All the aspects I love from this genre can be found in this book. The story of a young female Egyptologist determined to undo a curse, with deeper themes of respect for Egyptian heritage and culture. If you are fascinated by ancient Egypt, particularly during the Victorian era, then you are going to love this book. Egyptian myths and gods, artefacts and grave robbers, hieroglyphs and curses are all to be found in this highly engaging book.

‘No doubt the people in this room, at first glance, imagine she’s a typical English traveller, here to enjoy the sun, pick up a few knick-knacks, and purchase a bottleful of sand to take home. They couldn’t be more wrong.’

I will admit that it takes a little while to draw you in and feel a connection to the characters. You will however soon be filled with intrigue especially once you arrive in Egypt. The focus of this book is very much on the two sisters and how the author ties it in with the mythology surrounding Nephthys and Isis is wonderful. There is a solid amount of research here not only around Egyptian gods and their stories but also Egyptomania from the Victorian era (“hunger for the relics of that bygone civilisation. Perhaps the mania part has become too real?”). The impact of tomb raiding and antiquity hunting is very well presented - ‘Artefacts are being damaged, provenance is being lost, and history is undone because everyone wants to claim their own Egyptian treasure ... They are taking what they want from the desert, and when they are through, it will be left ravaged and devastated.’

If these are topics that appeal to you, add in a mystery/thriller component whilst sailing up the Nile and you have a wonderful read.

‘The fascination for Ancient Egypt began as a game, grew to an obsession, became a curse. Now it’s controlling her every move.’








This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

From the writing to the story itself, Rachel Louise Driscoll has enchanted and stunned me into complete contemplation with her debut novel ‘Nephthys’.
The story follows Egyptologist Clementine Attridge on her mission to restore a treasure she hopes will solve a tragic mistake her father made. On her trip she encounters a group of travelling companions she can’t seem to escape from as she makes her way up the Nile with her dangerous secret.
Clementine’s character is not short of admirable, passionate and relatable. There is nothing more marvelous to read than a protagonist who is relatable in all the best qualities.
The portrayal of Clementines respect and delicacy to towards Egypt’s artifacts is admirable and eye opening. The plot is original, the characters enticing and the writing poetically mysterious.
Driscoll’s writing is by far one of the most unique I have ever encountered, the structure and information given to the reader is a puzzle to be put together. I adored and ate every second of this story.
Thank you to NetGallery and Rachel for allowing me to read this stunning book.

2.5★s

Clementine (Clemmie) helped her father with the mummies, reading hieroglyphs, until a strange mummy with two heads was unearthed, and against Clemmie's wishes, her father dissected the mummy. In the 1800s amid the Egyptian relic parties, Clemmie's father was the toast of society. But five years later, after the deaths of her parents, Clemmie travelled to Egypt to right a wrong and try to save her sister, Rosetta, from being put into an asylum.

Clemmie met some fellow travellers, and together they journeyed the Nile, with danger threatening them all, but especially Clemmie. It was the arrival of Horatio that caused things to spiral out of control. With secrets and betrayals, and not knowing who to trust, Clemmie had to take her courage in her hands.

Nephthys by Rachel Louise Driscoll wasn't for me unfortunately. The writing style was such that it was hard for me to follow. It jumped around, back to when Clemmie helped her father, into dreams and myths, then into the current days with the friends she'd made - it felt disjointed and fragmented, and I was unable to feel connection with the characters.

With thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Random House AU for my digital ARC to read and review.

Historical fiction is my favourite genre, and this book was a pleasure to read. Set in the late 1800s, it explores the removal of Egyptian artefacts and burial items, while relating to the myths of Eygpt. Is there such a thing as a curse, this is another theme. There is some scullduggery along the way, as some characters weren’t quite what they seemed. All in all, a satisfying story, secrets and mysteries to be resolved, with a well thought out ending. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC to review.

This was a fun ride, and Driscoll paints a magnificent and sweeping Egyptian sandscape from which to base the action. Clemmie is a strong and capable character with layered motivations, so the plot flow always seems true to form. A hieroglyphist with a strong pull towards a sense of fairness, Clementine Attridge battles against memories of her mother and father, real-life betrayal from the men in her life and tomb raiders – as she attempts to return an amulet and restore her sister’s health. Driscoll weaves backstory into the present-day plot, along with a history lesson on Egyptian Gods and myth. This is a tale of family and obsession set against a compelling background. Despite the rich sense of place, I’m not sure it needed to be as long as it is, to convey the same story – but each reader will have their preference. Recommended for those looking for historical fiction complete with curses, light romance and a protagonist who won’t rest until balance has been restored.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the advance reader copy in return for an honest review. Review to also be promoted to FishbirdCentral.com closer to publication date in February 2025.

Nephthys is a novel that weaves together Egyptian mythology and the Victorian Era, particularly focusing on the exploration and pillaging of Egypts rich history.

The story was well written, in a manner that is evocative and engaging and I could vividly picture the events unfolding as I read. Both the settings in England and Egypt were descriptive and detailed. Character wise, Clementine was well rounded and had great development. She goes from sheltered and naively following her fathers instructions, to independent and actively questioning everything, her loyalty to her sister is one of her chief qualities. It took me some time to warm to Rowland as a character and Oswald kind of melted into the background, Celia was an interesting character who had an interesting duality against Clemmy (though two ‘C’ names had me rereading some sections).

Mythology was woven into the story incredibly well, this is quite a difficult thing to do, considering the variations between the different versions and different translations. There was a great deal of historical and geographic accuracy, that showed that this book was incredibly well researched. The themes of sisterhood were strong and shown in the connection between Clementine and Rosetta, but additionally between Isis and Nephthys, their mythology is woven into the story. Additionally, themes of repatriation and the impacts of colonialism were worked in, this was done in an interesting manner by working in the idea of a curse. Repatriation is something I am incredibly passionate about and I was incredibly pleased to see it play out in the story and watch Clemmie and Rowland in particular become more and more aware of the need for items of cultural heritage to remain or be returned to their country of origin.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and am grateful to Netgalley and the Publisher Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own