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The Pharaoh's Cat

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Suddenly talking and walking upright, a stray tomcat in ancient Egypt becomes the young Pharaoh’s intimate and, when accused of his murder, time travels to New York City and learns how to raise him from the dead.

The cat is quick-witted, wisecracking narrator as well as free-spirited, ever-curious protagonist, and the story he tells is an exotic, imaginative, spell-binding tragicomedy. The novel interweaves feline and human, past and present, natural and supernatural. It contains numerous surprises, twists and turns, intriguing characters, both human and animal, fascinating revelations about ancient Egyptian history and culture.

While exploring a looted tomb in ancient Egypt, the cat is kicked in the ass by the Vizier, the Pharaoh’s uncle and the second in power only to him. Able to speak as a result, the cat immediately gives voice to his intelligence and sense of humor and captivates the young Pharaoh, making him laugh for the first time since his parents’ death. The cat becomes the Pharaoh’s constant companion and, at the royal palace and on a tour of Egypt, participates in the festivities, developing an insatiable appetite for good food, wine, and gossip. Gradually, he renews the Pharaoh’s ability to enjoy life and inspires him to become a stronger leader. The bond of selfless love they share will change Egypt’s destiny.

The cat has a good friend in the High Priest of the god Amun-Ra and seeks his help in solving the mystery of his human powers and the supernatural manifestations that plague him. He has a mortal enemy in the cat-kicking Vizier, who hates him for his close relationship with the Pharaoh. The Vizier eventually murders the Pharaoh and accuses the cat, who flees by time-traveling with the High Priest to New York City, where they find an ally in an Egyptologist’s daughter.

In New York, they go to an ancient Egyptian exhibit, end up in Central Park, then at a cathedral, and later retrieve a lost spell to revive the dead. They return to Egypt to revive the Pharaoh, but the spell fails to work till Bastet appears to ask the cat to give his life in return for the Pharaoh’s. He says yes, but Bastet only needed him to agree for the spell to work. The Pharaoh is resurrected, kills the Vizier in battle, then returns to the world above after making the High Priest pharaoh in his place.

he High Priest reigns for seven years with the cat at his side. A rebellion forces them to return to New York City, where they find Elena pregnant with the High Priest’s child. For her, only months have passed. The cat immediately senses that the child she carries is the Pharaoh reincarnated.

Maria Luisa Lang was born in Rome and lives in New York City. She has an art degree and is an amateur Egyptologist. The Pharaoh's Cat is her first novel. She has also published The Eye of Nefertiti, a second Pharaoh’s cat novel.

179 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2015

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Maria Luisa Lang

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,817 reviews633 followers
March 24, 2017
Maria Luisa Lang Presents THE PHARAOH'S CAT Series Giveaway
http://tometender.blogspot.com/2017/03/maria-luisa-lang-presents-pharaohs-cat.html
Meet Wrappa Hamen the cat who walks like a man, talks like a man
and has at least nine lives!
Maria Luisa Lang is offering TWO Two-Book Print Sets
International where allowed
Ends April 5, 2017 @11:59 PM


See ancient Egypt through the eyes of a magical cat, not your usual trek through history! Meet Wrappa-Hamen, transformed by magic, able to walk upright and speak and now the favorite pet of the great Pharaoh, Maat Ba and great friend of the powerful high priest. All is not catnip and fish though, he also has a bitter enemy, the Pharaoh’s uncle, and Vizier. This is Wrappa-Hamen’s “tail” told by him, as he gives full disclosure of his life and little mishaps, as well as his love for those around him.

Quirky, heart-warming and filled with both danger and misadventures, Maria Luis Lang has penned a gem of a tale that will bring a terrific escape when nothing less than pure humor and fun will do! From farting, blow up hippos to magical boats, Wrappa-Hamen is the perfect guide!

THE PHARAOH’S CAT is a delightful journey among the ancients with a magical and joyous ending that will leave you smiling! Who knew Egypt could be so light hearted and fun?

I received this copy from Maria Luisa Lang in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: November 28, 2016
Publisher: Maria Luisa Lang
Genre: Historical comedic fantasy
Print Length: 186 pages
Available from: AmazonBarnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Siobhan.
5,041 reviews595 followers
February 6, 2017
The Pharaoh’s Cat was a brilliant little read, one I thoroughly enjoyed. I know I have given it three stars, but I did have a massive internal debate about whether to give it three or four stars. Three stars won out in the end for a handful of reasons, which I will go on to explain shortly, but it was so close to being a four star read that I know many others will not hesitate to give it the four star rating.

The Pharaoh’s Cat is a very simple story, yet it has so much to it. It is more than a simple story of a cat: it’s about friendship and love, the impact actions can have on other people, and so many other messages pertaining to how your actions can change lives. These messages, however, are not screamed at you throughout: they’re interwoven into a wonderful storyline that mixes together historical fiction and magic, giving you a sweet little story that spans thousands of years.

Told from the perspective of the cat, The Pharaoh’s Cat is made up of many amusing moments. In both ancient Egypt and modern day New York, we get to watch as the mystery surrounding our walking talking cat is solved. Throughout, we encounter numerous interesting characters and watch many wonderful scenes unfold. It really does pull you in, leaving you unwilling to put the book down for any period of time. Being such a short read, it’s more than possible to complete this one in a single sitting.

Such is what dropped it down to three stars for me, though. Whilst it was a wonderful quick read, I felt as though it needed to be a little longer. I feel as though some of the events were glossed over, that things happened too quickly, and we didn’t quite get the connections with some of the characters as we could have due to the speed at which the story progressed. I wanted more of the world, I wanted to spend more time watching adorable scenarios unfold, and I wanted events to be more mysterious. As it was, things came in quick succession and there wasn’t quite the shock factor with certain events as there could have been. Yes, I enjoyed all that occurred; however, I would have liked the story to have been a bit longer to have provided a bit more depth.

Overall, though, it was a wonderful read. I had a lot of fun with it – and, as I said, it was very nearly a four star rating. It left me super excited to read the next book, leaving me with the belief that book two will easily earn a four star rating.

As a final note, I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review.
Profile Image for Sophia.
Author 5 books403 followers
May 12, 2018
What a fun, whimsical way to traipse through Ancient Egyptian history! I love that the whole story is told by a wry cat who is gifted with human traits from the cat goddess Bastet so he can help a young pharaoh be the ruler he needs to be.

The world of Ancient Egypt is captured well and the reader gets a feel for the life in the Pharaoh's court and among the commoners while Wrappa-Hamen the cat and his friend the Pharaoh move among the people. Wrappa-Hamen loves his friend the Pharaoh, but he also has a close friend in the High Priest of Ra, Gato-Hamen. The High Priest and the cat get a secondary story when they are magically transported to future NYC where they meet an Egypytologist's daughter, Elena.

The story's conflict comes from the court politics and intrigue caused by the pharaoh's Vizier who is ambitious and wants the throne for himself. I loved seeing Wrappa-hamen and the priest besting him and then having to face danger from the devious guy.

All in all, this was a fun and startling surprise. I expected to like it, but didn't realize just how much. The cat and the High priest were great companions and it was great seeing Ancient Egypt from a cat's eye view.
Profile Image for Lainy.
1,987 reviews72 followers
June 19, 2017
Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 182

Publisher - Self published

Blurb from Goodreads

The Pharaoh’s Cat, a tragicomic fantasy narrated in the present tense by the cat himself, tells of a free-spirited, wise-cracking stray in ancient Egypt who suddenly acquires human powers and immediately captivates the young Pharaoh, making him laugh for the first time since his parents’ death.

The cat becomes the Pharaoh’s constant companion and, at the royal palace and on a tour of Egypt, participates in the festivities, developing an insatiable appetite for good food, wine, and gossip. Gradually, he renews the Pharaoh’s ability to enjoy life and inspires him to become a stronger leader. The bond of selfless love they share will change Egypt’s destiny.

The cat has a good friend in the High Priest of the god Amun-Ra and seeks his help in solving the mystery of his human powers and the supernatural manifestations that plague him. He has a mortal enemy in the Vizier—the second most powerful man in Egypt--who hates him for his close relationship with the Pharaoh. The Vizier’s persecution of the cat ultimately results in his fleeing with the High Priest to present-day New York City, where they find an ally in an Egyptologist’s daughter.



My Review

A wee stray cat in Egypt suddenly finds himself able to talk and stand upright, saved from a horrible fate by the Pharaoh whilst making an enemy. Wrappa-Hamen (the cat) is the protagonist, whilst meeting the Pharaoh changes his life he in turn enriches the Pharaoh's waking him from his grief and embracing life and his role. The Vizier, the second most powerful man next to the Pharaoh is not pleased with Wrappa-Hamen's influence and his arrival kick starts a deadly change of events.

I have had this on my review tbr for a long time, I wish I had read it sooner, the cat would steal the show even if he wasn't the main character. He is sassy, funny, witty and brings joy and chaos to the realm stirring everything up. The Vizier is not a nice man, he had the Pharaoh where he wanted him, almost like a puppet, with the arrival of Wrappa-Hamen everything changes and the Pharaoh comes into his own. The book is about actions, choices, consequences and lives lessons without being done in a preachy manner. There is also a lot about Egyptian history, I have always been interested in it but never really gotten around to reading much, I did find myself putting the book down to google some things & will read further hopefully soon.

A heart warming story that covers a lot of ground, snippets of history, magic, relationships, lies, love, friendship, persecution and even some time travel. This book won't be loved by all however I thought it was really well done. A sweet tale with some moral lessons and the kitty is a cheeky wee thing with some flare, I found myself laughing at some of his quips! 4/5 for me this time, there is another book with this character that I will bump up my list, not too sure how it will go with how well rounded this one was was but I look forward to reading it. Thanks so much to the author for bringing this to my attention it is a wee gem of a book particularly if you like cats and something a bit different.

Profile Image for Christine.
728 reviews6 followers
September 3, 2017
This book really threw me for a loop. The idea of a cat gaining human powers in ancient Egypt is a great concept and his adventures that include time travel, romance, and war are equally entertaining. However, I strongly felt this would have worked better has a children's book. Whether that means an illustrated book like Where the Wild Things Are or a beginner's chapter book like the ones in the Magic Tree House series, the story seemed better suited to a younger crowd. The book is narrated entirely by a cat who has fairly tame adventures. Losing the adult language (which felt odd while reading anyway) and breaking the book into separate short stories for children makes more sense to me then finding this book in Barnes & Noble next to something like The Da Vinci Code in the adult fiction section.

First off, the book is narrated in the present tense. For me, that was a ding against the book because I just don't enjoy stories that are written this way. Beyond that, the story was way too simple to engage me. The characters are fairly basic and seem to be lumped into two categories: good character and bad character. Once they've been segregated into one of the two categories, their personalities and actions all felt identical with the exception of the cat who exhibited playful feline characteristics. And while the plot had potential, the story mechanically rambled on with no natural flow. Whatever any character needed or desired would magically appear to help move the story along so there really wasn't any sense that anything bad could happen in the book.

Though it's a short read, I can't recommend it because it was too simple for me to enjoy. I want to be engaged when I read and feel completely drawn into the story the author has created. With more development in terms of the characters and the plot, this book could transform into something great. At this point, however, the story is just not at the stage where I would want to recommend that someone add it to their "to-read" list.

*I received a free copy of this book for this review from the author.
Profile Image for Boundless Book Reviews.
2,242 reviews78 followers
March 21, 2017
Wrappa-Hamen is just a normal cat until he is given the special gift to talk and walk upright like a human. When this happens he becomes a close companion to the Pharaoh. At the side of his master, he goes on many adventures. He makes a great enemy in the Vizier and soon finds himself and his friend the High Priest fleeing to modern day New York. What happens next is another great adventure.

The first thing I want to say about this book is that it is very unique. I absolutely love cats. So when I saw this book I jumped at the chance to read it. It is written from the point of view of the cat and so you get to see a bit of a cat's view of the world. It also told an amazing historical story of Ancient Egypt. I really enjoyed this story. The characters, the storyline, and the history made this a very enjoyable read. It was sad and funny and something new and different. I look forward to reading more in the future.

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Profile Image for ♏ Gina☽.
904 reviews169 followers
June 2, 2019
I got so involved in this book from the very beginning that I set the other two I was reading aside and just read this one.

Wrappa-Hamen is your ordinary cat living in Egypt at the time of the Pharaohs. One day he is in one of the sacred tombs when a sacred voice speaks to him. At that point, he gains many human traits, including the ability to walk upright and to speak.

Also living at that time is an extremely unlikable, power-hungry man who happens to have much power in Egypt. When the Pharaoh takes Wrappa-Hamen as his own personal friend, this makes the Vizier extremely jealous of the attention the cat gets from the Pharaoh and he tries many times to undermine their relationship, and hoping to get rid of the special cat once and for all. When that fails time and time again, he decides instead to get rid of the Pharaoh. With the ensuing violence, Wrappa-Hamen and the only other human who loves him find instructions written on papyrus on how to time travel. They are thrust into the current time, and luckily find themselves in the home of the daughter of an Egyptologist. The two of them trying to understand current things, like cars and lights, is quite humorous, as is the cat's intense dislike for oatmeal.

The book is written from the viewpoint of the cat, which made me love it even more.

I do not want to spoil anything, but I will say this: the ending is unexpected and absolutely delightful and satisfying. I will read this one again.
95 reviews
February 28, 2017
This was a fun, unique book written in a simple, straight forward style that was easy to follow and well organized. The author weaves in ancient Egyptian culture and customs throughout the story. There are also wonderful descriptions of the landscapes and different settings. It is clear that the author did her research on ancient Egypt. The story moves from ancient Egypt to present day New York City and then back to ancient Egypt. Again, the author does a great job with the transitions in settings so it is clear to the reader where the story is taking place at all times.
The charming main character, Wrappa-Hamen, a cat with human characteristics, narrates his adventures. The author does an amazing job with this character. As I was reading, I never forgot he was a cat even though he sometimes acted like a human. His adventures and reactions to situations are light and humorous. Although the other characters in the story are interesting, I felt there could have been more to them. Wrappa-Hamen was so well developed and such a wonderful character, the others seemed to lack something.
This was an entertaining, short, light read that had a great pace. Although it wasn't a very deep book, the theme of friendship was woven throughout. This book would make a great gift to cheer up a friend, especially if that friend is a cat lover.
Profile Image for Amy (Lost in a Good Book).
718 reviews70 followers
September 2, 2015
Note: I was provided with a copy of this book from the author for review.

Lang's story is imaginative and unique, certainly quirky and a fun read. It is a sweet story filled with myth and magic and science fiction. There is time travel coupled with the mysticism of ancient Egyptian belief and practice and after you get used to the writing style and narrator you find yourself easily caught up in the story.

Told from the present tense point of view of Wrappa-Hamen, a cat, there is a strange perspective given initially which alludes to some things and describes different aspects of another based on how a cat may experience it. When Wrappa-Hamen is given human qualities by the cat goddess Bastet it expands his nature and experiences but Lang keeps his voice simple and instinctive, keeping the cat qualities while combining his new human abilities as well.

The relationship between Wrappa-Hamen and the Pharaoh is touching, and with the gifts bestowed on the cat means another element is provided, and manages to keep the story feeling genuine and not overly fanciful. The explanations provided tie in well with the Ancient Egyptian beliefs and doesn't require too much explanation to ground it and make it feel valid.

There are many surprises in the story, not just in narrative but in the depth and complexity Lang achieves from a story that is for the most part humorous, light, and whimsical. There is also a great exploration and expression of some of the roles and practices of the Pharaoh and Lang demonstrates various aspects of the ancient Egyptian culture nicely, while still keeping within the limits of a cat's perspective.

The characters are rounded, given assessments by Wrappa-Hamen as he interacts with them which helps bring them to life, but there are only a handful of key characters that get a lot of attention. With each adventure and misadventure, the trouble that arises and the strange places Wrappa-Hamen finds himself in demonstrates another side of various characters and at times adds another side to their character.

The ending is ideal, it is surprising, bittersweet, highly possible if you choose to believe it, and makes you realise things cannot always be as they were. With a sequel in the works, Lang provides a solid ending while also allowing new adventures to occur.

This is a story filled with comedy, love, hope, despair, loss, and friendship, set against the backdrop of Ancient Egypt and provides a little bit of magic alongside an inventive plot and the desires of a cat.Review to come.

A longer version of this review was published on my blog https://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/2...
Profile Image for Don Sloan.
114 reviews5 followers
November 8, 2015
Forget everything you thought you knew about the dusty old Pharaohs of ancient history. Wrappa-Hamen, the Pharoah's Cat, is here to make them come alive in a hilarious way you would not have thought possible before reading this excellent fantasy tale by Maria Luisa Lang.

When first we meet Wrappa-Hamen, he's getting his feline ass kicked -- literally -- by Caca-Mut, the Pharoah's uncle and Vizier -- the most powerful man in Upper Egypt, after the Pharoah, of course. Wrappa-Hamen has stumbled upon a sealed tomb and -- well, he is snooping to see if there isn't something more delectable to eat inside the tomb than mummified intestines -- yuck!

"You accursed cat," the Vizier yells. "I'll have your life!"

But, that's far from what happens as Wrappa-Hamen becomes the dearest friend and confidant of the boy-king, seventeen-year-old Pharoah Maat-Ba. The cat -- now acclaimed at court and magically able to converse and walk on two legs through the royal palace -- embarks on a series of misadventures that will leave your sides splitting, trying to take in the sheer audacity and imaginative scope of this author in bringing Wrappa-Hamen to life.

Wrappa-Hamen jumps from one unlikely situation to another as he travels the kingdom with the young Pharoah. He is accused of killing the sacred crocodile (true), deflating a huge hippopotamus (true), and emitting a large and noisome fart in the Pharoah's bedchamber (also true).

Throughout this incredible book, the reader is not only entertained by Wrappa-Hamen's antics. There is a wealth of rich history here, brought to life by a talented storyteller who is obviously also well-versed in the daily rituals and activities of ancient Egyptian customs and rituals.

At the Festival of the Harvest, Wrappa-Hamen averts his eyes as a young couple disrobe and make love in a wheatfield. in front of hundreds of festival-goers. The Pharoah explains that the mating ritual is necessary to ensure a good harvest. But Wrappa-Hamen is embarrassed. "I'm used to seeing cats do it," he reports, "but not humans."

Meanwhile, Wrappa-Hamen's old nemesis, the Vizier, keeps looking for ways to eliminate this new rival who has now become the Pharoah's dearest friend and traveling companion. Finally, he succeeds -- by performing an act so vile it threatens the very stability of Egypt itself.

To escape the Vizier's vengeance, Wrappa-Hamen joins the High Priest in a magical boat, and they are whisked through time and space to the twenty-first century and wind up in New York City. What happens there is truly amazing -- and it provides the perfect set-up for the satisfying ending to this terrific tale.

I award five stars to The Pharoah's Cat and can't wait to see more of this talented, gifted writer's work.
Profile Image for Marian Thorpe.
Author 17 books88 followers
November 20, 2015
The Pharaoh's Cat

Maria Luisa Lang definitely has a cat. Wrappa-Hamen, the feline narrator of The Pharaoh's Cat, can only have been written by someone who lives with, or has lived with, at least one cat.

Through the fulfillment of a goddess's decree from centuries before, Wrappa-Hamen gains the ability to talk, and to walk on his hind legs like a human. He becomes the companion of a lonely and sad young Pharaoh in ancient Egypt, accompanying him on his travels, sharing his meals, and sleeping on his bed. The evil Vizier, who has overseen the upbringing of the young Pharaoh, hates cats; the High Priest does not.

The Pharaoh's Cat is a light-hearted adventure, set primarily in ancient Egypt, and an accurate if superficial portrayal of Egyptian mythology. Superficial is not a criticism here; any deeper discussion or description would have been inappropriate. Lang has a gift for writing amusing vignettes of life, and the first half of the book primarily consists of these vignettes, the plot moving along somewhat slowly. Suddenly the pace changes, and elements are introduced that are unexpected.

Lang's writing is competent and flows well, keeping the same light tone throughout the book. Dialogue is realistic (assuming you can accept a talking cat, that is) but not complex, which is also true of the characters. They remain slightly two-dimensional, with Wrappa-Hamen showing the most development over the course of the story. The plot requires a fair bit of suspension of disbelief; it is a world where gods have real power and presence, and incantations, done properly, work, but this is not high fantasy that takes itself seriously. It's fun.

Overall I am rating the book 3.5/5 (see how I review and rate books at http://marianlthorpe.com/2015/11/19/h...) and would recommend it to any fantasy fan who enjoys a light-hearted, quick read. There's a sequel coming out; I will be looking for it.

Review by Goodreads Author Marian Thorpe: Empire's Daughter by Marian L. Thorpe

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions here are mine alone.
Profile Image for Angie.
212 reviews33 followers
February 1, 2017
originally posted at http://readaholiczone.blogspot.com/

First, I want to thank the author for giving me a copy of this book to review. I was sceptical at first since The Pharaoh’s Cat it did not fit into any genre that I would usually read but I am so happy that I accepted and will be rereading this book far into the future. You do not have to have an interest in Egypt or even cats for that matter, all you need is to be eager for a brilliant read. Second, I do not find it necessary in my review to recap the blurb or give away parts of the book, just to review about the author's writing ability.

One thing that is a constant throughout is humor. So if you only like drab books, this one is not for you. The humor, mostly comes from the book's narrator, Wrappa-Hamen, a cat. Therefore, the prose is smooth and flows nicely. The plot is overflowing with events so that as a reader, there is never a dull moment. The adventures are non-stop and I assure you will never guess what is going to happen next everything fits perfectly into the story even the time travel as strange it seems. Whereas, things can be learned from this book such as who some of the Egyptian gods are and what they do, a sneak peek into the daily life in Egypt, and some of the rituals. Mostly this is a fun loving book that I could only find much wrong with but there is one part. That is when Wrappa-Hamen lost consciousness from being out in the snowy cold. I could not make sense of that. One last thing, I know you are not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but we all do it. The cover does not reflect how good the book is. It is a short book yet, you are not left wondering anything, but there is a sequel on the way!

If you read this review get a copy of this book to read, you will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Kim at Divergent Gryffindor.
495 reviews151 followers
November 16, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Pharaoh's Cat is an entertaining tale of ancient Egypt, told in the perspective of a cat who was given the ability to walk and talk like a human being. When the Pharaoh saw Wrappen-Hamen the cat, he was immediately entertained and was able to laugh after many years of not doing so. As a result, Wrappen-Hamen was brought to court and lived under the Pharaoh's protection. Although Wrappen-Hamen possess some abilities of human beings, he is still mostly a cat, and this is what makes the story unique and amusing.

For the first half of the book, I really like the tone of it. It was light and enjoyable, and it has humor in it. For those of you who have ever been curious about what your pets are thinking of, I think this book would be entertaining to you. Wrappen-Hamen often gets into trouble, but he's clever enough to always get himself out of it. He's also clever enough to dupe his enemy, Cata-Mut into crazy situations.

However, for the latter part of the book, I became a bit bored and I just wanted to finish the book. I was really surprised that there is time-travel in this novel, and at that point I was confused about its connection to the whole story. However, I'm glad that the author was able to wrap it all up together nicely in the end. What I'm trying to say is that there is a connection to everything after all.

I was actually prepared to give The Pharaoh's Cat 4 stars in the beginning, but unfortunately, I didn't like the second half as much as I enjoyed the first half, so I found it only fair to reduce 1 star from my rating. Anyway, even though I didn't enjoy the second half, I still recommend this for those looking for a unique, interesting read.
Profile Image for Susan Barton.
Author 6 books94 followers
July 22, 2015
Wrappa-Hamen lives an interesting life. He spends his days hanging out with the Pharaoh, being tickled by pretty servant girls, stuffing his face with delicious delicacies and licking his private parts. Wrappa-Hamen is a cat and he’s the only one capable of bringing the Pharaoh out of his depression after the loss of his beloved parents. Together, Pharaoh and Wrappa-Hamen while away the days sharing laughs and adventures, much to the dismay of the jealous Vizier who tries on several occasions to get rid of Wrappa-Hamen and the Pharaoh. After the Vizier’s evil plan succeeds, Wrappa-Hamen and High Priest, Gato-Hamen, embark on several new adventures of their own.

I read the previous reviews with a certain amount of skepticism. Laughed out loud? Non-stop hilarity? But I’m happy to say I can certainly agree. I did laugh out loud – several times. The author’s sense of humor comes across wonderfully. The taxi ride scene was a hoot.

It’s clear Maria Luisa Lang knows a great deal about ancient Egypt. Her writing is witty, clever and easy to read. She’s expertly introduced conflict, humor, history, romance, time travel, suspense and a number of other elements into The Pharaoh’s Cat.

I fell in love with this book. As I read, I was vaguely reminded of Puss In Boots, and an indirect comparison is indeed mentioned briefly at one point. Yet, The Pharaoh’s Cat still manages to be quite a unique “animal as helper” tale. It’s certainly unlike anything I’ve read before. I highly recommend this book!


http://ebookreviewgal.com received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Shane Jardine.
184 reviews15 followers
December 5, 2015
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love cats, so it probably shouldn’t be a surprise that I found Maria Luisa Lang’s The Pharaoh’s Cat to be a charming and entertaining story. It’s not often you find a book told from the point of view of an animal that isn’t aimed at children, and the few I have found over the years quickly lost their charm. The Pharaoh’s Cat didn’t however, I loved and laughed from beginning to end. Wrappa-Hamen is exactly how I picture every bipedal talking cat in ancient Egypt.

Normally this isn’t the type of book I would read, but I had to know exactly what a cat in ancient Egypt could get up to. Apparently it’s a lot. The adventure never seems to stop for Wrappa-Hamen and the young Pharaoh he meets and drags along behind him the entire time. It is through Wrappa-Hamen that the young Pharaoh learns to laugh again, all while becoming the leader his people deserve.

While I enjoyed this story quite a bit, and it really did have me laughing throughout the entire book, there were a couple things that disappointed me. First and foremost was that the story was so light on Egyptian Mythology, if I’m reading about ancient Egypt I usually like to see a bit more of it. The only other thing I could complain about would be the length — I wish it had been longer, though to be honest, I wish this about any book I read, no matter the length

I will definitely read this book again, and will be keeping an eye on this author in the future, she can only get better!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Josselyn Radillo.
283 reviews7 followers
August 4, 2015
this review was originally posted at
chapterfive.wix.com/chapter5

Who would have thought that ancient Egypt could be funny? Well, this novel is going to become one of your favorites. It tells a story so beautifully while being a really fast read. I flew through the pages even thou I’m not a cat person.

The Pharaoh’s Cat tells the story of the Pharaoh having his first laugh after his parents passed away with the cat while touring Egypt. Oh the best thing it is the Cat POV we are reading, so you get the feeling you are the one spending time with him and the crazy problems he gets into trouble and tries to extract from them.
The hippo-skin mattress was one of my favorites scene I was literally LMAO, not kidding it’s so hilarious and comical you don’t feel the time passing by. This is a book you really need to read and I think there’s a possibility for a sequel. The story is amazingly told, and you learn about ancient Egypt. Maria Luisa Lang did a great job keeping me turning pages and the humor is virtually non-stop, the underlying story is very touching.
Overall, The Pharaoh’s Cat is a great for long-time fans of cats or for readers looking for a good and fun read. It extremely shows the tale of a bond between a man and a cat that not even death can sunder with comical situations.
Profile Image for Jessica Bronder.
2,015 reviews31 followers
October 1, 2015
Wrappa-Hamen is a stray cat in ancient Egypt. We start the story with someone very unhappy that Wrappa-Hamen cannot catch mice. We follow him through the streets to a tomb and into the hands of the Pharaoh. The young Pharaoh has been very depressed since the loss of his parents. His uncle, the Vizier is trying to rule Egypt until the boy is ready. He is not happy with Wrappa-Hamen and tries several times to get rid of him.

Through Wrappa-Hamen’s adventures and antics the Pharaoh starts to laugh and become the young man to rule Egypt. But there is more to Wrappa-Hame than just his ability to walk upright, speak, and eat human food. There is an ancient story that mirrors Wrappa-Hame’s own. Wrappa-Hame becomes friends with the High Priest of Amun-Ra to learn more about himself.

I loved this story. Maria Luisa Lang has definitely done lots of research on ancient Egypt. I felt right there while following on his adventures. Being an official crazy cat lady just made this story better since it is told from Wrappa-Hame’s perspective. Although this makes the book seem a little choppy it is exactly like following a cat around with how their attention seems to be in ten places at once.

This is a great story and anyone from any age will enjoy it.

I received The Pharaoh’s Cat from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Bella.
52 reviews
September 16, 2015
(I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.)

You know, it’s not every day that you read a book narrated by a cat, which made The Pharoah’s Cat fun and different. Our fuzzy narrator was funny, and the story mixed in very feline details that were just hysterical; especially if you’ve ever had a cat.

The story was rushed in some places and then meandered in others, making a very uneven pace, but was overall charming in its way and make for a quick, easy read. I also found that the ending was a nice touch. 4 Fireballs.
Profile Image for LiteratureIsLife.
236 reviews2 followers
March 5, 2017
Read this review (and others) at: https://literatureislife.com/2017/03/...

The Pharaoh’s Cat and its sequel, the Eye of Nefertiti, were sent to me complementary by the author for a pair of honest reviews.

This book is a fun little story about a talking cat in ancient Egypt and his best friend the Pharaoh. The historical references are not too detailed so anyone could follow that aspect of the book easily enough. Most of the references do with Egyptian mythology but stick to its more well-known areas. I knew the references thanks to Rick Riordan’s The Kane Chronicles so it is nothing too complex.

Wrappa-Hamen, the talking cat protagonist, is pretty much what I would expect if cats could really talk. He has a good heart, but tends to unintentionally cause trouble as he constantly tries to get food and avoid doing things he considers too much work. He also intentionally causes his fair share of trouble as well. The key good guys are the Pharaoh and the High Priest. While the Pharaoh is Wrappa-Hamen’s beloved companion, the High Priest is more of a friend and advisor. And of course, there is the evil Vizier. Forever following the unwritten rule that Vizier’s must be evil in stories such as these.

One thing I did not like about the book is that it felt too short. That is not to say the story needed more content overall. It felt like The Pharaoh’s Cat did not have enough meat on its bones. Things are not quite fast paced enough to feel rushed, but with more details added in the book could have been another 100 pages and it would have been fine. Some of the magical phenomenon are accepted quickly by the “normal” characters and certain events are more summarized than explained.

It is nice to see a fantasy book where the presence of magic is not overdone. Beyond Wrappa-Hamen being able to walk and talk, the presence of magic is subtle. Not every fantasy book needs wizards casting Magic Missile at the darkness; a small touch of magic here and there is still enough to give the story what it needs. Ultimately it was the short length of the book that made me decide on 3 stars instead of 4, but I like to think of The Pharaoh’s Cat as more of a 3.5 (if only the rating system would allow that). It was exciting enough to make me look forward to the sequel, which I will be reviewing next.
Profile Image for Crystal.
1,098 reviews28 followers
February 9, 2017
When a stray cat in ancient Egypt is abused by the Vizier in a pyramid, the goddess Bastet reacts. Now with human like qualities including the ability to walk and talk, Wrappa-Hamen becomes the favored of the Pharaoh and is under his protection. The two become fast friends and the Vizier does not like that he is not as close to the Pharaoh as he once was. As the two have many adventures, Wrappa-Hamen begins to notice things that the Pharaoh doesn’t about the Vizier, including his attitude, treatment of others, and overall jealousy. When the Pharaoh is murdered, the Vizier accuses Wrappa-Hamen and attempts to arrest him. With the help of an inventor, who is also the High Priest Wrappa-Gato, Wrappa-Hamen escapes. Now in a different time, can Wrappa-Gato and Wrappa-Hamen figure out what happened and how to fix it?

When I told my boyfriend I was reading this book and what it was about, he was a little concerned. You see, I have been fascinated with Ancient Egypt from the time I was a kid. I spend most days with the tv on watching documentaries about anything to do with that time in History. I know a lot about that time frame, which means I look for historical accuracy. He felt that I wouldn’t be able to suspend reality enough to get behind and review fairly this book. He was so wrong! I was excited reading this! You have a smart mouth being who is both cat and human, various gods, including Bastet, pharaoh’s, priests, etc. Besides, the writing is so good, I couldn’t stop reading. I needed to know what happened next. By the way, if you want to know where the cat and high priest end up when they flee (and you should), check this book out. It’s really good and I can’t wait to get started on the next one.
Profile Image for Giorgiana.
93 reviews9 followers
June 28, 2017
First, I wish to thank Maria for sending me a copy of her first book, along with the sequel, named The Eye Of Neferiti. Both books can be read as stand-alone.

As you already read in the description, the story is narrated by a cat called Wrappa-Hamen. At first, the cat was hated for the fact that it didn’t catch any mouse, but soon it was gifted with the abilities of talking, walking at a human and enjoying all the things that human does. All this so it can entertain the King of the Egypt, Pharaoh. Soon after that, everybody started to love Wrappa-Hameb, except for The Vizier, who would do anything to kill the cat.

At first I was sceptical about the book, because it isn’t one of my favorite genres and, to be honest, the cover isn’t that interesting( I know I shouldn’t judge it), but after I read a few pages, I realised how wrong I was. I felt so good reading all the trouble that the cat had to deal with. I felt every emotion that Maria wanted her cat to transmit to us.

Also, I must say that the description are way too well done. Every room, every street or every building she would describe, I would imagine( hopefully) exactly as she intended to. I felt that I was in Egypt and then, later, in New-York.

To all the genres from above, I must add Comedy. I really had a great time and found myself smiling at Wrappa-Hamen’s stories. You must read this book if you wish to smile a little to much.

Now that I’ve finish it, I must start the sequel, The eye of Neferiti, which I expect to be as good as this one.
Profile Image for Jay Odd.
56 reviews49 followers
August 11, 2017
Oh wow, I loved this book! This is indie writing at its best. The Pharaoh’s Cat is a fantasy adventure with a sci-fi twist. A standard length book of 178 pages, this feels like a super-quick read and is a breeze to chomp through.

I’m not going to say too much because the blurb tells you all you need to know really. The Pharaoh’s Cat is often hilarious, made me cry on three occasions and is just pure, heartfelt goodness throughout.

I highly recommend it to readers of any genre as I’m sure all will find many things to love about this unique “tail”. I should point out that cats and pyramids are two of my favourite things, but that doesn’t make this a biased review 😉

I don’t always give star ratings for books, but The Pharaoh’s Cat definitely deserves a 5/5. I’m sad that the book has ended, but luckily I can now move on to The Eye of Nefertiti! Look out for a review coming soon.

https://examiningtheodd.com/2017/07/2...
Profile Image for Jadelynn .
47 reviews
dnf
September 1, 2025
I forced myself to read through the first chapter to give it a chance. It was pointless; my opinion didn’t change from what it was since the first paragraph of the book.

The present tense writing was my first red flag. However, I gave it the benefit of the doubt that I just wasn’t used to present tense. But, it’s not just that. The book is poorly written, like it was written by a child—if I read some of my elementary school stories it’d probably sound just about the same. It’s incredibly choppy and abrupt which gives a tense emotional response and a feeling of haste. Which would be fine in certain parts of a book when that feeling is intentional, but nothing of haste is actually happening.

The premise sounds fun. I love cats and reading books from the cat’s perspective. The idea of pharaohs, Egyptian cats, gods, magic, and time travel, all really cool. I just think this book needs to go through a lot of work and rewriting.
Profile Image for Jan.
447 reviews15 followers
August 21, 2017
A stray cat suddenly becomes able to stand on its hind legs and speak. Apparently this transformation fulfills an old prophecy. The cat becomes the Pharoah's beloved companion and good friends with the High Priest. The evil Vizier To save the cat, the High Priest somehow transports them to modern-day New York, and the person who observes their arrival acts and sounds like a moron. And that is when I got irritated and quit.

This reads like it was written by an 8th grader. Maybe that was the intention? At any rate, you can read one sentence of every page and not miss a thing. It's choppy and does not make a whole lot of sense. Yes, it's cute, and yes, it is about loyalty and friendship. These laudable qualities do not make it a good read.
114 reviews
November 24, 2024
Actually, 3 & 1/2 Stars

I'd tried to read this book once previously, and just wasn't in the mood for it. This time, however (perhaps because right now I'm trying to hide from real life in general) the fantasy/time travel and several comic aspects appealed to me. At any rate, I found it interesting and amusing, although it felt somehow...abbreviated? As though much of the story, although detailed in the description of the many comic mishaps of the humanzied talking cat, Wrappa-Hamen, was lacking in similar detail elsewhere in the story.

At any rate, on this go-round, I enjoyed the book, albeit in a mild way.
34 reviews
September 7, 2024
I loved this book so much. Not usually much on the historical aspect of a book but the lessons in Egyptian mythology was very interesting. And a cat that walks and talks! What more can you ask for. The love he has for the young Pharoah is touching. His friendship with the High Priest is fun and the troubles he gets into are hilarious. Not gonna lie. A couple places made me cry but over all a very interesting book. On to book 2 soon.
671 reviews7 followers
October 5, 2024
The Pharaohs Cat

This is a unique story told by a cat. This cat was changed by a spell to become the best friend and companion of the Egyptian Pharaoh. On the Pharaoh's death, he and the High Priest time travel to New York City in modern times. It is is a funny, exciting, and very well written book. I have already purchased book two to continue the story. Join me in a great few hours of entertainment!
Profile Image for Janet.
304 reviews6 followers
December 2, 2024
cute and funny

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about an ordinary cat who gets kicked in the behind and finds himself suddenly able to talk and walk upright. He becomes a pet and confidant of Pharaoh Maat-Ba and has all sorts of interesting adventures which include the High Priest Gato-Hamen, as they endeavor to stop the wicked plans of the evil Grand Vizier. The observations of the cat, Wrappa-Hamen, are sharp, to the point, and full of pathos as well. I look forward to the next book.
396 reviews4 followers
December 4, 2024
This is a fictional story about a stray cat who befriends a Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt. The cat tells the story from his viewpoint. He befriends the Pharaoh and the High Priest, much to the consternation of the Vizier. The Vizier is the uncle of the Pharaoh but has designs on the power the Pharaoh has. There is time traveling involved with this story, so if you like books that are fantastical, this is the book for you.
119 reviews2 followers
September 30, 2025
I gave this book five stars because I liked it from the start. I usually do not read many time travel or magic books, but this one piqued my interest due to the Ancient Egypt component. Basically, a short story of 182 pages, the characters - Cat, Pharoh. High Priest and Elena - came across as real people and a cat. It is a story of friendship and love that can transform people and events. It allows for Hope and Light when all seems hopeless and dark. We need this in our world today!
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