Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner
A review of a novel for young readers
The famously beautiful queen of ancient Egypt, Nefertiti, is the main character in Sphinx's Princess. First in a series, this novel imagines her life from childhood into her early teens. Historians know very little for certain about Nefertiti, except that she was the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ordered polytheism abolished and worshipped Aten, the Egyptian sun god, as the only god. Egyptian wall carvings show Nefertiti smiting enemies, suggesting she exercised more power than the usual Egyptian queen.
In the novel, Nefertiti is a smart, courageous girl with a compassionate heart. Her father has forbidden her to learn to read, but she secretly defies him. Still, she is happy at home and doesn't want to leave when the pharaoh's power-hungry First Royal Wife demands that she come to Thebes as the future wife of the pharaoh's heir. As strong-willed as her royal aunt, Nefertiti only agrees to go in order to protect her family. Her strong will puts her in terrible danger in a royal household full of jealous, spiteful, powerful people, but it also protects her from despair when someone less spirited might give up.
Life in ancient Egypt was extremely different from life in any modern culture. The well-researched setting in Sphinx's Princess makes it as fascinating as any fantasy kingdom. The story has the simplicity of a television show, with messages that may seem a little too obvious for readers who like more thematic complexity, but may be just right for others. A note of suspense at the end looks ahead to the challenges in the sequel, Sphinx's Queen. (2009; 370 pages)