This was my first book by Marie Benedict, and I think anyone who’s interested in the history of ancient Egypt will enjoy this book. I appreciated Benedict’s attention to detail, and I also liked the way she paralleled the archeology of the 1920s with ancient historical and religious practices of Egypt.
Benedict’s story is about two strong women: Hatshepsut was only the second known female Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, and her reign is noted for being long and prosperous. Lady Evelyn Herbert lived in the 1920s, and she worked with her father Lord Carnarvon and the famous archeologist Howard Carter to locate Egyptian tombs and antiquities. They are most famous for having discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen. While little is known about Evelyn’s actual work, she is known to have been the first person inside the inner tomb of Tutankhamen when it was first opened. As with many women of history, her contributions were not recorded, but Benedict has imagined her as a smart and dedicated archeologist/Egyptologist.
She’s determined to unearth the history of Hatshepsut, a woman she is fascinated with. Hatshepsut was a powerful ruler but for some reason, during the reign that followed hers, her name, symbols, and images were literally scratched out or plastered over.
If you’d like to learn more about Hatshepsut, a fun source of information is Max Miller’s Tasting History. His videos explore history through food, which he then makes himself. For example, he’s made ancient Roman beer, food served on the Titanic, and the food prepared by Typhoid Mary.
Benedict explains where she has imagined parts of Hatshepsut’s and Evelyn’s stories. I appreciated learning about both women, who I knew little about. I remember the fascination with the artifacts of Tutankhamen, as they were displayed on a tour through the U.S. during the 1970s. Benedict takes us back to the time of their discovery, and the role that Carter and Carnarvon played in unearthing the history of ancient Egyptian rulers.
More importantly, she explores the history of Egypt in the 1920’s, from its call for independence from the British, to the importance of Egyptians controlling their own artifacts. Benedict tells a balanced story; it’s understandable that the wealthy British patrons funding these digs would want to profit from the findings. She describes the increasing tension between private treasure hunters and those who would have these artifacts belong to museums and the public.
This is a slow-paced, detailed (sometimes repetitive) novel that focuses more on the history than any drama occurring with the characters. I appreciated that. Lady Evelyn must walk the line between appeasing her mother, who wants her daughter to be in society and to marry well, while she also pursues her passion of Egyptology. Evelyn would rather be digging in khakis than dancing at a ball, but she has to do both. She’s extremely privileged, and she comes to realize how British colonialism is at odds with the needs of the Egyptians, and how little the British understand the country they are occupying.
I found the Hatshepsut chapters interesting, though I struggled a bit with the tone, which felt very reserved (or maybe I mean impersonal). I think anything else would have seemed anachronistic, and I imagine it’s very difficult to imagine the speech and thoughts of a woman who lived so long ago, who we know so little about. Hatshepsut was also a female ruler in a very male-dominated society, and she’s know to have taken on much of the characteristics of a male ruler. Benedict presents her as someone who has to be conscious of her image at all times.
So I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone looking for drama, romance, and adventure. There’s some of that, but the history and politics are foremost. Both of the women in this story, as well as Howard Carter, are fascinating and I enjoyed learning so much about them. I look forward to reading more of Benedict’s historical novels.
Note: I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher St. Martin’s Press. This book was published March 24, 2026.
