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The Eye of Horus: A Novel of Suspense
Hired by the Egyptology department of a Denver museum to create displays for an exhibit, medical illustrator Kate McKinnon encounters an intriguing enigma: the mummy of a young woman who lived thirty-three centuries ago, her ribs broken, one hand shattered, and a man's skull between her legs. With the aid of radiologist Max Cavanaugh, employing the latest forensic and medical imaging techniques, Kate starts to unravel the millennia-old puzzle. And as the mummy's remarkable secrets come to light, a parallel story begins to unfold of a young girl born into a nest of vipers in an age when godlike pharaohs reigned in unimaginable splendor. Suddenly Kate finds herself on a twisting path leading her deeper into the shadows of anciet Kemet...and ever closer to the shocking revelations of a crime so staggering its horrific power remains undimished by the relentless passage of time.
414 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
59 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Carol Thurston
4 books2 followersCarol Thurston has a Ph.D. in communications, has taught journalism, and has served as a political speechwriter. As a journalist, she has traveled widely from France, Germany, and the Netherlands to Morocco, writing about science as well as political issues. Thurston lives in Austin, Texas, and is currently at work on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 29, 2013
I really, really wanted to like this book. Everything about the plot and settings drew me in. Forensic science, museums, ancient Egypt, court intrigue, murder, and a little bit of love are all the perfect makings of a rollicking read, right? Wrong. For starters, the book is simply too long. The story took too much time to get through, and a lot of editing would have been appreciated. By the time I was 300 hundred pages in, I was more than ready to read the conclusion. Part of the problem stemmed from the really terrible characters. The scenes set in Ancient Egypt were confusing, and I often had trouble understanding who was who and what exactly was going on. The writing was also too clunky, and characters (especially Kate and love interest Max in the modern-day chapters) were constantly spouting big blocky paragraphs of forensic and Ancient Egyptian trivia. It's one thing to fill a book full of interesting facts, it's another to have every character sound like an encyclopedia every single time they open their mouth. Characters like Dave and Cleo were never fully fleshed out, and I thought that Dave in particular was written rather one-dimensionally. Egyptian characters such as Pagosh, Mena, and Ramose were mysteries to me, and their motives weren't explained much either (contributing to my difficulty in caring much about them). However, I could have forgiven all of the above, all the badly written dialogue and weak characterizations if it weren't for one thing: the romance. It's a shame that this "novel of suspense" ended up so disappointing, because it had such an intriguing premise.
June 25, 2012
Wow, I am just shocked to see so many low-star reviews for this book!
I read A LOT, and have been reading since before I can remember, but this is my first book review. I just felt I had to step in and give Carol praise! This is THE best book I have ever read--my top favorite since I picked it up over 10 years ago.
The story lines of past and present are so wonderfully interwoven and heartwrenching, that you can't help but be drawn in. Maybe it helps that I have a thing for Egyptology, haha! But it's such a beautiful story, with such feeling put into the characters, that I can't ever forget this read. The only book I have ever cried over.
I just wish that Carol had written more books...it's torture that she wrote such an amazing story and stopped at just one!
I read A LOT, and have been reading since before I can remember, but this is my first book review. I just felt I had to step in and give Carol praise! This is THE best book I have ever read--my top favorite since I picked it up over 10 years ago.
The story lines of past and present are so wonderfully interwoven and heartwrenching, that you can't help but be drawn in. Maybe it helps that I have a thing for Egyptology, haha! But it's such a beautiful story, with such feeling put into the characters, that I can't ever forget this read. The only book I have ever cried over.
I just wish that Carol had written more books...it's torture that she wrote such an amazing story and stopped at just one!
July 28, 2011
I've had this book on my bookshelves for probably going on a decade. When I finally got around to reading it after so long I discovered I had already begun it at some point as there was a bookmark in the book at around 10 pages. This should have tipped me off-I clearly did not care to continue years ago, then entirely forgot I ever started the book. Nikki now agrees with Nikki years ago--this book was dull, so very very dull.
A mystery surrounding a real Egyptian mummy written in fictional form with present-day and Ancient Egyptian storylines? Sounds like a winner, especially for someone who adores all things Ancient Egyptian. But the writing made the book so very boring and made me want to take a nap instead of reading each time I picked it up (and I never fall asleep reading). The characters are uninteresting and dully written. The book could have been much shorter had the unnecessary ramblings been omitted. Thurston's writing style even made Ancient Egypt uninteresting and I did not care for the voice of the physician at all. I wish the Ancient Egyptian side of the story had been told from a different perspective.
Overall, I gained nothing from reading this book (including enjoyment) and I feel as though I need to read a really good Egyptian book to get this bad taste out of my mouth.
A mystery surrounding a real Egyptian mummy written in fictional form with present-day and Ancient Egyptian storylines? Sounds like a winner, especially for someone who adores all things Ancient Egyptian. But the writing made the book so very boring and made me want to take a nap instead of reading each time I picked it up (and I never fall asleep reading). The characters are uninteresting and dully written. The book could have been much shorter had the unnecessary ramblings been omitted. Thurston's writing style even made Ancient Egypt uninteresting and I did not care for the voice of the physician at all. I wish the Ancient Egyptian side of the story had been told from a different perspective.
Overall, I gained nothing from reading this book (including enjoyment) and I feel as though I need to read a really good Egyptian book to get this bad taste out of my mouth.
July 29, 2012
This is one of the books I come back to when I'm out of other things to read. I rarely come across anything I'd like to read multiple times, even other books I've loved, so this one stands out for me. It's like a favorite movie you watch when you're sick at home and need something comfortable and familiar.
March 22, 2011
I throughly enjoyed this book. I wish the author would do more. While I graviate toward Egyptian themes (among others) this was a good mystery. She had good character depth and enough clues to keep you reading without giving away the punch. Very good read.
July 5, 2007
Read it so many times it fell apart. If you like Egypt, this is a great one.
September 10, 2008
Loved how this progressed, and the details that went into describing things as the story progessed. the ending left me wishing for more though.
Read
October 1, 2025Let me roughly outline the books plot(s) first. In alternating chapters we jump between a modern-day archeology museum in Denver and 1'300BC Waset (Thebes in Greece / Luxor today). In the one timeline a bunch of (semi-professional) Egyptologists try to uncover the secrets of a mummy containing a severed head and a bunch of broken bones. The Egyptian timeline tells the story of the later mummy and how she came to end up in her fancy coffin.
Now that we're done with that - I expected the book to be better. That doesn't mean it was all bad, but the things I didn't like added up to make this just a "meh-book". Despite often getting confused by the many characters and their names, I've enjoyed the Egyptian story way more than the contemporary one. However, it taking up only around half of the book means that a lot of story had to be fitted into 150-or-so pages - something you definitely notice. You don't really get to see the characters develop due to the big jumps in time, leading me to think the book would have been way better if it toned down on the plot taking place in our time, but fleshed out the one in Egypt more. What I didn't like about the contemporary plot was first and foremost the characters. They didn't seem believable at all and neither did their relationships to each other. There's for example the relationship between Kate and Cleo, apparently life-long best friends, which doesn't seem genuine. And don't get me started on the evolving love story between Kate and Max. The love story just drew on for ages with Kate not being able to read the room even after staying with Max for what must have been weeks and vice versa. It's not even that they weren't interested in each other at first and only developed feelings for each other later on, every conversation between the two feels like they are on their first or maybe second date loaded with romantic tension - after the 30th conversation like this and having known each other for months with both of them still being clueless, lets just say it gets annoying. There are other, smaller things that I didn't like - the lack of gaps between paragraphs in my edition for example - but the bad, one-dimensional characters were by far the worst thing about this book.
Coming to an end, you're better off spending your time with another book. Still, it wasn't all bad and some parts certainly were interesting.
Now that we're done with that - I expected the book to be better. That doesn't mean it was all bad, but the things I didn't like added up to make this just a "meh-book". Despite often getting confused by the many characters and their names, I've enjoyed the Egyptian story way more than the contemporary one. However, it taking up only around half of the book means that a lot of story had to be fitted into 150-or-so pages - something you definitely notice. You don't really get to see the characters develop due to the big jumps in time, leading me to think the book would have been way better if it toned down on the plot taking place in our time, but fleshed out the one in Egypt more. What I didn't like about the contemporary plot was first and foremost the characters. They didn't seem believable at all and neither did their relationships to each other. There's for example the relationship between Kate and Cleo, apparently life-long best friends, which doesn't seem genuine. And don't get me started on the evolving love story between Kate and Max. The love story just drew on for ages with Kate not being able to read the room even after staying with Max for what must have been weeks and vice versa. It's not even that they weren't interested in each other at first and only developed feelings for each other later on, every conversation between the two feels like they are on their first or maybe second date loaded with romantic tension - after the 30th conversation like this and having known each other for months with both of them still being clueless, lets just say it gets annoying. There are other, smaller things that I didn't like - the lack of gaps between paragraphs in my edition for example - but the bad, one-dimensional characters were by far the worst thing about this book.
Coming to an end, you're better off spending your time with another book. Still, it wasn't all bad and some parts certainly were interesting.
February 4, 2022
If you're expecting a fascinating, fast-paced story about the mysteries of ancient Egypt, this is not it. Lyn Hamilton is a a good example of an author who brings archaeology to life. David Gibbins, despite some of his flaws as a writer, also attempts a good tale. This is not one of those books. The plot drags on too long.
The relationships between the main characters--of which there are four (the book alternates between ancient Egypt and modern day)--are very boring. There was no chemistry between Max and Kate and little between Tenre and Tashat. The most personality comes from Tuli, the dog.
Many parts of this book are confusing. There are a lot of unclear passages, and it's often hard to follow which character Thurston is alluding to, a task made even more challenging by the Egyptian names (all characters seem to have nicknames in the book). Tashat (or Aset, her real name) shares her name with Isis, the goddess. So when Isis (the goddess) is referenced as Aset in the book, things often become double confusing.
There's also one scene where Kate's boss abruptly fires her. He erupts in a rage, tears apart her art, and kicks her out of the museum. Where did that come from? Though he was never a nice person, the action seems to come out of nowhere and makes zero sense.
Another annoyance is the obvious references to reincarnation, something commonly contrived for novels with parallel storylines that take place in different time periods. Thurston never explicitly mentions reincarnation, but throughout the book Kate has odd moments where she feels or senses something from Tashat's life. There's a scene where she has a brain scan and finds herself doodling cartoons from Tashat's life. That's never fully explained.
Understandably, there's a lot of material in the book that really stretches the imagination, given our limited knowledge of ancient Egyptian culture. But painting Tashat and Tenre as having some sort of super advanced understanding of complex medical conditions and anatomy is a little ridiculous. Some of the other content is questionable as well, such as when Kate tells Max the Egyptians didn't have vowels because they were believed to be sacred. Huh?
The relationships between the main characters--of which there are four (the book alternates between ancient Egypt and modern day)--are very boring. There was no chemistry between Max and Kate and little between Tenre and Tashat. The most personality comes from Tuli, the dog.
Many parts of this book are confusing. There are a lot of unclear passages, and it's often hard to follow which character Thurston is alluding to, a task made even more challenging by the Egyptian names (all characters seem to have nicknames in the book). Tashat (or Aset, her real name) shares her name with Isis, the goddess. So when Isis (the goddess) is referenced as Aset in the book, things often become double confusing.
There's also one scene where Kate's boss abruptly fires her. He erupts in a rage, tears apart her art, and kicks her out of the museum. Where did that come from? Though he was never a nice person, the action seems to come out of nowhere and makes zero sense.
Another annoyance is the obvious references to reincarnation, something commonly contrived for novels with parallel storylines that take place in different time periods. Thurston never explicitly mentions reincarnation, but throughout the book Kate has odd moments where she feels or senses something from Tashat's life. There's a scene where she has a brain scan and finds herself doodling cartoons from Tashat's life. That's never fully explained.
Understandably, there's a lot of material in the book that really stretches the imagination, given our limited knowledge of ancient Egyptian culture. But painting Tashat and Tenre as having some sort of super advanced understanding of complex medical conditions and anatomy is a little ridiculous. Some of the other content is questionable as well, such as when Kate tells Max the Egyptians didn't have vowels because they were believed to be sacred. Huh?
January 2, 2025
I had to give up. I hate dnfing books, but there are so many more stories out there that at this point worth my time more. I might finish it bit by bit, but I'm sorry to say that it bores me. Again, I do not like the characters, they are more of a vessel for the story than actually characters and none of them are likeable. Most of them are uncompromising in their opinion at best and one dimensional at worst. I didn't get to that point, but I already know that Tashat and the physician will get together, which is disgusting, honestly. If you have to pull out your future lover from her mother, you are too old for her. Let alone basically raising her, then get-together. Honestly.
My other big problem is that this book feels like non-fiction in a fiction wrapping. But even that doesn't work because what presented as fact is not in actuality a fact, so I can't even think about it as non-fiction. Yes, yes I understand that the characters are explaining things to each other so the writer can explain it to us BUT NOBODY TALKS LIKE THAT! It's unrealistic, these are professionals talking between each other, make it a bit more smooth, more natural please. And the egyptian physician was also getting too close to being a Gary Sue. Such a genius perfect physician yet not treated as someone like that. Sinuhe from The Egyptian had a much more realistic life in this aspect. It's a no from me
My other big problem is that this book feels like non-fiction in a fiction wrapping. But even that doesn't work because what presented as fact is not in actuality a fact, so I can't even think about it as non-fiction. Yes, yes I understand that the characters are explaining things to each other so the writer can explain it to us BUT NOBODY TALKS LIKE THAT! It's unrealistic, these are professionals talking between each other, make it a bit more smooth, more natural please. And the egyptian physician was also getting too close to being a Gary Sue. Such a genius perfect physician yet not treated as someone like that. Sinuhe from The Egyptian had a much more realistic life in this aspect. It's a no from me
May 24, 2022
Ah-maze-zing! I love books that explore past cultures and this dives deep into only a small portion while having roots in present day. The blending of the two worlds was incredibly done and even made me cry at the end. Following along the life of a young girl in Egypt to a woman and her eventual death and mummification, despite knowing how she ended up (because hello she's the mummy in question) it still hurt my heart and brought tears to my eyes when her death occurred. Because you become so involved with the characters. So well done.
September 4, 2024
This book took me forever to get through. I could see where it was going and I knew I was going to hate it when it got there. It's just weird. I have nothing against an age gap relationship between adults. The storyline between Kate and Max was fine in that regard (kind of boring otherwise). But, the relationship between Aset and Tenre was very uncomfortable to read. And it definitely felt like the author was fetishizing that sort of incredibly inappropriate relationship. The book had a lot of potential, but the good elements do not outweigh the bad.
May 8, 2017
Jeden z prvých románov, ak nie vôbec prvý s dvomi časovými líniami - teda pre mňa, nie všeobecne :-)
Pamätám si, ako sa mi to páčilo, bola som na strednej škole, je to naozaj dávno. Egyptská línia sa pekne prelínala s tou súčasnou, postupne sa odhaľovali záhady života hlavných hrdinov, minulých aj súčasných. Myslím, že ani po rokoch by neurazila. Ak na ňu niekde narazíte, prečítajte si ju :-)
Pamätám si, ako sa mi to páčilo, bola som na strednej škole, je to naozaj dávno. Egyptská línia sa pekne prelínala s tou súčasnou, postupne sa odhaľovali záhady života hlavných hrdinov, minulých aj súčasných. Myslím, že ani po rokoch by neurazila. Ak na ňu niekde narazíte, prečítajte si ju :-)
January 31, 2025
Probabilmente non è il libro adatto a me. Non ho saputo apprezzarlo, avevo un'idea in mente quando ho letto la trama e invece la storia si è sviluppata in tutt'altro modo. C'è scritto thriller sulla copertina, sicuramente non rientra nei miei canoni del thriller, non ho trovato una storia avvincente, anche se l'idea era corretta ma probabilmente non è stata sviluppata bene. I vari pov sono stati noiosi, i personaggi li ho trovati piatti e non sviluppati ed inoltre, la cosa che probabilmente ha influito di più sulla valutazione è stato (spoiler da qua in poi) la relazione tra il medico (di cui ho già dimenticato il nome) e Aset, è stato uno sviluppo che nonostante fosse previsto già dalla trama, mi ha dato i brividi per come si è sviluppato, troppo fuori dalle mie corde.
November 15, 2024
This book was extremely boring. I thought Max and Kate were bland characters and I really didn't care about what happened with them the entire book. The parts set in the past were more interesting, but there were so many names it was hard to jerk tank of who said what and what was going on.
October 26, 2024
I can't imagine how much research must have gone into this book. It gave me the feeling of being right there in Egypt in accent times.
July 31, 2025
acuteakio
The best book I have read for a long time
The best book I have read for a long time
July 25, 2025
Ancient Egypt love story
An old friend of mine gave me The Eye of Horus on my retirement in 2015. She knows me well and this was an on-target gift. I loved it. But that is odd, because if I described to you what I like and dislike in books, then told you what this book is about, you would conclude that I ought to hate it.
I was biased to like it from the start by this quote
Now, I of course realize that my reaction to that quote will not be universal. I can hear you squealing, "'Bubbles of blood' -- Gross!"
There follow two stories. The first takes place in modern times and concerns an unusual mummy in a museum. The second is the story of the person who became that mummy. It's a love story that took place in ancient (ca. 1359 BCE) Egypt. And it is glorious.
Normally I will tell you that I don't like love stories. And normally it is true. Romance is, as I think everyone in publishing knows, by far the best-selling category of novels. But they bore me to tears. Yet The Eye of Horus contains a love story that I found entirely enchanting. As it happens, just a few days ago I finished another novel, Margaret Owen's Little Thieves, which also contained a love story that I entirely enjoyed.
So, what's going on here? Here is my hypothesis: I was mistaken in my belief that I don't like love stories. What I dislike are predictable, formulaic love stories. And that is almost the entirety of the Romance genre currently being published. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the Romance genre is based on the same five plots, repeated again and again, with some occasional mixing and matching.
Now, I won't tell you that you are going to enjoy the Ancient Egyptian love story of in The Eye of Horus. In fact, if you love recently published romance novels, I would venture to guess that you're likely to hate the one in The Eye of Horus. It's like that quote from The Book of the Dead. To some people -- Thurston and me, for instance -- it is beautiful and powerful. To others it is not, perhaps because it is too far outside the boundaries of what they are ready to accept as poetry.
If you're a big reader of Romance novels, you may well find that the story of Aset and Tenre is too far outside the boundaries of the acceptable for you. It is situated in a time and place where all the rules were different, and you have to accept the way things worked in Egypt, at least provisionally, while you read. I cannot speak to the authenticity of Thurston's portrayal of Egypt or its archeology, but it FELT authentic.
Blog review.
An old friend of mine gave me The Eye of Horus on my retirement in 2015. She knows me well and this was an on-target gift. I loved it. But that is odd, because if I described to you what I like and dislike in books, then told you what this book is about, you would conclude that I ought to hate it.
I was biased to like it from the start by this quote
‘At my death let the bubbles of blood on my lips taste as sweet as berries. Give me not words of consolation. Give me magic, the fire of one beyond the borders of enchantment. Give me the spell of living well.’I had not and have not read more powerful words. To be fair, Carol Thurston did not write them. They are from the Book of the Dead, which the Egyptians called the Book of Coming Forth by Day, and she credits Normandi Ellis's Awakening Osiris: A New Translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
Now, I of course realize that my reaction to that quote will not be universal. I can hear you squealing, "'Bubbles of blood' -- Gross!"
There follow two stories. The first takes place in modern times and concerns an unusual mummy in a museum. The second is the story of the person who became that mummy. It's a love story that took place in ancient (ca. 1359 BCE) Egypt. And it is glorious.
Normally I will tell you that I don't like love stories. And normally it is true. Romance is, as I think everyone in publishing knows, by far the best-selling category of novels. But they bore me to tears. Yet The Eye of Horus contains a love story that I found entirely enchanting. As it happens, just a few days ago I finished another novel, Margaret Owen's Little Thieves, which also contained a love story that I entirely enjoyed.
So, what's going on here? Here is my hypothesis: I was mistaken in my belief that I don't like love stories. What I dislike are predictable, formulaic love stories. And that is almost the entirety of the Romance genre currently being published. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the Romance genre is based on the same five plots, repeated again and again, with some occasional mixing and matching.
Now, I won't tell you that you are going to enjoy the Ancient Egyptian love story of in The Eye of Horus. In fact, if you love recently published romance novels, I would venture to guess that you're likely to hate the one in The Eye of Horus. It's like that quote from The Book of the Dead. To some people -- Thurston and me, for instance -- it is beautiful and powerful. To others it is not, perhaps because it is too far outside the boundaries of what they are ready to accept as poetry.
If you're a big reader of Romance novels, you may well find that the story of Aset and Tenre is too far outside the boundaries of the acceptable for you. It is situated in a time and place where all the rules were different, and you have to accept the way things worked in Egypt, at least provisionally, while you read. I cannot speak to the authenticity of Thurston's portrayal of Egypt or its archeology, but it FELT authentic.
Blog review.
September 14, 2024
I had high hopes for this. The premise was intriguing- a mummy with a head between her legs, three dates on her cartonnage, several mysterious injuries on her body, and two parallel storylines unfolding with characters that mirror each other. It should work but it didn't. The pace was sluggish. The revelation was too quick, too convenient. Aset, the linchpin of the entire story, is a child for the majority of the book and it made my skin crawl to read Tenre's attraction to and subsequent union with her. Although the rising action, the climax, and the falling action valiantly try to make up for the dull middle, they happen all too quickly to satiate you.
March 10, 2024
I didn't really enjoy this. The Egypt segments were terribly confusing and it was hard to keep track of all of the names. Far too many mentions of female genital mutilation. It's almost as thought the author takes a sort of enjoyment in it. In the modern segment, multiple female characters have red hair. It's not very probable, genetically, and it's a lazy characterization.
The romance between Kate and Max is dull, tired, and predictable. The romance subplot in the ancient segment is gross and predatory. Pro tip: if you pulled her from her mother's vagina, she's too young for you. This is so gross! He literally catches her as a baby, and he grooms her. At one point she performs oral sex on him and initiates intercourse so that he will "see her as a woman and not a girl anymore." This book is messed up and should never have been published.
Wait, is this Egyptian Twilight?!
The romance between Kate and Max is dull, tired, and predictable. The romance subplot in the ancient segment is gross and predatory. Pro tip: if you pulled her from her mother's vagina, she's too young for you. This is so gross! He literally catches her as a baby, and he grooms her. At one point she performs oral sex on him and initiates intercourse so that he will "see her as a woman and not a girl anymore." This book is messed up and should never have been published.
Wait, is this Egyptian Twilight?!
October 2, 2007
old blog...
The Eye of Horus was one of those "I randomly picked this book off of the fiction shelf" finds, that claimed to be a "novel of suspense" on the front cover. By picking a book about which I knew nothing of the author, I took the risk of getting a crappy writer, and I wouldn't say she was the best. I can't even remember her name. The plot and scope of the book was great. It had tons of nerdy information and speculation about Ancient Egyptian dynasties and religion and medicine, etc. The story centers around the character of Aset/Tashat, whose mummy is x-rayed in a museum and found to have a whole bunch of broken bones, something mysterious wrapped around her left hand, and a male skull between her legs. Pretty intriguing stuff.
So there are two stories, shifting back and forth between the modern characters who are trying to piece together Aset's story (and meanwhile fall in love and suffer an interminably long period of sexual frustration). The second story is from the point of view of Senakhetenre, an innovative physician who lived during the 18th dynasty, who saves Aset's life when she is a little girl from a fever. This was definitely the juiciest of the two stories. Saving Aset, who is the daughter of the high priest who is currently fucking Nefertiti -who is Aset's mother and also the wife of the ex-pharoah, wins Senakhetenre the position of house physician to the high priest's family and servants. The story becomes very complex, with palace intrigue and many people wanting to kill Aset simply for being Nefertiti's daughter and being alive. Senakhetenre cares for her like a daughter, which makes it really fucked up when she turns 15 and is all budding and they wind up getting married and escaping North up the Nile and have a really hot sex scene on the boat on their wedding night. I guess if you want to know about the quivering members of Egyptians, this is your book. Anyway, I wouldn't call it a novel of suspense, but it is a good mystery and is especially interesting if you have a nerdy interest in Egyptian culture and mummies.
This book could have been a million times better, however, if the author knew how to introduce characters. I was frustrated often because she wouldn't describe what the people looked like. Sometimes not at all, or at other times she would wait several chapters before mentioning the main character's hair color. Also, I think the complexity of the Egyptian court intrigue and all the names and pseudo-names that people went by then (everybody seemed to have at least two names) demanded some more explanation and planning than she provided, and got to be confusing. The English major in me kept thinking about how it could have been so much better, but it was still entertaining.
The Eye of Horus was one of those "I randomly picked this book off of the fiction shelf" finds, that claimed to be a "novel of suspense" on the front cover. By picking a book about which I knew nothing of the author, I took the risk of getting a crappy writer, and I wouldn't say she was the best. I can't even remember her name. The plot and scope of the book was great. It had tons of nerdy information and speculation about Ancient Egyptian dynasties and religion and medicine, etc. The story centers around the character of Aset/Tashat, whose mummy is x-rayed in a museum and found to have a whole bunch of broken bones, something mysterious wrapped around her left hand, and a male skull between her legs. Pretty intriguing stuff.
So there are two stories, shifting back and forth between the modern characters who are trying to piece together Aset's story (and meanwhile fall in love and suffer an interminably long period of sexual frustration). The second story is from the point of view of Senakhetenre, an innovative physician who lived during the 18th dynasty, who saves Aset's life when she is a little girl from a fever. This was definitely the juiciest of the two stories. Saving Aset, who is the daughter of the high priest who is currently fucking Nefertiti -who is Aset's mother and also the wife of the ex-pharoah, wins Senakhetenre the position of house physician to the high priest's family and servants. The story becomes very complex, with palace intrigue and many people wanting to kill Aset simply for being Nefertiti's daughter and being alive. Senakhetenre cares for her like a daughter, which makes it really fucked up when she turns 15 and is all budding and they wind up getting married and escaping North up the Nile and have a really hot sex scene on the boat on their wedding night. I guess if you want to know about the quivering members of Egyptians, this is your book. Anyway, I wouldn't call it a novel of suspense, but it is a good mystery and is especially interesting if you have a nerdy interest in Egyptian culture and mummies.
This book could have been a million times better, however, if the author knew how to introduce characters. I was frustrated often because she wouldn't describe what the people looked like. Sometimes not at all, or at other times she would wait several chapters before mentioning the main character's hair color. Also, I think the complexity of the Egyptian court intrigue and all the names and pseudo-names that people went by then (everybody seemed to have at least two names) demanded some more explanation and planning than she provided, and got to be confusing. The English major in me kept thinking about how it could have been so much better, but it was still entertaining.
April 1, 2013
I wish I could give this book two and a half stars- because that's what it really deserves. It was interesting, but rather hard to follow at some points. The back and forth between Tenre/Aset and Kate/Max made the book engaging, and was probably the only reason I had the will to finish it. The Kate and Max relationship was slightly confusing- the reader is made to believe they were a couple before they actually became one. I was under the impression that Kate and Cleo were best friends- which proved to be untrue- and the reason why Kate was fired by Dave is still very unclear to me. Tenre and Aset's relationship was definitely less confusing, but their world was moreso. Thurston would bring a slew of characters into the story without describing who they were or what relationship they had to the main ones, and you're left sifting through the strange Egyptian names trying to figure out who's who and why they're important. People do things without rhyme or reason, with very little explanation of why. The history seemed accurate, and there's no doubting this author's imagination, but when it comes to writing about relationships, her skills are seriously lacking. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone but those who really enjoy reading Egyptian historical fiction, and enjoy watching procedural dramas like Bones. Otherwise, leave this one in the dust.
April 19, 2010
I gave this book three hours and finally gave up after 150 pages (of 408) as I found it too boring to continue. Well I guess it's not really boring per se, but I just didn't care about any of the characters and couldn't force myself to read any further.
There are two cojoined storylines: one is Kate and Max trying to identify a mummy and how she mysteriously died. The science of this is fascinating as is the budding romance between them. The other is the life and times of the mummy (in life, of course). This part is interesting too but too drawn out and tedious. I got to the point where I just didn't care enough to continue. The incest and female mutilation in the Egyptian society was just too disturbing to read about.
I expected a mystery thriller and this is more the life and times of an Egyptian princess not wanted by her mother (the queen) and her physician who is also her best friend which is kinda creepy considering she is 6 and he is over 30. Yuk.
There are two cojoined storylines: one is Kate and Max trying to identify a mummy and how she mysteriously died. The science of this is fascinating as is the budding romance between them. The other is the life and times of the mummy (in life, of course). This part is interesting too but too drawn out and tedious. I got to the point where I just didn't care enough to continue. The incest and female mutilation in the Egyptian society was just too disturbing to read about.
I expected a mystery thriller and this is more the life and times of an Egyptian princess not wanted by her mother (the queen) and her physician who is also her best friend which is kinda creepy considering she is 6 and he is over 30. Yuk.
November 19, 2007
I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed the modern day portion of this book more than I did the portion that dealt with Egypt. I'm not quite sure why, but the character of Aset/Tashat grated on my nerves a bit. I also was not entirely convinced by the ending idea that linked the two times.
That said, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I thought that both the mystery and the technological aspects of the story were done quite well. I also enjoyed the romance between Max and Kate and the Egypt that Thurston writes about is nothing if not intriguing. This is one that I definitely don't regret reading.
That said, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I thought that both the mystery and the technological aspects of the story were done quite well. I also enjoyed the romance between Max and Kate and the Egypt that Thurston writes about is nothing if not intriguing. This is one that I definitely don't regret reading.
November 13, 2008
I just finished a list of historical fiction featuring Egypt, Rome and Greece and rediscovered this novel. I parallels the story of a forensic sculptor building the face of a mummy and the story of the the mummy as she was in real life. Therefore, you already know things did not end well for her and you can watch the development of her story and compare it to the speculations of the persent day people trying to piece her story together. She is, in the story, the last dughter of Nefertiti, who is portrayed very negatively. In addition I just finished Moran's Nefertiti, which gives a more fully developped picture to add to the context.
March 5, 2013
Possibly my favorite novel EVER.
I've read this book more times than I can remember and I swear, ever time I read it, I am swept away by the mystery waiting to be solved, the passion in both the past and present story-lines, the fascinating portrayal of daily life for a doctor in ancient Egypt during political turmoil, the sweet innocence that Kate epitomizes while learning to not only love but also learning about her disability.
Was a well-rounded story fleshed out nicely with character arcs, story-lines that keep you captivated, and worlds written so you feel you could walk down the street using all senses! Highly Recommend!
I've read this book more times than I can remember and I swear, ever time I read it, I am swept away by the mystery waiting to be solved, the passion in both the past and present story-lines, the fascinating portrayal of daily life for a doctor in ancient Egypt during political turmoil, the sweet innocence that Kate epitomizes while learning to not only love but also learning about her disability.
Was a well-rounded story fleshed out nicely with character arcs, story-lines that keep you captivated, and worlds written so you feel you could walk down the street using all senses! Highly Recommend!
August 28, 2010
I wanted to like this. Basically, I found it boring. A few times the forensics and the knowledge of the ancient Egyptian physicians in the story piqued my curiosity. Frequently the conversations were confusing, as to who said what, and at times I felt like I had missed something important in the dialog. I didn't care for the characters. Quite frankly, I found them annoying. The author should stick to journalism and forgot novel-writing.
September 18, 2012
I'm an amateur armchair Egyptologist, an interest sparked with the first Indiana Jones movie, and this was a wonderful book for those who appreciate history. The book traverses two time periods: now, when a man enlists the expertise of an artist who draws Egyptian artifacts for a museum, and in the past, when the Queen of Ancient Egypt is giving birth to the child of a priest. Past and present are alternated as the mystery of a sarcophagus is explored.
July 28, 2013
I randomly chose this book at the library once, an it turned out to be one of the best books I've ever read. I like how the story takes its time to set the foundation for what becomes a horrifying and heart wrenching murder mystery placed in both the present and ancient past. It picks up pace as it nears the conclusion, making it impossible to put down. And I am not ashamed to admit that I have cried every time I have read this book. I think that's why I like it so much.
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November 9, 2008I've given up on this today after about 100 pages in. Although I love books that delve into Egyptology, this novel just didn't interest me as much. The present day characters were all unconvincing (and annoying too) and so too are the ones in ancient Egypt. Actually, I find that the transition between the two times were not done properly.
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