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Lights on the Nile
Kepi is a young girl in ancient Egypt, content to stay home with her family, helping her father, who was wounded in the construction of a pyramid for the cruel pharaoh Khufu. But that was before she and her pet baboon, Babu, were kidnapped and held captive on a boat bound for the capital city, Ineb Hedj. And when Kepi and Babu are separated, she knows she has only one choice: to make her way to the capital on her own, rescue Babu, and find a way to appeal to the pharaoh. Khufu is rich and powerful, but Kepi has her own powers, deep inside her—ones she herself doesn’t even know about yet.
Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship.
Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2011
About the author
Donna Jo Napoli
146 books1,118 followersDonna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction. She loves to garden and bake bread, and even dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 2, 2023
really good
May 17, 2021
My daughter brought this book home from school, and we read it together. I gave it three stars because up until the last two chapters, I was really enjoying it. The last two ridiculous chapters ruin the entire book. My daughter and I were both so disappointed. Kepi's adventure story is quite captivating. The characters she meets are colorful. The historical aspects of the book are intriguing. Then the last two chapters tank the whole book. The ending was so terrible that I am being generous with my three stars.
May 26, 2018
This was an enjoyable read, but the ending felt a little too deus ex machina for me - I didn't think that's what we were building to. Maybe part of the problem was reading in ebook format, so I couldn't see how close I was to the end? This will not be my favorite by Napoli, but still worth a read for those who like their YA fiction with Egypt, adventures, and determined heroines.
February 26, 2024
Love reading this one a lot ❣️ I actually liked reading this a lot I love being so much to reread it again in our library had it and I wanted to read it again but our library didn't have it I was so mad cuz I really like this book
October 9, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down, but I'm also not sure how I feel about the ending.
First off, I love the cover of this book. It's so beautiful, and I couldn't help but want to know more about it.
As for the characters, I really enjoyed them. Kepi was such a fun character, and I loved the way she told her story. She was a part of her world, rather than just living in it, and I loved that sense of immersion. Menes was such an interesting character, and I wish I had gotten to know more about him. I'm a succor for the character that seems harsh but has a soft side, but part of their charm is how mysterious they are.
The book did seem to drag a little around the halfway point, but I think it was more because I was expecting the story to go in another direction, and so I was waiting for that, rather than enjoying the journey. Speaking of going in another direction, the ending really surprised me, but it also fit well with what had already been established. Also, reading the historical info/the why behind the story really helped to show why the story went the direction that it did.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I kind of wish the story had gone the direction I was hoping. Not that the ending was bad by any means, but it wasn't as interesting to me (other than one aspect of it, which I'll talk about down below). If you're on the fence about reading this, go for it!
SPOILERS BELOW!!!
Was I the only one hoping Kepi would become a part of the Pharaoh's household (as Babi's trainer) and slowly help him to realize he could be a better person as they became friends? That's where I thought the story was going.
However, with the ending that we got, I loved the dialogue between the gods. It was a lot of fun to bring them directly into the story, and to have them act so human. Also, the idea of Kepi and her friends becoming the first fairies was pretty cool, and I had no idea Egypt had a word for them. Lastly, the title of this book is such clever foreshadowing, for what happens at the end. It's the perfect title.
First off, I love the cover of this book. It's so beautiful, and I couldn't help but want to know more about it.
As for the characters, I really enjoyed them. Kepi was such a fun character, and I loved the way she told her story. She was a part of her world, rather than just living in it, and I loved that sense of immersion. Menes was such an interesting character, and I wish I had gotten to know more about him. I'm a succor for the character that seems harsh but has a soft side, but part of their charm is how mysterious they are.
The book did seem to drag a little around the halfway point, but I think it was more because I was expecting the story to go in another direction, and so I was waiting for that, rather than enjoying the journey. Speaking of going in another direction, the ending really surprised me, but it also fit well with what had already been established. Also, reading the historical info/the why behind the story really helped to show why the story went the direction that it did.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I kind of wish the story had gone the direction I was hoping. Not that the ending was bad by any means, but it wasn't as interesting to me (other than one aspect of it, which I'll talk about down below). If you're on the fence about reading this, go for it!
SPOILERS BELOW!!!
Was I the only one hoping Kepi would become a part of the Pharaoh's household (as Babi's trainer) and slowly help him to realize he could be a better person as they became friends? That's where I thought the story was going.
However, with the ending that we got, I loved the dialogue between the gods. It was a lot of fun to bring them directly into the story, and to have them act so human. Also, the idea of Kepi and her friends becoming the first fairies was pretty cool, and I had no idea Egypt had a word for them. Lastly, the title of this book is such clever foreshadowing, for what happens at the end. It's the perfect title.
August 29, 2017
This was a pretty good historical fiction about a young girl in ancient Egypt. But then it got really fanciful at the end, which I wasn't expecting. Like, fairies fanciful. Kind of an odd way to wrap things up.
September 18, 2022
I like how Donna Jo Napoli is so good about making her stories come from different backgrounds and cultures. This was simple and easy to follow but the main character had good protag; the ending might have felt a bit abrupt, but it was very sweet.
June 9, 2023
I hate giving anything by Napoli this low a star rating, but I kind of hated this entire book. The ending was even worse, but even her journey was long, boring, and everything that happened was trite.
November 4, 2017
love this book!!!!!
February 25, 2022
A weird, disjointed little story.
April 22, 2022
comfort book <3
November 30, 2025
It was cute enough as an adventure story, but the ending felt like a cop-out.
September 25, 2022
This was a horrible book. I read it to my kids and it was fine for the majority of the book but the end ruined it all. It was so strange.
September 10, 2011
Ancient Egypt continues to hold great appeal for young and old, and even makes the best-seller lists (see Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra: A Life, for example). Award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli's newest book, suitable for elementary school readers, is set during that fascinating period, and tells the story of Kepi, a young girl living around 2530 BCE. Kepi's father, a laborer, has been wounded during the construction of a pyramid for Pharaoh Khufu. Kepi's life changes dramatically when she, along with her pet baby baboon, Babu, is kidnapped and hidden in a large basket on a boat. Where is she being taken and what will become of them? Babu, we soon discover, is destined to be sold to priests at one of the great city temples. When she is separated from her beloved pet, Kepi decides she must go see the powerful Pharaoh to tell him about men who are getting injured building his pyramid. Surely he will help these men and their families! Kepi will need to draw on all her courage to try to reach the all-powerful Pharaoh.
Napoli makes the reader feel that she, too, is travelling down the Nile, with her vivid descriptions of the wildlife--oryx, pelicans, and the dangerous hippos, crocodiles, and other animals--temples, gods, and people of the region. This is a quick-moving adventure story well-suited for middle-grade readers. Here in California, ancient Egypt part of the sixth grade curriculum, and this would be an excellent book to recommend for children developing an interest in that period. Many of the novels about this period for young people seem to involve Cleopatra; this new book makes a welcome addition to novels about the period, offering a story about an ordinary girl who takes an extraordinary journey.
One note: the publisher's copy for this novel indicates that the story "revisits the fabled origin of fairies." The end of the book does contain a fairy element (I won't go into the details here) but I would say that the fairy story is secondary in this novel to the historical fiction side. I would not want to pitch this to children as a story about fairies, since fairies do not even come into the narrative into the very end. A child expecting "Disney Fairies goes to ancient Egypt" will be very disappointed!
Napoli makes the reader feel that she, too, is travelling down the Nile, with her vivid descriptions of the wildlife--oryx, pelicans, and the dangerous hippos, crocodiles, and other animals--temples, gods, and people of the region. This is a quick-moving adventure story well-suited for middle-grade readers. Here in California, ancient Egypt part of the sixth grade curriculum, and this would be an excellent book to recommend for children developing an interest in that period. Many of the novels about this period for young people seem to involve Cleopatra; this new book makes a welcome addition to novels about the period, offering a story about an ordinary girl who takes an extraordinary journey.
One note: the publisher's copy for this novel indicates that the story "revisits the fabled origin of fairies." The end of the book does contain a fairy element (I won't go into the details here) but I would say that the fairy story is secondary in this novel to the historical fiction side. I would not want to pitch this to children as a story about fairies, since fairies do not even come into the narrative into the very end. A child expecting "Disney Fairies goes to ancient Egypt" will be very disappointed!
October 9, 2012
Kepi's name means tempest. She does everything passionately and with the best intentions from rescuing Babu, the baby baboon to her journey up the river on a mission to help Babu and speak to the pharaoh on behalf of her father wounded working on the pyramids. At first her only friends are animals, but then it begins to seem that her prayers are being answered just not necessarily as she expected. She will make friends but this journey will end far from how she expected.
About the cover: Kepi looks very clean and very well dressed. That is not the simple dress that she wears on this great adventure and seeing as her mother takes away her jewelry the headpiece seems out of place... and she is just so clean. When I first saw the cover I was thinking she was a rich Egyptian, not a farm girl who goes through such hardship. I enjoyed it. I liked that I did not have the slightest clue how it was going to end. I think it was a good balance of new vocabulary and familiar vocabulary. Kepi is extremely likeable but far from perfect. The ending threw me for a loop, but I think it was a good one. It feels very mini-epic in some ways. You can imagine it as a more story book version: less character but which major events would stick out. However I think Kepi definitely made the story, even the others we don't get to know as well. Definitely enjoyed, definitely one where I was more conscious of the younger audience.
Source: ARC from ALA 2011
About the cover: Kepi looks very clean and very well dressed. That is not the simple dress that she wears on this great adventure and seeing as her mother takes away her jewelry the headpiece seems out of place... and she is just so clean. When I first saw the cover I was thinking she was a rich Egyptian, not a farm girl who goes through such hardship. I enjoyed it. I liked that I did not have the slightest clue how it was going to end. I think it was a good balance of new vocabulary and familiar vocabulary. Kepi is extremely likeable but far from perfect. The ending threw me for a loop, but I think it was a good one. It feels very mini-epic in some ways. You can imagine it as a more story book version: less character but which major events would stick out. However I think Kepi definitely made the story, even the others we don't get to know as well. Definitely enjoyed, definitely one where I was more conscious of the younger audience.
Source: ARC from ALA 2011
November 24, 2013
It’s probable that Donna Jo Napoli’s books first sparked my interest in historical fiction with “Beast” being the most memorable. I am always confident when picking up a book from this author that the material is well researched – yet still suspenseful and not bogged down by someone trying too hard to prove they are knowledgeable on the subject. It’s interesting as I haven’t read a book by her (or anyone) since before I had my daughter, who is now almost 18 months. My perspective and the characters I’m drawn towards is somewhat different, and it really surprised me.
Kepi, an Egyptian peasant girl, finds herself in the care of a baby baboon and when two boys steal “Babu” away, she gives chase and finds herself as a captive as well. I appreciate that this girl is NOT a damsel-in-distress, but a young woman determined to do what’s necessary to save her baboon, and her family from ruin brought on by ruthless pharaoh. She has big aspirations and doesn’t let anyone’s doubt interfere with her own ambition. This is the type of story I want my daughter to read and know that you need to be a master of your own destiny (though help along the way from some Egyptian Gods and Goddesses doesn’t hurt)! Ultimately, I’m sure some readers may be able to predict the ending – I couldn’t. I enjoyed it the book, but honestly I may have preferred an alternate ending.
Kepi, an Egyptian peasant girl, finds herself in the care of a baby baboon and when two boys steal “Babu” away, she gives chase and finds herself as a captive as well. I appreciate that this girl is NOT a damsel-in-distress, but a young woman determined to do what’s necessary to save her baboon, and her family from ruin brought on by ruthless pharaoh. She has big aspirations and doesn’t let anyone’s doubt interfere with her own ambition. This is the type of story I want my daughter to read and know that you need to be a master of your own destiny (though help along the way from some Egyptian Gods and Goddesses doesn’t hurt)! Ultimately, I’m sure some readers may be able to predict the ending – I couldn’t. I enjoyed it the book, but honestly I may have preferred an alternate ending.
January 23, 2015
gr 4-8 267 pgs
around 2530 BC, Ancient Egypt. Her family is always warning Kepi to think before she acts, but Kepi just can't help herself. Because of her impulsiveness, Kepi ends up being kidnapped. At first, Kepi is desperate to return home. But then Kepi decides that once they reach Ineb Hedj, the capital, she might have an opportunity to do some good. Her father is unable to work since he was injured while helping to build the pharaoh's pyramid. Kepi is sure that if she can just talk to the pharaoh, she'll be able to convince him to provide financial help to her and her family, and others like them.
This was a great historical fiction story up until the last few pages when the Egyptian gods showed up and turned Kepi and her friends into fairies. In the author's note at the end of the book, the author explains that she intended this story to be about how fairies came to be. Although there were hints that the Egyptian gods might be taking an interest in Kepi, it was hard to tell if these events were not just coincidences. I would've liked this book more if it had skipped the fairies or gave the Egyptian gods a larger part earlier in the book. I would recommend this book to readers who like adventure stories.
around 2530 BC, Ancient Egypt. Her family is always warning Kepi to think before she acts, but Kepi just can't help herself. Because of her impulsiveness, Kepi ends up being kidnapped. At first, Kepi is desperate to return home. But then Kepi decides that once they reach Ineb Hedj, the capital, she might have an opportunity to do some good. Her father is unable to work since he was injured while helping to build the pharaoh's pyramid. Kepi is sure that if she can just talk to the pharaoh, she'll be able to convince him to provide financial help to her and her family, and others like them.
This was a great historical fiction story up until the last few pages when the Egyptian gods showed up and turned Kepi and her friends into fairies. In the author's note at the end of the book, the author explains that she intended this story to be about how fairies came to be. Although there were hints that the Egyptian gods might be taking an interest in Kepi, it was hard to tell if these events were not just coincidences. I would've liked this book more if it had skipped the fairies or gave the Egyptian gods a larger part earlier in the book. I would recommend this book to readers who like adventure stories.
November 14, 2011
Kepi is a young Egyptian girl whose father was injured in the construction of the pyramids. Her father has plans to get their family back on track and she and her pet baboon Babu have a part in these plans. Unfortunately Babu is stolen and when Kepi goes after him, she too is kidnapped. When her and Babu are separated, she knows that she must go to the capital city to retrieve him and find a way to speak with the pharaoh about the injustice of what happens to those who get injured or killed working on the pyramid's and what happens to their families. Once in the city she makes friends with two boys, both orphans, one a slave and one an apprentice and another girl. Their trip takes them to places and to meet people they never imagined.
I thought this was a really interesting take on who becomes a fairy and how they become a fairy. Fairy's are not typically something that I think of as being Egyptian. It was not a place I was ever expecting the story to go and I really appreciated the surprise. It's clear that the author did a lot of research on Ancient Egypt and it's culture and I always love historical fiction that really teaches you things.
I thought this was a really interesting take on who becomes a fairy and how they become a fairy. Fairy's are not typically something that I think of as being Egyptian. It was not a place I was ever expecting the story to go and I really appreciated the surprise. It's clear that the author did a lot of research on Ancient Egypt and it's culture and I always love historical fiction that really teaches you things.
November 19, 2011
A story set in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, beginning quite strongly with the story of Kepi and her family, struggling since the accident that befell her father while working for the Pharaoh ferrying the granite blocks up the river for a new great pyramid. He cannot work, and decides that he will become a bread baker and experiment with new kinds of breads. He sends Kepi and her pet baby baboon out to gather herbs for the dough, but they are kidnapped because Babu is a valuable animal who will fetch a good price if sold to the temple in Ineb Hedj. Kepi is angry at the Pharaoh for not caring what happens to his workers, and she longs to talk to him and tell him what she thinks. Her kidnapping seems to present the perfect opportunity for this. Quite suddenly near the end of the book the plot twists into fantasy, with the appearance of the gods, when Kepi and her companions are given a choice to make about how they will spend the rest of their lives. Despite DJN's usual great writing, the book is a peculiar mix of historical fiction and fantasy that doesn't quite jell. Upper elementary.
December 14, 2014
I enjoyed this book more than some of Napoli's other books but this one felt much too similar to North in terms of basic formatting. (Obviously, North was set in North America with a black boy bent on Arctic exploration and this book is set in ancient Africa with an Egyptian girl kidnapped by a man she thought her friend.) That being said, I have a fondness for Egyptian literature of this nature so that propped up my review a little bit. Napoli creates a solid, interesting narrative. However, some of her narrative choices were questionable. (They did not seem to really advance the story's narrative.) I also had to go back and reread a page or two when the "gods" were introduced as real. Napoli had just introduced several other characters and at that point it was a lot of names to try to keep straight.
This is a pretty good book that I would recommend. (It doesn't get my strongest recommendation but it is a bit better than middling so I feel comfortable recommending it.)
This is a pretty good book that I would recommend. (It doesn't get my strongest recommendation but it is a bit better than middling so I feel comfortable recommending it.)
November 7, 2011
Lights on the Nile takes place in ancient Egypt and it's about a girl named Kepi who lives her life as a farmer.After her father loses his foot in a under a huge slab of limestone while helping to build a pyramid she vows to tell the pharaoh to treat his workers better. One day she gets kidnapped by a guy named Menes who takes her far away from her village to sell her and her baboon to a temple she sees her chance to talk to the pharaoh but during the trip there they abandon her in a village. Now Kepi has to rescue her baboon and to talk to the pharaoh.Will she succeed?
I picked this book up because it was the newest book they had at my library.
I finished this book because I wanted to know what would happened to Kepi and her baboon.
I would recommend this book to Gabrielle because it seems like one of the books she would like to read.
I picked this book up because it was the newest book they had at my library.
I finished this book because I wanted to know what would happened to Kepi and her baboon.
I would recommend this book to Gabrielle because it seems like one of the books she would like to read.
June 9, 2012
Kepi's father was maimed working on the pyramid, and now must somehow support their family without a leg. She is determined to talk to the Pharoah himself and see that justice is done. When her pet baby baboon is stolen, and the chase leads her far from home, her wish just may come true. She gets Babu (the baboon) back, but it doesn't help much, because then they are kidnapped together. Kepi journies to the capital city and ultimately to her destiny, as the Egyptian gods she has been praying to all along, turn out to be very real entities, willing to take a hand in her life--for better or worse.
I found the background (the story is set in Egypt at the time the pyramids were being built--case you missed that) more interesting than Kepi's story, at times.
I found the background (the story is set in Egypt at the time the pyramids were being built--case you missed that) more interesting than Kepi's story, at times.
April 24, 2012
The author writes 240+ pages of realistic fiction concerning a young Egyptian girl's adventures during the era of the Pharaoh Khufu and the building of the Great Pyramid, some it gory, most of it immersed in the details of life over 4,500 years ago. Kepi rescues an orphaned baby baboon, loses him to thieves, sets out to retrieve him, is kidnapped to be sold into slavery, journeys to the greatest city in Egypt and protests the injustice of the Pharaoh's policies to his face. Then, out of the blue, she springs a deus ex machina, literally, to save 4 children from further peril. I don't think so! The author apparently was trying to write a origin story about fairies. Sorry, Ms. DiNapoli, it just doesn't work.
July 8, 2013
Kepi is a young girl in ancient Egypt, content to stay home with her family, helping her father, who was wounded in the construction of a pyramid for the cruel pharaoh Khufu. But that was before she and her pet baboon, Babu, were kidnapped and held captive on a boat bound for the capital city, Ineb Hedj. And when Kepi and Babu are separated, she knows she has only one choice: to make her way to the capital on her own, rescue Babu, and find a way to appeal to the pharaoh. Khufu is rich and powerful, but Kepi has her own powers, deep inside her—ones she herself doesn’t even know about yet.
Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship.
Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship.
February 16, 2012
Want to know what it might have been like to live in Egypt circa 2550 BCE, when the greatest pyramid was being built? Seen through the eyes of a young girl, Egypt is a place of alternating delights and despair. Fortunately, she has the strength of will to survive despite challenges, and there's a hugely satisfying twist at the end. Also nice to know that Rick Riordan is not the only writer who can make Egyptian gods and goddesses come alive!
February 10, 2014
I enjoyed it as historical fiction set in ancient Egypt. Kepi finds a baby baboon and is training it to help her with her daily tasks. The baboon is kidnapped and she sets off after it. Then she is also kidnapped. She eventually escapes and meets up with some other orphan/slave children. I thought the end was weak, when instead of solving our problems in the real world, the author (spoiler alert) resorted to fairies.
November 1, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, it was full of surprises and daunting adventure.
I especially love how the author, Donna Jo Napoli described the landscape so well, I really felt like I was there in Egypt, rowing in a small boat down the Nile with Kepi. I also love how she really portrays the protaganist's feelings really clearly, and I felt like I was with her, experiencing everything that Kepi was. Beautiful story, full of dynamic action. Strongly reccomend.
I especially love how the author, Donna Jo Napoli described the landscape so well, I really felt like I was there in Egypt, rowing in a small boat down the Nile with Kepi. I also love how she really portrays the protaganist's feelings really clearly, and I felt like I was with her, experiencing everything that Kepi was. Beautiful story, full of dynamic action. Strongly reccomend.
January 18, 2017
The historic info was interesting—I liked learning more of life in ancient Egypt—but the plot was not satisfying, the characters were not particularly compelling, and there were times that it felt like the author added scenes and settings just so that she could add in more cool info she learned in her research, not because it added to the story any. It's only a 275-page, MG book, and it took me a week to read it. I didn't feel any drive to see what happened next.
November 3, 2015
A strong start, an interesting (if disjointed) middle, but a weak end. This was definitely a low to middle grade story; if I had to guess I'd peg the appropriate readership age at 3-5th grade. I really appreciated the authenticity of the ancient Egyptian setting, and Kepi is a strong character. I just wish that the story had ended... otherwise, I guess.
September 16, 2011
Really more of a 2.5. Napoli is one of my favorite YA authors, and I usually love her "retellings" of legends and fairytales, but this one reaaaally didn't do it for me. The "fantasy" part didn't come in until the last five pages or so, and everything before that was, honestly, kind of boring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews