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My Royal Story
Egyptská princezna
Píše se rok 1490 před naším letopočtem a Aša, dcera faraona Thutmose I. a pozdější královna starověkého Egypta Hatšepsut, si žije bezstarostným životem princezny u královského dvora v Thébách. Avšak jen do chvíle, než věšťba předpoví, že „mladá žena bude spásou Egypta“; tehdy se Aša zaplete do nepřehledné sítě intrik a nebezpečí...
128 pages, Unknown Binding
First published May 5, 2008
12 people are currently reading
1628 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 13, 2016
This is the second book I read in the "My Story" series, this time about an Egyptian princess's first-hand account of her time as the Pharaoh's daughter to her becoming the Queen of Egypt and all the hardships she had to face for being a woman.
It was definitely an interesting read. It kept me curious, wanting to know more, and since it wasn't a story or a character I've heard of before, it was undeniably a good historical learning tool as well. I've been to Egypt almost ten years ago, in fact, I was about Asha's age when I visited. I got to see the great pyramids, the mummies, the tombs and temples and all the other remains left from the pharaohs. I found it absolutely fascinating and humbling to stand in front of such a great and imposing man-made structure. To be able to witness all these strange beliefs, customs and traditions that made up the entire pharaoh culture was extremely interesting and thought provoking.
And this book took me back to that time I was in Egypt, and put everything I saw into this fictional/non-fictional historical scenario where I could see it all come to life for a few enjoyable moments.
It was definitely an interesting read. It kept me curious, wanting to know more, and since it wasn't a story or a character I've heard of before, it was undeniably a good historical learning tool as well. I've been to Egypt almost ten years ago, in fact, I was about Asha's age when I visited. I got to see the great pyramids, the mummies, the tombs and temples and all the other remains left from the pharaohs. I found it absolutely fascinating and humbling to stand in front of such a great and imposing man-made structure. To be able to witness all these strange beliefs, customs and traditions that made up the entire pharaoh culture was extremely interesting and thought provoking.
And this book took me back to that time I was in Egypt, and put everything I saw into this fictional/non-fictional historical scenario where I could see it all come to life for a few enjoyable moments.
May 25, 2025
When I have a screaming head and just need something easy to fight through the fog, very often I will turn to the 'My Story' series. It was one of my favourites when I was younger, and I'm still always happy to pick up new (to me) ones when I find them in charity shops. I do particularly like the subset of books that imagine the diaries of real historical figures as they are so often an imaginative way into what can be quite complex periods. I know very little about Hatshepsut, and so was intrigued to see what I might learn. The answer? Sadly, not very much.
Almost from the get-go, this felt very different in tone and style from the others in the series I've read, and it was quite jarring. While none of the books are written in the vernacular of the period in which they are set, all of them seem to carry an 'air' of the era about them. Not this one though. Contractions and modern language abound, with everything from Asha referring to her parents by the informal 'Mum and Dad' to her character being a parkour loving free spirit, and it just feels 'off'.
Similarly, the majority of the other 'royal' books follow a series of real events in a fictionalised way. But in this case, other than her raising from Princess to Queen all of the events seem to be entirely fictionalised. I can appreciate that there is very little solid evidence to pin down specific occasions about which to write, but again it just makes the whole thing feel like an outlier in the series. And coupled with the characterisation of Asha and the rest of the Court, it just made the whole thing so much more difficult to buy into.
One element where the pattern of these books has held up is the introducing a (usually but not always fictional) boy as a first crush, sibling or a close friend to act as a touchstone to the 'ordinary' world. I actually really liked the boy in this book, Rami, but he was criminally under-utilised. There was a great foundation for a sweet little relationship laid, but the structure of the book didn't give it the opportunity to really take off. And the name of the character was a bit misleading for someone who knows a smidge of Egyptian history (but clearly not enough) - his full first name is Ramses. So I was imagining this story would progress to his going from a simple artist's son to marrying Asha and becoming Ramses the Great. Ah well; upside, at least this boy was still alive at the end!
OK, so I'm far from the target audience for this book and, if I were 10 years old again and had picked this up... oh, who am I kidding, I would have still looked at it sideways because history was my 'thing' even back then. But if I were a different 10 year old I probably would have taken it at face value and really enjoyed it. But as an adult I wouldn't be using this one to introduce a child to the history, and so as not to dampen the effect of the others I probably wouldn't add it to a child's bookshelf at all.
Almost from the get-go, this felt very different in tone and style from the others in the series I've read, and it was quite jarring. While none of the books are written in the vernacular of the period in which they are set, all of them seem to carry an 'air' of the era about them. Not this one though. Contractions and modern language abound, with everything from Asha referring to her parents by the informal 'Mum and Dad' to her character being a parkour loving free spirit, and it just feels 'off'.
Similarly, the majority of the other 'royal' books follow a series of real events in a fictionalised way. But in this case, other than her raising from Princess to Queen all of the events seem to be entirely fictionalised. I can appreciate that there is very little solid evidence to pin down specific occasions about which to write, but again it just makes the whole thing feel like an outlier in the series. And coupled with the characterisation of Asha and the rest of the Court, it just made the whole thing so much more difficult to buy into.
One element where the pattern of these books has held up is the introducing a (usually but not always fictional) boy as a first crush, sibling or a close friend to act as a touchstone to the 'ordinary' world. I actually really liked the boy in this book, Rami, but he was criminally under-utilised. There was a great foundation for a sweet little relationship laid, but the structure of the book didn't give it the opportunity to really take off. And the name of the character was a bit misleading for someone who knows a smidge of Egyptian history (but clearly not enough) - his full first name is Ramses. So I was imagining this story would progress to his going from a simple artist's son to marrying Asha and becoming Ramses the Great. Ah well; upside, at least this boy was still alive at the end!
OK, so I'm far from the target audience for this book and, if I were 10 years old again and had picked this up... oh, who am I kidding, I would have still looked at it sideways because history was my 'thing' even back then. But if I were a different 10 year old I probably would have taken it at face value and really enjoyed it. But as an adult I wouldn't be using this one to introduce a child to the history, and so as not to dampen the effect of the others I probably wouldn't add it to a child's bookshelf at all.
February 28, 2021
This is the second book in the My Story series I've read. I grew up reading the Dear America and Royal Diaries book, and I have long looked forward to the chance to read some of the UK titles. I'll reserve my judgement on the overall series until I've read some more of them, but so far I'm a little disappointed.
Princess of Egypt follows the life of young Queen Hatsheput (Asha) as a young teenager, describing her daily life and the culture than surrounds her. Asha is set apart from the rest of the girls in the palace because she enjoys more masculine activities such as running. Later, Asha finds herself embroiled in palace intrigue.
While I appreciated the historical information scattered throughout the novel, I was disappointed by the format of the book itself. "Diary" is a term here used loosely. For the time period, it makes sense that Asha would be writing only once every few months, recapping things of note that have happened in recent weeks. However, this makes the diary entries feel more like chapters in a book than anything else, and these entries lack the interiority that is crucial to building up well-rounded characters in first-person novels. Asha is probably the most well-rounded character in the book, but we still get relatively little of her own emotions towards events. The other characters drift in and out of the story and are forgotten for long stretches at a time until they become relevant again, without even a mention of them in the meantime.
My biggest complaint with the novel is the use of modern slang and expressions. While this is a book for younger audiences, I don't think this level of "dumbing it down" was necessary, and for me, detracted from the book as a whole. I didn't feel immersed in the setting, because I kept getting pulled back to the present by the language. I have read plenty of these books, and the ones that use more "old-fashioned" language are generally the better ones, in my opinion.
Princess of Egypt follows the life of young Queen Hatsheput (Asha) as a young teenager, describing her daily life and the culture than surrounds her. Asha is set apart from the rest of the girls in the palace because she enjoys more masculine activities such as running. Later, Asha finds herself embroiled in palace intrigue.
While I appreciated the historical information scattered throughout the novel, I was disappointed by the format of the book itself. "Diary" is a term here used loosely. For the time period, it makes sense that Asha would be writing only once every few months, recapping things of note that have happened in recent weeks. However, this makes the diary entries feel more like chapters in a book than anything else, and these entries lack the interiority that is crucial to building up well-rounded characters in first-person novels. Asha is probably the most well-rounded character in the book, but we still get relatively little of her own emotions towards events. The other characters drift in and out of the story and are forgotten for long stretches at a time until they become relevant again, without even a mention of them in the meantime.
My biggest complaint with the novel is the use of modern slang and expressions. While this is a book for younger audiences, I don't think this level of "dumbing it down" was necessary, and for me, detracted from the book as a whole. I didn't feel immersed in the setting, because I kept getting pulled back to the present by the language. I have read plenty of these books, and the ones that use more "old-fashioned" language are generally the better ones, in my opinion.
July 30, 2015
Didn't seem particularly historically accurate... Did prove to be a pleasant read, however.
February 1, 2022
This book I have finished and it was apart of a challenge that I am doing this year. Now normally this book is not one that I would actively seek out, being for younger audiences, however I have found the book quite fascinating. Despite the fact it is clearly written for a younger audience, the idea of not knowing the ending left you wondering and reading more.
It was a book I did manage to finish surprisingly quickly, with only 3 hours required to read it cover to cover. I would say that people who are younger would most probably take longer to be able to read a book of such length.
The book itself spark an interest in me about Egyptian pharaohs as well as general customs that they have. I will definitely read more on the topic in the future, especially since this source of information does not give a clear indication as to where the sources for the book are. Despite this I would recommend it to anyone who is wondering what they could read about Egypt and it's history and values.
The Opet temple prophecy is coming true - a running girl is bringing prosperity at a time of difficulty. A young woman has proved to be the best of the Two Kingdoms. I've been greatly honored and blessed by Amun, and with his help I'll serve my country to make it a richer, more beautiful place.
It was a book I did manage to finish surprisingly quickly, with only 3 hours required to read it cover to cover. I would say that people who are younger would most probably take longer to be able to read a book of such length.
The book itself spark an interest in me about Egyptian pharaohs as well as general customs that they have. I will definitely read more on the topic in the future, especially since this source of information does not give a clear indication as to where the sources for the book are. Despite this I would recommend it to anyone who is wondering what they could read about Egypt and it's history and values.
The Opet temple prophecy is coming true - a running girl is bringing prosperity at a time of difficulty. A young woman has proved to be the best of the Two Kingdoms. I've been greatly honored and blessed by Amun, and with his help I'll serve my country to make it a richer, more beautiful place.
March 8, 2023
A pacey, well written narrative nonfiction that embellishes some aspects of history but also acknowledges our less than perfect account of past truths and facts nevertheless. This series is engaging and useful as alternative writing styled narratives that introduce curious young readers and lovers of story with the past and those who peopled it.
April 28, 2020
A good solid read and a good narrative to what life possibly may have been like in ancient times. It has a lot of informative facts for the reader to go off and gives a nice feminist account on royal life.
February 25, 2021
This story has good bones, but the writing is not very good. The way of speaking doesn't appeal to me, what I mean is that I don't think hatshepsut would have spoken like she does in this book. She would have probably had more class and refinement, at least in my head sure would.
April 10, 2023
Série Můj příběh je založen na skutečné události s fiktivní postavou.Ašu jsem si moc oblíbila,nebyla jako ostatní namyšlená dceruška,ale byla svá a originální.Sice se mi konec a jak to s ní dopadlo moc nelíbilo,ale věřím,že se s tím smířila.
June 14, 2018
Was the biggest reason i developed a love for history, ancient that is
March 12, 2020
Run of the mill. A paint by numbers storyline.
April 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and it's description of Egyptian life
July 16, 2022
The dialogue sounded like the characters were modern Brits, using slang and other words that I don’t think could be translated into Ancient Egyptian.
January 25, 2025
Absolutně nejoblíbenější knížka mého dospívání. Jestli máte doma puberťačku, kterou baví historie (nebo má jen ráda romantiku či silné ženské hrdinky), tohle jí rozhodně pořiďte!
March 24, 2020
No estuvo mal, pero tampoco fue un libro épico ni de lectura obligatoria si te gustan estos temas. Acababa de leer "la voz de Amunet" y necesitaba una especie de "libro-puente". Algo ligero que me ayudara en esa transición entre un libro denso sobre Egipto y en el que estuve tan metida, a otro de una temática completamente diferente. Este fue el libro perfecto, ágil, de fácil lectura, con una trama nada enrevesada e interesante, sin embargo, no me terminó de convencerme. Cumplió su función perfectamente, pero la historia me dejó algo fría. Los personajes no son nada memorables; la protagonista, en concreto no me gustó mucho y no creo que este bien hecha; tiene un rollo de feminismo muy mal hecho, con comentarios de que la mujer es superior al hombre o de que los hombres no son los únicos que tienen derecho a la diversión (y pone a mujeres nobles a correr porque a ella le gusta mucho el atletismo), no sé, me parecieron muy malos y totalmente inadecuados para un público joven, que imagino es a quién va dirigida está historia. De todos modos, cumplió su función y me entretuvo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2017
Super historically inaccurate, with flat characters and basically no plot.
November 12, 2012
This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.
July 3, 2016
This is the story of Asha who, at thirteen years of age, is daughter of one pharaoh, wife of a second and in a few months is destined to become the most powerful woman in Ancient Egypt. An enjoyable little read about courage and friendship.
December 26, 2010
Another 'My Story" novel - I didn't find it as good as some of the others I have read.
June 1, 2011
It was a great story about a girl called Asha, or knowen as Princess Hatshepsut.
December 1, 2012
Zrovna Egypt mě trochu zklamal...
Want to read
April 24, 2013I NEVER GOT TO READ IT BECAUSE THIS IS BEING VERY STUPID!!!
December 12, 2013
i think this book is better than bloody tower.
August 13, 2016
This was an interesting book. As a Christian, however, I did not agree with things that were talked about in the book. I did like the glimpse into Egyptian life here, though--that was interesting.
Want to read
February 17, 2014i
February 20, 2016
A diary of a year in the life of fourteen year old Hatshepsut (Asha) princess of Egypt 1490 BC. Another outstanding book in the my story series.
May 22, 2016
I really enjoy this series of books they are a great insight into world history but Im curious as to why the books about the monarchy are all based on female characters?
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews