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The Book of Coming Forth by Day #1
House of Rejoicing
House of Rejoicing is Libbie Hawker's long-awaited return to the lush decadence and dark power of ancient Egypt.
In the waning years of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, when female power can only come at an unsettling price, four royal women struggle against the shadowy influence of Akhenaten, the infamous heretic Pharaoh. Akhenaten wields control of a strange, emerging religion unlike anything Egypt has seen. His power can’t be denied, but whoever can maintain her grip on the unpredictable Pharaoh will hold all of Egypt in her hands—and better still, will remain mistress of her own fate.
Tiy, once the undisputed might behind the throne, must choose to relinquish her hard-won influence, or manipulate the innocent in order to secure her hold on Akhenaten’s leash. Kiya, an idealistic foreign princess, will win Akhenaten with love—if he’s capable of feeling love at all. The celebrated beauty Nefertiti will use the Pharaoh for her own ends, turning the tables of a deadly political game to free herself from her ambitious father’s grasp. And Sitamun, kept imprisoned as the Pharaoh’s plaything, will defy the gods themselves to save her daughter from a similar fate.
House of Rejoicing is the first part in Libbie Hawker’s new ancient Egyptian series, The Book of Coming Forth by Day. The story will continue in Part Two, Storm in the Sky, in July of 2015.
In the waning years of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, when female power can only come at an unsettling price, four royal women struggle against the shadowy influence of Akhenaten, the infamous heretic Pharaoh. Akhenaten wields control of a strange, emerging religion unlike anything Egypt has seen. His power can’t be denied, but whoever can maintain her grip on the unpredictable Pharaoh will hold all of Egypt in her hands—and better still, will remain mistress of her own fate.
Tiy, once the undisputed might behind the throne, must choose to relinquish her hard-won influence, or manipulate the innocent in order to secure her hold on Akhenaten’s leash. Kiya, an idealistic foreign princess, will win Akhenaten with love—if he’s capable of feeling love at all. The celebrated beauty Nefertiti will use the Pharaoh for her own ends, turning the tables of a deadly political game to free herself from her ambitious father’s grasp. And Sitamun, kept imprisoned as the Pharaoh’s plaything, will defy the gods themselves to save her daughter from a similar fate.
House of Rejoicing is the first part in Libbie Hawker’s new ancient Egyptian series, The Book of Coming Forth by Day. The story will continue in Part Two, Storm in the Sky, in July of 2015.
439 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2015
764 people are currently reading
1400 people want to read
About the author
Libbie Hawker
38 books494 followersLibbie was born in Rexburg, Idaho and divided her childhood between Eastern Idaho's rural environs and the greater Seattle area. She presently lives in Seattle, but has also been a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah; Bellingham, Washington; and Tacoma, Washington. She loves to write about character and place, and is inspired by the bleak natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region and by the fascinating history of the Puget Sound.
After three years of trying to break into the publishing industry with her various books under two different pen names, Libbie finally turned her back on the mainstream publishing industry and embraced independent publishing. She now writes her self-published fiction full-time, and enjoys the fact that the writing career she always dreamed of having is fully under her own control.
Libbie's writerly influences are varied, and include Vladimir Nabokov, Hilary Mantel, Annie Dillard, George R. R. Martin, songwriter Neko Case, and mixed-media storyteller Chris Onstad, to name but a few.
She previously wrote under the pen name L.M. Ironside (historical fiction).
After three years of trying to break into the publishing industry with her various books under two different pen names, Libbie finally turned her back on the mainstream publishing industry and embraced independent publishing. She now writes her self-published fiction full-time, and enjoys the fact that the writing career she always dreamed of having is fully under her own control.
Libbie's writerly influences are varied, and include Vladimir Nabokov, Hilary Mantel, Annie Dillard, George R. R. Martin, songwriter Neko Case, and mixed-media storyteller Chris Onstad, to name but a few.
She previously wrote under the pen name L.M. Ironside (historical fiction).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 20, 2018
Hurrah! I have good reason to celebrate. I read Libbie Hawker’s debut novel, The Sekhmet Bed, back when it was released, and had mixed feelings about it. It was seriously unpolished, but I felt as though I could catch glimpses of great writing potential within. Well, you know how the old adage about too many books too little time goes: I only recently had a chance to pick up with the immediate sequels rounding out Hawker’s Hatshepsut quartet, and I hate to say it but they were disappointing. They suffered from the same problems as the debut: pacing was a big issue, which in turn affected characterisation, and while in places the description was inspired, Hawker never seemed to let loose with it. I mentioned in my reviews of those that I planned to check out her other series, as I hadn’t lost hope that Hawker’s full potential could be realised, but I honestly didn’t know how that was going to play out. I’ve read plenty of authors whose quality remains the same book to book, whether that be brilliant, mediocre, or downright terrible. I’ve even read series where the author’s quality of writing mysteriously manages to go downhill (I’m not entirely sure how – perhaps initial success led to a slackening of the editing reins and a certain overconfident apathy). I haven’t read too many authors where the glint of promise amid a dubious start was realised later down the line. Libbie Hawker is one of them. (Thank goodness. What, do you think I read bad books for fun? Okay, writing snarky reviews is fun. But what I earnestly wish for is to discover a new Pauline Gedge or Sharon Penman every time I take a chance on a new author. That would be wonderful.)
I am so relieved and happy upon finishing this book – first in a trilogy about the Amarna period. It’s like every wish I had for Libbie has come true. The writing is a dream. Well, okay, I mustn’t get carried away and gush too much – I do have one or two small areas for improvement to comment upon – but seriously this is exactly what I wanted. The vivid, transporting imagery, that previously peeked out occasionally in the Hatshepsut quartet, is consistent through the entire book; lush and imaginative and whisking me away to ancient Egypt. This is what I like to see! A little linguistic flex and playfulness; creative flair to keep my brain alert and engaged on every page. So few authors, even ones who have a good story on their hands, do this, but for me it is a must have to elevate a book to the upper echelons. I was in raptures of delight. The quality was great.
The major problems that were in evidence previously are swept away. It’s evident from the rich descriptions that Hawker is finally taking her time in letting the story speak, unhurried, so it should come as no surprise when I saw the pacing is smooth and measured here. It’s almost perfectly spot on – apart from one moment where we leap ahead to Nefertiti giving birth at the beginning of one chapter having been not even pregnant in the previous chapter. It was a bit of a blip, but nothing like the time jumps in the Hatshepsut quartet, and it is a very sparingly used device, making it much easier for me to forgive and move on.
The characterisations are miles better too. Multiple protagonists give the book a broader feel than the small cast of the Hatshepsut quartet, lending the world much more believability and scope. And Hawker clearly understands the ambiguity of antagonism here in a much subtler way. Her protagonists each have stories that evoke the reader’s empathy, motivations which naturally place them at cross purposes without compromising that empathy, and the capacity to adapt to events and forge and break alliances that keep the dynamics between them fresh and the audience interested in authentic feeling relationships based on character growth and change as opposed to static personalities in fixed roles where the story fundamentals stay the same. She chooses four strong female characters as her protagonists and POVs: Tiy, Nefertiti, Kiya, and Sitamun. It is glorious to see all four of them take such leading roles and come to life.
The historical accuracy and up to date research is very much appreciated as well, and I know from skipping ahead to the author’s note of the third book in this trilogy that Libbie was highly attentive to latest Egyptological developments. However, a caveat: there are still lots of unresolved questions about the Amarna royals, and by necessity an author is forced to make choices in order to write a full story. That means that Libbie’s Amarna royal family may not be your Amarna royal family. I will admit that in my Egyptologist’s mind, I draw different conclusions from the same scant evidence, and so I envision the character personalities, motivations, and dynamics with one another rather differently. For example, I agree with Hawker’s interpretation of Akhenaten’s bodily fitness, the art style being just an art style, but some degree of psychological imbalance being at play. But her Nefertiti is nothing like the one in my ‘most likely scenario’. To be fair, it is extremely difficult to interpret Nefertiti. It depends on whether you think Akhenaten was an inspired visionary or an unbalanced egotist. Then you have a choice of interpreting if Nefertiti went along with it because she was greedy and ambitious, desperate and scared, or had been persuaded to become a true believer. I personally read into the monuments depicting their unusual closeness that she was a genuine believer and loving partner – though perhaps with more of a practical bent than her husband. Hawker, unusually, paints the marriage unhappily, which is a surprise, but certainly an effective choice for evoking reader empathy for Nefertiti. If I’m honest, none of Hawker’s four protagonists are exactly as I imagine my Amarna royals, with Nefertiti being the most divergent. Did this ruin my immersion? I would say no. Is it my ideal scenario? No. But it is extremely rare that a writer’s vision will exactly tally with our own. When I talk about the importance of historical accuracy to me as a reader, what I really mean is first, don’t put in anything stupid from a different era that clearly doesn’t belong, and second, historical believability. I don’t mind if an author fills in the gaps of history, as long as they don’t fill it in with something that is so off-the-wall implausible that it beggars belief. So your Amarna royals aren’t the same as my Amarna royals? As long as you properly support them with logical motivations and don’t butcher the historical characterisations, I’m happy to play in your sandbox.
Speaking of historical accuracy… I must mention one or two tiny bloopers that slipped through the net. Sugar, lemons, and night-blooming jasmine all appear: the two former didn’t appear in Egypt until c. 700 CE (2000 years after the Amarna era), while the flower comes from the West Indies and so arrived much later still. Hawker also mentions that princes couldn’t marry sisters, only pharaohs, but several of Ramesses the Great’s sons did do this – although after the time of Akhenaten, so she can plausibly get away with this.
So, to my criticisms. Aside from the minor anachronism bloopers and time jump blip mentioned above, if I had one criticism it was that I felt the story could have benefitted from broadening its perspective. Although it was great to have four strong female protagonists, I did feel like I was missing out on some key perspectives that I would’ve considered it important to include: Akhenaten, Ay, possibly Thutmose, Smenkhkare (not in this book maybe, but in later books when older). I just feel they deserved to be protagonists (and possibly Sitamun and Kiya could’ve been cut and moved to secondary characters instead, as their parts weren’t as significant). Not only did I think the book missed out on their perspectives, but as a direct result of having four protagonists who are all queens, the story is in some degree hampered by the restrictions on the lives of these women and the importance of events happening outside their experience. Put me in the throne room with Akhenaten and his advisors, please!
Alright, for all those wondering, I admit I still prefer Pauline Gedge’s The Twelfth Transforming more. I think it has that broader perspective, and to be succinct it just has a darkly delicious and compelling core running through it that is tough to beat (Hawker’s Amarna royals are dark… but not that dark. Not yet, anyway). But this has to be the next best take I’ve ever read. Good job, indeed!
8 out of 10
I am so relieved and happy upon finishing this book – first in a trilogy about the Amarna period. It’s like every wish I had for Libbie has come true. The writing is a dream. Well, okay, I mustn’t get carried away and gush too much – I do have one or two small areas for improvement to comment upon – but seriously this is exactly what I wanted. The vivid, transporting imagery, that previously peeked out occasionally in the Hatshepsut quartet, is consistent through the entire book; lush and imaginative and whisking me away to ancient Egypt. This is what I like to see! A little linguistic flex and playfulness; creative flair to keep my brain alert and engaged on every page. So few authors, even ones who have a good story on their hands, do this, but for me it is a must have to elevate a book to the upper echelons. I was in raptures of delight. The quality was great.
The major problems that were in evidence previously are swept away. It’s evident from the rich descriptions that Hawker is finally taking her time in letting the story speak, unhurried, so it should come as no surprise when I saw the pacing is smooth and measured here. It’s almost perfectly spot on – apart from one moment where we leap ahead to Nefertiti giving birth at the beginning of one chapter having been not even pregnant in the previous chapter. It was a bit of a blip, but nothing like the time jumps in the Hatshepsut quartet, and it is a very sparingly used device, making it much easier for me to forgive and move on.
The characterisations are miles better too. Multiple protagonists give the book a broader feel than the small cast of the Hatshepsut quartet, lending the world much more believability and scope. And Hawker clearly understands the ambiguity of antagonism here in a much subtler way. Her protagonists each have stories that evoke the reader’s empathy, motivations which naturally place them at cross purposes without compromising that empathy, and the capacity to adapt to events and forge and break alliances that keep the dynamics between them fresh and the audience interested in authentic feeling relationships based on character growth and change as opposed to static personalities in fixed roles where the story fundamentals stay the same. She chooses four strong female characters as her protagonists and POVs: Tiy, Nefertiti, Kiya, and Sitamun. It is glorious to see all four of them take such leading roles and come to life.
The historical accuracy and up to date research is very much appreciated as well, and I know from skipping ahead to the author’s note of the third book in this trilogy that Libbie was highly attentive to latest Egyptological developments. However, a caveat: there are still lots of unresolved questions about the Amarna royals, and by necessity an author is forced to make choices in order to write a full story. That means that Libbie’s Amarna royal family may not be your Amarna royal family. I will admit that in my Egyptologist’s mind, I draw different conclusions from the same scant evidence, and so I envision the character personalities, motivations, and dynamics with one another rather differently. For example, I agree with Hawker’s interpretation of Akhenaten’s bodily fitness, the art style being just an art style, but some degree of psychological imbalance being at play. But her Nefertiti is nothing like the one in my ‘most likely scenario’. To be fair, it is extremely difficult to interpret Nefertiti. It depends on whether you think Akhenaten was an inspired visionary or an unbalanced egotist. Then you have a choice of interpreting if Nefertiti went along with it because she was greedy and ambitious, desperate and scared, or had been persuaded to become a true believer. I personally read into the monuments depicting their unusual closeness that she was a genuine believer and loving partner – though perhaps with more of a practical bent than her husband. Hawker, unusually, paints the marriage unhappily, which is a surprise, but certainly an effective choice for evoking reader empathy for Nefertiti. If I’m honest, none of Hawker’s four protagonists are exactly as I imagine my Amarna royals, with Nefertiti being the most divergent. Did this ruin my immersion? I would say no. Is it my ideal scenario? No. But it is extremely rare that a writer’s vision will exactly tally with our own. When I talk about the importance of historical accuracy to me as a reader, what I really mean is first, don’t put in anything stupid from a different era that clearly doesn’t belong, and second, historical believability. I don’t mind if an author fills in the gaps of history, as long as they don’t fill it in with something that is so off-the-wall implausible that it beggars belief. So your Amarna royals aren’t the same as my Amarna royals? As long as you properly support them with logical motivations and don’t butcher the historical characterisations, I’m happy to play in your sandbox.
Speaking of historical accuracy… I must mention one or two tiny bloopers that slipped through the net. Sugar, lemons, and night-blooming jasmine all appear: the two former didn’t appear in Egypt until c. 700 CE (2000 years after the Amarna era), while the flower comes from the West Indies and so arrived much later still. Hawker also mentions that princes couldn’t marry sisters, only pharaohs, but several of Ramesses the Great’s sons did do this – although after the time of Akhenaten, so she can plausibly get away with this.
So, to my criticisms. Aside from the minor anachronism bloopers and time jump blip mentioned above, if I had one criticism it was that I felt the story could have benefitted from broadening its perspective. Although it was great to have four strong female protagonists, I did feel like I was missing out on some key perspectives that I would’ve considered it important to include: Akhenaten, Ay, possibly Thutmose, Smenkhkare (not in this book maybe, but in later books when older). I just feel they deserved to be protagonists (and possibly Sitamun and Kiya could’ve been cut and moved to secondary characters instead, as their parts weren’t as significant). Not only did I think the book missed out on their perspectives, but as a direct result of having four protagonists who are all queens, the story is in some degree hampered by the restrictions on the lives of these women and the importance of events happening outside their experience. Put me in the throne room with Akhenaten and his advisors, please!
Alright, for all those wondering, I admit I still prefer Pauline Gedge’s The Twelfth Transforming more. I think it has that broader perspective, and to be succinct it just has a darkly delicious and compelling core running through it that is tough to beat (Hawker’s Amarna royals are dark… but not that dark. Not yet, anyway). But this has to be the next best take I’ve ever read. Good job, indeed!
8 out of 10
February 17, 2017
Hawerk's Book of Coming Forth series is about the Amarna period in ancient Egypt. This first chronicles the in-fighting that occurs as one pharaoh passes and another rises. The book is told from the relative perspectives of the women in the story (the pov is third, but the focus of each chapter shifts) making a rather good illustration about how power or its pursuit can cost one potential allies.
July 4, 2015
The Amarna period is one of my most favourite periods of time in Ancient Egyptian history and one that has been well-served by a fairly steady stream of historical fiction about it. I've ended up reading a fair amount of novels set in this time – but I've never found a novel that really satisfied me.
Until now.
If the rating wasn't enough of a giveaway, I loved House of Rejoicing.
House of Rejoicing is the first volume in Libbie Hawker's The Book of Coming Forth By Day, a series that explores the reign of Akhenaten and the rise and fall of the Aten faith. This first part focuses on the last two years of Amenhotep III's reign and the first five years of Akhenaten's reign. Events are told through the eyes of four royal women, Tiye (mother of Akhenaten and Amenhotep III's Great Royal Wife), Nefertiti (daughter of the ambitious Ay, wife to Akhenaten), Kiya (a Mitanni princess married to first Amenhotep III and later Akhenaten) and Sitamun (daughter of Tiye and Amenhotep, wed first to Amenhotep III and then Akhenaten).
It's tempting to compare this to Pauline Gedge's The Twelfth Transforming , one of the best books I've read about Akhenaten and the Amarna period. The Twelfth Transforming and House of Rejoicing both feature bleak takes on this time period and both follow the "Akhenaten-is-crazypants-crazy-and-a-total-pervert" line of things. And yet they're so different and do their own thing with the history involved. Personally, I prefer House of Rejoicing simply because I found it a more enjoyable read. With The Twelfth Transforming I felt I was swimming through a sea of murk and while things aren't any better for the characters in House of Rejoicing, I didn't have the same sense of being buried in terrible things and surrounded by terrible people.
I credit this to Hawker's character work. All of her characters come across as likeable – or at least understandable – in spite of their flaws and their sometimes terrible actions. All four women frustrated and/or horrified me at least one point in the novel, but I still found myself liking them and hoping that they would have some type of happy ending or at least some triumph (I know the history too well to get my hopes too high, though).
I have to take a moment to praise Hawker's characterisation of Nefertiti. So often I've seen treatments of Nefertiti that depict her as either a dumb beauty, a ruthless schemer or an implausibly perfect queen that it's refreshing to see her presented as a woman who was highly intelligent and incredibly powerful but not some perfect little snowflake that doesn't do anything wrong or a utterly selfish and unlikeable woman.
So too did I enjoy Hawker's exploration of the relationships between all four women. Tiye, Kiya, Sitamun and Nefertiti live in a world where a woman's status and power is derived from their closeness to the king. To put another way: the four women at the centre of the novel live in a world and system that constantly pits women against each other.
It would easy to write the relationships between Sitamun, Nefertiti and Kiya as a rivalry. They are all in competition to become the Great Royal Wife and to give Akhenaten a heir (who will turn secure their position when Akhenaten is dead). And yet they're never just rivals.
Kiya and Sitamun come across as friends, and while Nefertiti holds herself at a distance to them, she still views them sympathetically (and the reverse also is true). This is quite refreshing to read, since so often historical fiction will make this kind of situation into a black-and-white, good guy versus bad guy scenario and forget that that everyone involved is human and have their own reasons for acting as they do.
As well as crafting characters that feel like real human beings, the Ancient Egypt Hawker recreates is vivid and atmospheric. I really do get the sense that the book takes place in Ancient Egypt at a very specific time – it's not just some generic bit of action played out in a time that could almost be anywhere. There's nowhere else House of Rejoicing could take place but in Ancient Egypt, no other time it could take place but Akhenaten's lifetime.
I will touch on the history. As I've indicated above, this is one of my favourite time periods in all of history, so much so not only do I have a pretty good grasp of the history, I also have my own pet theories about things. I've also read enough of Hawker's other historical fiction novels to feel certain that Hawker does know her stuff and typically has good reasons to diverge from historical fact for the benefit of the story.
With all that being said, I felt very happy with the historical accuracy with the book. I've professed myself on multiple occasions to be weary of the "Ay as Nefertiti's father" trope, but Hawker's take on it was fresh and exciting, so much so that I even enjoyed it. Also, I was very excited about seeing Mutbenret, not Mutnodjmet, as Nefertiti's sister – though it did make me wonder what was going to happen with the woman who would become Horemheb's Great Royal Wife (is it a spoiler if we're talking about historical events that take place 3000+ years ago and involve a character that hasn't yet been introduced in the novel?)
The one big issue for me is the role of Sitamun. Hawker's Sitamun tends to contradict a lot of what is known historically about her – or at least, how Sitamun is typically talked about by historians. For example, Sitamun was the eldest of at least four daughters of Amenhotep III and Tiye, but in House of Rejoicing, she's the youngest of three. I'm not condemning Hawker's choice in changing things around, not least because we're only a third of the way through the story, but it did draw me out of the narrative for a quick, 'wait, what' moment.
House of Rejoicing is an excellent read and an exciting start to a series focused on the Amarna period. I can't wait to pick up the sequel (damn it not being July 31 right this second!).
Until now.
If the rating wasn't enough of a giveaway, I loved House of Rejoicing.
House of Rejoicing is the first volume in Libbie Hawker's The Book of Coming Forth By Day, a series that explores the reign of Akhenaten and the rise and fall of the Aten faith. This first part focuses on the last two years of Amenhotep III's reign and the first five years of Akhenaten's reign. Events are told through the eyes of four royal women, Tiye (mother of Akhenaten and Amenhotep III's Great Royal Wife), Nefertiti (daughter of the ambitious Ay, wife to Akhenaten), Kiya (a Mitanni princess married to first Amenhotep III and later Akhenaten) and Sitamun (daughter of Tiye and Amenhotep, wed first to Amenhotep III and then Akhenaten).
It's tempting to compare this to Pauline Gedge's The Twelfth Transforming , one of the best books I've read about Akhenaten and the Amarna period. The Twelfth Transforming and House of Rejoicing both feature bleak takes on this time period and both follow the "Akhenaten-is-crazypants-crazy-and-a-total-pervert" line of things. And yet they're so different and do their own thing with the history involved. Personally, I prefer House of Rejoicing simply because I found it a more enjoyable read. With The Twelfth Transforming I felt I was swimming through a sea of murk and while things aren't any better for the characters in House of Rejoicing, I didn't have the same sense of being buried in terrible things and surrounded by terrible people.
I credit this to Hawker's character work. All of her characters come across as likeable – or at least understandable – in spite of their flaws and their sometimes terrible actions. All four women frustrated and/or horrified me at least one point in the novel, but I still found myself liking them and hoping that they would have some type of happy ending or at least some triumph (I know the history too well to get my hopes too high, though).
I have to take a moment to praise Hawker's characterisation of Nefertiti. So often I've seen treatments of Nefertiti that depict her as either a dumb beauty, a ruthless schemer or an implausibly perfect queen that it's refreshing to see her presented as a woman who was highly intelligent and incredibly powerful but not some perfect little snowflake that doesn't do anything wrong or a utterly selfish and unlikeable woman.
So too did I enjoy Hawker's exploration of the relationships between all four women. Tiye, Kiya, Sitamun and Nefertiti live in a world where a woman's status and power is derived from their closeness to the king. To put another way: the four women at the centre of the novel live in a world and system that constantly pits women against each other.
It would easy to write the relationships between Sitamun, Nefertiti and Kiya as a rivalry. They are all in competition to become the Great Royal Wife and to give Akhenaten a heir (who will turn secure their position when Akhenaten is dead). And yet they're never just rivals.
Kiya and Sitamun come across as friends, and while Nefertiti holds herself at a distance to them, she still views them sympathetically (and the reverse also is true). This is quite refreshing to read, since so often historical fiction will make this kind of situation into a black-and-white, good guy versus bad guy scenario and forget that that everyone involved is human and have their own reasons for acting as they do.
As well as crafting characters that feel like real human beings, the Ancient Egypt Hawker recreates is vivid and atmospheric. I really do get the sense that the book takes place in Ancient Egypt at a very specific time – it's not just some generic bit of action played out in a time that could almost be anywhere. There's nowhere else House of Rejoicing could take place but in Ancient Egypt, no other time it could take place but Akhenaten's lifetime.
I will touch on the history. As I've indicated above, this is one of my favourite time periods in all of history, so much so not only do I have a pretty good grasp of the history, I also have my own pet theories about things. I've also read enough of Hawker's other historical fiction novels to feel certain that Hawker does know her stuff and typically has good reasons to diverge from historical fact for the benefit of the story.
With all that being said, I felt very happy with the historical accuracy with the book. I've professed myself on multiple occasions to be weary of the "Ay as Nefertiti's father" trope, but Hawker's take on it was fresh and exciting, so much so that I even enjoyed it. Also, I was very excited about seeing Mutbenret, not Mutnodjmet, as Nefertiti's sister – though it did make me wonder what was going to happen with the woman who would become Horemheb's Great Royal Wife (is it a spoiler if we're talking about historical events that take place 3000+ years ago and involve a character that hasn't yet been introduced in the novel?)
The one big issue for me is the role of Sitamun. Hawker's Sitamun tends to contradict a lot of what is known historically about her – or at least, how Sitamun is typically talked about by historians. For example, Sitamun was the eldest of at least four daughters of Amenhotep III and Tiye, but in House of Rejoicing, she's the youngest of three. I'm not condemning Hawker's choice in changing things around, not least because we're only a third of the way through the story, but it did draw me out of the narrative for a quick, 'wait, what' moment.
House of Rejoicing is an excellent read and an exciting start to a series focused on the Amarna period. I can't wait to pick up the sequel (damn it not being July 31 right this second!).
February 3, 2023
This novel read almost like a mystery in the twists and turns of the powerful female characters and their attempts at strengthening their position in Egypt.
With so many well-drawn characters and power struggles woven into this book, I can't wait to read the followup novels in the series.
With so many well-drawn characters and power struggles woven into this book, I can't wait to read the followup novels in the series.
January 20, 2018
Interesting novel on the beginning of Akhenaten and Nefertti's reign. This was told from several different views from women in ancient Egypt. I did enjoy this novel and recommend this to anyone who loves to read about ancient Egypt.
November 24, 2016
This review originally appeared on my blog, Leeanna.me.
==
I don’t usually review books I read for pleasure anymore, but I had to review HOUSE OF REJOICING. It’s the start of a new ancient Egyptian historical fiction series set during the Amarna period. AKA when Akhenaten raised the Aten above all other gods.
I’m always looking for good ancient Egyptian historical fiction. I’ve read a lot, but I always come back to Libbie Hawker (previously under the pen name L.M. Ironside). I’ve read her Thutmoside saga 3 times, so I was excited to see her tackle Akhenaten and Nefertiti. I like Hawker’s books because she grounds her stories in what’s known, but then makes educated diversions. I also feel like I’ve travelled back in time, thanks to the plethora of details and scene setting. I never feel like I’m reading about modern characters with an Egyptian window-dressing.
And then we get to the characters. Hawker takes the classic Akhenaten is crazy approach, but in a way that I found scary. Sometimes when authors go for that angle, he’s just laughable in his craziness. But in HOUSE OF REJOICING, Akhenaten is scary-crazy. And the author lays a better foundation for his craziness and focus on the Aten than I’ve read before, by spending a lot of the book on the end of his father’s reign.
HOUSE OF REJOICING is written from the viewpoints of four women. Kiya, a Mitanni princess sent to wed Amunhotep. Tiy, Amunhotep’s Great Wife. Sitamun, Akhenaten’s sister. And Nefertiti, raised by her father to be the next pharoah’s Great Wife. None of these women are fully good or bad; I liked and disliked all for various reasons, and also empathized with all of them. I like the way the author envisioned each of these women. Nefertiti is the ambitious beauty she’s always written as, but here she’s more than that. We see why she supports Akhenaten in his quest to glorify the Aten above all other gods. Partly for her own ambition, but also because she sees how dark the future could be, and that supporting Akhenaten might be the only way to gain any shred of control over him. And so on, with each character.
If you like ancient Egyptian historical fiction, I can’t recommend Libbie Hawker highly enough. I’m already looking forward to my next read of HOUSE OF REJOICING, and to the rest of the series.
==
See more of my reviews:
==
I don’t usually review books I read for pleasure anymore, but I had to review HOUSE OF REJOICING. It’s the start of a new ancient Egyptian historical fiction series set during the Amarna period. AKA when Akhenaten raised the Aten above all other gods.
I’m always looking for good ancient Egyptian historical fiction. I’ve read a lot, but I always come back to Libbie Hawker (previously under the pen name L.M. Ironside). I’ve read her Thutmoside saga 3 times, so I was excited to see her tackle Akhenaten and Nefertiti. I like Hawker’s books because she grounds her stories in what’s known, but then makes educated diversions. I also feel like I’ve travelled back in time, thanks to the plethora of details and scene setting. I never feel like I’m reading about modern characters with an Egyptian window-dressing.
And then we get to the characters. Hawker takes the classic Akhenaten is crazy approach, but in a way that I found scary. Sometimes when authors go for that angle, he’s just laughable in his craziness. But in HOUSE OF REJOICING, Akhenaten is scary-crazy. And the author lays a better foundation for his craziness and focus on the Aten than I’ve read before, by spending a lot of the book on the end of his father’s reign.
HOUSE OF REJOICING is written from the viewpoints of four women. Kiya, a Mitanni princess sent to wed Amunhotep. Tiy, Amunhotep’s Great Wife. Sitamun, Akhenaten’s sister. And Nefertiti, raised by her father to be the next pharoah’s Great Wife. None of these women are fully good or bad; I liked and disliked all for various reasons, and also empathized with all of them. I like the way the author envisioned each of these women. Nefertiti is the ambitious beauty she’s always written as, but here she’s more than that. We see why she supports Akhenaten in his quest to glorify the Aten above all other gods. Partly for her own ambition, but also because she sees how dark the future could be, and that supporting Akhenaten might be the only way to gain any shred of control over him. And so on, with each character.
If you like ancient Egyptian historical fiction, I can’t recommend Libbie Hawker highly enough. I’m already looking forward to my next read of HOUSE OF REJOICING, and to the rest of the series.
==
See more of my reviews:
July 3, 2025
Review: House of Rejoicing. Coming forth by day series volume one of three.
The book has forced Egyptian-isms if that makes sense. Like: “his ka shines through his eyes” would still read as corny if “his soul shines through his eyes”. The poetic writing full of detail and colorful creativity did not tire me but it did get repetitive at one point. Like describing the river and the passages for “mistakenly thought”.
I’m glad I finally got to read this as I’ve had it on my bookshelf since 2022.
—-
The first chapter implies that the story takes place ala through scrolls that Ankhesenamun leaves behind- yet the book is broken up between character’s points of view. The second we are introduced to Kiya and her marriage to the aging Amunhotep. The third is about Nefertiti and then we are back to Kiya then Sitamun and Tiy.
The book picks up when Kiya finds Thutmose dead! She was headed out to sleep with him and found him dead. Amunhotep III defends her. Thutmose is kind of a player and Amunhotep III is kind of creepy.
Tiy hides her son Smenkhkare and keeps the pregnant Sitamun. Nefertiti is told that she must now marry Amunhotep III! Meanwhile, Tiy is swapped out with Sitamun despite rumors that she is pregnant with Amunhotep III‘s kid.
They start to plan how to reclaim the throne and discover evidence that Nefertiti’s father may have killed Thutmose! Amunhotep III still shows a fondness for Kiya but makes due with Nefertiti. The family starts to shift internally about how to rule the kingdom.
Sitamun gives birth to Nebetah. Nefertiti and Kiya have a mental duel over who will be Amunhoteph’s favorite. Nefertiti fights dirty and uses a servant to perform sexual favors for the pharaoh to appoint Amunhotep III.
Then bam, Amunhotep III becomes pharaoh after his dad passed away. Nerfer, Sita, and Kiya, try to gamble for who would be the main wife. Amunhoteph is slowly showing his madness for the sun and hatred for the religion of Amun.
Nefertiti gives birth to: Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten. Pharaoh finishes making his temple to Aten, Amun priests are not happy. Sitamun is made a high priestess with Nefertiti I think. Kiya gives birth to Kayet. Ay arranges for Mutbenret to sleep with Akhenaten. Kiya’s love and naivety for Akhenaten disperses when he nearly attacks and rapes her.
At the end we pass into 5 years of now named Akhenaten, he continues to abuse Kiya and continues to be crazy. Rushes at the end, not gonna lie. We stop on Tiy as Akhenaten plans to build a new palace. Akhenaten then demands all goods for the pantheon be taken for Aten exclusively. The plunder takes food, gold, and goods; resulting in a riot. This effectively causes him to be in charge of the wealth of Egypt since has amassed an army and dethroned the gods. He plans to move the capital of Egypt and create a monotheocracy. He declares, like his father, he is a true god on Earth.
—
The ending is hastily compiled considering how we do a sudden lurch forward into his new building of a temple and desire to change the religion without much of a buildup of how he amassed his army or how he made his plans. Despite the series being about the heretic king and his son, The first volume essentially is a long plotting scheme of how he even got to be pharaoh to begin with, with him only being Akhenaton for the last two chapters.
I did like the emotion every character had you can really feel they are desperation and considerable loss in their way of life as more and more things hit them in the stomach.
—-
Amunhotep II (first pharaoh) (old and nasty)
Tiy (Tut’s grandma, royal wife) (dethroned and plotting)
Thutmose (prince and married to Nefertiti)
Nefertiti (pharaoh's future wife) (her father Ay wants to use her to control the throne) (Mom if Anksetamun)
Akhenaten / Amunhotep III (son) (he super killed Thutmose but it could have been Ay)
Kiya /Tadukhepa (Amunhotep's wife for 5 minutes) (loves Akhenaten)
Sitamun (Tiy’s daughter) (Married to Amunhotep II) (wife to Akhenaten)
Mutbenret (Nefertiti's sister. Sleeps with Akenaten to try for a son)
Smenkhkare (Tiy’s secret son)
Mahu (mean guard)
The book has forced Egyptian-isms if that makes sense. Like: “his ka shines through his eyes” would still read as corny if “his soul shines through his eyes”. The poetic writing full of detail and colorful creativity did not tire me but it did get repetitive at one point. Like describing the river and the passages for “mistakenly thought”.
I’m glad I finally got to read this as I’ve had it on my bookshelf since 2022.
—-
The first chapter implies that the story takes place ala through scrolls that Ankhesenamun leaves behind- yet the book is broken up between character’s points of view. The second we are introduced to Kiya and her marriage to the aging Amunhotep. The third is about Nefertiti and then we are back to Kiya then Sitamun and Tiy.
The book picks up when Kiya finds Thutmose dead! She was headed out to sleep with him and found him dead. Amunhotep III defends her. Thutmose is kind of a player and Amunhotep III is kind of creepy.
Tiy hides her son Smenkhkare and keeps the pregnant Sitamun. Nefertiti is told that she must now marry Amunhotep III! Meanwhile, Tiy is swapped out with Sitamun despite rumors that she is pregnant with Amunhotep III‘s kid.
They start to plan how to reclaim the throne and discover evidence that Nefertiti’s father may have killed Thutmose! Amunhotep III still shows a fondness for Kiya but makes due with Nefertiti. The family starts to shift internally about how to rule the kingdom.
Sitamun gives birth to Nebetah. Nefertiti and Kiya have a mental duel over who will be Amunhoteph’s favorite. Nefertiti fights dirty and uses a servant to perform sexual favors for the pharaoh to appoint Amunhotep III.
Then bam, Amunhotep III becomes pharaoh after his dad passed away. Nerfer, Sita, and Kiya, try to gamble for who would be the main wife. Amunhoteph is slowly showing his madness for the sun and hatred for the religion of Amun.
Nefertiti gives birth to: Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten. Pharaoh finishes making his temple to Aten, Amun priests are not happy. Sitamun is made a high priestess with Nefertiti I think. Kiya gives birth to Kayet. Ay arranges for Mutbenret to sleep with Akhenaten. Kiya’s love and naivety for Akhenaten disperses when he nearly attacks and rapes her.
At the end we pass into 5 years of now named Akhenaten, he continues to abuse Kiya and continues to be crazy. Rushes at the end, not gonna lie. We stop on Tiy as Akhenaten plans to build a new palace. Akhenaten then demands all goods for the pantheon be taken for Aten exclusively. The plunder takes food, gold, and goods; resulting in a riot. This effectively causes him to be in charge of the wealth of Egypt since has amassed an army and dethroned the gods. He plans to move the capital of Egypt and create a monotheocracy. He declares, like his father, he is a true god on Earth.
—
The ending is hastily compiled considering how we do a sudden lurch forward into his new building of a temple and desire to change the religion without much of a buildup of how he amassed his army or how he made his plans. Despite the series being about the heretic king and his son, The first volume essentially is a long plotting scheme of how he even got to be pharaoh to begin with, with him only being Akhenaton for the last two chapters.
I did like the emotion every character had you can really feel they are desperation and considerable loss in their way of life as more and more things hit them in the stomach.
—-
Amunhotep II (first pharaoh) (old and nasty)
Tiy (Tut’s grandma, royal wife) (dethroned and plotting)
Thutmose (prince and married to Nefertiti)
Nefertiti (pharaoh's future wife) (her father Ay wants to use her to control the throne) (Mom if Anksetamun)
Akhenaten / Amunhotep III (son) (he super killed Thutmose but it could have been Ay)
Kiya /Tadukhepa (Amunhotep's wife for 5 minutes) (loves Akhenaten)
Sitamun (Tiy’s daughter) (Married to Amunhotep II) (wife to Akhenaten)
Mutbenret (Nefertiti's sister. Sleeps with Akenaten to try for a son)
Smenkhkare (Tiy’s secret son)
Mahu (mean guard)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2015
When approaching historical fiction set in the Amarna Period I am often left feeling an odd mix of disappointment, confusion and a tad bit of repulsion. The sheer lack of evidence concerning the Amarna period has opened it up to many interpretations with only a basic understanding of Ancient Egypt. However, Hawker vividly brings the Amarna Period to life, animating its personalities, locations and customs with a believable and accurate manner.
I have often found that Nefertiti is often portrayed in fiction as cold, cruel and vain and while Hawker does embody some of these qualities in her rendering of Nefertiti she is not all sinner. The first time we are introduced to Nefertiti is through the eyes of another where she is shown as an intimidating and somewhat nasty, but we soon see that this is a very real, very human Nefertiti. She is beautiful yes, but her looks are a ‘currency’ to be traded and used for her abusive fathers socio-political progression. Throughout the novel we see Nefertiti grow a somewhat feisty streak, which is subdued by her father via the physical abuse of her younger sister. Nefertiti has an incredible arch, my only criticism is it could be more fleshed out. There are whole periods of her life that are skipped or skimmed over, the birth of her daughters is what particularly stuck out to me as one of the more exceedingly vague sections.
Rarely is Kiya fleshed out to the extent the House of Rejoicing does. It was particularly pleasing to see that Hawker employs the theory that Kiya is also the Mitanni Princess Tadukhepa sent to marry Amenhotep III. The emotion infused into Kiya in regards to the arrival in a foreign country was sincere and believable, with attention to detail such as accents, languages and regalia. It would have been nice to have had mention of Gilukhepa, the Mitanni Princess sent to Amenhotep III earlier, who was perhaps Tadukepa’s Aunt. Sitamun too is generally little explored as a fictional character, I am excited to see where they take this character and if she will fill in any other hotly contested theories especially with the 2010 DNA test in mind. Tiye was fantastic. I can’t fault her as a character, when I see the bust of Tiye I can automatically match it up with Hawkers characterization. You can see her struggle with her ill feelings towards her son, the grief of the loss of Thutmose and her struggle to protect and understand her daughter.
The identity of Smenkhkare is debated issue, It is unknown whether he was a son of Amenhotep, Akhenaten or even a foreign prince, it is even possible that he was simply a courtier who made an exceedingly advantageous marriage. House of Rejoicing has laid the foundations of an explanation of the Smenkhkare Issue and while it is not a theory I necessarily subscribe to on a scholarly level, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in historical fiction, in particular the Amarna Period. The female characters were all quite relatable, non of which were entirely good or bad. I am keenly awaiting the second installment and eager to see the further development of the characters and the evolution of the plot.
I have often found that Nefertiti is often portrayed in fiction as cold, cruel and vain and while Hawker does embody some of these qualities in her rendering of Nefertiti she is not all sinner. The first time we are introduced to Nefertiti is through the eyes of another where she is shown as an intimidating and somewhat nasty, but we soon see that this is a very real, very human Nefertiti. She is beautiful yes, but her looks are a ‘currency’ to be traded and used for her abusive fathers socio-political progression. Throughout the novel we see Nefertiti grow a somewhat feisty streak, which is subdued by her father via the physical abuse of her younger sister. Nefertiti has an incredible arch, my only criticism is it could be more fleshed out. There are whole periods of her life that are skipped or skimmed over, the birth of her daughters is what particularly stuck out to me as one of the more exceedingly vague sections.
Rarely is Kiya fleshed out to the extent the House of Rejoicing does. It was particularly pleasing to see that Hawker employs the theory that Kiya is also the Mitanni Princess Tadukhepa sent to marry Amenhotep III. The emotion infused into Kiya in regards to the arrival in a foreign country was sincere and believable, with attention to detail such as accents, languages and regalia. It would have been nice to have had mention of Gilukhepa, the Mitanni Princess sent to Amenhotep III earlier, who was perhaps Tadukepa’s Aunt. Sitamun too is generally little explored as a fictional character, I am excited to see where they take this character and if she will fill in any other hotly contested theories especially with the 2010 DNA test in mind. Tiye was fantastic. I can’t fault her as a character, when I see the bust of Tiye I can automatically match it up with Hawkers characterization. You can see her struggle with her ill feelings towards her son, the grief of the loss of Thutmose and her struggle to protect and understand her daughter.
The identity of Smenkhkare is debated issue, It is unknown whether he was a son of Amenhotep, Akhenaten or even a foreign prince, it is even possible that he was simply a courtier who made an exceedingly advantageous marriage. House of Rejoicing has laid the foundations of an explanation of the Smenkhkare Issue and while it is not a theory I necessarily subscribe to on a scholarly level, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in historical fiction, in particular the Amarna Period. The female characters were all quite relatable, non of which were entirely good or bad. I am keenly awaiting the second installment and eager to see the further development of the characters and the evolution of the plot.
May 6, 2017
To be completely honest, I didn't have very high hopes for this book, but it was free of Play Books, I was in the mood for some Historical Fiction (which I used to read a lot of when I was younger), and set in Ancient Egypt even made it a better option; and I just ended up really enjoying this book
The book follows four different POVs, each one belongs to a woman who is connected to Amenhotep (Akhenaten) in some way - his mother, and three wives - and I just really LOVED them, you get to see them evolve and change during almost 10 years; you get to see their relationships with each other and with the Pharaohs (there's a big part of the book that is still with Amenhotep III as Pharaoh, which was very interesting to see, and a different perspective of him than what I'm used to), and you just get to see how they are, and how they react to certain things
There were quite a few interestings twists in the story, and it's that way because you get POVs - you know what people think it happened, which is not always what truly happened (that's why I LOVE multiple POVs so much!!!), and I imagine that there are even more twists to people who go in blind to this historical period
Just a GREAT read, that surprised me :D It was exciting, interesting and really well done... And smartly only the first book was free, to hook you and now make you want to read the rest :)
The book follows four different POVs, each one belongs to a woman who is connected to Amenhotep (Akhenaten) in some way - his mother, and three wives - and I just really LOVED them, you get to see them evolve and change during almost 10 years; you get to see their relationships with each other and with the Pharaohs (there's a big part of the book that is still with Amenhotep III as Pharaoh, which was very interesting to see, and a different perspective of him than what I'm used to), and you just get to see how they are, and how they react to certain things
There were quite a few interestings twists in the story, and it's that way because you get POVs - you know what people think it happened, which is not always what truly happened (that's why I LOVE multiple POVs so much!!!), and I imagine that there are even more twists to people who go in blind to this historical period
Just a GREAT read, that surprised me :D It was exciting, interesting and really well done... And smartly only the first book was free, to hook you and now make you want to read the rest :)
July 5, 2019
House of Rejoicing was just incredible! I don't know how it's possible that I hadn't read this book yet. I've had it on my Kindle for years until I randomly decided to start it and I ended up being so amazed by it. Now it's my very favorite book set in ancient Egypt. I want to buy the sequel as soon as I can (yes it ends in a cliffhanger I gotta warn you but it's a good one!).
House of Rejoicing is set during the 18th Dynasty in the Amarna period, which has always been one of my favorite periods in ancient Egypt and I'm sure it's one of the most well-known periods too. I mean who hasn't heard of Nefertiti and "the heretic Pharaoh" Akhenaten at least once? I've always been super fascinated by Akhenaten and how he abandended the traditional ancient Egyptians gods for worshipping the Aten. For most of the book Akhenaten is called Amunhotep (IV), which was his name before he changed it to what we know him as so for this review I'm going to call him Akhenaten to keep things more simple since his father is also called Amunhotep (III).
The book is told in the point of view of four women from the royal court and harem:
Tiy: The mother of Akhenaten, who once held the power behind the throne when her husband Amunhotep III ruled
Kiya: A princess send from Mitanni to marry Amunhotep III and who just wants to be happy and live her life.
Nefertiti: The ambitious beauty who was raised to become the next Pharaoh's great-wife.
Sitamun: Tiy's daughter and Akhenaten's sister who just wants her brother to love her.
I loved reading about these four women so much. They were written in a way that wasn't all black and white. They were definitely gray characters, sometimes having to do horrible things and yet I still felt for them and came to care about them as they struggled through those first years of Akhenaten's reign.
I was quite surprised by how sometimes the story was pretty dark. I don't know why I was surprised because the ancient world was often a cruel and unforgiving place especially towards the women but I can only admire the clever writing of the author and how she didn't shy away from the tough topics. I also liked how motherhood played a huge part in this novel. Each main character had their own feelings and experiences with it, which were all very different from one another.
The writing was my absolute favorite part of this book. It made me feel as if I was really in ancient Egypt because of the detailed and beautiful descriptions Libbie Hawker gave us. It was simply magical to read! I've read short stories by her in the past but this book really made me curious to read more of her work, which I definitely intend to do. In fact, I'm already reading a different book by her that's also set in ancient Egypt. So definitely expect another review soon!
House of Rejoicing is set during the 18th Dynasty in the Amarna period, which has always been one of my favorite periods in ancient Egypt and I'm sure it's one of the most well-known periods too. I mean who hasn't heard of Nefertiti and "the heretic Pharaoh" Akhenaten at least once? I've always been super fascinated by Akhenaten and how he abandended the traditional ancient Egyptians gods for worshipping the Aten. For most of the book Akhenaten is called Amunhotep (IV), which was his name before he changed it to what we know him as so for this review I'm going to call him Akhenaten to keep things more simple since his father is also called Amunhotep (III).
The book is told in the point of view of four women from the royal court and harem:
Tiy: The mother of Akhenaten, who once held the power behind the throne when her husband Amunhotep III ruled
Kiya: A princess send from Mitanni to marry Amunhotep III and who just wants to be happy and live her life.
Nefertiti: The ambitious beauty who was raised to become the next Pharaoh's great-wife.
Sitamun: Tiy's daughter and Akhenaten's sister who just wants her brother to love her.
I loved reading about these four women so much. They were written in a way that wasn't all black and white. They were definitely gray characters, sometimes having to do horrible things and yet I still felt for them and came to care about them as they struggled through those first years of Akhenaten's reign.
I was quite surprised by how sometimes the story was pretty dark. I don't know why I was surprised because the ancient world was often a cruel and unforgiving place especially towards the women but I can only admire the clever writing of the author and how she didn't shy away from the tough topics. I also liked how motherhood played a huge part in this novel. Each main character had their own feelings and experiences with it, which were all very different from one another.
The writing was my absolute favorite part of this book. It made me feel as if I was really in ancient Egypt because of the detailed and beautiful descriptions Libbie Hawker gave us. It was simply magical to read! I've read short stories by her in the past but this book really made me curious to read more of her work, which I definitely intend to do. In fact, I'm already reading a different book by her that's also set in ancient Egypt. So definitely expect another review soon!
May 17, 2023
Not much rejoicing here, so I suppose the title was meant to be ironic. In the end, I didn't really like any of the characters, and all the sex was rape, transactional, and/or incestual.
January 6, 2023
A juicy, soap opera drama of the Egyptian royal family of the 18th Dynasty. We see Pharaoh Akhenaten come to power and insist on establishing a new religion, while the women of the family all fight each other for status and power.
August 24, 2015
Update: I just realized this fulfills the "book published by an indie press" category on the 2015 Read Harder Challenge. I'm a believer in indie publishing lately. Sure, there's a lot of crap out there, but there's arguably a lot of crap in traditional publishing houses, too. I'm so glad for the indie book revolution in general, because I don't know if I would have gotten to read Libbie Hawker's books otherwise. And they are exactly the kind of thing I've been looking for in historical fiction.
----
Haha, I feel like my shelves kind of tell you my review, don't they?
I tore through this book the same way I've torn through all of this author's books. As much as I've been looking forward to Hawker's upcoming book on Zenobia, I confess I was really happy to see that she had tackled the Amarna period. I've been obsessed with it ever since that 90s documentary on "Who killed king Tut????" The answer, over the years since, increasingly seems like "uh, no one?" But nothing has really diminished my interest in Ankhesanuman. This series doesn't seem to be about her, but I was happy she was the first POV, at least.
Anyway, sometimes Hawker's ancient Egypt novels kinda feel like horror in disguise as historical fiction and I love that. I think, in one of my reviews for the She-King Books, I said how I like how these books take the Egyptians' religion seriously. By that same token, it's always fascinating how terrifying it can be living under a divine monarchy. We've seen a few generally benevolent sovereigns in these books. However, it really is a crapshoot for the people (or should I say the "rekhet") and even a lot of the non-royal aristocracy. A system where the king claims a divine right to rule is a system that's especially ripe for the worst kind of corrupt. And the House of Rejoicing is really all about exploring what happens when the mechanics of such a system prop an especially ill-equipped and abusive person. Literally everyone (except Kiya) knows Ankhenaten is bad news here, but there's not really anyone can stop him. Seriously, it's the best kind of horror novel, where all the terror comes straight from human nature.
Speaking of which, I continue to like how Hawker explores relationships between women. In Sekhmet bed, I liked how things weren't so clear-cut, in terms of the sisters and who was "right." Things were even more twisted and complex here. These women in pluralist marriages are rarely friends in her works, but it's hard to call them outright enemies. And that rings a lot more true than some treatments I've read. Like I said in my status update, I was happy that this summary treated Kiya, Nefertiti, and Sitamun as narrative equals. In these historical fiction novels about ancient Egypt, it's so common to have the story unsubtly prod you to root for one wife over the others. Even in cases like this, where all the women are going to lose out due to Ankhenaten's megalomania. And in the case of Nefertiti a lot of books act like we should care just because... what? She's the name we're most likely to recognize? And she was really really ridiculously good-looking? Here Nefertiti has many dimensions here. Sometimes I adored her, sometimes I was horrified by her choices, but I was never bored by her. Same goes for Tiy, to be honest.
I love how every adaptation agrees that Ay's a creep. Because, really.
I have some question marks about this book but I'm halfway through the full story, and I'll see if the next novel satisfies some of the things I wonder about.
----
Haha, I feel like my shelves kind of tell you my review, don't they?
I tore through this book the same way I've torn through all of this author's books. As much as I've been looking forward to Hawker's upcoming book on Zenobia, I confess I was really happy to see that she had tackled the Amarna period. I've been obsessed with it ever since that 90s documentary on "Who killed king Tut????" The answer, over the years since, increasingly seems like "uh, no one?" But nothing has really diminished my interest in Ankhesanuman. This series doesn't seem to be about her, but I was happy she was the first POV, at least.
Anyway, sometimes Hawker's ancient Egypt novels kinda feel like horror in disguise as historical fiction and I love that. I think, in one of my reviews for the She-King Books, I said how I like how these books take the Egyptians' religion seriously. By that same token, it's always fascinating how terrifying it can be living under a divine monarchy. We've seen a few generally benevolent sovereigns in these books. However, it really is a crapshoot for the people (or should I say the "rekhet") and even a lot of the non-royal aristocracy. A system where the king claims a divine right to rule is a system that's especially ripe for the worst kind of corrupt. And the House of Rejoicing is really all about exploring what happens when the mechanics of such a system prop an especially ill-equipped and abusive person. Literally everyone (except Kiya) knows Ankhenaten is bad news here, but there's not really anyone can stop him. Seriously, it's the best kind of horror novel, where all the terror comes straight from human nature.
Speaking of which, I continue to like how Hawker explores relationships between women. In Sekhmet bed, I liked how things weren't so clear-cut, in terms of the sisters and who was "right." Things were even more twisted and complex here. These women in pluralist marriages are rarely friends in her works, but it's hard to call them outright enemies. And that rings a lot more true than some treatments I've read. Like I said in my status update, I was happy that this summary treated Kiya, Nefertiti, and Sitamun as narrative equals. In these historical fiction novels about ancient Egypt, it's so common to have the story unsubtly prod you to root for one wife over the others. Even in cases like this, where all the women are going to lose out due to Ankhenaten's megalomania. And in the case of Nefertiti a lot of books act like we should care just because... what? She's the name we're most likely to recognize? And she was really really ridiculously good-looking? Here Nefertiti has many dimensions here. Sometimes I adored her, sometimes I was horrified by her choices, but I was never bored by her. Same goes for Tiy, to be honest.
I love how every adaptation agrees that Ay's a creep. Because, really.
I have some question marks about this book but I'm halfway through the full story, and I'll see if the next novel satisfies some of the things I wonder about.
August 6, 2015
In "The Book of Coming Forth by Day", Libbie Hawker, author of the She-King Saga, takes on the Amarna period of ancient Egypt. Part 1 (of 3), "House of Rejoicing" describes how Amunhotep came to the throne of Pharaoh and transforms himself into Akhenaten. The story is told through the perspectives of four women, Tiy (Amunhotep's mother and sister of Ay), and his three wives: Nefertiti (Ay's daughter), Kiya (a foreign princess), and Sitamun (Amunhotep's sister and Tiy's daughter).
Kiya and Sitamun seek Amunhotep's love, while Nefertiti works to secure her position. Only Tiy recognizes the danger in Amunhotep's rule, but she treats the other women as pawns and so fails to enlist them as allies.
Libbie Hawker deftly handles her four narrators, making each of them unique, complex and sympathetic. She uses each of their perspectives to weave together an enthralling story.
On her website, Libbie Hawker tells readers "The Book of Coming Forth by Day" is "Game of Thrones in ancient Egypt". The comparison works in several ways, the battle for power, the twisted relationships, and the use of multiple narrators. I rejoice that, unlike Game of Thrones, I know I'll see this story finished soon, the second book (Storm in the Sky) just came out and the third (Eater of Hearts) scheduled for the end of October.
Cross-posted on Gemna's Book Gems
Kiya and Sitamun seek Amunhotep's love, while Nefertiti works to secure her position. Only Tiy recognizes the danger in Amunhotep's rule, but she treats the other women as pawns and so fails to enlist them as allies.
Libbie Hawker deftly handles her four narrators, making each of them unique, complex and sympathetic. She uses each of their perspectives to weave together an enthralling story.
On her website, Libbie Hawker tells readers "The Book of Coming Forth by Day" is "Game of Thrones in ancient Egypt". The comparison works in several ways, the battle for power, the twisted relationships, and the use of multiple narrators. I rejoice that, unlike Game of Thrones, I know I'll see this story finished soon, the second book (Storm in the Sky) just came out and the third (Eater of Hearts) scheduled for the end of October.
Cross-posted on Gemna's Book Gems
January 4, 2021
As I made my way through this book:
I didn't like it
I liked it
I didn't like it
I really didn't like it
I decided it was a soap opera
It dragged on
I got bored but needed to see how it ended
The story moved slowly and then...
It ended in a cliff hanger
While there were some beautiful descriptions of the settings, they often became long and drawn out and I found I was skimming them to get to the meat of the story, but it turned out to be a vegetarian dish.
I will not be continuing with the series.
Got it free through BookBub
I didn't like it
I liked it
I didn't like it
I really didn't like it
I decided it was a soap opera
It dragged on
I got bored but needed to see how it ended
The story moved slowly and then...
It ended in a cliff hanger
While there were some beautiful descriptions of the settings, they often became long and drawn out and I found I was skimming them to get to the meat of the story, but it turned out to be a vegetarian dish.
I will not be continuing with the series.
Got it free through BookBub
August 19, 2015
I am not giving this 5 stars because it is intellectual or factual or for its lyrical prose. I am giving it 5 stars because it makes my beloved Ancient Egypt alive! I could see the landscape and smell the city. I could feel the linens and wigs. I can't wait to read the other books!
February 24, 2016
Always fine writing but a bit more complicated than I could follow well. Perhaps just that I did not understand the period very well. A little darker than I enjoy reading but I am sure that was accurate as all LIbbie Hawker's books are.
August 4, 2017
all of the characters are fascinating, realistic and endearing.. if that's the right word.. I literally cared about all of them.. even the "baddies" which I think is very rare and testament to Libbie Hawkers excellent writing.
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November 2, 2022
[ to review at a later date - perhaps even re-read and review at a later date as well, though not urgent ]
February 7, 2023
I'm on a bit of an Eighteenth Dynasty kick when it comes to ancient Egypt, for Reasons. So I was super excited to pick up this title through my Audible subscription, and it was, simply put, not quite what I expected, and also a whole lot more than I'd asked for. To give a little background for the peeps who are not on such a major ancient Egypt thing like I am, this is the dynasty that spawned the legendary King Tutankhamen, whose fabulous and intact tomb was discovered by the British archaeologist Howard Carter, amid much fanfare during the early years of the 20th century.
But the Eighteenth Dynasty also gave us another pharaoh who was perhaps a little more on the notorious side – one Akhenaten, who's known for how he did his level best to usher in an age of monotheism into Egypt of the time's polytheistic culture. So much has been written about the time, with many Egyptologists (and authors) taking stabs at putting out their favourite pet theories. Thing is, we have just enough research to allow us to string together dozens of fascinating theories, and the Eighteenth Dynasty certainly has its fair share of intrigue and mystery. Unless fresh finds are dug up from the sands, a lot of what is put forward is mainly conjecture, but hey ... it's fodder for cool stories.
So, to get back to House of Rejoicing by Libbie Hawker, it's book 1 of a series that details Hawker's fictionalising of the events that transpired during Akhenaten's rule. Told from multiple points of view (mainly that of the wives, mothers) this is part murder mystery, part courtly intrigue, and very much a lively imagining of what life in ancient Egypt must have been like during a time of great turmoil.
A small warning, however, if underage shenanigans and sibling love that goes beyond the platonic bothers you, perhaps this is not the book for you. We must remember that Egypt of that era was a rather different place in terms of societal values, and it was common for brothers and sisters to be wed, and often at a young age.
Most of this book, I suspect, acts as a prequel of sorts, putting the players on the stage and introducing us to their complex interpersonal relationships in the years running up to Akhenaten taking his father's throne and getting the bright idea in his noggin that the Aten is the one and only god before all others ... and we all know how well that sort of thinking plays out. However, Hawker does an excellent job subverting my loyalties between the different players (something I quite love, thank you, George RR Martin) and I'm definitely keen to check out the next title.
But the Eighteenth Dynasty also gave us another pharaoh who was perhaps a little more on the notorious side – one Akhenaten, who's known for how he did his level best to usher in an age of monotheism into Egypt of the time's polytheistic culture. So much has been written about the time, with many Egyptologists (and authors) taking stabs at putting out their favourite pet theories. Thing is, we have just enough research to allow us to string together dozens of fascinating theories, and the Eighteenth Dynasty certainly has its fair share of intrigue and mystery. Unless fresh finds are dug up from the sands, a lot of what is put forward is mainly conjecture, but hey ... it's fodder for cool stories.
So, to get back to House of Rejoicing by Libbie Hawker, it's book 1 of a series that details Hawker's fictionalising of the events that transpired during Akhenaten's rule. Told from multiple points of view (mainly that of the wives, mothers) this is part murder mystery, part courtly intrigue, and very much a lively imagining of what life in ancient Egypt must have been like during a time of great turmoil.
A small warning, however, if underage shenanigans and sibling love that goes beyond the platonic bothers you, perhaps this is not the book for you. We must remember that Egypt of that era was a rather different place in terms of societal values, and it was common for brothers and sisters to be wed, and often at a young age.
Most of this book, I suspect, acts as a prequel of sorts, putting the players on the stage and introducing us to their complex interpersonal relationships in the years running up to Akhenaten taking his father's throne and getting the bright idea in his noggin that the Aten is the one and only god before all others ... and we all know how well that sort of thinking plays out. However, Hawker does an excellent job subverting my loyalties between the different players (something I quite love, thank you, George RR Martin) and I'm definitely keen to check out the next title.
September 19, 2018
Tl;dr: This book was a pretty fascinating read based on the lives of the women that surrounded the Pharaoh Akhenaten during his rise to power: Kiya, Tiy, Sitamun, and Nefertiti. It is a well-written story from their four perspectives, and is the first in a series detailing Akhenaten’s reign, with a focus on his new religion and the competing interests of these women.
House of Rejoicing is a historical fiction novel I got at a reduced price through BookBub. It tells the story of four different women during the later years of Amunhotep III’s reign, and the subsequent rise of Pharoah Akhenaten in Egypt. The plot alternates between their different voices: Tiy is the mother of Akhenaten (and Sitamun) and the wife of Amunhotep; Kiya (Tadukhepa) is a foreign princess sent to marry Amunhotep, who later becomes one of Akhenaten’s wives; Nefertiti is the famous princess, betrothed to Amunhotep’s first heir and later to Akhenaten; and Sitamun is the sister/wife of Akhenaten.
As far as historical fiction goes, I thought this book really shined in the way it portrayed the voices of four very different women without making them cookie-cutter or one-dimensional. Each woman has different goals and interpretations for the same situations, and when they do come to the same conclusions, they have very different ideas of how to get things accomplished. It was sad, and yet relatable to see how the status quo of the House of Rejoicing often pitted these women against each other; however, there were moments of happiness for each of them, and moments where they were able to be supportive allies to each other (notably Kiya and Sitamun, and Nefertiti and her sister Mutbenret), even though the men in their lives often made efforts to manipulate them (Amunhotep, Akhenaten, and Ay, Tiy’s brother and Nefertiti’s father).
I also appreciated that no one really got off cleanly in the book; I never rooted for one character any more than the other, and I felt like that was the author’s intention. All of the women made sacrifices and often horrible moral compromises to protect themselves and their interests, but they were never so cold as to be unaffected by their choices. While each woman owned up to these situations, the implications and repercussions of their choices resonated with them, with the other women, and across the story.
Motherhood and the lack of it, was a major theme in this book. The three wives, Sitamun, Kiya, and Nefertiti, often define their relationship to each other in the context of bearing children for Akhenaten, and who will bear a son first. Each woman felt a great deal of affection for their children, and in Kiya’s case, for Sitamun’s children as well.
Tiy also has a complex relationship towards motherhood, and curses herself for birthing Akhenaten. Her interactions with Sitamun are often acrimonious, and I was left to reflect on the lack of warmth between the two, and how Tiy chose to protect her elder daughters but not Sitamun at the beginning of the novel.
The men also have an inordinate focus on the concept of motherhood and creation too. Many of the characters note that Amunhotep committed blasphemy when he tried to create a ritual to give birth to a child to serve as his immortal vessel. Meanwhile, Akhenaten values only the Aten, a god he claims is the only god that matters, one of creation and creative energy. Akhenaten undertakes various efforts throughout the book to “create”, including a notable scene with lifelike statues, but his efforts are seen as repulsive, at least to many of the characters. Whether or not this theme carries though future books will be interesting to discover.
Overall, I would recommend this book, but there are definitely scenes (implied and otherwise) that made me squirm a little because of their topic matter and the impact on the women.
House of Rejoicing is a historical fiction novel I got at a reduced price through BookBub. It tells the story of four different women during the later years of Amunhotep III’s reign, and the subsequent rise of Pharoah Akhenaten in Egypt. The plot alternates between their different voices: Tiy is the mother of Akhenaten (and Sitamun) and the wife of Amunhotep; Kiya (Tadukhepa) is a foreign princess sent to marry Amunhotep, who later becomes one of Akhenaten’s wives; Nefertiti is the famous princess, betrothed to Amunhotep’s first heir and later to Akhenaten; and Sitamun is the sister/wife of Akhenaten.
As far as historical fiction goes, I thought this book really shined in the way it portrayed the voices of four very different women without making them cookie-cutter or one-dimensional. Each woman has different goals and interpretations for the same situations, and when they do come to the same conclusions, they have very different ideas of how to get things accomplished. It was sad, and yet relatable to see how the status quo of the House of Rejoicing often pitted these women against each other; however, there were moments of happiness for each of them, and moments where they were able to be supportive allies to each other (notably Kiya and Sitamun, and Nefertiti and her sister Mutbenret), even though the men in their lives often made efforts to manipulate them (Amunhotep, Akhenaten, and Ay, Tiy’s brother and Nefertiti’s father).
I also appreciated that no one really got off cleanly in the book; I never rooted for one character any more than the other, and I felt like that was the author’s intention. All of the women made sacrifices and often horrible moral compromises to protect themselves and their interests, but they were never so cold as to be unaffected by their choices. While each woman owned up to these situations, the implications and repercussions of their choices resonated with them, with the other women, and across the story.
Motherhood and the lack of it, was a major theme in this book. The three wives, Sitamun, Kiya, and Nefertiti, often define their relationship to each other in the context of bearing children for Akhenaten, and who will bear a son first. Each woman felt a great deal of affection for their children, and in Kiya’s case, for Sitamun’s children as well.
Tiy also has a complex relationship towards motherhood, and curses herself for birthing Akhenaten. Her interactions with Sitamun are often acrimonious, and I was left to reflect on the lack of warmth between the two, and how Tiy chose to protect her elder daughters but not Sitamun at the beginning of the novel.
The men also have an inordinate focus on the concept of motherhood and creation too. Many of the characters note that Amunhotep committed blasphemy when he tried to create a ritual to give birth to a child to serve as his immortal vessel. Meanwhile, Akhenaten values only the Aten, a god he claims is the only god that matters, one of creation and creative energy. Akhenaten undertakes various efforts throughout the book to “create”, including a notable scene with lifelike statues, but his efforts are seen as repulsive, at least to many of the characters. Whether or not this theme carries though future books will be interesting to discover.
Overall, I would recommend this book, but there are definitely scenes (implied and otherwise) that made me squirm a little because of their topic matter and the impact on the women.
August 2, 2020
Interesting but could be better
It was a pretty fun book. There were lots of twists and turns and most of the female characters are well fleshed out. However, I really felt that other characters were lacking in nuance and development. Akhenaten is painted in an extremely horrible light, which is fine, but I could have used more explanation or more show than tell. It would have been even better if he was given at least a sympathetic backstory or some positive traits. Even psychopaths have charisma. That would have left me even more invested in the story. This goes for the other characters too. I feel like Nefertiti and Kiya are devoted enough time to shine, but the other two main characters are pushed to the side. Maybe the next book is better and solves all this, but I’m not convinced enough to buy it.
It was a pretty fun book. There were lots of twists and turns and most of the female characters are well fleshed out. However, I really felt that other characters were lacking in nuance and development. Akhenaten is painted in an extremely horrible light, which is fine, but I could have used more explanation or more show than tell. It would have been even better if he was given at least a sympathetic backstory or some positive traits. Even psychopaths have charisma. That would have left me even more invested in the story. This goes for the other characters too. I feel like Nefertiti and Kiya are devoted enough time to shine, but the other two main characters are pushed to the side. Maybe the next book is better and solves all this, but I’m not convinced enough to buy it.
August 21, 2018
Having enjoyed Libbie Hawker’s ‘She King’ series a couple of years ago, I was happy to revisit ancient Egypt through her eyes. As before, the writing transported me there and I was not disappointed when it came to the intriguing characters. Although I previously knew the basics about the Amarna period, it’s been great to read this book and get a flavour of the personalities of these legendary people, some of whom I had only heard of in the passing (probably in an Amelia Peabody mystery). As with other characters that Hawker has based on real people, I like her spin on their stories and look forward to continuing this series.
July 29, 2017
Not one of the nicests books to read and I actually abandoned it because of the poorness of the type of writing. I have never been interested in what others do sexually and to me it is something that should not be shared. As for the historical content, I was not overly impressed. I see I have another one of these books by Libbie Hawker and I am not even going to bother reading it. Having this book was a total waste of time.
April 9, 2018
I think this is a book that I'll have to mull over for quite some time. This is one of my favourite periods of history to read about and I found myself disagreeing with most of the characterizations in this book. However, I'll keep an open mind and maybe in time I can come to entertain the way that Hawker has portrayed all of the famous figures, as there really is no proof that the traditional interpretations are any more valid than this one.
April 13, 2018
I had a very difficult time finishing this. I began reading it while I was in Egypt, so maybe the descriptions of the Nile weren't enough for what I was experiencing. After returning from Egypt, it was still difficult to finish the book because of how dark and introspective it was for all the characters. They spend a lot of time thinking inside their own heads, which isn't my favorite type of dialogue to read.
August 15, 2019
People from history who I've only ever known as names are brought to life superbly, each with their own motivations, desires, loyalties, and personalities. I've always been fascinated by Akenaten and his monotheism, but this made me think of him in a different light and understand why his religious reforms were so radical and unpopular. And the book also shines a light on the women who surrounded him, and the parts they may have played in the history of Egypt.
December 5, 2017
I absolutely love this genre of books. Another interpretation of the story of amunhotep and his wife Nefertiti and the start of the rulers madness to switch Egypt’s many religious gods to a monolithic deity. Of course it was not to last but it is still a good story and told with a great deal of sympathy and rich in detail.
March 18, 2018
Damn, this is a wild ride through Ancient Egypt with a crazy pharaoh, and a manipulative jerkass father that makes Tywin Lannister look like a saint. It's hard to say which perspective was my favorite, as it is currently tied between Nefertiti (I wanted to kill Ay) and Kiya (I felt so sorry for her when her pretty picture got smashed to smithereens).
June 25, 2018
Realistically this is closer to a 3.5 for me.
The scene setting was good. Egyptian culture was well woven into the story. The four main women are well developed characters and are all likable in their own way.
However, the constant - and I do mean CONSTANT - scheming and plotting for power, from every single character, was tedious. I actually had to take a break from it a few times.
The scene setting was good. Egyptian culture was well woven into the story. The four main women are well developed characters and are all likable in their own way.
However, the constant - and I do mean CONSTANT - scheming and plotting for power, from every single character, was tedious. I actually had to take a break from it a few times.
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