The second I saw that this book was being compared to Kaikeyi I knew I had to get it. I, in retrospect, really with I hadn't. This book is not anything like Kaikeyi- the characters are flat, the novel reads like a YA Egyptian mythology novel, and the third act pacts so much into it you get dizzy.

Neferera had a lot of promise, and I really do feel like I was transported to Ancient Egypt. The smells, the colors, the fabrics, everything felt like a movie in my mind. I could feel the hustle and bustle of the market, of the maids in the Palace, of a comb running through my hair. I couldn't wait to get deeper and more immersed into such a beautiful and scary world. However, Neferera herself was so childlike, and flat that I couldn't find it in me to care about her journey. The plot moved at a snails pace, predictably, and then crammed an ending into the third act. At this point I was so far removed from what happened I was wishing I had DNFd a while back and saved myself the time.

I respect the author being an expert in Egyptian mythology, but I feel like this killed the pacing of the book. I also don't get why this was labelled as fantasy? I see this in a lot of other reviews for this novel as well- there really isn't anything in this to make this book a Fantasy novel except for a 'seeing' woman, Hathor, who is sort of like a Holy Woman for the palace.

In the end, I wish we had gotten more of some of the side characters, or dual POV's- I think these could have saved the book a bit more, and I would have been more interested to get away from Neferura because I felt that she was absolutely insufferable.

I, unfortunately, just did not enjoy this book much. The premise is very interesting, especially since Neferura was a real person, but the execution is just lacking. I think my major problems with this book is a mix between writing and character development. First, the writing in this novel is glaringly anachronistic for historical fiction; why are we referring to Osiris and Isis as a "brother-sister duo"? Second, Neferura goes through virtually no change in terms of character. She shares the same ideals at the end as she does at the beginning, and all she's done is maybe gotten a little more daring. Her circumstances change drastically, but never her. This story also lacks urgency; despite the worry that Thutmose is building up to something, there are these months-long time skips that really slow down the story, and although Neferura tells us she's in a rush, she doesn't really act like it. I did like her relationship with her tutor and her mother (for different reasons), and the look into historical Egypt was very interesting, but this was just an unsatisfying read.

If you love Egypt, politics, religion, and slower easy writing this is for you. The story is interesting but not for me. It felt flat and I couldn't get invested in the characters.

First of all, thank you to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this!

This was right up my alley, with history, political maneuvering, spies, and most importantly, women taking back their power in whatever ways are available to them.

I wish the timeline had been a little more clear and consistent, but overall I really liked this one.

I feel like it is such an integral part of being female to have been obsessed with a niche period of history when we were growing up. I have friends who were obsessed with Ancient Greece, the Titanic, the Roman Empire, WW2, and so many more!

I’ve got to know, which period of history were you weirdly obsessed with when you were younger. Let me know in the comments!

I was so obsessed with ancient Egypt and I desperately wanted to be an Egyptologist. I taught myself to read and write hieroglyphics. Seriously, OBSESSED. So I was so happy to find such a beautiful written, historical retelling of an Egyptian princess who was lost to History. I can feel my childhood hyper-fixation coming back.

I love a strong FMC, and we get court politics and espionage, but in an ancient Egyptian setting. The found family and sisterhood is so good too. Most historical retellings are set in Ancient Greece, so it was nice to read something a little bit different!

Thank you so much @netgalley for this ARC!

#bookblog #booklover #readersofinstagram #bookaesthetic #bookcommunity #neferura #neferuramalaynaevans #historicalfictionrecs

I really didn’t like the storytelling. It dragged and the main character constantly has weird monologues in her head and totally drifts off from what she is doing. I also did not get enough sparks and snippets to actually care what is going on in the story.

Also, this definitely feels like a very young YA - why is it marketed as an adult novel?

"Neferura" intricately weaves historical accuracy with captivating storytelling, offering a vivid portrayal of Ancient Egypt's court intrigue and gender politics. Malayna Evans masterfully crafts Neferura as a compelling protagonist, navigating the complexities of her lineage as the daughter of Hatshepsut and Thutmose II. The book's rich worldbuilding and meticulous research shine through, bringing the era to life with every page.

From Neferura's duties as the God's Wife of Amun to her tense relationship with her brother Thutmose III, Evans deftly explores themes of power, betrayal, and personal agency. Readers are drawn into a world of political machinations where even the most sheltered characters are forced to confront harsh realities.

While some may find the pacing slow, the attention to detail underscores the author's genuine passion for the subject matter. Neferura emerges as a relatable and resilient figure, her journey from innocence to strategic prowess a captivating arc.

Overall, "Neferura" offers a mesmerizing blend of history and fiction, perfect for fans of Ancient Egypt or those intrigued by the untold stories of remarkable women in history.

Good read overall. Slow start but was good. The writing felt more YA than adult. Not sure if this was meant that way or I was expecting something different.

As someone wholly obsessed with the period commonly referred to as Ancient Egypt, I thought this was a fantastic retelling of Neferura, daughter of Hatshepsut and Thutmose II, and her story. The historical detail of this period comes to life in this book, and Neferura is a perfect protagonist for exploring court intrigue, gender politics and the drama of politics. It's clear that Evans has done their research, and it comes clearly in this book with the level of worldbuilding and the shaping of alliances. I thought Neferura was a wonderfully believable character and vestige of the past, equally naive but resolved and intelligent. Her struggles with being the daughter of a strong, tumultuous figure like Hatshepsut is wonderfully balanced with her duties as a God's Wife of Amun, as is her rivalry and frustration with her brother, Thutmose III. If Ancient Egypt is a love of yours, or you like the exploration of female characters in history, you'll definitely enjoy this one!

“I can never change the fact that I’m defective. I’m a woman in a man’s role.”

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Adoratrice is the daughter of Hatshepsut, the Egyptian pharaoh who ascended following her husband's death. Her mother has placed her in the role of chief priestess as the god Amun's sacred wife, Neferura. Her life is pretty sheltered and peaceful until her banished step-brother, Thutmose, reappears accusing her mother of poisoning her former husband. He will do anything to take her throne. Neferura is suddenly drawn into a world of political intrigue that she was previously naive to. Quickly she is thrust into a role she never wanted and decides she doesn’t want to be someone’s pawn anymore.

I enjoyed this story. Although the details are fiction, you could easily see how it could have played out as told. In an ancient civilization where women had more agency than most, women were still forced to work cloak and dagger just to be in control of their own destinies. Neferura’s shift from innocent to master plotter was fun to watch. The end is satisfying but not the comeuppance or revenge I wanted, although that probably makes it much more realistic.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

This novel was very well researched. The historical detail was wonderful. However, the writing fell short to me. It didn't capture my attention and I couldn't connect with any of the characters.

I liked the detailing in Malayna Evans's "Neferura." Hatshepsut is such a fascinating historical figure and reading a book, even a fictional one, where she is a focus was enough reason for me to select this book to read and I felt like, while the pacing was a bit too slow for my liking, I very much appreciated the details because I felt like the writer really cared about the subject matter and she wasn't just winging it. Although Neferura's story is fictional, she is not. She was the daughter of Hatshepsut and so she makes a compelling narrator.

My biggest issue with the read was not due to the content as much as it was I just found the text a bit small while reading in Adobe and I couldn't make the font size larger, but that's a technical issue. I'm sure if I had the physical copy ( my preferred reading method), I would have enjoyed it even more. It made me want to re-read some of Judith Tarr's books on Egypt like The Lord of Two Lands or Pillar of Fire and also try to find any books on Hatshepsut .

3.5 stars
You can tell that the author wrote about a period in history that she’s very knowledgeable of — the imagery and attention to detail is incredible — and I really loved how she weaved all the myths into the story so you never felt like you were missing any information.

The beginning of the book is very character driven, so it’s inherently a bit slow, but the pace picks up in the second half. The reader is met with a complex story of betrayal, and conspiracy, and resilience, and I loved watching Neferura grow over the course of the book.

That being said, the writing style was a bit lacklustre, which made it hard to get swept up in the story, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I also really wish the story leaned more heavily on themes of female friendship because there was so much potential for it. I would’ve loved to see more fleshed out relationships between Neferura and the women in her life.

I honestly grabbed this arc BECAUSE LOOK AT THE COVER, but I ended up loving the story so so much. I can be a hard to please historical fiction reader since I do history as my life job, but this one hit all the perfect notes and I really really enjoyed it.

Neferura is the daughter of two pharaohs and her mother, Hatshepsut, is doing everything she can to keep from having to share power with Neferura’s half brother. But when he returns to court determined to take what he sees as his, Neferura is thrown between these two powerful rulers who care about their power and legacy over hers.

This is a coming of age story, a political drama, a feminist manifesto, and a bit of a romance. Neferura is a bit naive when it begins, but she has to grow and get wise quickly. It’s also centered on female power and friendship which I love so so much. I loved how clearly based in the historical this was, how fleshed out the side characters it was, and how much Neferura grows. It started a *bit* slow for me, but only for about a quarter of the book - after that I couldn’t put it down. If you’re looking for historical fiction, court/ royal drama, or are interested in ancient Egypt, I highly recommend this book!!

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was soo much fun. I’ve never read a book like this before. It was so unique and pretty. Both the cover and the personalities. Our fmc was so strong and brave. I could relate to her on so many levels. I shed a few tears.

This is a feminist retelling of an Egyptian princess, Neferura, daughter of a female pharaoh, Hatshepsut. As a young priestess, she dutifully embodies her role, and learns to navigate the politics of the day and negotiate the delicate power struggle (largely stemming from the deviation of patriarchal rule) with her half-sibling, a rival to the throne. I enjoyed the author’s interweaving of Egyptian beliefs, mythos, and religion into this imagined story inspired by historical events. While there is violence and adult situations, (I thought) the book has a “young adult” vibe - which in some cases simplified the storytelling even to the point where it concluded with a seemingly optimistic “ending” in her otherwise cutthroat and treacherous environment.

Recommended for those interested in Egyptian culture, dynasties, and history.

Thanks to the publisher, Sourcebook Landmark and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

My rating of this book is actually 3.5 stars. I did enjoy this book and that it takes place in ancient Egypt helped to separate it from other similar books. If you're into court intrigue, royal squabbles, and women controlling things behind the scenes... then you'll likely enjoy this book. My only issue was, how many times can you successfully pull off faking deaths and having those people never be found or recognized? I get it... most readers want a happy ending. This book has the happy fairy tale ending. And I suppose that is where my only issue lies as a student of history... fairy tale endings rarely happen. As much as it might be an unpopular opinion, I'd have enjoyed the ending a little better if it had been a bit more realistic. But yes, this is historical fiction... emphasis on the fiction... rather than history. Overall it was a good read and I would recommend it.

I found the concept of this book intriguing, and really enjoyed getting to learn more about ancient Egyptian culture and religion! I very much respect the level of research and historical accuracy the author incorporated into the novel. Unfortunately, the characters lacked depth for me, which made it difficult for this to keep my interest. Things fell flat for me, and I found it hard to connect with any character to feel emotionally invested. To me, this book could have benefited from a better balance of plot and character development, but plot-focused readers may enjoy this more!

Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

This was a really atmospheric and compelling read. The standouts of this book are the vivid world building, as well as the court politics that were present. This author did an amazing job at creating a tense atmosphere where you didn't know who to trust or what could happen. The world felt really well developed even though the book primarily only takes place within the palace. I could've done with a bit more development of the characters. It felt a bit like there was a trade off between developing the characters and their relationships with developing the plot and setting. Neferura was a good, if not slightly uninteresting main character, and I felt her relationship with her bodyguard quite underdeveloped. I really enjoyed the different dynamics within the family. Overall it was a well written and well researched novel that I'd recommend to people with a love of court politics and history.

Neferura offers a compelling exploration of the complexities and sacrifices inherent in wielding authority. Set in ancient Kemet, the story follows Neferura, princess and high priestess, as she navigates treacherous court politics and confronts the threat of her half-brother's ambition. Author masterfully portrays Neferura's inner conflict as she grapples with her duty to her people and the personal cost of challenging those in power. The addition of a mysterious wisewoman and her clandestine network adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, prompting Neferura to confront the extent of her own power and the alliances she must forge to protect her kingdom. Rich with political intrigue and nuanced character dynamics, "Paths of Power" is a gripping tale of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice that will captivate readers until the final page.