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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I almost hesitate to write a review, because I am NOT the audience for this book. While I loved Nancy Drew as a child, I have never liked mysteries as an adult, but I keep trying them, as if THIS time I'm going to find the key as to why others enjoy them so.
Set in the time after Napoleon almost conquered the world and was exiled to Elba, this books is well-plotted; there are lots of twists and turns and surprises I did not see coming. Hattie, aka Hathor, the English daughter of two missing archaeologists, journeys to Paris, then Egypt, in search of them, or at least, answers as to what became of them.
I never really cared about Hattie, from whose POV the story is told, and her studied disinterest in Eqyptology did not make me like her any better. The "poor, ignorant natives" thread ran through the scenes in which native Egyptians appeared, which might've been the true attitude of the English and French colonialists at the time, but I would have liked some greater depth/understanding shown by at least one of the main characters. Hattie's love interest kept telling her he couldn't tell her anything, except "trust me," which made me grit my teeth and want to smack him. And until the very end, though we kept HEARING of this person or that being killed, the murders/fights were rarely shown "on screen."
And yet, I did keep reading, because I wanted to find out how it all tied together at the end - and it did. The Regency language and sentence structure, while it made for somewhat stilted reading, was also much more accurate than other Regency novels I've read, which feel like contemporary romance dressed up to play tea party. I think if you're a mystery and/or Regency fan, you'll probably like this very much. If your tastes are like mine, not so much.
Set in the time after Napoleon almost conquered the world and was exiled to Elba, this books is well-plotted; there are lots of twists and turns and surprises I did not see coming. Hattie, aka Hathor, the English daughter of two missing archaeologists, journeys to Paris, then Egypt, in search of them, or at least, answers as to what became of them.
I never really cared about Hattie, from whose POV the story is told, and her studied disinterest in Eqyptology did not make me like her any better. The "poor, ignorant natives" thread ran through the scenes in which native Egyptians appeared, which might've been the true attitude of the English and French colonialists at the time, but I would have liked some greater depth/understanding shown by at least one of the main characters. Hattie's love interest kept telling her he couldn't tell her anything, except "trust me," which made me grit my teeth and want to smack him. And until the very end, though we kept HEARING of this person or that being killed, the murders/fights were rarely shown "on screen."
And yet, I did keep reading, because I wanted to find out how it all tied together at the end - and it did. The Regency language and sentence structure, while it made for somewhat stilted reading, was also much more accurate than other Regency novels I've read, which feel like contemporary romance dressed up to play tea party. I think if you're a mystery and/or Regency fan, you'll probably like this very much. If your tastes are like mine, not so much.
I am a huge fan of Amelia Peabody. I was looking for a heroine to fill the void. This book did not fit the bill, but I really enjoyed it in it's own right. I found myself frustrated at how no one would tell Hattie anything, then I reminded myself the period the book was set in. Women were not treated equally. I liked the way she handled herself in those situations when the all the men kept her in the dark. I enjoyed her companion and the way she handled herself as well. I liked the book.
True rating: 0.5 stars out of 5 (and that may be too generous)
I truly thought that Daughter of the God-King would be interesting. Needless to say, it was dull. I struggled to read it. I felt like there was no plot whatsoever. The plot was essentially shafted for a romance. A manipulative, disturbing romance at that. The main character was portrayed as weak and submissive, with very few moments of independence. I felt like the book was more about the lustful longing of a teenager, less so about a historical mystery. The 'reveals' were flat and uninspiring. I guess paying approximately a dollar for this book should have tipped me off on how bad it is. Not all books can be a diamond in the rough.
I truly thought that Daughter of the God-King would be interesting. Needless to say, it was dull. I struggled to read it. I felt like there was no plot whatsoever. The plot was essentially shafted for a romance. A manipulative, disturbing romance at that. The main character was portrayed as weak and submissive, with very few moments of independence. I felt like the book was more about the lustful longing of a teenager, less so about a historical mystery. The 'reveals' were flat and uninspiring. I guess paying approximately a dollar for this book should have tipped me off on how bad it is. Not all books can be a diamond in the rough.
I thought this was quite enjoyable! It had it all: a witty main character, a mysterious love interest, action and history! Would recommend.
Intruiging
I love how these stories are full of the history flavor, have delightful romances woven through them, and are full of intrigue. Excellent storytelling. Hattie is a firecracker, and I love it. Bing is such a wonderful character (I need a girl like her as my bestie) and Berry-Daniel-who knows what his actual name is was really cool. These stories are so much fun as they pull characters in from her other stand alone stories. I can't wait for more!!!
I love how these stories are full of the history flavor, have delightful romances woven through them, and are full of intrigue. Excellent storytelling. Hattie is a firecracker, and I love it. Bing is such a wonderful character (I need a girl like her as my bestie) and Berry-Daniel-who knows what his actual name is was really cool. These stories are so much fun as they pull characters in from her other stand alone stories. I can't wait for more!!!
Daughter of the God-King is my second encounter with Anne Cleeland, my first being Murder in Thrall. These two novels couldn't be more different, especially considering Murder in Thrall was a contemporary murder-mystery. But, in Daughter of the God-King we will have some of those same elements of intrigue; in this case, they just happen to be set in Egypt during the Napoleonic Wars.
Hattie Blackhouse has had it with her famous parents leaving her behind in the English countryside while they travel the ruins of Egypt. Hattie's not all that interested in ancient Egypt, but she is interested in having an adventure. With that in mind, Hattie and her unflappable companion, Bing, travel to Paris never guessing that it will lead to an impromptu trip to Egypt, while on the run from some overly solicitous suitors and dangerous men. Of course, Hattie does not mind when the mysterious and handsome Berry seems to be following along as well. As long as your being followed by a handsome spy, your worries are apparently non-existent.
When in Egypt Hattie learns things about the parents that she never really knew. But, what is a revelation is the attention that she is getting from everyone - the British, the French, the Egyptians. They all want something from Hattie, a secret that her parents were apparently killed for. The mysterious Berry reassures Hattie that he will protect her, but she wonders if she can really trust him despite her growing feelings for him. But can Hattie trust anyone else? It becomes clear that she didn't know her parents at all. Her childhood friend is clearly out for the information she can provide rather than supporting her as a friend. The only person Hattie truly seems to be able to rely on is her companion, Bing.
I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, I loved the setting. I think this colonial period is fascinating (terrible, but interesting). The fact that the British and French could just come into a country and essentially rob it's graves for it's museums is hard to comprehend. Although, the practice certainly continued into present day, throwing controversy into the museum world when the public found out. If you're interested in the facts behind this, I would recommend Chasing Aphrodite, a very interesting look at the dubious practices of the Getty Museum. While I find this interesting reading, archeological practices are not the focus of Daughter of the God-King, rather the focus is on the spies and Hattie's questionable family history. I also thought I was very interesting how the Egyptian setting was incorporated into the novel as there was a very specific reason why events came to a head in Egypt. I wont go into the details as it would spoil the big reveal, but I will say that it wasn't something I was expecting.
What I had an issue with was the romance aspect. I liked that this was included, and it certainly wasn't a romance novel, but I had a problem with how it was conveyed. It just didn't sit right with me. The entire novel is from Hattie's point of view and we are continually told by her that Berry is attracted to her:
She did not respond immediately, thinking that it was almost amusing - he was setting up a mightly resistence to the attraction that leapt between them, the intense awareness that made him lose his train of thought while the breath caught in her throat. (p.46).
Hattie is always saying that Berry is attracted to her, but I felt that something was missing in their interactions because I never really believed that Berry was attached to Hattie. It was constantly reiterated by Hattie that Berry was attracted to her, but rather than making me believe there was a relationship there, I felt more that Hattie was just being conceited and reading more into the situation than was warranted. Ultimately, I was looking for a better romance and I think it could have been stronger if we got something from Berry's point of view, especially because he was such as mysterious character. Without actually knowing how Berry felt, I still wonder if Berry was manipulating Hattie for his own ends rather than having an emotional attachment to her.
While the romance aspect didn't live up to my expectations, I still like the intrigue and mystery that kept me guessing till the end. I read the book fairly quickly and enjoyed the pace it moved at. If you're looking for more of light historical mystery, I would recommend this one. It's got a little bit of everything without being overly complicated.
For similar reads, see The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided via NetGalley.
Hattie Blackhouse has had it with her famous parents leaving her behind in the English countryside while they travel the ruins of Egypt. Hattie's not all that interested in ancient Egypt, but she is interested in having an adventure. With that in mind, Hattie and her unflappable companion, Bing, travel to Paris never guessing that it will lead to an impromptu trip to Egypt, while on the run from some overly solicitous suitors and dangerous men. Of course, Hattie does not mind when the mysterious and handsome Berry seems to be following along as well. As long as your being followed by a handsome spy, your worries are apparently non-existent.
When in Egypt Hattie learns things about the parents that she never really knew. But, what is a revelation is the attention that she is getting from everyone - the British, the French, the Egyptians. They all want something from Hattie, a secret that her parents were apparently killed for. The mysterious Berry reassures Hattie that he will protect her, but she wonders if she can really trust him despite her growing feelings for him. But can Hattie trust anyone else? It becomes clear that she didn't know her parents at all. Her childhood friend is clearly out for the information she can provide rather than supporting her as a friend. The only person Hattie truly seems to be able to rely on is her companion, Bing.
I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, I loved the setting. I think this colonial period is fascinating (terrible, but interesting). The fact that the British and French could just come into a country and essentially rob it's graves for it's museums is hard to comprehend. Although, the practice certainly continued into present day, throwing controversy into the museum world when the public found out. If you're interested in the facts behind this, I would recommend Chasing Aphrodite, a very interesting look at the dubious practices of the Getty Museum. While I find this interesting reading, archeological practices are not the focus of Daughter of the God-King, rather the focus is on the spies and Hattie's questionable family history. I also thought I was very interesting how the Egyptian setting was incorporated into the novel as there was a very specific reason why events came to a head in Egypt. I wont go into the details as it would spoil the big reveal, but I will say that it wasn't something I was expecting.
What I had an issue with was the romance aspect. I liked that this was included, and it certainly wasn't a romance novel, but I had a problem with how it was conveyed. It just didn't sit right with me. The entire novel is from Hattie's point of view and we are continually told by her that Berry is attracted to her:
She did not respond immediately, thinking that it was almost amusing - he was setting up a mightly resistence to the attraction that leapt between them, the intense awareness that made him lose his train of thought while the breath caught in her throat. (p.46).
Hattie is always saying that Berry is attracted to her, but I felt that something was missing in their interactions because I never really believed that Berry was attached to Hattie. It was constantly reiterated by Hattie that Berry was attracted to her, but rather than making me believe there was a relationship there, I felt more that Hattie was just being conceited and reading more into the situation than was warranted. Ultimately, I was looking for a better romance and I think it could have been stronger if we got something from Berry's point of view, especially because he was such as mysterious character. Without actually knowing how Berry felt, I still wonder if Berry was manipulating Hattie for his own ends rather than having an emotional attachment to her.
While the romance aspect didn't live up to my expectations, I still like the intrigue and mystery that kept me guessing till the end. I read the book fairly quickly and enjoyed the pace it moved at. If you're looking for more of light historical mystery, I would recommend this one. It's got a little bit of everything without being overly complicated.
For similar reads, see The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided via NetGalley.
The setting of this book is magnificent. France and Egypt, after the Napoleonic Wars, archaeology, mystery. All that was great. The romance was incredibly clumsy. The book is driven by plot, so you’re not given a great sense of the characters. I was very engaged, but Hattie’s persistent trust in Berry was very confusing.