Published in 2008, “Nefertiti,” by Michelle Moran, did not reach my hands until just this year. The design of the book, with its intricate details of Egyptian architecture and the Target bestseller stamp, glared back at me as I grabbed the novel and its sister copy, “The Heretic Queen,” from the shelf. Excited to see what lay inside these two beautifully designed pieces of literature, I rushed home.
Written as historical fiction, I was stoked to learn that this particular writer had done her research well. Not disappointing in any way, Moran wrote a fictional account of what may have taken place during Queen Nefertiti’s life and times. Taking a bit of creative license in the process, Moran skillfully described Nefertiti’s family life with King Akhenaton and their relationship to King Tut, the boy king, as well as other major members of the royal family. While some may conclude that history is boring and hard to understand, Moran’s novels read with thrill and compelling urgency.
The recent discovery of King Tut’s father, Akhenaton, allows the reader to see where science, history and literature collide in a beautiful, obsessively haunting way. A provocative tale of lies and deceit, as well as a portrait of a land far lost, this book and its sister story are definite page turners.
Moran will debut her fourth novel in 2011.