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Nefertiti: Egypt's Sun Queen
For alternate cover edition of ISBN 0670869988 / 9780670869985 see here
In the tradition of her intriguing Hatchepsut, Joyce Tyldesley rescues another female ruler from the shadows of history c. 1350 B.C.: Queen Nefertiti (literally "a beautiful woman has come"). We know her from the exquisite painted bust in the Berlin Museum, discovered in 1912, which has made her ancient Egypt's most recognizable queen and a symbol of her country's history. Until now, however, she has remained largely unknown and unrecognized for her contributions to Egyptian society. Wife of Akhenaten, the monotheistic pharaoh, adored by her family, blessed by the sun god, and worshiped by her people, Nefertiti suddenly and completely vanished from the record. Was she banished by her husband or raised to rule as his equal? Did she reign, under another name, in her own right? Could she have been the eminence grise behind the young Tutankhamen, her son-in-law?
In the tradition of her intriguing Hatchepsut, Joyce Tyldesley rescues another female ruler from the shadows of history c. 1350 B.C.: Queen Nefertiti (literally "a beautiful woman has come"). We know her from the exquisite painted bust in the Berlin Museum, discovered in 1912, which has made her ancient Egypt's most recognizable queen and a symbol of her country's history. Until now, however, she has remained largely unknown and unrecognized for her contributions to Egyptian society. Wife of Akhenaten, the monotheistic pharaoh, adored by her family, blessed by the sun god, and worshiped by her people, Nefertiti suddenly and completely vanished from the record. Was she banished by her husband or raised to rule as his equal? Did she reign, under another name, in her own right? Could she have been the eminence grise behind the young Tutankhamen, her son-in-law?
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
37 people are currently reading
1787 people want to read
About the author
Joyce A. Tyldesley
34 books167 followersJoyce Tyldesley is a British archaeologist and Egyptologist, academic, writer and broadcaster.
Tyldesley was born in Bolton, Lancashire and attended Bolton School. In 1981, she earned a first-class honours degree in archaeology from Liverpool University, and a doctorate in Prehistoric Archaeology from Oxford in 1986. She is a Teaching Fellow at Manchester University where she is tutor and course organiser of the three-year distance learning (internet based) Certificate in Egyptology programme run from the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology.
She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology at Liverpool University, an ex-trustee of the Egypt Exploration Society, Chairperson of Bolton Archaeology and Egyptology Society, and a trustee of Chowbent Chapel.
In 2004 she established, with Steven Snape of Rutherford Press Limited, a publishing firm dedicated to publishing serious but accessible books on ancient Egypt while raising money for Egyptology field work. Donations from RPL have been made to Manchester Museum and the Egypt Exploration Society: currently all profits are donated to the ongoing fieldwork at Zawiyet umm el-Rakham.
She is married with two children to Egyptologist Steven Snape and lives in Lancashire.
Tyldesley was born in Bolton, Lancashire and attended Bolton School. In 1981, she earned a first-class honours degree in archaeology from Liverpool University, and a doctorate in Prehistoric Archaeology from Oxford in 1986. She is a Teaching Fellow at Manchester University where she is tutor and course organiser of the three-year distance learning (internet based) Certificate in Egyptology programme run from the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology.
She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology at Liverpool University, an ex-trustee of the Egypt Exploration Society, Chairperson of Bolton Archaeology and Egyptology Society, and a trustee of Chowbent Chapel.
In 2004 she established, with Steven Snape of Rutherford Press Limited, a publishing firm dedicated to publishing serious but accessible books on ancient Egypt while raising money for Egyptology field work. Donations from RPL have been made to Manchester Museum and the Egypt Exploration Society: currently all profits are donated to the ongoing fieldwork at Zawiyet umm el-Rakham.
She is married with two children to Egyptologist Steven Snape and lives in Lancashire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 2, 2015
The bust of Nefertiti that is housed in Berlin’s museum is one of the most famous icons in popular culture. Because of her beauty, she has become the symbol of Ancient Egypt. Her face is on key-rings, iphone cases, post-cards, t-shirts, etc. Aside from her image, who was the mysterious Nefertiti? How much power and influence did she actually have? What were her accomplishments besides being merely beautiful? Joyce Tyldesley’s biography seeks to answer these questions.
There are few known details about the life of Nefertiti. This is not only because of the long gap of time between our world today and Nefertiti’s world, but because she is mostly in the background in Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti does not only stand behind the pharaoh, but she is glimpsed over by her formidable mother-in-law, Queen Tiy, who has much more power and influence as the Akhenaten's mother. However, Nefertiti gained some influence as the pharaoh's wife, she took on duties of priesthood, that was usually assigned to the pharaoh. She was also known as a dutiful and faithful wife.
Overall, the novel gives us a tiny glimpse into the life of Nefertiti. Because not much is known about her, the author mostly focuses on Akhenaten and his reign. This novel is more of an archeological work and how Nefertiti has been interpreted. Tyldesley mentions the popular theories about Nefertiti and then debunks them as she goes along. I felt that she gave us thorough and comprehensive answers and did her best with the evidence she had. The conclusions about her birth and disappearance made sense. However, after reading this book, I found myself more interested in Queen Tiy than I was in Nefertiti. I felt that this biography knew more about Queen Tiy than it did of Nefertiti because of her prominence at court. I found it fascinating how Tiy, a commoner, had risen to become one of the most powerful women at court. While the writing is dry as a textbook, it is very comprehensible to the reader. The book has a lot of interesting pictures of Nefertiti. I also like how she incorporates how Nefertiti has been perceived in popular culture. This novel is a great introduction for those who want to learn about the Armana period of Ancient Egypt.
There are few known details about the life of Nefertiti. This is not only because of the long gap of time between our world today and Nefertiti’s world, but because she is mostly in the background in Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti does not only stand behind the pharaoh, but she is glimpsed over by her formidable mother-in-law, Queen Tiy, who has much more power and influence as the Akhenaten's mother. However, Nefertiti gained some influence as the pharaoh's wife, she took on duties of priesthood, that was usually assigned to the pharaoh. She was also known as a dutiful and faithful wife.
Overall, the novel gives us a tiny glimpse into the life of Nefertiti. Because not much is known about her, the author mostly focuses on Akhenaten and his reign. This novel is more of an archeological work and how Nefertiti has been interpreted. Tyldesley mentions the popular theories about Nefertiti and then debunks them as she goes along. I felt that she gave us thorough and comprehensive answers and did her best with the evidence she had. The conclusions about her birth and disappearance made sense. However, after reading this book, I found myself more interested in Queen Tiy than I was in Nefertiti. I felt that this biography knew more about Queen Tiy than it did of Nefertiti because of her prominence at court. I found it fascinating how Tiy, a commoner, had risen to become one of the most powerful women at court. While the writing is dry as a textbook, it is very comprehensible to the reader. The book has a lot of interesting pictures of Nefertiti. I also like how she incorporates how Nefertiti has been perceived in popular culture. This novel is a great introduction for those who want to learn about the Armana period of Ancient Egypt.
April 21, 2022
This is a serious overview of what we know of Nefertiti, chief wife of Akhenaten. As such, it is hardly a biography, more a review of biographical controversies as regards the woman.
Definitely not a light read, but interesting for the light it throws on the whole Amarna phenomenon and illuminating as regards the role of aristocratic women in ancient Egypt.
Definitely not a light read, but interesting for the light it throws on the whole Amarna phenomenon and illuminating as regards the role of aristocratic women in ancient Egypt.
July 13, 2018
A short book by page numbers, especially considering that the main text ends at 66% with the rest taken up by notes and references, but truly packed full of information. Remarkably, despite how popular the Amarna era is even in the general consciousness, there are surprisingly few biographies of Nefertiti. Aidan Dodson’s Amarna Sunset doesn’t specifically focus on Nefertiti, Joann Fletcher’s The Search for Nefertiti comes off as part autobiography and not exactly objective, and other books are outdated and poor popular histories or else dense academic publications which take some expense to acquire.
Tyldesley’s work, on the other hand, is professional and yet accessible, thorough in its research, and an enjoyable read. That’s not to deny that the book has caveats. Tyldesley herself acknowledges that even despite her fame, we still know surprisingly little about Nefertiti, so there are sections of the book where she discusses the Amarna era and royal family in general rather than being able to specifically focus down on her individual subject. I can hardly penalise Tyldesley for this though, when the evidence simply isn’t there (or at least hasn’t been discovered yet). The second caveat is that this book really needs a new, updated edition. Discoveries in the past decade have really turned Amarna studies on its head, with some of the debates that Tyldesley examines here now offered serious challengers in terms of plausible scenarios. Tyldesley may still not agree with these new proposed scenarios, but it would be great to see her consider the evidence and weigh in with her assessment. Even lacking this more recent evidence, Tyldesley addresses previously held possible scenarios with an even hand, noting her own conclusions but always making it clear that they are hers, and not necessarily the right ones, whilst presenting the arguments presented by other Egyptologists. I have to note that I myself didn’t agree with some of those conclusions – for example, Smenkhkare as Akhenaten’s son and both he and Tutankhamun mothered by Kiya – but it is always appreciated when a professional approach is taken and a historian refrains from attempting to claim that their favoured interpretation is fact.
I have no qualms about recommending this book at all.
8 out of 10
January 5, 2019
Writing about icons is a difficult business. Even biographers of modern stars like Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley must wade through a morass of secrets, theories and fantasies. How much more difficult to choose a subject who lived 3,500 years ago, who emerged from nowhere, disappeared back into obscurity, and whose brief, glittering existence has been the subject of fierce iconoclasm! Thanks to the glorious portrait bust in Berlin (see below), Nefertiti is one of the most recognisable figures from Ancient Egypt, but the facts of her life remain tantalisingly elusive. As Joyce Tyldesley teases out the meaning of symbols, inscriptions and sculpted reliefs, Nefertiti’s lost world blossoms into life, in an archaeological story that reads like a detective novel. This is a tale of religious revolution, intrigue, iconoclasm, romance, and mysterious, powerful women. What’s not to like?
For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/01/05/n...
For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/01/05/n...
February 20, 2025
The author did her research but unfortunately there isn't a lot of info on Nefertiti. I felt like the book was more about her husband than her. The book was just a bunch of theories. The author did the best she could with the little information she had
September 22, 2025
A fascinating, well-researched, academic, yet approachable history of Nefertiti and the court of Amarna. It was fun to constantly stop and google to see if any of the theories presented have been proven/disproven by contemporary research!
May 27, 2020
Skillfully researched, wonderfully illustrated/photographed and utterly captivating biography on one of Ancient Egypt’s most intriguing and fascinating leading ladies. One of the most meticulous scholarly examinations on the life of a queen, wife, mother and warrior who changed the future of her nation. Tyldesley is one of my favorite Egyptologists and I found her interpretations of the many pieces of evidence from Ahketaten (Amarna) to be introspective, credible and thought-provoking.
It convinces me that Nefertiti was highly influential on Akhenaten's initial decisions (Moving to the area where Akhetaten was built) and played a collaborative and strong role for Akhenaten while at Akhetaten. She certainly had to have been one of the few people in her husband’s court whom he could trust absolutely. Nefertiti's influence and stature grew immeasurably with the birth of her Daughters, as well as her "omnipotent" status (a powerful allure that she has not lost, thousands of years later). Her "superstar" appeal made her probably History’s first most "media-savvy" regal lady. As Akhenaten's Chief wife, her power excelled, yet they soon became a partnership. When Akhenaten's own health began to fail, Nefertiti had already been ruling, jointly with Akhenaten and so, when the time came, she was in place to rule after Akhenaten, continuing a role she had been brought up to perform. Nefertiti had to have a highly astute and diplomatic figure and her beauty was used to both maintain her dominance (over "lesser wives" and over other people) and elevate her own status. Even though one of her sisters-in-law (probably Nebetah or Beketaten) produced the longed-for son and heir, Nefertiti was quick to assume the role of adoptive mother and pinned her future ambitions on Tutankhamun.
Akhenaten had projected himself with God-like qualities in his role of Pharaoh and while he was still alive, he already transformed Nefertiti into a Goddess (Tefnut), rather than just a Chief wife.
There are a multitude of theories about what happened after Akhenaten's death and before Tutankhamun ascended to the Throne of Egypt. Some have said that it was Nefertiti who had instigated a return of the Royal Court back to Thebes and Karnak, in an attempt to pacify the Priesthood of Amun, who were simply waiting in the shadows for their chance to take over and assert power for themselves (of course this did not happen, fully, until the end of the 20th Dynasty of the New Kingdom).
Based on recently discovered evidence, it proves that following Akhenaten’s death, Nefertiti (now Neferneferuaten) and her eldest daughter Meritaten met with the harrowing task of saving the Egyptian empire and healing the wounded factions of their divided nation. Hence, Nefertiti did outlive her husband, whom she stood by to the end. Yet for the endurance of the monarchy and futures of her children, she remained formidable and took charge as the traditional polytheistic order was reestablished. I also am inclined to believe that it is Meritaten and not her sister, Ankhesenpaaten (Ankhesenamun) who is the “Dakhamunzu” referred to in the curious letter to the Hittite king Supiluliuma I requesting a prince be sent to Egypt as part of a marriage-alliance. Whether prince Zannanza’s death was by assassination or a bandit attack is questionable-yet it did buy Nefertiti and her family time in regaining crucial trade routes as the nation proceeded to get back on its feet. It had to have been a daunting struggle for Nefertiti to maintain power without Akhenaten's backing, children to protect/raise, as well as having lots of pressure from various sources. It is astonishing that she survived after all the revolutionary turmoil.
Even after suffering the deaths of her daughters Meketaten, Neferneferure, and Setepenre- she summoned the strength to push forward and make the ultimate sacrifices to save her nation. Even while a multitude of questions still remain unanswered and/or up to speculation: Tyldesley has written an extraordinary, deeply enthralling and interest-grabbing look into the life of a remarkable woman who risked everything, including life itself, for the family/husband she adored, religion she promoted and country she loved.
Whatever Nefertiti's fertile divine-like role was during Akhenaten's life, and her charm that has stood the test of time, Nefertiti was indeed a larger-than-life figure, who used her magnetism, resourcefulness and stature to unprecedented levels of "idolization" and "fame-assisted power". The iconography of Nefertiti was highly influential long after her physical existence and her reputation and certainly outlasted Akhenaten himself. I have no doubt that the young Tutankhamun would have been influenced by his father AND Nefertiti before he was placed on the throne. Seeing that his mother died in childbirth, she had to have been one of the main female figures in Tutankhamun’s life from his birth until the beginning of his reign.
While Akhenaten ruled, he and Nefertiti worked together, truly an equal team. A "power couple". Akhenaten had already seen how the previous "power couple" (His parents, Amenhotep III and Tiye) had worked effectively and as evident from the colossal, seated statue of Amenhotep III and Tiye in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, they are shown as the same height - Akhenaten and Nefertiti were carrying on in that role. Undoubtedly Tiye would have been influential in the match between them both and taught Nefertiti what it meant to be the “King’s Great Wife” and most of all a woman it what was essentially a male-dominated world.
Nefertiti, with her own Sunshades, temples and even temple complex (The "Maru-aten", a.k.a. "Pa-maru-en-pa-aten") commanded as much adulation as Akhenaten, if not more. A famous Star / Celebrity, even within her own lifetime, her popularity today highlights her timeless qualities, which only, with each new excavation, reveals new discoveries about her story and era. This truly is a must-read for those curious about the queen’s life and the still unsolved mysteries of the Amarna age.
It convinces me that Nefertiti was highly influential on Akhenaten's initial decisions (Moving to the area where Akhetaten was built) and played a collaborative and strong role for Akhenaten while at Akhetaten. She certainly had to have been one of the few people in her husband’s court whom he could trust absolutely. Nefertiti's influence and stature grew immeasurably with the birth of her Daughters, as well as her "omnipotent" status (a powerful allure that she has not lost, thousands of years later). Her "superstar" appeal made her probably History’s first most "media-savvy" regal lady. As Akhenaten's Chief wife, her power excelled, yet they soon became a partnership. When Akhenaten's own health began to fail, Nefertiti had already been ruling, jointly with Akhenaten and so, when the time came, she was in place to rule after Akhenaten, continuing a role she had been brought up to perform. Nefertiti had to have a highly astute and diplomatic figure and her beauty was used to both maintain her dominance (over "lesser wives" and over other people) and elevate her own status. Even though one of her sisters-in-law (probably Nebetah or Beketaten) produced the longed-for son and heir, Nefertiti was quick to assume the role of adoptive mother and pinned her future ambitions on Tutankhamun.
Akhenaten had projected himself with God-like qualities in his role of Pharaoh and while he was still alive, he already transformed Nefertiti into a Goddess (Tefnut), rather than just a Chief wife.
There are a multitude of theories about what happened after Akhenaten's death and before Tutankhamun ascended to the Throne of Egypt. Some have said that it was Nefertiti who had instigated a return of the Royal Court back to Thebes and Karnak, in an attempt to pacify the Priesthood of Amun, who were simply waiting in the shadows for their chance to take over and assert power for themselves (of course this did not happen, fully, until the end of the 20th Dynasty of the New Kingdom).
Based on recently discovered evidence, it proves that following Akhenaten’s death, Nefertiti (now Neferneferuaten) and her eldest daughter Meritaten met with the harrowing task of saving the Egyptian empire and healing the wounded factions of their divided nation. Hence, Nefertiti did outlive her husband, whom she stood by to the end. Yet for the endurance of the monarchy and futures of her children, she remained formidable and took charge as the traditional polytheistic order was reestablished. I also am inclined to believe that it is Meritaten and not her sister, Ankhesenpaaten (Ankhesenamun) who is the “Dakhamunzu” referred to in the curious letter to the Hittite king Supiluliuma I requesting a prince be sent to Egypt as part of a marriage-alliance. Whether prince Zannanza’s death was by assassination or a bandit attack is questionable-yet it did buy Nefertiti and her family time in regaining crucial trade routes as the nation proceeded to get back on its feet. It had to have been a daunting struggle for Nefertiti to maintain power without Akhenaten's backing, children to protect/raise, as well as having lots of pressure from various sources. It is astonishing that she survived after all the revolutionary turmoil.
Even after suffering the deaths of her daughters Meketaten, Neferneferure, and Setepenre- she summoned the strength to push forward and make the ultimate sacrifices to save her nation. Even while a multitude of questions still remain unanswered and/or up to speculation: Tyldesley has written an extraordinary, deeply enthralling and interest-grabbing look into the life of a remarkable woman who risked everything, including life itself, for the family/husband she adored, religion she promoted and country she loved.
Whatever Nefertiti's fertile divine-like role was during Akhenaten's life, and her charm that has stood the test of time, Nefertiti was indeed a larger-than-life figure, who used her magnetism, resourcefulness and stature to unprecedented levels of "idolization" and "fame-assisted power". The iconography of Nefertiti was highly influential long after her physical existence and her reputation and certainly outlasted Akhenaten himself. I have no doubt that the young Tutankhamun would have been influenced by his father AND Nefertiti before he was placed on the throne. Seeing that his mother died in childbirth, she had to have been one of the main female figures in Tutankhamun’s life from his birth until the beginning of his reign.
While Akhenaten ruled, he and Nefertiti worked together, truly an equal team. A "power couple". Akhenaten had already seen how the previous "power couple" (His parents, Amenhotep III and Tiye) had worked effectively and as evident from the colossal, seated statue of Amenhotep III and Tiye in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, they are shown as the same height - Akhenaten and Nefertiti were carrying on in that role. Undoubtedly Tiye would have been influential in the match between them both and taught Nefertiti what it meant to be the “King’s Great Wife” and most of all a woman it what was essentially a male-dominated world.
Nefertiti, with her own Sunshades, temples and even temple complex (The "Maru-aten", a.k.a. "Pa-maru-en-pa-aten") commanded as much adulation as Akhenaten, if not more. A famous Star / Celebrity, even within her own lifetime, her popularity today highlights her timeless qualities, which only, with each new excavation, reveals new discoveries about her story and era. This truly is a must-read for those curious about the queen’s life and the still unsolved mysteries of the Amarna age.
August 3, 2025
This was thoughtful and well researched. I especially enjoyed the images included. Unfortunately, very little is known of Nefertiti because there isn’t much to go on in terms of archeological discoveries. It is still fascinating to ponder and puzzle together possibilities based on the limited artifacts and hieroglyphs that have been found to date.
Nefertiti and her husband, Akhenaten are my favorite Egyptian figures for several reasons and I liked that this book included details about them both and the family members that preceded them, as well as their descendants and successors. There is so much mystery and speculation surrounding this royal couple and I hope that we continue to find historical clues that will help answer more of the lingering questions.
If you enjoy Egyptian history, I would recommend adding this to your bookshelf! The cover (which is different from the one shown on Goodreads) is beautiful as are the included images within.
Nefertiti and her husband, Akhenaten are my favorite Egyptian figures for several reasons and I liked that this book included details about them both and the family members that preceded them, as well as their descendants and successors. There is so much mystery and speculation surrounding this royal couple and I hope that we continue to find historical clues that will help answer more of the lingering questions.
If you enjoy Egyptian history, I would recommend adding this to your bookshelf! The cover (which is different from the one shown on Goodreads) is beautiful as are the included images within.
December 29, 2014
Thoughtful and well researched, but we just don't know much of anything about Nefertiti, so the book ends up speculating a lot about Herself and talking a lot more about the previous ruler, Nefertiti's husband, and then her husband's successor.
March 28, 2008
Blah. I love Egypt, and I love history. But this book nearly bored me to death.
July 13, 2018
This has been a very interesting read and yet again Joyce has been unbiased in her evidence given, she has placed in the theories from both past and the then present at the time of publishing. I, however, would like to see an updated version of this as new things have come to light such the DNA and modern scanning of the mummies.
While I did enjoy the book and I will say this is not my first time reading it, I would point out to a first time reader that it is not just about Nefertiti of her own accord. In fact, I would say there is more about her husband Amenhotep IV or Akhenaten than Nefertiti, I suppose to be fair that may because what we know of Nefertiti is through him which leads me to Seti I and Rameses II.
I think one thing that is showing to be clear in not just Joyce Tyldesley's books is that Seti I and Rameses II were the main culprits in systematically destroying what they could what they did not agree with from the 18th dynasty. Hatshepsut, Amenhotep IV, Nefertiti, Tutankhamun and Ay were erased in form or another and Joyce is great in the fact she lays blame to the locals looking to make a quick buck.
It would seem that Akhenaten is seen by many as the father of monotheism but Joyce I think rightly points that he couldn't totally be as Nefertiti and his children were part of his vision of the divine ennead and given the evidence to support this from Akhenaten himself it would be hard to dispute.
Again I love to see an updated version of this book and I hope that the publisher or Joyce see fit to do so, the views given are just how I see them from what I have read and you should the book for yourself to draw you own conclusions.
While I did enjoy the book and I will say this is not my first time reading it, I would point out to a first time reader that it is not just about Nefertiti of her own accord. In fact, I would say there is more about her husband Amenhotep IV or Akhenaten than Nefertiti, I suppose to be fair that may because what we know of Nefertiti is through him which leads me to Seti I and Rameses II.
I think one thing that is showing to be clear in not just Joyce Tyldesley's books is that Seti I and Rameses II were the main culprits in systematically destroying what they could what they did not agree with from the 18th dynasty. Hatshepsut, Amenhotep IV, Nefertiti, Tutankhamun and Ay were erased in form or another and Joyce is great in the fact she lays blame to the locals looking to make a quick buck.
It would seem that Akhenaten is seen by many as the father of monotheism but Joyce I think rightly points that he couldn't totally be as Nefertiti and his children were part of his vision of the divine ennead and given the evidence to support this from Akhenaten himself it would be hard to dispute.
Again I love to see an updated version of this book and I hope that the publisher or Joyce see fit to do so, the views given are just how I see them from what I have read and you should the book for yourself to draw you own conclusions.
October 4, 2020
It really is ironic how we can write a complete book on a historical figure about whom we truly know almost nothing. Don’t get me wrong, Tyldesley writes in a way that is well-informed, engaging, and seeks to paint a picture. However, in order to discuss ancient figures surrounded by mystery, it is necessary to discuss much that comes before and after the person of interest, in order to even gain an outline of the picture. So, if you are looking for a book on the life of Nefertiti, you will get a lot more information than you are seeking.
If you are looking for likely possibilities of life over a three generation span of the 18th dynasty, this is a great place to start. I respected that Tyldesley honestly acknowledges areas where the information is in doubt, as well as drawing conclusions about the most likely option. Given the nature of the portrayal of Egyptian reigns, as well as the knowledge we have lost over millennia, that seems the fairest approach to studies like this.
It seems like Nefertiti landed herself in a pretty good position, with a fairly positive home and public life. The pictures of the Stella and sculptures referenced in the writing were beautiful—as was the queen.
If you are looking for likely possibilities of life over a three generation span of the 18th dynasty, this is a great place to start. I respected that Tyldesley honestly acknowledges areas where the information is in doubt, as well as drawing conclusions about the most likely option. Given the nature of the portrayal of Egyptian reigns, as well as the knowledge we have lost over millennia, that seems the fairest approach to studies like this.
It seems like Nefertiti landed herself in a pretty good position, with a fairly positive home and public life. The pictures of the Stella and sculptures referenced in the writing were beautiful—as was the queen.
June 7, 2023
Joyce Tyldesley explores the life of Nefertiti, wife of Akhenaten, the pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty who challenged the religious orthodoxy of Egypt.
The discovery of the famous bust of Nefertiti and its display in the Berlin museum drew attention to this figure from Egyptian history and it became clear that her place in the world of Akhenaten and the Amarna period was significant. However, despite having a great deal of information about the live and times of Nefertiti, there is still much that we don’t know and Tyldesley is careful in her interpretation of the facts and the supposition.
Tyldesley has written several books about Ancient Egypt and all of her books are well written and clear for the general reader.
(I read the original hardback of this book and it may be that anyone interested should read a more updated version to gain the benefit of more recent research and discovery.)
The discovery of the famous bust of Nefertiti and its display in the Berlin museum drew attention to this figure from Egyptian history and it became clear that her place in the world of Akhenaten and the Amarna period was significant. However, despite having a great deal of information about the live and times of Nefertiti, there is still much that we don’t know and Tyldesley is careful in her interpretation of the facts and the supposition.
Tyldesley has written several books about Ancient Egypt and all of her books are well written and clear for the general reader.
(I read the original hardback of this book and it may be that anyone interested should read a more updated version to gain the benefit of more recent research and discovery.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2021
3.5/5 stars. Took me forever to finish, not because it was boring I was just busy. Overall a good, informative book more about the Amarna period as a whole than just Nefertiti. Interestingly, for how famous she is, there isn’t a whole lot in the written record about Egypt’s most recognizable queen. Tyldesley doesn’t slip into conjecture but she does make some (necessary) inferences and includes other’s theories as well which I liked. I did disagree with her on a few points but that could just be because the “updated” version of this book is already over 15 years old.
Read
October 26, 2021You know you love the subject,person or area if you read absolutely everything you can get your hands on and see if there is any new snippet of information you can get your hands on and this book did not disappoint in the slightest and I am still sad that they still have not found her mummy and I think that it may be behind the walls of Pharaoh Tutankhamun's crypt and here is hoping that we find her soon.
May 25, 2019
Having viewed the breath-taking painted bust of Nefertiti at the Berlin Museum, I was eager to learn more about her and this title fit the bill. Tyldesley places the queen in context of the era in which she lived and flushed out the sequence of her life with as much documentation as possible. The reproduced hieroglyphic images were a great addition.
August 30, 2025
The problem with writing a biography about such an ancient woman is that we just don’t have a biography’s worth of information on ancient women. Everything that is presented is academic and well-written, but this boom function better as a history of the Amarna period than it does as a biography of Nefertiti specifically.
June 19, 2017
If you want to find out about Nefertiti, this is not the book. It is almost totally about the change of Gods and Akhenaten's family history. There is scant reference to the Sun Queen. Very disappointing.
May 7, 2021
It is very readable in large chunks, but in the end only someone who is truly interested in a complete (at that time) overview of the (possible) life of Nefertiti would read it all. Still, if you are that person, it is a good read.
June 22, 2022
Very readable book about the mysteries surrounding Nefertiti. Well-researched and documented but written for the general public. I liked the author did not make judgements about the culture since we are looking at a civilization thousands of years old. Any buff of Egyptology will enjoy this.
November 21, 2025
I really enjoyed learning about Nefertiti. There were a couple of chapters that were spell binding. Ans others that struggled to speak to me. But overall I feel to have leveled up on my knowledge of ancient Egypt due to reading this book.
March 27, 2017
Excellent. Well written and interesting
May 30, 2018
Not really about Nefertiti so much but when you don't have that much evidence of her life, that's fair enough. It was an interesting look at the Amarna period of the 18th Dynasty.
August 21, 2018
If you are interested in Egyptian history, Joyce Tyldesley paints wonderful pictures of those death for thousands of years. I have read 4 of her many books and loved them all.
October 12, 2018
I'm not quite sure why I picked up yet another book about the Amarna period, haha, but it's always interesting to get a refresher and to read more views about the "Nefertiti as Smenkhkare" theory.
December 6, 2018
Such an Excellent book about Queen Nefertiti, the heretic King Akhenaten, and Ancient Egypt! I highly recommend it!
July 23, 2019
A thoroughly researched, if a bit dry, look into the ancient world.
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May 9, 2022MUST READ
December 6, 2022
The historical narrative of the history of Egypt and its kings and queens, their religions, and their influence on the people around them.
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