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lisaebetz's review against another edition
5.0
Hooray for Amelia Peabody Emerson, Egyptoligist, intrepid sleuth and advocate of the poor and downtrodden. This book was not the typical mystery. There is no dead body (except the camel, of course) that prompts an investigation. There is an investigation, though, that leads to unexplored portions of the Sudan and introduces us to someone who becomes a key character in later books.
Fun as always, with a nice little dose of history thrown in for good measure.
Fun as always, with a nice little dose of history thrown in for good measure.
bookworm_baggins's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve really enjoyed this series, but this book felt a lot harder to engage with than others. I actually picked it up two other times a year ago and couldn’t get past the second chapter. I think this book could have been 50-100 pages shorter and would have held my attention better.
This book is a little more fantastical than others, and I am quite able to suspend disbelief for this style book. I enjoyed how things wrapped up and will read the next, but I’m going to give it a little time since these are becoming fairly formulaic.
This book is a little more fantastical than others, and I am quite able to suspend disbelief for this style book. I enjoyed how things wrapped up and will read the next, but I’m going to give it a little time since these are becoming fairly formulaic.
kathrynch's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars - as always, I love Amelia's narrative voice but the plot of this one was a little slow. Important for the introduction of Nefret though.
kccrewdson's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
rach's review against another edition
4.0
This one was a nice change in the story lines, dealing not with archeology exactly, but a lost society. Quite interesting and enjoyable.
melbsreads's review against another edition
4.0
I love this series. It's totally ridiculous but also a lot of fun and I just...I'm really glad I'm rereading it. This one is very reminiscent of H. Rider Haggard - lost cities, chases through the desert, stumbling across unexpected political dramas, "will we ever get back to civilisation" debates. Sure, it was a little longer than was strictly necessary. But it made me snort laugh time and time again, and it was buckets of fun.
tctimlin's review against another edition
4.0
Perhaps my favorite Amelia Peabody story yet. I may have to go find the Haggard novel and read it.
hollie313's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ashawp's review against another edition
4.0
This book was highly entertaining like all the others. I love that I am continuously amused and still surprised by things the members of the Emerson family say, despite knowing them all so well at this point. The setting and new characters were interesting as always. Also as always, I groan inwardly when they don't listen to Ramses when he's figured something out. I shake my head after the umpteenth time she alludes to their awesome intimate marital relations. I cringe a little at some of their English superiority, while also keeping in mind that this is in keeping with people of this time period (and the Emersons are still ahead of their time).
Speaking of time period, there were a few possible anachronisms that stuck out to me in this book. Amelia says people were stuffed in like sardines and I had to go check if canned sardines had existed at that time (they had). She also flashed someone a thumbs up sign, which as far as I can tell wasn't popularized until WWII, but that's not to say it wasn't used back then at all.
All in all, I will read these books until there are no more.
Speaking of time period, there were a few possible anachronisms that stuck out to me in this book. Amelia says people were stuffed in like sardines and I had to go check if canned sardines had existed at that time (they had). She also flashed someone a thumbs up sign, which as far as I can tell wasn't popularized until WWII, but that's not to say it wasn't used back then at all.
All in all, I will read these books until there are no more.