Mastodon The Writing Desk: Book Review ~ The Sekhmet Bed: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Libbie Hawker

5 July 2016

Book Review ~ The Sekhmet Bed: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Libbie Hawker


Available on Amazon UK and Amazon US

The first volume in the reader-acclaimed, Amazon bestselling She-King series, a saga of ancient Egypt's most fascinating royal family. 

I have always been interested in Egyptology and will never forget how it felt to descend into the darkness of the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Giza. Reading The Sekhmet Bed, the first in Libbie Hawker’s ‘She King’ series, was a similar experience. Immersive and evocative, we are drawn deep into an ancient culture where the wishes of the all-knowing gods are ignored at your peril.

This richly described world of tradition and obligation is brought to vibrant life by insightful details of uncomfortable wigs and too-easily smudged kohl. At the heart of a story is a family many will recognise, who argue and fight but ultimately share the same destiny. 

Pharaoh Hetshepsut
I must admit to knowing little about the life of Pharaoh Tutmose I or his daughter Hatshepsut but this book has led to me finding out more. I learned Hatshepsut was one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman - and considered to be the first great woman in recorded history. I also realised the impressive depth and extent of the research behind Libbie Hawker’s writing.

This was one of those books you look forward to returning to at any spare moment. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. Highly recommended. 

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Libbie Hawker lives in the San Juan Islands of Washington State and has held a broad and bizarre range of "day jobs" while pursuing a career as a novelist. Included among these are zoo keeper, show dog handler, bookseller, and yarn dyer. Libbie's writerly influences are varied, and include Hilary Mantel, Vladimir Nabokov, Annie Dillard, Michael Ondaatje, George R. R. Martin, songwriter Neko Case, and mixed-media storyteller Chris Onstad, among others. 
Find out more at Libbie's website http://libbiehawker.com/ and find her on Twitter @LibHawker.

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