RebeccaGood day dear readers. We are about to dive into our next read, and what an adventure we have in store! We are going to be adventuring in Ancient Egypt, while the new Pharaoh (king) and his queen turn Egypt upside down. I hope that ya’ll will enjoy this new journey. Be prepared for many pitfalls and dangers lurking….
Nefertiti and her sister Mutnodjmet are daughters of the Vizier Ay, one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. While they have been raised with the intention that one of them will marry the new pharaoh, their life to this point has been quiet and rather dull. But when the queen arrives to look over Nefertiti as a possible wife for her son, their family knows that everything is riding on this one meeting. If the queen should not like her, then the woman married to the prince now will become the next queen of Egypt, and this is something that Ay is very much against. His sister is the queen Tiye, and while he has some influence over the decision, they must tread carefully. Palace intrigue is something that the girls are not accustomed to.
While the queen seems pleased with the choice of Nefertiti, their move to the palace is fast. They must be there in time for the crowning of the prince as the new pharaoh, and make sure that Nefertiti takes his place as Chief Wife. If they lose this, then all is lost, and she will be relegated to just one of the many wives that he will take over the course of his reign. But the prince is not like his father. While the father was a warrior, the son is not. He prefers poetry and the searching out of a god that no one has given much credence to. He is determined to see a new god take over the main worship in the country, and this promises to make him some very powerful enemies. The priests of Amun hold a lot of land and power within the kingdom, and to defy them and their wishes is dangerous indeed.
Nefertiti seems to encourage Amunhotep in his plans, and while she is angling for the position of Chief Wife, gossip is already starting to swirl. But her father has a few tricks up his sleeve to ensure that people flock to Nefertiti and not Kiya. He is determined that his daughter will be on the throne of Egypt, and hopefully help steer the new pharaoh away from some of his more dangerous thoughts. Nefertiti however, has her own plan. Instead of moving Amunhotep away from the worship of Aten, she encourages it and together they talk about the building of temples and shrines. Together they are about to bring a new era into Egypt, and it will all start with their move to Memphis.
This week we are reading Prologue – Chapter 8
Questions:
- Mutnodjmet is only 13 and yet her father and sister rely on her to find information and bring it back to them. Is this a dangerous position to put her in?
- Nefertiti is not used to the court intrigue, but seems to be playing a dangerous game. Who should be giving her advice and council?
- Amunhotep seems to be playing off Nefertiti and Kiya against each other. Why do you think he continues to do so?
