Map Monday – Nephthys

Map Monday

There are some books that just scream out for a map and often have maps as part of their story. This is one of them as we travel not just to Egypt but  Victorian Egypt.

Nephthys looks at a woman called Clemmie  who has always been fascinated by Egyptology and the story of Isis and Nephthys and becomes very much involved with discovering more about them.

Map locations in Nephthys

The book:

Quiet and reserved, Clemmie has an amazing ability to read hieroglyphs  which makes her invaluable at the Egyptian relic parties which have made her father the toast of Victorian society.

But at one such party, the words Clemmie interprets from an unusual amulet strike fear into her heart. The beautiful and dangerous glyphs she holds in her hands will change her life forever.

Five years later, Clemmie arrives in Egypt on a mission to save what remains of her family. The childhood game she used to play about the immortal sisters, Isis and Nephthys, has taken on a devastating resonance and it is only by following Nephthys’ story that she can undo the mistakes of the past

Nephthys

Map locations in Nephthys

Why the idea of a map is exciting

Oh a map is so central to this story. I mean the story is all about Egyptology and the story of Isis and Nephthys, hieroglyphics, an amulet,  a double headed mummy and a curse. Clemmie decides to travel to Egypt to return the amulet to its rightful place in order to break the curse and so this trail becomes the focus and main feature of the story.

Through it we delve into Victorian Egypt and women’s role in it. Antiquity hunting sounds fascinating and it’s wonderful to be so fully immersed in this via this novel.  The author has done some brilliant research into the whole picture of Egypt at that time and this is a discovery of temples, artefacts and even funeral rituals.

It’s like opening a cover and falling into one of the most fascinating periods of history where trails, history, maps and mysteries create a whole new world for the reader.

This really is a brilliant read and I urge you to pick it up if you want something compelling, fascinating and utterly immersive!

BookTrail Boarding Pass: Nephthys

Twitter : @RachLouDriscoll