and was supported by strong women in her inner circle. Evans has honoured her with this retelling.

The messages I particularly appreciated were:
The encouragement to make a difference
The encouragement to take the road less travelled

Egypt has always fascinated me and I’ve been fortunate to travel there twice. I can’t wait to get back and see the history left on record by this family. I truly loved spending the weekend lost in this wonderful book - a fascinating armchair travel, and a must-read for all historical fiction lovers.

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Two royal children, betrayal, schemes, secrets, power, chaos and disorder. The world of Neferura, an egyptian princess and the god’s wife of Amun, prevails with unrestrained disorder when her half-brother, Thutmose, returns to the palace in order to overthrow the current ruler, who is Neferura’s mother.

Stepping into the palace of pharaohs where secrets are embedded into the walls Neferura must delve into the conspiracy her brother is concocting and find the wisewoman Hathor with the help of her loyal friends, Iset and Kamut, before a coup arises, but what Neferura doesn’t know is that Thutmose has other plans for her. The storytelling of Malayna Evans is intriguing, emotional, engaging and remarkable ascribed to the world building as well as the variety of personalities throughout the narrative, however the writing style is not entirely the best there is, being often generic. Additionally, the level of historical accuracy is, overall, proficient due to the author’s studies on the subject. Furthermore, it would be advisable to check the trigger warnings before reading this book.

As the gods intended, this is a good adult work by Malayna Evans that’ll transport the reader right into the midst of the riches of Ancient Egypt.

I’m grateful with NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity of letting me read this before its publication.

While the historical aspect of this book is unquestionably well researched, the fiction part failed to draw me in. I didn't find this characterization of Neferura interesting or compelling, although that may have changed at a later point in the book. Thanks to that publisher for the opportunity to download as Read Now.

“Lies. Secrets. Schemes. Deception. These are the wares of my trade, the currency of my nest.”

A tale of political intrigue, power struggles, and the risky path a princess must take to escape her own fate, Neferura follows the often forgotten daughter of the legendary Egyptian woman-king, Hatshepsut, as she navigates her position at court and the dangers accompanying it. Mainly focusing on the power struggle between Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, Neferura is a tale told from the first-person narrative of the namesake princess.

I have mixed feelings about Neferura; on one hand, I quite enjoyed the cast of characters - diverse yet not overwhelming, and I enjoyed how fast-paced the plot was. I would say that narratively this was a solid book that I could definitely see being popular.

On the other hand, I felt that the book lacked the depth I have come to expect from historical fictions and mythology retellings. While the book has several references to ancient Egyptian mythology, the writing felt very surface level. The story could have used more mythology references that were woven into the narrative, and could have benefited from a more emotional, poetic sort of writing style - similarly to Kaikeyi, which this is being marketed as similar to.

However despite my concerns, I still managed to quite enjoy Neferura (and how could I not? the simple fact of the existence of an Egyptian mythology retelling was exciting enough to devour this in two sittings.)

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark or allowing me to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!