What do you think?
Rate this book
Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth
Two celebrated Egyptologists bring to vivid life the intriguing and controversial reign of King Tut’s parents
Akhenaten has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world’s first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled. The gold funerary mask of his son Tutankhamun and the painted bust of his wife Nefertiti are the most recognizable artifacts from all of ancient Egypt. But who are Akhenaten and Nefertiti? And what can we actually say about rulers who lived more than three thousand years ago?
November 2022 marks the centennial of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun and although “King Tut” is a household name, his nine-year rule pales in comparison to the revolutionary reign of his parents. Akhenaten and Nefertiti became gods on earth by transforming Egyptian solar worship, innovating in art and urban design, and merging religion and politics in ways never attempted before. Combining fascinating scholarship, detective suspense, and adventurous thrills, Egypt’s Golden Couple is a journey through excavations, museums, hieroglyphic texts, and stunning artifacts. From clue to clue, renowned Egyptologists, John and Colleen Darnell, reconstruct an otherwise untold story of the magnificent reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.
Akhenaten has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world’s first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled. The gold funerary mask of his son Tutankhamun and the painted bust of his wife Nefertiti are the most recognizable artifacts from all of ancient Egypt. But who are Akhenaten and Nefertiti? And what can we actually say about rulers who lived more than three thousand years ago?
November 2022 marks the centennial of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun and although “King Tut” is a household name, his nine-year rule pales in comparison to the revolutionary reign of his parents. Akhenaten and Nefertiti became gods on earth by transforming Egyptian solar worship, innovating in art and urban design, and merging religion and politics in ways never attempted before. Combining fascinating scholarship, detective suspense, and adventurous thrills, Egypt’s Golden Couple is a journey through excavations, museums, hieroglyphic texts, and stunning artifacts. From clue to clue, renowned Egyptologists, John and Colleen Darnell, reconstruct an otherwise untold story of the magnificent reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 1, 2022
About the author
John Coleman Darnell
10 books48 followersAlso credited as: John Darnell, John C. Darnell, John and Colleen Darnell
John and Colleen Darnell are a husband-and-wife Egyptologist team. They have presented on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic, the Science Channel, and Smithsonian, as well as appeared in National Geographic’s “Lost Treasures of Egypt.”
John is Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Yale University. His archaeological expeditions in Egypt have been covered by the New York Times. In 2017, his Eastern Desert expedition discovered the earliest monumental hieroglyphic inscription and was named one of the top ten discoveries of the year by Archaeology.
Colleen teaches art history at the University of Hartford and Naugatuck Valley Community College; she has curated a major museum exhibit on Egyptian revival art and design at the Yale Peabody Museum.
John and Colleen Darnell are a husband-and-wife Egyptologist team. They have presented on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic, the Science Channel, and Smithsonian, as well as appeared in National Geographic’s “Lost Treasures of Egypt.”
John is Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Yale University. His archaeological expeditions in Egypt have been covered by the New York Times. In 2017, his Eastern Desert expedition discovered the earliest monumental hieroglyphic inscription and was named one of the top ten discoveries of the year by Archaeology.
Colleen teaches art history at the University of Hartford and Naugatuck Valley Community College; she has curated a major museum exhibit on Egyptian revival art and design at the Yale Peabody Museum.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
July 9, 2022
King Tut (Tutankhamun ) is a household name and November 2022 marks the centennial of the discovery of his tomb. His parents, Akhenaten and Nefertiti were viewed as Gods on Earth due to their transformation of solar worship, innovations in art and urban design, impact on culture, religion, and politics.
This one took me some time to get through as there is a lot to absorb. I have always been interested and in ancient Egypt: the pharaohs, pyramids, artifacts, history, and the way of life, so I thought I would love this book. There were parts that were immensely interesting and informative and others that had me wondering how is this entirely a nonfiction history book with the opening chapter sections which tell scenes/imagined scenes from the character's lives? I know these were added to give readers insight into life back then, but for some reason, I didn’t care for them.
The authors know their stuff and have done a lot of research throughout their careers. While some might find the imagined scenes interesting and worthwhile, they hindered my enjoyment of the book. Don't get me wrong, this is still a worthwhile read especially those who are interested in Egyptology.
Well researched, interesting, and informative.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
This one took me some time to get through as there is a lot to absorb. I have always been interested and in ancient Egypt: the pharaohs, pyramids, artifacts, history, and the way of life, so I thought I would love this book. There were parts that were immensely interesting and informative and others that had me wondering how is this entirely a nonfiction history book with the opening chapter sections which tell scenes/imagined scenes from the character's lives? I know these were added to give readers insight into life back then, but for some reason, I didn’t care for them.
The authors know their stuff and have done a lot of research throughout their careers. While some might find the imagined scenes interesting and worthwhile, they hindered my enjoyment of the book. Don't get me wrong, this is still a worthwhile read especially those who are interested in Egyptology.
Well researched, interesting, and informative.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 22, 2024DNF 13%
I might come back to this but I doubt it.
I wanted something that gave me facts- or as close to facts as we have at the moment. You know, what archeologists have found over the years and when, and what do we know about Akhenaten and Nefertiti's reign? What's the best guess about this famous ancient couple? How do other Egyptologists think it all went down and how does that differ (if at all) from what you think?
But the authors seem to be trying their hands at giving the reader a bit of historical fiction and have inserted storyline "scenes".
The one that stuck out to me was the queen getting pregnant by her god-husband. What?
You obviously know that nothing that happened in said scene is based in reality and it's just a way to engage the reader and put them in ancient Egypt, but I find this kind of thing annoying. I just want to learn something and you're dragging it out with some sort of might-have-been fairytale.
Blech.
I might come back to this but I doubt it.
I wanted something that gave me facts- or as close to facts as we have at the moment. You know, what archeologists have found over the years and when, and what do we know about Akhenaten and Nefertiti's reign? What's the best guess about this famous ancient couple? How do other Egyptologists think it all went down and how does that differ (if at all) from what you think?
But the authors seem to be trying their hands at giving the reader a bit of historical fiction and have inserted storyline "scenes".
The one that stuck out to me was the queen getting pregnant by her god-husband. What?
You obviously know that nothing that happened in said scene is based in reality and it's just a way to engage the reader and put them in ancient Egypt, but I find this kind of thing annoying. I just want to learn something and you're dragging it out with some sort of might-have-been fairytale.
Blech.
Read
November 1, 2022I took this and another biography of a historical person for reading on a cross-country journey, which is perfect for this sort of leisurely reading.
Though I am ignorant of Egyptian history, even I am familiar with Nefertiti, copies of whose graceful head bust were popular when I was a kid, and also with Akhenaten, whose strange depictions sometimes put him out there as a slouching dweeb--even as a woman--as well as the usual extravagantly male carvings we usually see.
I found myself impressed by the breadth of knowledge on display here, as the Darnells slowly develop their theory about why Akhenaten did what he did--resulting in his being erased from history, along with his gorgeous wife and family, for nearly three thousand years.
The key is a total revamping of Egypt's religious expression, which appears after the king's death to have disturbed his successors enough for that erasure: Akhenaten seems to have transformed the pantheon of gods into worship of a single sun god, embodied in the king himself.
The proof is what makes the story come alive, rather than the little bits of fiction that precede each chapter. I applaud the authors' attempt to try to breathe life into these remote figures, but they succeed only in proving that scholars are not necessarily novelists--compare these awkward bits to the children's historical novel Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvid McGraw, who was not an Egyptologist, but whose tale utterly absorbed me when I was in grade school.
These bits of scene offered here are less convincing than the precise descriptions of art, tombs, hieroglyphics, and other evidence from the period. But those bits are the real meat of the book, full of rich imagery, and fascinating tidbits like how rock was quarried and brought to the enormous monuments to the eternity of the gods, how human figures in that easily recognizable style were measured, etc. Equally fascinating are the authors' explications for why kings and queens were sometimes depicted with gender transformation--everything was symbolism.
What emerges is a sense of a long-lived culture in which the sacred lived and breathed through every aspect of everyday life. So of course a magnificent effort must be made to express that sense of awe, gratitude, caution, and reverence in art.
I really enjoyed the sheer nerddom here, and the picture it builds.
Though I am ignorant of Egyptian history, even I am familiar with Nefertiti, copies of whose graceful head bust were popular when I was a kid, and also with Akhenaten, whose strange depictions sometimes put him out there as a slouching dweeb--even as a woman--as well as the usual extravagantly male carvings we usually see.
I found myself impressed by the breadth of knowledge on display here, as the Darnells slowly develop their theory about why Akhenaten did what he did--resulting in his being erased from history, along with his gorgeous wife and family, for nearly three thousand years.
The key is a total revamping of Egypt's religious expression, which appears after the king's death to have disturbed his successors enough for that erasure: Akhenaten seems to have transformed the pantheon of gods into worship of a single sun god, embodied in the king himself.
The proof is what makes the story come alive, rather than the little bits of fiction that precede each chapter. I applaud the authors' attempt to try to breathe life into these remote figures, but they succeed only in proving that scholars are not necessarily novelists--compare these awkward bits to the children's historical novel Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvid McGraw, who was not an Egyptologist, but whose tale utterly absorbed me when I was in grade school.
These bits of scene offered here are less convincing than the precise descriptions of art, tombs, hieroglyphics, and other evidence from the period. But those bits are the real meat of the book, full of rich imagery, and fascinating tidbits like how rock was quarried and brought to the enormous monuments to the eternity of the gods, how human figures in that easily recognizable style were measured, etc. Equally fascinating are the authors' explications for why kings and queens were sometimes depicted with gender transformation--everything was symbolism.
What emerges is a sense of a long-lived culture in which the sacred lived and breathed through every aspect of everyday life. So of course a magnificent effort must be made to express that sense of awe, gratitude, caution, and reverence in art.
I really enjoyed the sheer nerddom here, and the picture it builds.
November 6, 2022
Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth
by John Coleman Darnell Colleen Manassa Darnell
I have always been interested in this time period of Egyptian history and have read plenty of articles and books about this duo but this book was by far the easiest to understand and enjoy. Since this November celebrates the 100 year anniversary of finding King Tut's tomb and this book will be published. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this informative and amazing book!
The book begins with their parents and then later how our young couple probably met or matched. How extremely beautiful Nefertiti was and a good description of Akhenaten too, not so beautiful. For many of the ceremonies, instead of just telling the reader what would happen, the authors made it more fictional. Describing it as if the couple was getting united/married, or a Holy ceremony, and etc. It made the scenes more realistic and helped it stick in my mind.
There was a lot of accomplishments back then. Fascinating life style. Intriguing religious beliefs. Even everyday life was very interesting. Lots of details and all richly satisfying!
I lingered reading this book. I really didn't want it to end. I usually zip through a book but I want to savor living in the Egyptian past for just a bit longer.
by John Coleman Darnell Colleen Manassa Darnell
I have always been interested in this time period of Egyptian history and have read plenty of articles and books about this duo but this book was by far the easiest to understand and enjoy. Since this November celebrates the 100 year anniversary of finding King Tut's tomb and this book will be published. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this informative and amazing book!
The book begins with their parents and then later how our young couple probably met or matched. How extremely beautiful Nefertiti was and a good description of Akhenaten too, not so beautiful. For many of the ceremonies, instead of just telling the reader what would happen, the authors made it more fictional. Describing it as if the couple was getting united/married, or a Holy ceremony, and etc. It made the scenes more realistic and helped it stick in my mind.
There was a lot of accomplishments back then. Fascinating life style. Intriguing religious beliefs. Even everyday life was very interesting. Lots of details and all richly satisfying!
I lingered reading this book. I really didn't want it to end. I usually zip through a book but I want to savor living in the Egyptian past for just a bit longer.
July 10, 2022
I have always been curious, fascinated with Egypt's history. I'm happy i got the opportunity to read this and dive into what was Egypt. I found it interesting how they saw the sun as a god, Re. They worshipped animal heads with human bodies. The book also gives us interpretations of what some of the Egyptian text says. The translation of the Hymn to Aten, struck something in my soul. This book sheds a light into Egypt and after reading it, i am all the more intrigued.
August 15, 2022
Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
I have always been interested in ancient Egypt and when I was offered to read this book I knew IMMEDIATELY I was going to love it. I am also huge fans of the authors, specifically Colleen because she is so fun, stylish, and incredibly interesting. Not to say that John isn't, but I thoroughly enjoy watching their adventures via Instagram. So when I also saw this book was written by them, I knew I was HOOKED.
The story here follows exactly what the title says...the lives of a specific Pharaoh and his Queen. It gives some before and after history so the reader can understand the history within its contemporary events but mainly focuses on the time Akhenaten is alive and ruling.
I absolutely adored reading this. History books sometimes can get boring or text book-ey...this is NOT that book!! Everything spoken about is written in a way that anyone would understand. It does not matter if you know nothing about ancient Egypt, John and Colleen do a fabulous job explaining everything in a fun and interesting way.
I personally have always been intrigued by Akhenaten's rule and the changes he made to his country while Pharaoh and this book definitely scratched an itch I have had for awhile! I also enjoyed the little vignettes of what life would have been like back then, or how they as people would have reacted to certain things...it really brings the reader closer to the people who were actually alive and not just thinking of them all as statues from ancient times.
If you love ancient Egyptian history, or want to start learning about it, this is a great book to read! John and Colleen are excellent writers who can easily write "lay people" books along with their academic papers. Definitely a great read!
I have always been interested in ancient Egypt and when I was offered to read this book I knew IMMEDIATELY I was going to love it. I am also huge fans of the authors, specifically Colleen because she is so fun, stylish, and incredibly interesting. Not to say that John isn't, but I thoroughly enjoy watching their adventures via Instagram. So when I also saw this book was written by them, I knew I was HOOKED.
The story here follows exactly what the title says...the lives of a specific Pharaoh and his Queen. It gives some before and after history so the reader can understand the history within its contemporary events but mainly focuses on the time Akhenaten is alive and ruling.
I absolutely adored reading this. History books sometimes can get boring or text book-ey...this is NOT that book!! Everything spoken about is written in a way that anyone would understand. It does not matter if you know nothing about ancient Egypt, John and Colleen do a fabulous job explaining everything in a fun and interesting way.
I personally have always been intrigued by Akhenaten's rule and the changes he made to his country while Pharaoh and this book definitely scratched an itch I have had for awhile! I also enjoyed the little vignettes of what life would have been like back then, or how they as people would have reacted to certain things...it really brings the reader closer to the people who were actually alive and not just thinking of them all as statues from ancient times.
If you love ancient Egyptian history, or want to start learning about it, this is a great book to read! John and Colleen are excellent writers who can easily write "lay people" books along with their academic papers. Definitely a great read!
September 14, 2022
Lucky me to get an advanced reader copy of Egypt’s Golden Couple!
Amenhotep IV changed changed his name to Akhenaten and abandoned the worship of Amun and elevated Aten the solar disk as central to state religion. He became both solar priest and Aten’s son on Earth. He built a city in the desert, Aket-Aten, to be Egypt’s religious center, with a thousand offering tables. His wife Nefertiti is considered as one of the world’s most beautiful woman.
Akhenaten was literally erased from history by his successors. His son King Tutankhamun restored the other gods to their place and left the city in the desert his father had built for Aten. Aket-Aten’s buildings were dismantled and the talatat stones, sized to be carried by one man, were reused for other monuments. Images of Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti were chiseled away and his name was even left off lists of pharaonic rulers.
There are many interpretations of Akhenaten that paint him as the first monotheist or as a ruthless ruler. The Darnells present the facts according to their research and evidence, challenging some of the theories. The facts alone are so amazing and interesting, and the Darnells are able to present such a vivid picture of the pharaoh and his times, who needs conjectured stories?
Renaming himself after Aten, Akhenaten daily reenacted Aten’s journey across the sky, from horizon to horizon, by traveling across Akhet-Aten in a chariot. He and his wife ‘became the gods’, the Darnells write.
Akhenaten’s statues portray a strange physic, with wide hips and bulging tummy and prominent breasts. Scholars have puzzled over this: did the pharaoh have a disease? Or, as the Darnells suggest, did he want to show characteristics of male and female. After all, Aten created all life through his male organ and ‘female’ hand. This representation was one more way that the pharaoh reinforced that he was Aten on Earth.
I especially enjoyed the breaking down of hieroglyphs to explain their meaning, and the translations of documents and engraved images and writing. Akhenaten’s Hymn to Aten is included in full in the Appendix. Aten “makes the fetus develop in women,” and “nurtures all plants.” The hymn ends by describing Akhenaten as Aten’s son, and asking that his beloved wife Nefertiti live and be youthful forever and ever.
The book is filled with drawings and photographs. I learned how to interpret the iconography of the art, how the solar disk Aten’s rays extend to touch the royal family with hands, holding the ankh symbol of breath and life to their noses.
Those who, like me, have a fascination for Ancient Egypt will appreciate this book. Included in each chapter are stories representing the pharaoh’s life and activities discussed in the chapter.
I received an ARC from the publisher. My review is fair and unbiased.
Amenhotep IV changed changed his name to Akhenaten and abandoned the worship of Amun and elevated Aten the solar disk as central to state religion. He became both solar priest and Aten’s son on Earth. He built a city in the desert, Aket-Aten, to be Egypt’s religious center, with a thousand offering tables. His wife Nefertiti is considered as one of the world’s most beautiful woman.
Akhenaten was literally erased from history by his successors. His son King Tutankhamun restored the other gods to their place and left the city in the desert his father had built for Aten. Aket-Aten’s buildings were dismantled and the talatat stones, sized to be carried by one man, were reused for other monuments. Images of Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti were chiseled away and his name was even left off lists of pharaonic rulers.
There are many interpretations of Akhenaten that paint him as the first monotheist or as a ruthless ruler. The Darnells present the facts according to their research and evidence, challenging some of the theories. The facts alone are so amazing and interesting, and the Darnells are able to present such a vivid picture of the pharaoh and his times, who needs conjectured stories?
Renaming himself after Aten, Akhenaten daily reenacted Aten’s journey across the sky, from horizon to horizon, by traveling across Akhet-Aten in a chariot. He and his wife ‘became the gods’, the Darnells write.
Akhenaten’s statues portray a strange physic, with wide hips and bulging tummy and prominent breasts. Scholars have puzzled over this: did the pharaoh have a disease? Or, as the Darnells suggest, did he want to show characteristics of male and female. After all, Aten created all life through his male organ and ‘female’ hand. This representation was one more way that the pharaoh reinforced that he was Aten on Earth.
I especially enjoyed the breaking down of hieroglyphs to explain their meaning, and the translations of documents and engraved images and writing. Akhenaten’s Hymn to Aten is included in full in the Appendix. Aten “makes the fetus develop in women,” and “nurtures all plants.” The hymn ends by describing Akhenaten as Aten’s son, and asking that his beloved wife Nefertiti live and be youthful forever and ever.
The book is filled with drawings and photographs. I learned how to interpret the iconography of the art, how the solar disk Aten’s rays extend to touch the royal family with hands, holding the ankh symbol of breath and life to their noses.
Those who, like me, have a fascination for Ancient Egypt will appreciate this book. Included in each chapter are stories representing the pharaoh’s life and activities discussed in the chapter.
I received an ARC from the publisher. My review is fair and unbiased.
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 7, 2023DNF after prologue and perusal of index
When I have serious questions as to the veracity of a book’s research before I’ve even gotten through the prologue, there is little enticing me to read the whole book.
Egypt’s Golden Couple places King Tut in the family tree as Nefertiti’s biological son. In the book itself (I found relevant passages in the index) there is a half sentence that says “textual evidence say he’s Nefertiti’s.” No citation or description of the textual evidence is given. DNA evidence is not mentioned anywhere I could find.
PBS in 2022 says the identity of King Tut’s mother is highly debated, with Nefertiti, Kiya, and The Younger Woman as suspects.
Archaeology.org (quoting my childhood hero Zahi Hawass) in 2022 says King Tut’s mother has been shown by DNA testing to most likely be The Younger Woman, and further says it is unlikely to be either Nefertiti or Kiya.
The authors unwillingness to even acknowledge this debate makes me question the other assumptions they made and debates they dismissed. And why should I read a nonfiction book I don’t trust?
1/7/23
When I have serious questions as to the veracity of a book’s research before I’ve even gotten through the prologue, there is little enticing me to read the whole book.
Egypt’s Golden Couple places King Tut in the family tree as Nefertiti’s biological son. In the book itself (I found relevant passages in the index) there is a half sentence that says “textual evidence say he’s Nefertiti’s.” No citation or description of the textual evidence is given. DNA evidence is not mentioned anywhere I could find.
PBS in 2022 says the identity of King Tut’s mother is highly debated, with Nefertiti, Kiya, and The Younger Woman as suspects.
Archaeology.org (quoting my childhood hero Zahi Hawass) in 2022 says King Tut’s mother has been shown by DNA testing to most likely be The Younger Woman, and further says it is unlikely to be either Nefertiti or Kiya.
The authors unwillingness to even acknowledge this debate makes me question the other assumptions they made and debates they dismissed. And why should I read a nonfiction book I don’t trust?
1/7/23
November 10, 2022
John and Colleen Darnell are at the top of their field, like modern Indiana Jones, but probably involved in fewer car chases. This book reflects their knowledge and skill as Egyptologists, which requires being a historian, an anthropologist, a linguist, and in good shape. Somehow, they manage to do all of it well.
In this book they hypothesise about Akhenaten and Nefertiti's lives, the image they created for themselves and how they projected that outwards (very interesting genderqueer representations of both of them exist), their rituals, their relationship to other rulers, and how they drastically changed the religion of Egypt for as long as they remained in power. All of this is not just wild speculation, but backed by texts they have found and interpreted, arguing for why they think a certain word means one thing and not another, in clear and extensive detail.
I haven't read very much about Ancient Egypt since I was a child and went through the obligatory "I want to be an Egyptologist" phase, having gotten the occasional refresher from documentaries rather than books. This one was a perfect re-entry point.
In this book they hypothesise about Akhenaten and Nefertiti's lives, the image they created for themselves and how they projected that outwards (very interesting genderqueer representations of both of them exist), their rituals, their relationship to other rulers, and how they drastically changed the religion of Egypt for as long as they remained in power. All of this is not just wild speculation, but backed by texts they have found and interpreted, arguing for why they think a certain word means one thing and not another, in clear and extensive detail.
I haven't read very much about Ancient Egypt since I was a child and went through the obligatory "I want to be an Egyptologist" phase, having gotten the occasional refresher from documentaries rather than books. This one was a perfect re-entry point.
August 31, 2022
Won an advanced readers copy via goodreads. :)
As someone interested/intrigued by Egyptian history; only having knowledge learned from public school, this was a dense read for me. It read very much like a film documentary. It has dramatized reenactments, talks about traveling to locations in present time, and then, of course, the facts/history. The authors are clearly knowledgable on the subject matter. However, for someone like me, it read very similar to a college textbook at times (a lot of times). I recommend this to folks who are more than the causal Egyptian history buff.
As someone interested/intrigued by Egyptian history; only having knowledge learned from public school, this was a dense read for me. It read very much like a film documentary. It has dramatized reenactments, talks about traveling to locations in present time, and then, of course, the facts/history. The authors are clearly knowledgable on the subject matter. However, for someone like me, it read very similar to a college textbook at times (a lot of times). I recommend this to folks who are more than the causal Egyptian history buff.
August 28, 2022
Egypt's Golden Couple is an exploration of the lives of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, who ruled Egypt from 1352-1336 BCE during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Most people would recognize the iconic bust of Nerfertiti, with her tall conical hat, full lips and beautiful lined eyes. They are also known as the parents of the famous boy-king of Egypt, Tutankhamun. This heavily researched book outlines the ways in which Akhenaten relegated the many ancient gods of Egypt to the background, and elevated Aten, the sun god, to prominence as the one and only god of Egypt at the time. Through a myriad of ceremonies, spectacles, writings and rituals, Akhenaten and Nefertiti also elevated themselves as the representation of Aten on earth - essentially gods themselves through which their subjects could connect and communicate with their god.
This is a research-heavy book, which delves into the rituals of these rulers and their ancient writings, as well as their life with their seven children. It provides fascinating insight into the methods that the rulers used to create mystery, reverence and spectacle around themselves, so that they might convince their subjects to revere the god of Akhenaten's choosing and regard the royal family as deserving of worship and loyalty. Given that some 1345 years later in basically the same region of the world, a Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be the living representative of God on earth and the only path to heaven, creating spectacles and miracles to convince people to follow him; it does cause one to think deeply about the ways in which humans can be convinced to believe and pursue faith and worship.
This is a well-researched and fascinating book. It is not for the casual reader or someone with only a passing interest in Egyptology, however if you are a non-fiction reader with an interest in ancient religion and ritual, or in Egyptian dynasties, then you will most certainly enjoy it. Many thanks St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.
This is a research-heavy book, which delves into the rituals of these rulers and their ancient writings, as well as their life with their seven children. It provides fascinating insight into the methods that the rulers used to create mystery, reverence and spectacle around themselves, so that they might convince their subjects to revere the god of Akhenaten's choosing and regard the royal family as deserving of worship and loyalty. Given that some 1345 years later in basically the same region of the world, a Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be the living representative of God on earth and the only path to heaven, creating spectacles and miracles to convince people to follow him; it does cause one to think deeply about the ways in which humans can be convinced to believe and pursue faith and worship.
This is a well-researched and fascinating book. It is not for the casual reader or someone with only a passing interest in Egyptology, however if you are a non-fiction reader with an interest in ancient religion and ritual, or in Egyptian dynasties, then you will most certainly enjoy it. Many thanks St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.
April 13, 2022
Egypt's Golden Couple: How Akhenaten and Nefertiti Became Gods on Earth by John Darnell; Colleen Darnell is a great nonfiction taking a look at the infamous, complex, and fascinating lives, reign, and influence of these historic rulers.
I have always had a fascination and interest in Egyptology, so I knew quite a bit about this famous duo. However, this book was so enjoyable to read. It is nonfiction and history, but yet read like a delicious historical fiction full of intrigue, suspense, and court shenanigans.
It is an understatement when it is stated that these figures made a pivotal and permanent change and impact on the existence of this empire. The authors did an amazing job presenting their subjects and I highly recommend this for any history fan.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/1/22.
I have always had a fascination and interest in Egyptology, so I knew quite a bit about this famous duo. However, this book was so enjoyable to read. It is nonfiction and history, but yet read like a delicious historical fiction full of intrigue, suspense, and court shenanigans.
It is an understatement when it is stated that these figures made a pivotal and permanent change and impact on the existence of this empire. The authors did an amazing job presenting their subjects and I highly recommend this for any history fan.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/1/22.
May 12, 2022
Egypt has recently became my love of reading. This book took me right where I wanted to go, learning all the knowledge of Egypt.
November 1, 2022
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I don't envy any authors trying to give a biography of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: so little is known (they were systematically erased from history shortly after their deaths) and the records are never clear even when intact. What the authors have done is use actual factual historical information to give a personal, insightful, and relatable view of the couple and their life/the lives around them.The book is fairly chronological and really, most biographies of the 18th dynasty spend most of the first chapters saying, "we really don't know but guess..." The authors here instead just stick to what is known - be it inscriptions in tombs, fragments of pottery dating, stele heralds, or even correspondence found from other countries to the rulers.
I am not really one who likes dramatizations - of which each chapter has a short one in the beginning. But I also have to appreciate and respect that the authors drew each dramatization from an actual piece of historical evidence - whether it was officials going in and chiseling out all mentions and faces of the royal couple after their deaths (which is why we know so little about them) or scribes talking to each other about the hymm of Aten (which appears on a tomb wall).
The authors really want to humanize the couple and ancient Egyptians; I feel they did a very good job at both without speculating too much. There is also a LOT of great information here - about the religion, how art is so often misinterpreted, and about the vagaries of the Egyptian language itself. I was surprised at how much insight I gleaned about Egyptian life and why there is still so much unknown and even confusion about what we do have.
They do have their own guesses/suppositions about things that some who have studied the couple may not necessarily agree with - in this way, they do interject their own theories often. It's something to keep in mind when reading.
In all, the dramatizations are short but they don't feel too 'made up' and so they didn't bother me as much as they could have. I learned a lot and the writing was easy to follow and very informative. It's definitely a less scholarly side of Egypt and a perspective that humanizes but also educates. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
September 30, 2022
Akhenaten and Nefertiti ruled Egypt over 3300 years ago. They seem to be known particularly because of a beautiful bust of Nefertiti that was found as well as being the parents of Tutankhamun (King Tut). Their reign however, appears to have been controversial mainly because they changed Egypt's religious beliefs from worship of Amun to Aten, and even elevated themselves to the level of god.
I am new to reading about ancient Egypt, but I found this to be a difficult book to read. It's not that the topic is dense or scholarly, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of consensus on what actually happened. The authors of this work try to make it more approachable by including fictional vignettes about what it must have been like for the rulers and ruled at the time, but I'm not a fan of such open guesswork, even when it is based on the historical record. They recognize the various controversies and theories, but I wish they had delved more into the various competing ideas. Instead, I felt like they were dancing around the uncertainty instead of just making it clear.
The book was 'okay' and I learned a bit about ancient Egypt, although I mainly came away from it feeling like little is actually known for certain and much/most is debatable.
I am new to reading about ancient Egypt, but I found this to be a difficult book to read. It's not that the topic is dense or scholarly, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of consensus on what actually happened. The authors of this work try to make it more approachable by including fictional vignettes about what it must have been like for the rulers and ruled at the time, but I'm not a fan of such open guesswork, even when it is based on the historical record. They recognize the various controversies and theories, but I wish they had delved more into the various competing ideas. Instead, I felt like they were dancing around the uncertainty instead of just making it clear.
The book was 'okay' and I learned a bit about ancient Egypt, although I mainly came away from it feeling like little is actually known for certain and much/most is debatable.
November 14, 2022
Give to him the love of your heart like the innumerable grains of sand on the shore, the scales of fish in the river, and the strands of hair of cattle! Allow him to remain here until the swan becomes black, until the blackbird becomes white, until the mountains arise and depart, until the flood flows south.--Hymn beseeching the god Aten to bestow love and life on Akhenaten
And so begins the book, Egypt's Golden Couple: How Akhenaten and Nefertiti Became Gods on Earth as Akhenaten began his reign as Amunhotep IV, ruling for seventeen years, most of them along side his royal wife Nefertiti from 1352 to 1336 BCE. Akhenaten achieved fame as the world's first monotheist and the father of Tutankhamun, whose golden treasure has become synonymous with ancient Egypt. As the authors and renowned Egyptologists, John Coleman Darnell and Colleen Darnell emphasize, the powerful reign was possible because Akhenaten's parents, Amunhotep III and Tiye presiding over Egypt's Golden Age, and along with Akhenaten and Nefertiti they transformed ancient Egypt. These two powerful couples are at the heart of this narrative. The authors emphasize that these are not wholly imagined events, but a tapestry woven from multiple sources: objects of daily life; elaborate paintings, reliefs, and statuary; and hiereoglyphic texts.
Having always been fascinated with the ancient history of Egypt, this was a very informative and well-researched historical work and archaeological expedition conducted by the John and Colleen Darnell. And it is this journey through excavations, artifacts, museums, hieroglyphic texts and artifacts that we learn about the previously untold reign of Akhenatum and Nefertiti. I would like to thank St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review.
October 25, 2022
I would love to have the knowledge and experience of this Egyptologist team. But the closest I can come is reading their books and watching them on various documentaries. Their work is outstanding, and the knowledge gained from their discoveries is monumental.
In this thoroughly researched book, the famous couple brings to life the history of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Almost to a day-to-day routine, we understand who they were, how they lived, and how they transformed Egypt under their reign. Being the proud parents of Tutankhamun (King Tut) is one of their greater known feats, but there is so much more than that to this historical pair. And the preservation of their history is amazing. For a generation of people who lived over 3,350 years ago, the writings and paintings that have survived have shed light on so much detail.
This book reads almost like a history textbook but is written in a manner that breathes life into its characters. You don’t have to be a student of Egyptian history to enjoy this, but reading it will certainly pique your interest.
Sincere thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is November 1, 2022.
In this thoroughly researched book, the famous couple brings to life the history of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Almost to a day-to-day routine, we understand who they were, how they lived, and how they transformed Egypt under their reign. Being the proud parents of Tutankhamun (King Tut) is one of their greater known feats, but there is so much more than that to this historical pair. And the preservation of their history is amazing. For a generation of people who lived over 3,350 years ago, the writings and paintings that have survived have shed light on so much detail.
This book reads almost like a history textbook but is written in a manner that breathes life into its characters. You don’t have to be a student of Egyptian history to enjoy this, but reading it will certainly pique your interest.
Sincere thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is November 1, 2022.
November 13, 2022
Ancient Egypt has been my thing since I was a child. I keep up with all the articles about new discoveries, watch all the documentaries and it's a top 5 Bucket List country.
However, upon cracking open Egypts Golden Couple, I would describe my reading experience as a trudge. The kind of feeling you get when you know you have to finish the university textbook and then write a paper for your least favorite class? Yeah, that.
As soon as I got a couple of pages into the prologue, I knew I was in trouble. Names, titles, cities, more names, awkward "fancy" sentence structure. It was a river of information and hitting me too quickly.
There's no doubt that the Darnell's are brilliant Egyptologists; I've enjoyed watching and learning from them for years on so many of the ancient Egypt documentaries.
I believe the downfall to this book was that they had SO much information to share that it became overwhelming. Reorganization, perhaps shorter chapters with clear topics would have made this more palatable. I also found their fictional "reconstructions" stories odd in a non-fiction book.
Wish I could have rated it higher. I think I'll stick to their shows for now.
However, upon cracking open Egypts Golden Couple, I would describe my reading experience as a trudge. The kind of feeling you get when you know you have to finish the university textbook and then write a paper for your least favorite class? Yeah, that.
As soon as I got a couple of pages into the prologue, I knew I was in trouble. Names, titles, cities, more names, awkward "fancy" sentence structure. It was a river of information and hitting me too quickly.
There's no doubt that the Darnell's are brilliant Egyptologists; I've enjoyed watching and learning from them for years on so many of the ancient Egypt documentaries.
I believe the downfall to this book was that they had SO much information to share that it became overwhelming. Reorganization, perhaps shorter chapters with clear topics would have made this more palatable. I also found their fictional "reconstructions" stories odd in a non-fiction book.
Wish I could have rated it higher. I think I'll stick to their shows for now.
July 19, 2022
Egypt's Golden Couple by John and Colleen Darnell is an interesting look at Akhenaten and Nefertiti the parents of Tutankhamun.
By examining various records, information and art the authors try to bring to life the past. At several points in the book the others comment that the Egyptian considered the remembrance of the dead is a sort of immortality that the ancient Egyptians would have appreciated.
The authors also attempt to give a more rounded version of Akhenaten who as they say "has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world's first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled."
The biggest drawback for me with the book was the time jumps in the narrative were sometimes jarring and could have been distinguished a little better in the text.
Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress and the authors for the ARC of #Egypt'sGoldenCouple.
By examining various records, information and art the authors try to bring to life the past. At several points in the book the others comment that the Egyptian considered the remembrance of the dead is a sort of immortality that the ancient Egyptians would have appreciated.
The authors also attempt to give a more rounded version of Akhenaten who as they say "has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world's first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled."
The biggest drawback for me with the book was the time jumps in the narrative were sometimes jarring and could have been distinguished a little better in the text.
Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress and the authors for the ARC of #Egypt'sGoldenCouple.
October 8, 2022
Several disclosures before I start this review. The first is that I read an advance copy of this book which did not include any images or photographs. The second is that, while I have a minor in anthropology and have read multiple books on Egyptology, I do not have a degree in anthropology, let alone specifically in Egyptology. That being said, I think this book is best suited for people that have a strong interest in Egyptology, specifically the period when Akhenaten was pharaoh. This is, of course, the subject of the book, but it is so mired in obscure details from that particular reign that it is unlikely to maintain the interest of many others. I love anthropology and I found myself getting bored and struggling to maintain interest in the book. The authors (and anthropologists themselves) work very hard to avoid making presumptions about Akhenaten and Nefertiti, relying mainly on actual artifacts to build evidence. This is admirable, because objectively quickly goes away when an anthropologist has physical evidence and creates a whole backstory to explain it. The problem here is that Akhenaten pissed A LOT of people off with the concept of monotheism and Aten, and throwing off the multiple gods Egyptians had worshipped. The result of this was mass destruction of anything associated with Akhenaten and his reign, leaving limited clues behind. Instead of getting a more comprehensive history of the pharaoh, his family, and events that occurred during his time on the throne, we get interpretations of his religion over and over again, and translations of hymns, cartouches and tomb texts. While little of this can be debated, it’s repetitive and not exceedingly interesting for those not specifically interested in Egyptology. Adding to the murkiness of the book is both the repetitive and multiple names of Egyptian royalty (not the authors’ fault) and that the book is told in multiple perspectives (completely the decision of the authors). It is difficult to keep names straight, and then the book is relayed three different ways-retelling history as it took play, recounting it from a current textbook format, and as first person observers of artifacts and features. I wanted to enjoy this book, but think it is most likely to be enjoyed by a smaller niche of Egyptology lovers, rather than the general public. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 2, 2024
Not gonna lie this book was painful to get through. Super informative, but apparently Egypt’s golden couple had no spice and were an absolute snooze fest. -3/5 spice.
January 20, 2023
It's been a while since I've sunk into a good Ancient Egypt nonfiction, and I was excited to see two of my favorite rulers get a new book. The book is primarily about what we know and how we know it, which is not always the case in books covering history. In particular, they walk through hieroglyph translations in a really fascinating way that certainly would have worked better in the print book. For that element alone, I highly recommend reading instead of listening to this, as I did. There are some odd elements, like fictional recreations of scenes (which, fine, I guess) and also somewhat irregular moments of the Darnells themselves on their travels, wrapped around the otherwise standard nonfiction text. Some people may enjoy these moments more than me, but perhaps I've gotten stuffy about not wanting the fictional recreations to muddle how I'm thinking about the information myself. The audiobook narration felt a little dry to me, and in some places she mispronounced words, which threw me off. In some sections, I zoned right out, and in others I was very taken in. Take that with a grain of salt, though, because my inability to concentrate probably also has to do that I listened to the bulk of this while waiting for a root canal appointment and wasn't really all there. I imagine that a fan of this historical period will enjoy this--just read it to get a better experience than the audiobook.
October 31, 2022
While I love history, I don't consider myself particularly knowledgeable about ancient Egypt. So I was looking forward to learning a little more in Egypt's Golden Couple about Akhenaten and Nefertiti- probably best known (if known at all) as the parents of King Tutankhamun. I knew vaguely that Akhenaten had tried to change Egypt's religion into a more monotheistic focus towards the sun god Aten, but that was all I knew beforehand.
I definitely appreciated that, as Egyptologists themselves, John and Colleen Darnell stuck to physical and written evidence in their interpretation of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. What does the archaeology tell us about their reign? What do writings show about how that might have changed? And, interestingly, what could be put in the context of other pharaohs like Hatshepsut to give us a feel for what would be considered 'normal' versus 'unique'? With rulers as controversial as Akhenaten and Nefertiti, this seemed like a good way to get as much of a feel for them and their world as we are likely to get over 3,000 years later.
The book is written with three styles to it, which took some getting used to. Each chapter starts with a fictionalized imagining of a scene, then moves on to a nonfiction research explanation, archaeological interpretation, or most often a hieroglyph interpretation of another aspect of their rule. I was not a fan of the fictional scenes. I guess the idea was to make things more "real" or "relatable" for the reader, but they really put me off. Much of the rest of the writing was dense, more written for scholars than a layperson like me. The detailed explanations of how the authors interpreted the hieroglyphs as they did was very interesting and certainly made me feel like they knew what they were doing, but went way too much "into the weeds" for my understanding. It was like a lot of the time the book couldn't decide if it was written for scholars and fellow Egyptologists, or for the lay reader to introduce them to Egyptology in general and Akhenaten and Nefertiti in particular, and so tried to do both. The result was often repetitive, frequently interesting, but just as often a dense read.
A book I'd recommend more for people already well versed in Egyptology than the general reader
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I definitely appreciated that, as Egyptologists themselves, John and Colleen Darnell stuck to physical and written evidence in their interpretation of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. What does the archaeology tell us about their reign? What do writings show about how that might have changed? And, interestingly, what could be put in the context of other pharaohs like Hatshepsut to give us a feel for what would be considered 'normal' versus 'unique'? With rulers as controversial as Akhenaten and Nefertiti, this seemed like a good way to get as much of a feel for them and their world as we are likely to get over 3,000 years later.
The book is written with three styles to it, which took some getting used to. Each chapter starts with a fictionalized imagining of a scene, then moves on to a nonfiction research explanation, archaeological interpretation, or most often a hieroglyph interpretation of another aspect of their rule. I was not a fan of the fictional scenes. I guess the idea was to make things more "real" or "relatable" for the reader, but they really put me off. Much of the rest of the writing was dense, more written for scholars than a layperson like me. The detailed explanations of how the authors interpreted the hieroglyphs as they did was very interesting and certainly made me feel like they knew what they were doing, but went way too much "into the weeds" for my understanding. It was like a lot of the time the book couldn't decide if it was written for scholars and fellow Egyptologists, or for the lay reader to introduce them to Egyptology in general and Akhenaten and Nefertiti in particular, and so tried to do both. The result was often repetitive, frequently interesting, but just as often a dense read.
A book I'd recommend more for people already well versed in Egyptology than the general reader
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
November 12, 2022
A huge thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth describes the life of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, how their beliefs altered ancient Egyptian religion and politics, and the impact they had on society at the time.
I really had to take my time reading this, as there is just so much information. I really enjoy the format of dramatization (truly placing you back in time) then transitioning into the explanation and background information for each chapter. However, for roughly the first 30% of the book, I had trouble absorbing the immense amount of information (and names!) that I found it to be slow going. I have always been interested in ancient Egypt and have enjoyed watching several documentaries where John and Colleen Darnell feature, so it was a little discouraging at first.
My favorite parts are the detail on the ancient artifacts and architecture that have been found and studied, but I also enjoyed seeing how Akhenaten and Nefertiti nearly forced a monotheistic religion while proclaiming themselves gods on earth.
This descriptive study into the life of Akhenaten and Nefertiti was incredibly informative- it's amazing that Egyptologists can determine and deduce so much about this period in ancient Egypt, and the authors stick to giving facts while including multiple theories where something isn't proven. Overall, I found this to be a low 4 stars- with the cons being the beginning was slow and over-informative while difficult for me to adjust to. The pros being that I really enjoyed the information provided, the transparency where the Darnell's do not have solid facts, and the enjoyable experience that reading about this topic gave me. I will definitely be picking up a copy.
Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth describes the life of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, how their beliefs altered ancient Egyptian religion and politics, and the impact they had on society at the time.
I really had to take my time reading this, as there is just so much information. I really enjoy the format of dramatization (truly placing you back in time) then transitioning into the explanation and background information for each chapter. However, for roughly the first 30% of the book, I had trouble absorbing the immense amount of information (and names!) that I found it to be slow going. I have always been interested in ancient Egypt and have enjoyed watching several documentaries where John and Colleen Darnell feature, so it was a little discouraging at first.
My favorite parts are the detail on the ancient artifacts and architecture that have been found and studied, but I also enjoyed seeing how Akhenaten and Nefertiti nearly forced a monotheistic religion while proclaiming themselves gods on earth.
This descriptive study into the life of Akhenaten and Nefertiti was incredibly informative- it's amazing that Egyptologists can determine and deduce so much about this period in ancient Egypt, and the authors stick to giving facts while including multiple theories where something isn't proven. Overall, I found this to be a low 4 stars- with the cons being the beginning was slow and over-informative while difficult for me to adjust to. The pros being that I really enjoyed the information provided, the transparency where the Darnell's do not have solid facts, and the enjoyable experience that reading about this topic gave me. I will definitely be picking up a copy.
February 8, 2023
This is such an addicting book to read! Each chapter starts with a partially fictional reimagining of a scene within life in Ancient Egypt during the time of Akhenaten, and then the chapters delve into a more nonfiction, scholarly understanding of Ancient Egypt. From the beautiful art drawings of ancient depictions of Akhenaten and Nefertiti to a breakdown of archaeologists' current understanding of this era in history, this book was so interesting. It also gets into what a modern historian like the Darnells would see when visiting these places in the modern day. And for someone who struggles sometimes with dense, dry histories, I never felt bored when reading this book. If you are a fan of Ancient Egypt, I could not recommend this book more!
November 26, 2022
I follow Colleen Darnell on instagram and was delighted to learn more about her field of study. I've always been interested in Nefertiti and Akhenaten but felt like most of what I had read leaned on salacious supposition instead of fact. This book was evidence base while also drawing the reader in with vivid descriptions of how ancient Egyptians lived.
If you were considering listening to this in audiobook format, I'd suggest against it. The reader for this book had some serious problems pronouncing a bevy of words, some were Egyptian and some just English words they apparently have never heard spoken aloud. Really took away from my enjoyment of the book.
If you were considering listening to this in audiobook format, I'd suggest against it. The reader for this book had some serious problems pronouncing a bevy of words, some were Egyptian and some just English words they apparently have never heard spoken aloud. Really took away from my enjoyment of the book.
September 26, 2022
NETGALLEY ARC
Writing Style: 3.5/4
Cover: 5
Enjoyment: 4
Buyable/Re-readable?: Yes.
I'm perennially a fan of all things Egyptian and this nonfiction book fulfilled my obsession. Thankfully, I learned from painstaking, extensively researched work, which was one of the reasons for reading it. I had no idea how drastically Akhenaten/Amenhotep IV shook things up, and it was fascinating having the ways in which he did revealed. The book has an interesting layout/approach/storytelling. However, it could very much benefit from including images. And hey, maybe the final project will? I hope so, because it was tedious trying to Google everything and more than half of those searches coming up empty or, erm, complicated. It wasn't always *smooth* storytelling, though, making it difficult to follow at times, even after re-reading 2+ times. And then some things were repeated in later chapters that I didn't think needed to be, so I'm not sure why the Darnells chose to do so.
A fitting example of how different things were during the reign of Akhenaten (and Nefertiti): "For those buried in the large rock-cut tombs in Akhet-Aten’s eastern mountain , conformity to the king’s political theology and sole reliance upon Aten seem to have been the prerequisites of eternal life. From hymns that the elite carved in their tombs to shrines they erected in their homes, we know that their only gods were the new trinity: Aten, Akhenaten, and Nefertiti."
If archeology, history, or Egypt is your cup of tea, then so too will this book be. John and Colleen , in the very least, deserve an award or multiple somethings for how much time and effort was blatantly put into it.
Writing Style: 3.5/4
Cover: 5
Enjoyment: 4
Buyable/Re-readable?: Yes.
I'm perennially a fan of all things Egyptian and this nonfiction book fulfilled my obsession. Thankfully, I learned from painstaking, extensively researched work, which was one of the reasons for reading it. I had no idea how drastically Akhenaten/Amenhotep IV shook things up, and it was fascinating having the ways in which he did revealed. The book has an interesting layout/approach/storytelling. However, it could very much benefit from including images. And hey, maybe the final project will? I hope so, because it was tedious trying to Google everything and more than half of those searches coming up empty or, erm, complicated. It wasn't always *smooth* storytelling, though, making it difficult to follow at times, even after re-reading 2+ times. And then some things were repeated in later chapters that I didn't think needed to be, so I'm not sure why the Darnells chose to do so.
A fitting example of how different things were during the reign of Akhenaten (and Nefertiti): "For those buried in the large rock-cut tombs in Akhet-Aten’s eastern mountain , conformity to the king’s political theology and sole reliance upon Aten seem to have been the prerequisites of eternal life. From hymns that the elite carved in their tombs to shrines they erected in their homes, we know that their only gods were the new trinity: Aten, Akhenaten, and Nefertiti."
If archeology, history, or Egypt is your cup of tea, then so too will this book be. John and Colleen , in the very least, deserve an award or multiple somethings for how much time and effort was blatantly put into it.
April 8, 2023
While I am no expert, I have read a fair amount of books in this field & think this was one of the best, especially on this topic. Really appreciated the authors’ evenhanded interpretation of this period in Egypt’s history and did not go into it with an intent to prove this ruler was one thing or another (monotheistic, incestuous, or any of the other terms used) but to look at him within what is known of earlier rulers and Egyptian religious history. Enjoyed the intros into the section where they took what is known to make small vignettes as to how that would look, giving a human touch to these people. Well written, extensive bibliography. Would definitely read more by them.
May 3, 2023
Great intro to a fascinating royal couple. Gets in depth enough on issues to be interesting, but not so much that it looses non-experts. I really appreciated the theme throughout of looking at multiple interpretations of the info at hand, and giving a glimpse into academic disagreements/factions. Rather than just narrative, there is a lot of explanation of how/why we know (or hypothesize) what we know, which is my favorite part of any pop history book.
January 19, 2024
A fascinating account of the lives of Akhenaten and Nerfertiti as told by John and Colleen Darnell. The book is well researched, citing evidence from tombs, temples, and records. I feel the Darnell’s did their best to share all potential theories about the golden couple, but made the strongest arguments based on the textual evidence they had found. My only problem was sometimes the book got a little dry and read like a textbook, but otherwise a fantastic book about these gods on earth.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews