Sphinx's Queen

August 15, 2010
The sequel to Sphinx's Princess (2009) is an ancient Egyptian soap opera starring Nefertiti as a mouthy, gutsy teen. Accompanied by her trusty slave Nava and her gentle swain Prince Amenophis, she must prove her valor and cunning in a series of adventures outwitting her beloved's brother, the malicious Prince Thutmose. In florid prose, Friesner draws Thutmose as a duplicitous villain whose evil deeds are both violent and cruel, aided and abetted by his formidable mother, the Queen. Nefertiti's nemesis is somehow redeemed when, despondent over the failure of his nefarious plots, he takes to his bed to starve himself and Nefertiti is inspired to forgive him. Her whiplash-inducing reversal tests the bounds of credulity but provides a feel-good tool for wrapping up loose plot threads. The dialogue is stiff and self-conscious, and the characters have distinctly anachronistic attitudes toward issues like slavery and feminism, but readers with a predilection for ancient mythology viewed through the lens of modern mores may enjoy this fantastical read, once they've tied an extra knot or two in the rope that suspends their disbelief. (map, afterword) (Historical fiction. 11-14)

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November 1, 2010

Gr 6-9-Friesner continues the story of young Nefertiti, betrothed of Prince Thutmose but friend (and, later, wife) to Prince Amenophis. In Sphinx's Princess (Random, 2009), Nefertiti is falsely accused by Thutmose of blasphemy for killing his cat, sacred to the Egyptian goddess Bast. As this story opens, she has escaped from prison with the help of Amenophis and her Hebrew ("Hebiri") servant, Nava. Nefertiti is unhampered by religious orthodoxy, reflecting a very modern sensibility. She and the other characters reach their greatest humanity when they tear aside priestly hypocrisy and political intrigue and make peace with one another despite the adults' machinations. All of this is done in fine prose that expresses the questioning of religion that most young people experience as they approach maturity. A statement made by Amenophis after he has impersonated the goddess of truth (Ma'at) and saved Nefertiti could, with little revision, come from any human era: "If the gods have any real power, why do they stand by and allow us to buy and sell their voices? If Ma'at is the goddess of truth, why does she remain silent and permit so many lies to flourish?" This deeply moral book tells a good story; or, rather, this good story reveals deeply moral truths.-Corinne Henning-Sachs, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2010
Grades 6-9 Picking up where Sphinxs Princess (2009) left off, Nefertiti is escaping Thebes with her secret love, Prince Amenophis, and her slave girl Nara. The three are sailing to Dendera to reunite with Nefertitis family, hoping they can save Nefertiti from her charges of treason. The villainous crown prince Thutmose, Nefertitis betrothed, relentlessly pursues the trio. Turns of events leave the door open for Nefertiti and Amenophis to finally be together, and Nefertiti is still the same strong-willed, independent girl based on the mysterious Egyptian queen. This sequel does not stand alone, but fans of the first book will want to know Nefertitis fate.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2011
This sequel to Sphinx's Princess continues Friesner's fictionalized story of Nefertiti. The adolescent future royal describes her forbidden romance with Amenophis, brother of her intended groom; her first-person narration also reveals her anger about slavery and other injustices. Back matter explains how little is known about the real historical figures, but the story's intimacy with its characters lends accessibility to an ancient era.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)