I saw this book in hardcover, and foolishly waited for its release in paperback before picking it up and deciding to buy it. If I had known how fast I would zip through it (and the fact that I've already read it twice), I wouldn't have waited and just purchased the hardcover instead.

Nefertiti is one of those rare books you don't want to end. From her marriage at the very beginning to Amunhotep (he later changes his name to Akhenaten) to the scene where she decides to shave off her hair and wear a crown that no other queen in Egyptian history has worn, I kept thinking, "I hope there's a sequel." Luckily enough there is, and this time, I've ordered it in hardcover.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Egyptian history. Moran has a detailed Q&A on her website about what was fact versus fiction in the story, and I enjoyed her detailed Glossary and Afterword as well. The chart of Egyptian months was particularly useful in understanding the chapter headings and some references made in the novel itself. But this is by no means a complicated read. I've seen some other reviewers call it a beach book, and that's exactly what this is. A quick, fast, fun beach novel with history, romance and intrigue all thrown in. This is why I would also recommend it to lovers of historical fiction, historical romance, and romance in general.

Overall, very pleased.

I saw this book in hardcover, and foolishly waited for its release in paperback before picking it up and deciding to buy it. If I had known how fast I would zip through it, I wouldn't have waited and just purchased the hardcover instead.

Nefertiti is one of those rare books you don't want to end. From her marriage at the very beginning to Amunhotep (he later changes his name to Akhenaten) to the scene where she decides to shave off her hair and wear a crown that no other queen in Egyptian history has worn, I kept thinking, "I hope there's a sequel." Luckily enough there is, and this time, I've ordered it in hardcover.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Egyptian history. Moran has a detailed Q&A on her website about what was fact versus fiction in the story, and I enjoyed her detailed Glossary and Afterword as well. The chart of Egyptian months was particularly useful in understanding the chapter headings and some references made in the novel itself. But this is by no means a complicated read. I've seen some other reviewers call it a beach book, and that's exactly what this is. A quick, fast, fun beach novel with history, romance and intrigue all thrown in. This is why I would also recommend it to lovers of historical fiction, historical romance, and romance in general.

Overall, very pleased.

As a woman from the ancient world, only Cleopatra surpasses Nefertiti in name recognition. Her bust has become one of the most easily identifiable objects from the reigns of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Michelle Moran's Nefertiti is the story of the daughter of Vizier Ay, who became the Chief Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, co-regent with her husband, and as some have speculated, the successor pharaoh to Akhenaten.

Most parents of a teenager have said at least one time, "The world does not revolve around you." However, in the case of Nefertiti and Akhenaten, it actually did. At the ages of 15 and 17, these two young people rose to the highest position in Lower Egypt (nearest the Mediterranean) and eventually ruled all of Egypt and its far-reaching empire. The phrase, "palace intrigue," might very well have been invented in their court.

Nefertiti's story is told through the eyes of her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, who avoids the limelight as much as her sister seeks it. Mutny, a believer in the Egyptian god, Amun, watches as her brother-in-law, Akhenaten, turns his back on the powerful Amun in favor of a minor god, Aten, who he declares to be the one god that all will worship--or else. To honor Aten, Akhenaten abandons the traditional capital of Thebes in favor of a new city, Amarna, which rises out of the desert for the glory of Aten, Pharaoh, and Nefertiti. Everything else, including guarding Egypt's borders, is neglected while a frenzy of building takes place. Their images are everywhere, and this obsession with their own glorification foments unrest among the people and a rebellion within Pharaoh's army.

As entertaining as this novel is, the relationship between Nefertiti and her sister, Mutny, wears thin. Mutny is the sister who goes along to get along, and Nefertiti is the conceited, overbearing, selfish older sister who gets everything she wants, including having her sister on call at a moment's notice. By the time Mutny is summoned to the birthing pavilion for the delivery of her sister's fifth and sixth child, you are tired of Mutny being Nefertiti's lap dog.

Little is known of how these two royals died. However, history records that there was plague in Amarna at approximately the time of Akhenaten's death. There is no exact date for Nefertiti's death, and her tomb has never been discovered. With so little hard evidence at hand, the author is able to write her own ending to their reign, and it's a humdinger with feathers flying everywhere.

In Nefertiti, Miss Moran takes us behind the scenes of life in a royal palace with its beautiful clothes, exquisite adornments, exotic scents, obsequious servants, and endless procession of favor seekers who want to be noticed and rewarded by pharaoh. She has captured the excitement of the Egyptian court at a time when Egypt was the greatest power on earth, and Nefertiti was its queen.

This book was a pleasure to read from the first page to the last. It was exactly what I want in an historical fiction. Palace intrigue, politics, jealousy, sibling rivalry. Characters you think will certainly live to see the next reign end up dying and people you think will certainly perish end up succeeding. I also loved the Author's Note at the end, explaining what was fact and what was fiction. The author has an extended note on her website, plus images of what some of the characters looked like in real life (according to the ancient sculptors, anyway).

I really can't say enough about this book. If you liked Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl (with the sister as narrator and a love story on the side), if you like ancient Egypt, historical fiction or even just a great read that will take you back three thousand years, then I think you'll really enjoy this book as much as I did.

Although I'd seen Michelle Moran's novel all over the place, I was only inspired to pick it up after attending a Library Journal panel on which she spoke with Lisa See, Broos Campbell and several editors. All of the authors on the panel spoke about why they were inspired to write what they did, but it was Michelle Moran's tale of archaeological digs and research around the world that prompted me to actually go out and get the book. To say I finished it in two nights would be a lie. It was more like a day and a half, and although I was supposed to be attending Book Expo America and grabbing free goodies to bring back to my library, I found myself sitting in the corner for "just a quick nip" into the book. What do you know, several hours later I was done, and this is one of those books where you hold your breath and stop breathing for several pages.

I loved the way she made Egypt come alive. I felt like I could hear Nefertiti's rages, see her putting on her wigs and kohl, and smell the perfume she wore while trying to keep her husband's attention away from the harem and firmly on herself. Because the author had spoken about her research into plague in ancient Egypt, I wasn't surprised when plague broke out in the novel, claiming the lives of some of the characters and altering Egyptian history.

If you're a fan of Wilbur Smith, Pauline Gedge, Elizabeth Peters or Brad Geagley, I would highly recommend this book. It's not as long as anything done by Margaret George or Colleen McCullough (like The Memoirs of Cleopatra or Antony and Cleopatra), but you'll wish it was! In fact, I had the chance to get an early copy of Moran's The Heretic Queen yesterday. It's the sequel to Nefertiti and I have to say, I'm enjoying it as much I did Nefertiti. But more on that to come!

I didn't care for this book at all. It's very difficult to enjoy a book with so few sympathetic characters. Moran's Nefertiti is a completely selfish and manipulative woman with few, if any, redeeming traits. And her sister, from whose point of view the story is told, is not much more sympathetic. Though kinder by far, I can't admire how she continually abases herself in service to Nefertiti's selfishness. Each turn of the page left me wanting to slap one or both of them, as well as almost every other female character other than the Dowager Tiye. Meh.

Although I'd seen Michelle Moran's novel all over the place, I was only inspired to pick it up after attending a Library Journal panel on which she spoke with Lisa See, Broos Campbell and several editors. All of the authors on the panel spoke about why they were inspired to write what they did, but it was Michelle Moran's tale of archaeological digs and research around the world that prompted me to actually go out and get the book. To say I finished it in two nights would be a lie. It was more like a day and a half, and although I was supposed to be attending Book Expo America and grabbing free goodies to bring back to my library, I found myself sitting in the corner for "just a quick nip" into the book. What do you know, several hours later I was done, and this is one of those books where you hold your breath and stop breathing for several pages.

I loved the way she made Egypt come alive. I felt like I could hear Nefertiti's rages, see her putting on her wigs and kohl, and smell the perfume she wore while trying to keep her husband's attention away from the harem and firmly on herself. Because the author had spoken about her research into plague in ancient Egypt, I wasn't surprised when plague broke out in the novel, claiming the lives of some of the characters and altering Egyptian history.

If you're a fan of Wilbur Smith, Pauline Gedge, Elizabeth Peters or Brad Geagley, I would highly recommend this book. It's not as long as anything done by Colleen McCullough (like Cleopatra or Antony and Cleopatra), but you'll wish it was! In fact, I had the chance to get an early copy of Moran's The Heretic Queen yesterday. It's the sequel to Nefertiti and I have to say, I'm enjoying it as much I did Nefertiti. But more on that to come!

Greed, murder, betrayal, and palace intrigue abound as Nefertiti, one of Egypt's most enigmatic queens, comes to life again. Seen through the eyes of her younger sister Mutnodjmet, Nefertiti is the favored daughter of a powerful vizier, destined to wed the next Pharaoh of Egypt. When the favored crown prince dies suspiciously, Nefertiti marries his unstable, obsessive brother Amunhotep, later known as the Pharaoh Akhenaten. As her husband devolves into suspicion and madness, various factions of the court pin their hopes on Nefertiti to control Pharaoh and guide Egypt's future.

Pharaoh's heretical desire to raise a new son god, the Aten, above all others soon plunges the country into chaos. He destroys centuries of religious tradition, closing the temples to all other gods and establishing the Aten as supreme. Nefertiti encourages her husband's prideful foolishness, so long as it keeps her and her family in control. When the royals establish a glittering new court at Amarna, the on-going rivalry between Nefertiti and Pharaoh's second wife, Kiya grows dangerous. Nefertiti tries in vain to produce a son. With priests, ministers and the military vying to exert control over Pharaoh, the only person whom Nefertiti can consistently rely on for the truth is her sister Mutnodjmet. However, Mutnodjmet finds her loyalty often tested by Nefertiti's determination and the desires of her own heart.

Ms. Moran skillfully weaves a tale of Egypt's iconic queen, known worldwide as an ideal of feminine beauty. Nefertiti remains as enigmatic today as she seemed when Egyptologists discovered her limestone bust, now housed in Berlin's Altes Museum. The narrator permits the reader inside Nefertiti's world, to explore the complexity of her character. Nefertiti inspires sympathy and dislike in turns. The pawn of her powerful family, their machinations force her into marriage to a deluded tyrant. Yet, Nefertiti retains unrealistic expectations of her younger sister and manipulates those whom she claims to love.

Ms. Moran's portrayal of the Amarna period is not without some controversy. The family tree indicates Mutnodjmet as mother to Nefertari, chief queen of Ramses the Great. It does not show Mutnodjmet as the eventual wife of the Pharaoh Horemheb. Mutnodjmet also raises Kiya's son Tutankhamen although Nefertiti was Kiya's greatest rival. The lack of a complete record of Nefertiti's influence has fueled centuries of speculation and theories. However, Ms. Moran fills in the gaps of history with such creative skill that most minor distortions do not detract from her flowing narrative or compelling characters. Nefertiti remains an entertaining read throughout.

This novel is a story of two sisters, one whose drive and ambition take her to the top of the world and the other who just wants a normal life....far away from the dangerous political games her sister is playing. Nefertiti and Mutnodjmet (Mutny) grew up leading quiet lives in rural Egypt. All this comes to a screeching halt when Nefertiti is chosen to be Chief Wife of the hot blooded Pharoah with an obssession for Aten, a minor Egyptian god.

Nefertiti is chosen by the her Father and her Aunt, the Pharoah's mother, because with her strong personality it is believed that she will be able to reign in the Pharoah and temper his hand ensuring that it is their family that holds the real power behind the throne. Nefertiti soon becomes enamoured with her new found power and her popularity with the people and is somewhat swept up along with her husband in his dreams of glamor, power, and immortality.

On direction from her father she does what she can but she is unable to stop the Pharoah from using the Army to build a brand new city in the middle of the desert designed to honor Aten and be a monument to him and his queen....an army that is desperately needed to stop a Hittite invasion threatening from the north! To further complicate matters, her family's position is threatened by Kiya, the Pharoah's other wife, and her schemeing Father because while Kiya has given Egypt a prince Nefertiti gives birth to one daughter after another.

Meanwhile, Mutny becomes her sisters handmaiden and remains her closest friend and confidante. But secretly she longs for a family and a home of her own. This seems impossible as she is required by her family to play her part in keeping them the most powerful family in Egypt. As her sister rises higher and higher, Mutny feels more and more trapped in a destiny that is not her own. Finally, a tradgedy forces her to claim her independance and break away from her sister to start her own life on her own terms.

This was an exciting novel that was full of action, wonderful period detail, and it had a compliated, interesting plot. I've not read much fiction set in ancient Egypt but this has certainly wet my appetite for more. The characters are well rounded and complex and the relationship between Nefertiti and Mutny is beautifully depicted. There is a scene that had me laughing out loud where they are both praying to the Hippopotomous goddess of fertility but they just can't seem to stop their sisterly bickering long enough to get through the prayers. I don't know it the author intended the scene to be humorous but I found it charming as well as funny.

There is also an interesting dynamic between the Pharoah and his daughters. The reader expects him to be dissapointed as Nefertiti gives him daughter after daughter but each time the Pharoah is overjoyed. I won't give the reason away but I thought it was a brilliant look into his mind.

This story makes me want to research and learn about ancient Egypt, esp. Mutny and Nefertiti. I found the first part of the novel a bit slow but the second half more than made up for it. I highly recommend this one!

(4 1/2 stars)

There are certain books which sweep you away so that time seems to stand still and you don't even know where you are. Nefertiti was one of those books. I can see from the reviews that it clearly wasn't everyone's cup of joe, but I think I'm with the majority here in saying this book totally transported me to ancient Egypt. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that it inspired me to write my very first review, something I couldn't be bothered doing until now.

I have a Ph.D in history, so when I saw this book in the store I was originally hesitant. Not much is known about Nefertiti's life. What is known is that she and her husband built a new capital, that there was plague in the north (yes, really, bubonic plague), and that she and Akhenaten tore down the old gods and put a new one in their place. I was afraid the author might take this information and go wild with it, but the story she created not only seemed plausible, it seemed in many (not all) ways likely.

I'm giving this five stars not just because the author kept her facts straight, but because I really felt transported to ancient Egypt, and that's what great fiction does. I'm not saying this is high brow or in any way difficult to read. It's definitely a beach read, and to me, that makes it even more lovable.

Author Moran takes a favorite queen, the eternally beautiful Nefertiti and depicts her as a sufferer of Borderline Personality Disorder. Her sister Mutnodjmet is the actual narrator of the story, forced to dance to her more beautiful celebrity sister's tune most of her life.

Nefertiti marries Ankhenaten, who as everyone knows, decides to move the court from Thebes to a new city of his own design in the desert--Amarna (Ankhenaten in Egyptian times; Tel al Amarna is the Arabic name.) There the court has the usual intrigues, combined with the problem of the old order Amun priests conspiring to gain back power. Mutnodjmet, a talented herbal healer, follows the court but often wishes she could live her own independent life. I imagine her as Britney Spear's younger sister, except Mutnodjmet has trouble getting pregnant after a forced miscarriage in the story.

The author takes the theory that Smenkhare, the mysterious Pharoah after the death of Ankhenaten is Nefertiti herself (some postulate that the queen acted like Hatshepsut, the famouse female Pharoah.) She does a good job enlivening this theory in the novel's plot.

But overall, I found the novel rather commonplace and hardly rising to the subject. I think it makes a good beach read, but I was somewhat disappointed. I've read other novelizations of the life of Nefertiti in past years that I preferred. But readers of casual historical fiction will possibly enjoy this book, (The Red Tent, for example.)

Wow ... I cannot believe all the great reviews on this book. The themes in this novel have been done to (black) death (and done better) in historical fiction. If I never read another novel with a woman gifted at herb-lore, a Queen struggling to produce a male heir or an outbreak of the plague, I'll be happy.

It's been said before, the bulk of the characters were unlikeable. It was way too long, and the detail was generally uninteresting. Plus - it's NOT original to tell historical fiction from the perspective of a lesser known woman.

I learned more about Nefertiti reading a Wikipedia article than I did from this book.

If you want to read great historical fiction, try Colleen McCullough's Rome series, which starts with The First Man in Rome and takes you through to Antony and Cleopatra: A Novel. Therein lies some great historical fiction about both Rome and Egypt. Also agree on George's The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel

I feel like Simon Cowell ... "Not being rude. Didn't like it. Sorry."

I got this novel for Christmas and I've been banging my head ever since for not getting to it sooner. The one star versus five star reviews are totally mystifying to me, since my book club and I all thought this was a four or five star book. Why do we (or I, at least) think so? The characters, for one. The setting, for another. The suspense of what will happen to Nefertiti, plus her younger sister Mutny who has to suffer through all of her older sister's whims.

Pick this one up... You won't regret it!

Having just finished Robin Maxwell's Mademoiselle Boleyn, I noticed a blurb on the back of her book by Michelle Moran and picked up what I assume is Moran's first novel, Nefertiti. For anyone interested in the affairs of ancient Egyptians (and I do mean affairs, in every sense of the word), you would do well to read this book. While others have certainly written on ancient Egypt, I found this book different in that it felt faster-paced, fresher, and less challenging to believe than other books written on the same time period. Some novels would have you believe that because this was three thousand years ago, life was boring, there was no intrigue outside of the harem, and people spoke in stilted sentences using bad metaphors about the land/ancient food/tombs. I'm really happy I chose this book on my last shopping excursion. My sister is already reading it, and she will probably pass it around to all of her friends.

I found the book very clunky, unbelievable and uninteresting. The dialog was utterly stiff and inferior, and the parts of the plot didn't make any sense. The descriptions of scenes were lacking any sense of the richness of the time.

From the beginning Nefertiti is made chief wife by her Aunt Tye, because Tye believes that Nefertiti can prevent Pharoah Amenhotep from honoring the wrong god. Nefertiti does not ever attempt to rein in Amenhotep and instead complains endlessly about Amenhotep's first wife Kiya. Polygamy was quite common then, so it's really hard to believe that Nefertiti would waste so much energy worrying about Kiya.

The dialog was so horrible I had to toss the book across the room. I don't know how many times I read the dialog, "I have his baby in my belly." Barf. I can't imagine people talked that way then.

After pretty much giving up on historical novels and turning to straight fiction, I discovered Michelle Moran's NEFERTITI and absolutely couldn't put it down. This book has restored my faith in historical fiction. After suffering through countless sub par historicals recently, I found this book at Barnes and Nobles and ended up finishing it in less than three days. Part of my desire to keep reading was to find out what would happen to the sweet narrator, and part of it was to discover if Nefertiti would ever get her comeuppance (which she deserves). The author does a fantastic job of evoking the turmoil of Nefertiti and Akhenaten's reign. I also thought that her choice of using Mutny, Nefertiti's Nefertiti's younger sister, as narrator, was absolutely the right call.

Moran's novel begins in the small, rural town of Akhmim where Nefertiti and her sister Mutny have been raised, far far away from court life. When Nefertiti's aunt - and the current queen of Egypt - comes to this little city in the boonies to assess her niece as a possible bride for her son, she chooses to make Nefertiti her son Amunhotep's Chief Wife. She only does this under the strict understanding that Nefertiti will steer her son away from his dangerous politics and desires (the desire to create his own god, for one). However, as soon as the marriage is formed, Nefertiti is fascinated with her new husband's desire for power. Instead of steering him away from turbulent politics, Nefertiti's encourages him, knowing that if they succeed in wiping out Egypt's gods they will control the temple treasuries together. As soon as Amunhotep's father dies, the prince becomes Pharaoh and changes his name to Akhenaten. This is where the novel really becomes interesting, and you really won't want to put it down.

From sibling rivalry to jealousies in the harem, this novel has everything that makes me love historical fiction. Overall, I would say that Nefertiti deserves five stars, maybe even more. I completely agree with the other reviewers who would love to give this novel six stars, and for me, this one is a definite keeper!

I did thoroughly enjoy Michelle Moran's "Nefertiti." As a person who has a reasonable amount of knowledge about dynastic Egypt, I found some discrepancies and some plot devices were a bit of a stretch, such as bubonic plague taking down Amarna, yet when one reads historical FICTION one should be prepared for some artistic license. As unusual as some of Moran's choices were, they were well executed and the plot flowed smoothly. Her writing style is crisp and attractive. It was an altogether enjoyable experience, and I will probably re-read this book again, and I have and will continue to recommend it to other historical fiction fans.

Some of the "problems" that so disturbed other reviewers were, in my problem, very ably and confidently handled, and thus were not problems at all. For example, the unusual appearance of Akhenaten in Egyptian artworks *is* fully explained in the book, contrary to what other reviewers have claimed, and the explanation makes perfect sense within the context of the story. Just because one of my fellow Egyptology nerds is disappointed by Moran's choice in explaining Akhenaten's appearance doesn't mean that the subject is never dealt with. The same is true for all potentially controversial situations presented in this novel. They may be unpopular hypotheses with Egyptologists, but they are not necessarily poor choices on Moran's part. They make for a compelling and enjoyable story, and when it comes right down to it, we just can't ever know for certain what really happened thousands of years ago. I appreciate Moran's successful attempt at creating a picture of Egyptian life that is, above all, entertaining, as any good work of fiction should be.

The bottom line for me is that if I want to know as much as possible about what probably REALLY happened during Nefertiti's time, I'll read a nonfiction text (probably something by Tyldesley - she is fantastic!). If I want to enjoy a fictional visit to Egypt and speculate on what may have happened, I'll read historical fiction. And Moran's is especially well done historical fiction.

To those who have wondered why Moran's Mutnojmet marries somebody other than Horemheb, all I can tell you is to read the forthcoming sequel. All will be explained, apparently. ;)

Speaking of Mutnojmet, the only thing that keeps me from giving this book five stars is the fact that the novel focused more on Mutny, while I expected Nefertiti to be the main character when I bought the book. Still, the book was not disappointing for that fact. I recommend it, even if I would have liked to have seen the story of Amarna through Nefertiti's eyes rather than her sister's.

This book was wonderful. It was very engaging and kept me turning page after page. The story of Nefertiti and her family was beautifully told.

"Nefertiti" is an amazing novel about one of Egypt's most legendary rulers. This is the tale of Nefertiti's ambitious rise to the throne, but it's also the story of the relationship between two sisters. Nefertiti's half-sister, Mutnodjmet, is the narrator of the book, which chronicles Nefertiti's marriage to Prince Amunhotep until the time of her death. Similarly to "The Other Boleyn Girl," author Michelle Moran depicts two sisters who are as different as night and day, but ultimately will do anything for each other. Nefertiti is calculating and shrewd, and she plots with her father to keep her family in favor with the Pharaoh and make sure that his second wife, Kiya, stays out of the picture. However, Mutnodjmet doesn't approve of her family's deceitfulness, and she also yearns for a life of her own that amounts to more than being her sister's handmaiden.

Eventually, things in Egypt begin spiralling out of control. The Pharaoh and his queen seek to transform religion in their country by raising their god, Aten, up above all others. The rulers also display extreme vanity, having sculptures and murals created in their likeness and placed all over a new city they built as a tribute to Aten. Aided by her family, Nefertiti will stop at nothing to secure ultimate power for herself, and even manages to obtain the title of Pharaoh. However, tragedy eventually comes calling, and everything Nefertiti worked so hard to achieve hangs in the balance.

This is a fantastic book that's extremely exciting and readable. It's obvious that the author took many liberties with historical facts and also speculated about a lot of things, but judging this book purely as a work of fiction, "Nefertiti" is wonderfully gripping and entertaining. I couldn't put it down!

Overall this book is a good read and I enjoyed it. That being said, I would have enjoyed it more if the author had tried not to over-describe certain parts of the story. I felt as though she was more concerned with impressing the reader with her knowledge of Egypt than she was with telling a story.

I do think the take on telling Nefertiti's story from the perspective of her sister is unique, and the story is quite interesting. I recommend this book if you don't mind having every detail of the time period thrown at you...sometimes appropriately, sometimes not.

I couldn't put this book down. Finished it in 2 days. Very well written and an easy read.

IT IS A NOVEL!!!! IT SAYS IT ON THE FRONT COVER!! NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE TRUE!!! DO YOU THINK THAT IT WOULD BE EASY FOR MS MORAN TO WRITE THIS BY STICKING TO THE FACTS? YOU ARE COMPLETELY OVERANALYZING!! IT LOOKS AS IF YOU WANT TO FIND A REASON TO DISLIKE THIS BOOK!! its a great book!! anyone should get it, and it doesn't have to be accurate. yes, many things are off but some things are not.

FOR ANYONE READING THIS REVIEW: its a great book. buy it.
FOR ANYONE WHO AGREES WITH THE REVIEW THAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT: I think I've made my point.

I appreciate this book for introducing me to Queen Nefertiti and sparking my interest in a part of history that is new for me. If you know nothing about Queen Nefertiti (and I did not), I think this is a decent read. But if you're looking to truly "immerse yourself" in Egypt, as some readers have said this book did for them, I'd strongly recommend reading "Memoirs of Cleopatra" by Margaret George as an example of how well historical fiction can transport you to another time. I read a lot of historical fiction and this unfortunately does not measure up. I understand that when telling a story like this, it is imperative to invent things. So little is known about Queen Nefertiti and her family that an author is required to use her imagination. I have no problem with that. But in my opinion, the author should have invented more interesting characters. Character development was so lacking as to make this book unrealistic: Queen Nefertiti is selfish; Pharoah Akhenaten is greedy and stupid; Mutnodjmet is virtuous and humble; their father, Ay, is wise. None of the characters has any complexity, something that is difficult to believe of any person, never mind kings and queens. The sameness of the characters did get on my nerves: Nefertiti is always "shrieking!" and Mutnodjment is always "crying!" Finally, there is one thing I could never figure out: most of the information I've found online shows that Mutnodjmet married Horemheb, not Nakhtmin. I don't understand why the author changed that if most experts believe it to be true.

This book immersed me in ancient Egypt and ignited my interest in history of the era. The dynamics between the sisters is fascinating. Written from the perspective of Nefertiti's younger sister, the reader is privy to all of the palace drama. The descriptions were vivid enough to allow for me to feel as though I was there, feeling with Mutny. She's a protagonist who's compassionate, observant and smart--In the end she's quite empowering. She sticks up for herself and her right to love and family. Anyway, I simply couldn't put the story down. I would certainly recommend it for anyone, as the reading isn't too dense and scholarly (despite the research behind the story). It's accessible even for a leisurely read on the beach or for travel. While I would encourage the author to continue along this genre, my only critique is that the characters, particularly Akhenaten and Nefertiti, could have been more complex as opposed to singularly minded. I'm sure there was more to them than pressing for power, bearing sons, building and Aten. Other than that, this is a great pleasure to read.

The book begins as Nefertiti is married to the "new" pharaoh (who might have actually killed his brother), and she takes her sister Mutnodjmet along as her handmaiden. While the powers behind the throne know the pharaoh is unstable, they are hopeful that Nefertiti can keep him in line and they can continue to rule as they have for centuries. Well, the best laid plans...the people of Egypt do indeed LOVE Nefertiti, she is only able to exert so much power over her husband, and in the end, ruin and the plague come to Egypt. Her powerful family does survive, but at what cost?

I thought the author did an excellent job of creating a sense of place...I could see and smell the Nile, and I truly felt transported to ancient Egypt. And it continues to fascinate me how these women were forced to dedicate their lives to their families' success at court. Turns out, Egypt had its own Boleyn girls.

If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. I really dont care if some things arent accurate (as one reviewer complained about), I just really enjoyed this historical fiction novel. I just finished it tonight and am so sad theres not more! Keep writing Michelle!

I was a little wary of reading Nefertiti. I was concerned that it would be too historical- with too much nitty-gritty details (I had gotten it to read post-surgery and after anesthesia anything too complicated is too hard to absorb...), but at the same time thinking that it could be written too modern- with obviously modern language, gratuitous violence or sexuality that would make it feel phony. But I am happy to say it was neither. It had a very strong historical background (though, I'm not at all familiar with the actual history- it felt realistic and believable) but it wasn't bogged down without too much information. It was just enough to keep you intrigued and riveted to the story. There is also some romance (but nothing explicit) that balances well with the more historical aspects.

Ms. Moran did an amazing job in portraying and depicting the characters, especially the sisters- Nefertiti and Mutnodjmet/ "Mutny". They felt particularly real, not as figures in history but modern day heroines. Nefertiti is the actually the less interesting of the two, though. She is depicted as very selfish- self-seeking and self-serving, immature, needy, whiny, and overall, annoying. Nefertiti is more times cruel to Mutny than anything else. Mutnodjmet is such a sweet, innocent, naïve girl; she is easy to take advantage of (but one would hope that her family would be above such tactics). She is a simple girl with simple desires- to grow and sell herbs, to have a family of her own, and a quiet, peaceful existence. After seeing some of her family interactions, you can definitely understand her wanting peace and quiet...

This book is really Mutny's story. It is her feelings, her interactions that keep you riveted to the story. She's the one who you want to succeed and find happiness. In this way it would've have made more sense to have the book be called "Nefertiti's Sister"...

Overall, Nefertiti is an engrossing read. It was full of great imagery, historical detail, and wonderfully vivid characters. It was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting too much (usually books that are given rave reviews, I don't like). For this price, for a hardcover, it was a read well worth investing in. It was good escapist reading yet at the same time it intellectually stimulating- there's even some educational value...

If you liked Nefertiti, I'd recommend Margaret George's Helen of Troy.

In Nefertiti, Moran gives the reader a great story set on a significant historical backdrop. While I can't speak to the accuracies of the history, I can say that Moran accomplishes what many historical fiction writers cannot-- taking the historical information and making it a part of the world we're reading (instead of a heavy bludgeon to hit readers over the head-- which is all-too common).

Give yourself time before you start-- I started before bed one night and was up two hours later than I should have been-- I enjoyed my immersion in Nefertiti that much.

I stumbled across this book while surfing Book Browse, and finally decided to take a chance after hearing great things about it on Philippa Greggory's forum. Boy am I glad I did.

Part History
The reason I read historical fiction, and not just biographies, is because I like my history to come "alive." This is what Moran does in Nefertiti, and I've never read another book on Egypt that captures the ancient world so well. Although I've seen some reviewers criticize her facts (saying there was no black plague, when there was, or saying that Akhenaten had Marfan's syndrome when there is no evidence of that whatsoever, especially given the DNA tests on his own child!), I felt that Moran accurately portrayed the 14th century BC. I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of Egyptian beauty products like henna and kohl, and the way she evoked the landscape made me feel like I was standing in Egypt with Nefertiti.

Part Love Story
Although Nefertiti is ambitious, cunning, and often cruel, this is a love story. There's nothing I like better than a historical fiction that combines history with passionate love, and I am dreading the sequel, since I know that the narrator will have to lose her love somehow in order to end up with the man she does (I'm trying to avoid a spoiler here! If you want to know who Mutny ends up with, read the Author's Note at the end).

Part Classic
The reason I think this book will be around for a while is the fact that the themes are classic. Two sisters, both struggling to define themselves. A narrator who falls in love with a man her sister forbids her from marrying. A king whose ambition brings about his downfall.

It's all there, and this book is highly recommended. My book club will be reading it this Christmas.

Fortunately this book was free to me via our great 'Per Medjat'. It is a very good romance novel read, but if you know anything at all about Egyptology IMHO it is a waste of reed. Enjoy!

Michelle Moran was born in California. Michelle published her first historical fiction novel, Jezebel while she was still at University. She has travelled around the world - including to Israel, where she participated in an archaeological (just the sort of thing I would have loved to have done in my younger days), dig that inspired her to begin writing historical fiction. She lives in Southern California.

I had not read the author before and broke my own golden rule, never to be seduced by the cover of a book. This one is so beautifully done that I was drawn like the proverbial moth to the flame. Fortunately the content of the book also appealed to me as I am a lover of all things Ancient Egyptian.


The book follows the lives of two sisters. Mutny, a shy young girl who is whisked with her whole family into the limelight of a palace in Thebes, where the shy and unassuming girl finds herself in rooms more beautiful and ornate than she could ever have imagined existed. All this transpires because her sister Nefertiti marries the Crown prince of Egypt.

This is not Mutny's world and she soon becomes disillusioned with it and also with the behaviour of her willful sister Nefertiti who has people bowing and scraping to her simply because of her radiant beauty. In fact her beauty alone entrances anyone she meets, except her sister Mutny. Soon it is only Mutny alone who is not bewitched by Nefertiti's beauty.

As Nefertiti and her husband set out making a legacy for themselves, even the army is used to build a city in their name. While all this happening Egypt's neighbours begin to gather and encroach on Egypt's borders. Not until it is almost too late does Nefertiti act to try to save her nation.

Most books on ancient Egypt only cover the pharaohs. This one gives a good insight into their queens, especially such a mysterious woman.

I bought this after reading the rave reviews. I wonder if they even read the book. It reads like a dime store novel and Nefertiti is a cross between Paris Hilton and Leona Helmsley. And any historical background of ancient Egypt is missing. It could have taken place in Las Vegas. Don't waste your money. Buy George's "Cleopatra" instead.

While this is a very interesting novel and written totally from a woman's perspective, I unfortunately did not find it as captivating as NEFERTITI: THE BOOK OF THE DEAD. Perhaps that is because the aforementioned book was a mystery, whereas the book in question was more biographical in nature. I was however, intrigued by the gradual growth of the character of Nefertiti, and the cunning used by her to siphon power from her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten. The character and mental instability of Akhenaten was also explored, and that too, like this unique view of Nefertiti, was a fascinating "MAYBE" about Heretic King.

Over-all, this is a fine piece of craftsmanship, and provides a quick read for those of us who are enamored with Ancient Egyptian society. I have as yet to find a really good novel about King Tut, but if anyone who reads this review is familiar with one, I would sincerely appreciate a "heads-up". Nonetheless, read this book.

As the title says, if you've ever wanted to be transported back in time to ancient Egypt, then this is the book for you. Moran's vivid descriptions of herb gardens, flowers, sand, the Nile, food and - of course - jewelry will make you feel like you're living 3000 years ago and watching, like a fly on the wall, the nefarious political goings-on in Nefertiti's time.

I picked up this book before a flight from San Francisco to Australia, and was practically finished by the time I arrived. Most flights are long and horrible - cramped seats, bad food - but this was the best flight I've ever had. Instead of being trapped in a plane, I was walking the deserts of ancient Egypt, holding my breath to see if life would turn out well for Mutny and she'd get to marry the general of her dreams. Of course, in real life, she marries a different general, and Moran says on her website that this other marriage (which was hopefully short, since I LOVE Nakhtmin, who Mutny falls in love with against Nefertiti's wishes), will be explained in her second book.

I for one can't wait for book 2, and it can't come out fast enough for me!

After having a hopeful outlook on this book, (we do need more Ancient Egyptian books on the shelves), this one, Nefertiti started out bad, and just became WORSE!

I found the premise of having two sisters Nefertiti and Mutnodjemt just tedious. Nefertiti comes off as being a snotty, overindulged child, while "Muty" is happy to be shuffled off into the background during the whole story. Acting as a "spy" for her parents, trying to counter Kiya's and her father, the High Vizier's machinations? What? And HERB GARDENS? Is this the middle ages? So lavender really WAS grown in Egypt??? Huh? I was laughing out loud at the descriptions of the palace with it's gilt and gold walls and furnishings. The palace of Malkata was built of mudbrick! And was probably painted with scenes of daily life, not statues and gold works all over the walls, and tapestries???

I just shook my head ruefully and got to the middle of the book and had to just close it and write it off as another blunder in historical fiction. Oh, perhaps Kiya really was that evil? And Nefertiti's desperate urge to "produce a son," becomes grating on the nerves! "Oh, I have to one-up my RIVAL!" In all actuallity, Kiya and Nefertiti in real life probably would have never had anything to do with each other, both probably having thier own quarters at Amarna and harems.

Also, the "fighting" over Akenaten is just hilarious! No mention of any deformities of the king, or such. Nefertiti just comes off as a huge snob, and "Muty" is a weak kneed milksop.

Enjoy if you like fluffy puffed up fake fairy tales!

Some of the reviews here have bones to pick about inaccuracies with the story, yet the reviewers don't even have THEIR facts straight. This was a beautifully researched novel, with characters that will keep you turning the pages and wishing, as another reviewer put it, that the book was twice as long.

I found this book while surfing the internet and coming across a forum where people were recommending it. I'm really glad I listened to them and not some of these reviewers who have their own facts wrong about Egypt. The story beins in the town of Akhmim where the queen of Egypt vists and tells Nefertiti that she will become her son's wife. From there, everything a reader can want happens in the book: ambitious social-climbing, plotting, love, war on the horizon, lots of betrayal, plague (YES, ancient Egypt had plague, for the reviewerr who said there wasn't).

This is an amazing first novel (it would be an amazing tenth novel). And I will pre-order the sequel as soon as it comes out.

Wonderful book Miss. Moran. Thank you!!!

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/07)

"Nefertiti" is destined to become a classic. This is the first time that I have ever read a historical fiction novel of this caliber. Michelle Moran tells you her version of Nefertiti's story in ancient Egypt, through the eyes of her sister Mutnodjmet. It is quite obvious that she extensively researched ancient Egyptian history to write this tale.

Mutnodjmet is the practical, wise sister. Nefertiti is the beautiful, charismatic one. She is chosen to be the queen of the pharaoh Amunhotep. It is hoped that she will help keep him stable. Instead, she also gets caught up in his desire for greed and status. The pharaoh is about seventeen-years-old at this time. He has ideas of rejecting the god Anum and overthrowing his priests in favor of the sun god Aten. To convince his followers to do this, Nefertiti relies on her charisma and charm and Aten tries to buy them with gold.

They try to create themselves as gods. They start building a city to rival all other cities in Egypt and perhaps the world. Instead of using images of their gods, Nefertiti and Amunhotep use images of themselves. They are so desperate to create this city, that they have soldiers working as builders. Other places under their rule are being attacked by their enemies and losing. In spite of this, the soldiers continue to build. They are very resentful of not being able to defend the people. A rebellion begins to form. Amunhotep begins to become paranoid and is unable to trust anyone, except his beloved Nefertiti.

Nefertiti has to contend with her husband's first wife Kiya and her meddling father. She is desperate to produce a male, so that he will be pharaoh someday instead of Kiya's son. Instead she produces six daughters. She takes drastic action to safeguard her future. In doing so, she helps almost destroy Egypt.

Mutnodjmet is thirteen when the story begins. She feels overshadowed by her sister's beauty. She falls for a high-ranking soldier; however, her family tries to forbid their love. Her sister does not want her to have her own family because she fears being abandoned and left alone. Her sister's husband does not trust her love and is afraid he will try to overthrow him. This would put Mutnodjmet in power.

Mutnodjmet has no desire to rule over anyone. She desires a simple life with children and the love of her life. She loves working as a healer with her herbs. Her sister does everything in her power to thwart her dreams. She must learn to take a stance for herself and she does. When Nefertiti and Amunhotep's influence begins to wane because of their insane selfishness and greed, Mutnodjmet steps in to try to help resolve what is happening. She has her hands full.

"Nefertiti" is an incredibly well-written story. This is one of those books that you won't want to end. I really hope that there will be more to follow. Ms. Moran has a gift for vivid detail. I was easily able to picture ancient Egypt with its sites and sounds at the time. I also got caught up in Mutnodjmet's life. For someone so young, she had tremendous responsibilities and expectations placed upon her. "Nefertiti" is a novel that should not be missed. Enjoy this one.

I pre-ordered this book because I love Egyptian history and was looking forward to learning more about Amunhotep's and Nefertiti's reign. I just finished the book and thought it was dreadful. The central character was not Nefertiti, but her sister who was the only sympathetic character in the entire novel. Nefertiti and Amunhotep were portrayed as completely deranged, sociopathic even. I found it very hard to believe that anyone would follow them and renounce the God Amun in favor of the God Aten. Granted, history tells us that this had actually happened during their reign, but there was nothing to me to demonstrate any of their charm or ability to persuade especially something as meaningful as changing who or what a country worships!

The writing was not inspired in my opinion. There were barely any inner monologues or description of anything around them. It was told mostly through conversation and I was so tired of reading the conversations that I grew bored with most of it. There were also mistakes in the text that distracted me. There was this one place when Mutney had told someone she was 14 then the next scene she and Nefertiti are arguing and Mutney screams that she is 13. I know that's a minor thing, but extremely annoying. Very rarely will I stop reading a book once I get halfway through it so I finished it, but can't recommend it.

Okay, so I'm not going to rehash the plot in this review, since so many others have done that. But suffice it to say that everything a reader expects from a historical novel is here.

Memorable characters? Check.
Exciting plot? Check.
Snappy dialogue? Check.
Passages that will make you cry? Check.
Scenery that will make you feel like you're there? Check.
An ending that will leave you wanting more and wishing that the book was 2 times longer than it is (and it's already long). CHECK. CHECK. CHECK.

My favorite read of the year, hands down. Pick this one up!!!!!

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/07)

"Nefertiti" is destined to become a classic. This is the first time that I have ever read a historical fiction novel of this caliber. Michelle Moran tells you her version of Nefertiti's story in ancient Egypt, through the eyes of her sister Mutnodjmet. It is quite obvious that she extensively researched ancient Egyptian history to write this tale.

Mutnodjmet is the practical, wise sister. Nefertiti is the beautiful, charismatic one. She is chosen to be the queen of the pharaoh Amunhotep. It is hoped that she will help keep him stable. Instead, she also gets caught up in his desire for greed and status. The pharaoh is about seventeen-years-old at this time. He has ideas of rejecting the god Anum and overthrowing his priests in favor of the sun god Aten. To convince his followers to do this, Nefertiti relies on her charisma and charm and Aten tries to buy them with gold.

They try to create themselves as gods. They start building a city to rival all other cities in Egypt and perhaps the world. Instead of using images of their gods, Nefertiti and Amunhotep use images of themselves. They are so desperate to create this city, that they have soldiers working as builders. Other places under their rule are being attacked by their enemies and losing. In spite of this, the soldiers continue to build. They are very resentful of not being able to defend the people. A rebellion begins to form. Amunhotep begins to become paranoid and is unable to trust anyone, except his beloved Nefertiti.

Nefertiti has to contend with her husband's first wife Kiya and her meddling father. She is desperate to produce a male, so that he will be pharaoh someday instead of Kiya's son. Instead she produces six daughters. She takes drastic action to safeguard her future. In doing so, she helps almost destroy Egypt.

Mutnodjmet is thirteen when the story begins. She feels overshadowed by her sister's beauty. She falls for a high-ranking soldier; however, her family tries to forbid their love. Her sister does not want her to have her own family because she fears being abandoned and left alone. Her sister's husband does not trust her love and is afraid he will try to overthrow him. This would put Mutnodjmet in power.

Mutnodjmet has no desire to rule over anyone. She desires a simple life with children and the love of her life. She loves working as a healer with her herbs. Her sister does everything in her power to thwart her dreams. She must learn to take a stance for herself and she does. When Nefertiti and Amunhotep's influence begins to wane because of their insane selfishness and greed, Mutnodjmet steps in to try to help resolve what is happening. She has her hands full.

"Nefertiti" is an incredibly well-written story. This is one of those books that you won't want to end. I really hope that there will be more to follow. Ms. Moran has a gift for vivid detail. I was easily able to picture ancient Egypt with its sites and sounds at the time. I also got caught up in Mutnodjmet's life. For someone so young, she had tremendous responsibilities and expectations placed upon her. "Nefertiti" is a novel that should not be missed. Enjoy this one.

Moran does a beautiful job of endowing these iconic ancients with believable dialogue and actions. A joy to read... and it's great she left it open for Part II. I'll definitely check that out when it comes.
Nefertiti is a page-turner and you'll never look at a hieroglyph the same way again.

I enjoy reading historical fiction as generally the storyline is infused with either facts or hypotheses about the life and times of the main character. I was hoping for some real depth of plot and character in this book similar to what Margaret George achieved with Cleopatra. Unfortunately this book fell far short of the scope, character development and richness of detail that George is able to achieve in her works. While I did find the relationship between the two sisters fascinating, the book was really more about Mutney than it was Nefertiti. I felt the story exhibited a real lack of focus on the main character once it was established that she had the drive, magnetism and ability to manipulate people and situations. Mutney seemed to me to be a more sympathetic and central character from the start of the book to its end. If you must read the book then I would strongly recommend waiting until you can take it out from the library or buy it in paperback. For those of you interested in something more than a "Lifetime movie-like" version of historical fiction, try Cleopatra or Henry VIII by Margaret George.

I had been seeing ads for this books everywhere - from the NYT to BookBrowse - so finally I picked this up and I finished the entire book in two nights!!!!! Yes, people, it's really that good. The story is about two sisters who are taken from their rural home in Akhmim to the large and glamorous city of Thebes. Moran beautifully captures what the Egyptian court must have been like, infusing life into what most writers portray as backwards and boring. The Egyptians were much more advanced than many writers give them credit for, with sinks and toilet seats and perfumes. And they were human as well, with petty jealousies and ambition and desires. This is the first book that made life in an ancient world real for me.

Please, Ms. Moran, continue the story. I HAVE to know how Mutny ends up with General Horemheb instead of Nakhtmin. Your writing is so vivid I really didn't want the novel to end, and I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!!!!

Michelle Moran's Nefertiti is a real scroll-unroller! Very fast-paced, the book combines excitement and historical color. There's not one cardboard character in the sand. The queen's story shines Aten's rays on the vast evil men do. Also women. Even tiny teenaged princesses. There is jealousy, murder, stupidity, arrogance and delusions of grandeur, and that's just Pharaoh. (There were moments when it all reminded me of the current administration.) This novel fits into the grand tradition of blood and guts novels about ancient Egypt started, so far as I know, by Mika Waltari. And now that Wilbur Smith is off in the weeds writing fantasies, the baton is passed to Ms. Moran. Fortunately this girl can write!

I saw Nefertiti advertised on the History Channel's website, and although I bought it over a month ago, I waited until last week to read it. Boy was that a mistake. If I had know just how much I would LOVE this book I would have read it the same day I bought it. For starters, the cover is irresistible. It's probably one of the best covers in historical fiction that I've seen. But it's what's between the pages that's even more captivating. Where do I begin? The story between the sisters, Mutny and Nefertiti, is wonderful. It engages you from the very start, and gives the reader a glimpse into what it would have been like to be a slave to your family's wishes, especially when that family is the ruling family in Egypt. Although Mutny tries to be a good sister and a good daughter, she eventually strikes out on her own, finally telling Nefertiti to basically shove it while she creates a different kind of life for herself away from the ambitions and danger of court politics. There is everything a reader could want here. I have seen a few reviewers who prefer Pauline Gedge, but I find Gedge's writing incredibly dry and old-fashioned. If you want a fast-paced read on ancient Egypt without the boring dry bits, then pick up Nefertiti.

HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended.

Nefertiti, alas, reminded me of a romance thriller, but more pretentious and less "thrilling" than that genre. Almost nothing about the book rang true. Change the names, the setting, and a few plot points, and the entire thing could have taken place in any ancient kingdom. Very disappointing.

I enjoy books on ancient Egypt very much, and had high hopes for this book, which were unfulfilled. To experience the grandeur and mysteries of ancient Egypt, definitely skip this book and get any of the wonderful books by Pauline Gedge. Now, there's a writer who can make ancient Egypt live again.

I would STRONGLY recommend this book to fellow readers. This book will draw you in and not let you go. I was very sad to get to the end!

The mysterious Queen Nefertiti represents my favorite woman in ancient history. I was surprised to find this Moran novel and after I began reading it and some of the myth turned toward reality, was glad for it. Over the years I have followed the various finds in the royal tombs of Egypt but this is the first really good explosive discovery. This novel could be more 'gritty,' but I'll take it as the best one I've yet to read in the genre.

Despite some typos I caught, most will find this book very intriguing, especially if they love Egyptian Art and History. Reading this book is a great way to travel back in history.