Daughter of the Gods

A Novel of Ancient Egypt

By: Stephanie Marie Thornton

Narrated by: Ilyana Kadushin

From the author of The Secret History comes a vibrant historical novel about a woman who dared to declare herself pharaoh.

Egypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh's pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile's marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut's games forces her to confront her guilt...and sets her on a profoundly changed course.

Hatshepsut enters a loveless marriage with her half brother, Thut, to secure his claim to the Isis Throne and produce a male heir. But it is another of Thut's wives, the commoner Aset, who bears him a son, while Hatshepsut develops a searing attraction for his brilliant adviser Senenmut. And when Thut suddenly dies, Hatshepsut becomes de facto ruler, as regent to her two-year-old nephew.

Once, Hatshepsut anticipated being free to live and love as she chose. Now she must put Egypt first. Ever daring, she will lead a vast army and build great temples, but always she will be torn between the demands of leadership and the desires of her heart. And even as she makes her boldest move of all, her enemies will plot her downfall....

Once again, Stephanie Thornton brings to life a remarkable woman from the distant past whose willingness to defy tradition changed the course of history.

©2014 Stephanie Thornton (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Amazing attention to detail.

Stephanie makes you feel
Present in the scene. Describe every detail of the surroundings so you can feel as though you were there to witness the events yourself.

Good, but a bit of a slough

The early chapters were captivating, filled with rich details and political intrigue. However, the story quickly dragged in parts. The redundancy of "arms akimbo and the sun gods rise in the mornings) made it hard to push through at times. Still, the plot itself was too good to abandon, and I found myself listening until the very end. It is like eating a meal with too much sauce, overwhelming at moments but ultimately satisfying.

Great story

Overall a great story that leaves you with knowledge of the ancient world and with a sense that you learned more. Even though it was a great story it still has its faults, at times it felt too long and dragged out. Great overall.

Masterpiece!

It's amazing how Thornton was able to weave the historical facts we have about Hatshepsut into this captivating novel. And the narration by Kadushin was the icing on the cake. I was thrilled while listening to this work. Well done!

Great narrator and story

4 stars only because I save the 5th for extra special stories. Enjoyed the narration and loved learning about Hatshepsut (fictionalized). I recommend for a pre Egypt trip read