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A review by jaclynder
Daughter of the God-King by Anne Cleeland
2.0
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.