Scan barcode
A review by jessmarticorena
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was pitched to me as "The Mummy" meets "Death on the Nile," and I was immediately sold!
In Buenos Aires, Inez Olivera is a society girl, living with her aunt and cousins - left behind by parents who are always drawn back to Egypt. When news of her parents' tragic deaths arrive, Inez is filled with questions and determined to fins the answers. Sailing to Cairo to find the tío that has become her mysterious guardian -an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law -, Inez sets off with little more than the golden ring her father gave her and her sketchbook. But when she arrives in Cairo, the old-word magic of her golden ring and the questions around her parent's disappearances leave her with more questions.
"With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her."
I cannot describe how much I loved this book. Everything about it is refreshingly unique and perfectly balances the mystery and the magic of the world. Every character is wonderfully complex, and the twists and turns of the story will leave you guessing at every turn.
Out main character, Inez, is passionate, strong-willed, courageous, and not afraid of vulnerability. You root for and admire her at every turn. She was so full of life that she practically jumped off of the page. And the infuriately handsome assistant, Whit, was a perfect compliment to her - guarded, but tender, with a lot of backstory that I hope we get to explore so much more in further books. Their banter had me laughing out loud at points. Their tension and push-and-pull romantic tension was EVERYTHING I needed.
The setting and atmosphere was stunning. Ibañez describes each site in Egypt with engaging and awe-inspiring detail. She captures the wonder of archaeology and the featured historical sites with respect and wonder, and I was itching to be there with the characters in their dig site camp.
The plot had me guessing at every turn. There is so much happening behind the scenes that slowly and perfectly gets revealed as the novel progresses. And every time Ibañez laid another card on the table, I was GASPING! The story was deliciously mysterious. The twists and turns were perfectly paced and left me turning page after page until I reached the end.
And speaking of the end ...
I won't go into spoilers, but I will say that I needed to read it twice, both times with my jaw on the floor.
This is one of my new favorite books. It's full of magic, adventure, romance, banter, and the awe of (anti-colonial) archaeology.
In Buenos Aires, Inez Olivera is a society girl, living with her aunt and cousins - left behind by parents who are always drawn back to Egypt. When news of her parents' tragic deaths arrive, Inez is filled with questions and determined to fins the answers. Sailing to Cairo to find the tío that has become her mysterious guardian -an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law -, Inez sets off with little more than the golden ring her father gave her and her sketchbook. But when she arrives in Cairo, the old-word magic of her golden ring and the questions around her parent's disappearances leave her with more questions.
"With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her."
I cannot describe how much I loved this book. Everything about it is refreshingly unique and perfectly balances the mystery and the magic of the world. Every character is wonderfully complex, and the twists and turns of the story will leave you guessing at every turn.
Out main character, Inez, is passionate, strong-willed, courageous, and not afraid of vulnerability. You root for and admire her at every turn. She was so full of life that she practically jumped off of the page. And the infuriately handsome assistant, Whit, was a perfect compliment to her - guarded, but tender, with a lot of backstory that I hope we get to explore so much more in further books. Their banter had me laughing out loud at points. Their tension and push-and-pull romantic tension was EVERYTHING I needed.
The setting and atmosphere was stunning. Ibañez describes each site in Egypt with engaging and awe-inspiring detail. She captures the wonder of archaeology and the featured historical sites with respect and wonder, and I was itching to be there with the characters in their dig site camp.
The plot had me guessing at every turn. There is so much happening behind the scenes that slowly and perfectly gets revealed as the novel progresses. And every time Ibañez laid another card on the table, I was GASPING! The story was deliciously mysterious. The twists and turns were perfectly paced and left me turning page after page until I reached the end.
And speaking of the end ...
I won't go into spoilers, but I will say that I needed to read it twice, both times with my jaw on the floor.
This is one of my new favorite books. It's full of magic, adventure, romance, banter, and the awe of (anti-colonial) archaeology.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, and Death of parent