Summary Of The Book Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that provides wives to the rulers of ancient Egypt and have been doing so for centuries. The book opens with King Tuthmosis’s death in 1351 BCE. His younger brother, the unstable Amunhotep is set to become king. Nefertiti is chosen to be his wife for it is expected that her strong personality will temper Amunhotep’s megalomaniacal plans for Egypt.
Nefertiti has been narrated from Mutnodjmet’s perspective. Mutnodjmet is a young, quiet girl, who in many ways, is the diametric opposite of her sister. She follows Nefertiti to Thebes to be her handmaiden. Soon, Mutnodjmet uncovers a plot, conceived by the priests in collusion with the military, to overthrow King Amunhotep’s rule.
Nefertiti’s diabolical ambition leads this story of political unrest, religious conflict, love and betrayal, brought to vivid life by Moran’s prose. It is also the touching story of two sisters, bound to each other despite Nefertiti’s arrogance, cruelty, and selfishness. While Nefertiti is portrayed as a negative character, Moran is quick to defend her actions as those of a woman ahead of her time, wanting what is denied to her but given so freely to men.
Published in 2008, Nefertiti is an international bestseller. It was followed by the sequel The Heretic Queen that tells the story of Nefertiti’s niece Nefertari.
About Michelle Moran Michelle Moran draws on her experiences as a volunteer at archaeological digs to write historical fiction. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. Nefertiti was Moran’s debut novel. Her other books are The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra’s Daughter, Madame Tussaudl, and The Second Empress. In 2011, Madame Tussaud was optioned to be turned into a mini-series. Moran was born in California. She received higher education from Pomona College, California, and Claremont Graduate University, California. She recently got married to an Indian in Kanpur, and her next two books will be set in India.
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