Daughter of Egypt

Daughter of Egypt tells two stories at once. One follows Lady Evelyn Herbert in 1920s England, the real-life daughter of Lord Carnarvon, who helped uncover Tutankhamun's tomb. The other dates back nearly 3,000 years to Hatshepsut, one of the few women ever to rule Egypt as pharaoh. Benedict weaves the two together as Evelyn becomes determined to find Hatshepsut's lost tomb and clear up the mystery of her reign.

Evelyn is certainly ahead of her time. She's rebellious, refusing to accept a traditional debutante lifestyle, passionate about archaeology, and not going to let protocol stop her from pursuing it.

The author also gives the reader a vivid picture of Hatshepsut, who is bold, strong, and ambitious, and who broke centuries of tradition by wearing men's clothing and taking control to rule by herself.

The book is well-researched, with a lot of historical detail, especially regarding the archaeology of 1920s Egypt and the political tension between British excavators and Egyptians fighting for control of their own history.

The pacing of this book is slow and steady- there are no fast plot twists- making it excellent for those who like to learn history while enjoying the story. Fans of Marie Benedict's other books and those who enjoy novels by Kate Quinn or Kristin Hannah about overlooked women will love this one.