Nephtys is a wonderful historical fiction blended with a fascinating myth retelling. I loved seeing the story unfold and the way the constant parallels between Clemmie and the goddess Nephtys brought a sense of foreboding to the story. No worries if you know nothing of Egyptian mythology, the author explains enough that you can easily keep up.
Clemmie really made this book for me. The main character, she is a gifted egyptologist, a passion inherited from her father. She is strong, stubborn, passionate. She is scared of letting people in, something I find highly relatable. She's a cat lady, which I can also relate to! The exploration of her bond with her sister warmed my heart. I am the youngest of three sisters and always love seeing a beautiful portrayal of sisterhood. But perhaps what I loved most was seeing her question how you can love a foreign culture and history and feed that love without disrespecting the country of its origin. As a lover of ancient Rome and Greece, it is something I ask myself often. Whenever I visit a museum, I am always torn between happiness at getting the chance to see these artefacts and unease that they should not have been taken from their country. So I thought that was a really interesting theme in the book. The epilogue maybe felt a bit white saviour-ish, but overall I thought it was handled pretty well.
I didn't see the antagonist coming, and I thought it worked great. In fact, the first half of the book is rather slow-paced, and there isn't really a human antagonist, instead you just have Clemmie pursuing a mission in the hopes of saving her sister. And then the antagonist comes in, and it makes so much sense, and makes for a very exciting second half.
The romance really takes a backseat and I love that. I'm not super big on romance so I don't enjoy when it feels like the main plot. I'm reluctant to even call it a slow-burn because it's not even relevant for a while and then you gradually get hints it will happen. It takes time to warm up to the eventual love interest, like it takes time for Clemmie, so I thought it was very fitting.
Overall, an excellent book that'll make me very curious to read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK Vintage for the ARC and the opportunity to read this book pre-release. All thoughts are my own.

4.25 ⭐️

Nephthys is possibly the first ever book that I had the pleasure to read that actually gave me The Mummy vibes and, as a massive fan of the movies, it is not easy thing to admit for me.
The plot has little to do with the 90s franchise but we got some very promising elements: a woman that makes of Egyptology her job and life mission, a mummy curse of some sort, an ex-military love interest and most importantly a story set in Egypt during the years of the first discoveries.

This is the story of Clemmie, a young british Egyptologist, that believes her and her sister's life has started going very wrong after her and her father disrespected a very peculiar mummy. After 5 years of tragedies that leave her family in misery, she believes that the only way to set things right and save her sister's life is returning to Egypt the amulet that started all of this.
We follow her journey and discover how these two sisters lives intertwine with the myths of Isis and Nephthys, the two sisters of Egyptian mythology.

I found this book incredibly interesting and it fed my obsession with this mythology and culture. I loved the historical settings, the realistic (and brutal) way in which the mad excavations in Egypt have impacted the country and it is very well written, which I always value.
The way the author is able to connect and mix the stories of these siblings, both real and mythical, is also strongly executed.
The only slightly negative note for me is the pace. I found it a bit slow and considering chapters are quite short, I was expecting a more captivating and swift turn of events.

I would recommend this book to readers that love a well written, nostalgic, story with Egyptian elements and vibes. Not a fantasy but the lines between reality and myth blur.

Egyptology, curse and mystery

Thank you, Harvill Secker and NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of Rachel Louise Driscoll’s, Nephthys.

Rachel Louise Driscoll’s debut novel, Nephthys, is an engaging blend of Egyptology (Nephthys, Isis, Osiris and Set), a curse and mystery/crime. The plot is solid, and from page one, Rachel Louise displays a sound grasp of Egyptology.
One negative: the pace was a bit too slow for my liking.

Rachel Louise Driscoll’s debut novel, Nephthys, will appeal to fans of Victorian and ancient Egyptian myth alike.

This book started off really well. I'm really interested in Egyptian history ever since reading River God by Wilbur Smith.

So I was enthusiastic when I started reading Nephthys. My first educational point was that Nephthys was the opposite of Isis, a word that has cropped up in recent times for all the wrong reasons. So great start.

By midway through however, I was getting more and more irritated with the writing style. Continually jumping back and forth made the whole middle part of the book a bit of a drag to read to be honest. So I finished it fairly quickly, disappointed that such a promising start got a bit bogged down.
Intelligently written and very articulate, the book probably captures the culture of the period it reflects very well. I just wasn't fond of the writing style and got a bit bored.

A book about the secret of Nephthys set in Egypt in the late 1890s Victorian period in England when lots of explorers were coming to Egypt and removing their antiquities. The story revolves around Clemmie a specialist in translating Hieroglyphs. At one of their Egyptian relic parties which has made her father the famous, the words Clemmie translates from an unusual amulet strike fear into her heart. Five years later with both of her parents dead and her sister ill Clemmie travels up the Nile to find out if her translation was true and what she can do to reverse what she believes is a curse. On her journey she meets both friends and enemies. Read the book to discover the truth.

3.5 stars

Set in Victorian England at the peak of Egypt-mania, Clemmie’s father hosts Egyptian relic parties working alongside Clemmie, who can translate the ancient hieroglyphs. At one party, against Clemmie’s warnings, he unravels and dissects a two headed mummy, setting the family onto a cursed path. Five years later, Clemmie’s sets out for Egypt, to right wrongs, seek forgiveness and restore peace.

This has got ample action and excitement, a spot of romance and I found it easy to visualise the settings and scenery. It was refreshing to read a book about Egypt with a strong female lead;

Parts of the novel dragged for me and I felt that some of the characters felt a bit flat.

Overall, an entertaining read.Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

I loved how deeply researched this novel was and I'm always fascinated by ambiguous curses and difficult families. That said, I found the jumps through time really muddled and, at times, repetitive, and I struggled to connect with the protagonist Clemmie. I was so frustrated by so many of her choices but also found her cold and a little standoffish, which I know many readers didn't but which impeded my enjoyment of the book. This just didn't grab me and, because it felt repetitive at times, I struggled with the pacing.

Whilst I generally enjoyed reading this book I found it at times to be somewhat repetitive. I think the story could have been cut down somewhat as I felt the author was going over certain elements time and again. That said I liked the premise of the story and the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fabulous historical fiction novel. A retelling of the mythical goddess Nephthys story, a tale of family, intrigue, mystery, revenge and healing. A dual timeline shares the heroine (Clemmie) story as she embarks on a quest to return a family amulet to its rightful home. The story isn't rushed. Instead, it allows time for character development and emotional depth. I loved the historical details
especially the Victorian obsession with archaeology, finding and acquiring artefacts, another example of colonialism. I was transported to Egypt with its evocative sounds and smells and imagined myself gently sailing down the Nile.

The author’s writing is atmospheric and poetic, with lush descriptions of ancient Egyptian settings. I thought the prose's lyrical quality complements the mythological subject matter, drawing the reader into the ancient and mythological worlds. The pace kept me on my toes, with quiet moments and bursts of dramatic action.

I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you, Netgalley, the publisher and author, for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book a lot even though it was a departure from my usual genre. The back and forth between the unwrapping and the journey to restore the tyet keep the story moving although I did feel it started to drag a bit at the end. All in all a solid 4 stars and I’d read this author again.

I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly. Clemmie and Rosette's father is obsessed with Egyptian artifacts especially mummies. They are brought up with stories of Egyptian myths rather than fairy stories. Clemmie learns to read hieroglyphics and becomes fluent in several languages including Arabic. One of the public unwrapping of a mummy uncovers an unusual 2 headed mummy and a unique amulet. Clemmie translates the amulet to reveal a curse relating to Isis and Nephthys, two characters that Clemmie and her sister used to play act as children. Bad things start happening but is it the curse?
The book also reflects on the Victorian obsession with all things Egyptian acquiring as much as the could without consideration that most were stolen and damage was being done to historical sites. Also, is it right to remove dead bodies from they resting place?

An interesting subject but I could not connect with the writing style. A tad too much jumping about for my liking. There’s plenty of action and the piecing together of the story as a whole is intriguing but just not for me.

Thank you Netgalley

As a lover of all things Egypt, this book really hit the spot. I really enjoyed following Clemmie along the Nile on her quest to right the wrongs of her father and to save her sister

This Egyptology-themed historical novel was intriguing and educational. Set towards the end of the 19th century, the story follows Clemmie, a woman in her twenties, whose father unwrapped mummies for people's entertainment, assisted by Clemmie who studied mythology and hieroglyphics. However, one time they are put under what seems to be the curse of Nephthys, Isis and Osiris, as terrible things happen to Clemmie's loved ones. She travels to Egypt to try and stop the curse, falling in with some fellow English tourists who may help or hinder her plans.

I really liked how the author created a sense of time and place, with much attention to detail and use of the senses. Clemmie is asthmatic, and the lack of medicines is a reminder of how a common condition such as asthma could be very dangerous back then. Most importantly, the book is a critique of the antiquities trade and the effects of colonialism. I was a little disappointed that the book hadn't more of a supernatural element and I also struggled with understanding the mythology. However, it's an impressive debut.

I love stories about Ancient Egypt, and this one held my attention from the start. I've been to the places mentioned in the book, and the smells and images brought back beautiful memories of my own visits. For that alone, I'd like to thank the author very much.

I thought the story was pretty solid from the sisters' points of view (albeit centuries apart), also the male attitudes towards women in Victorian times, Clemmie didn't even have her father's respect or love despite her knowledge of Egypt and mummies, and her skill at deciphering hieroglyphics outstripped her father's. Then there's the vicious plundering of tombs and the removal and sale of artefacts and mummies to the highest bidder. The curse seemed completely real and feasible to Clemmie, coupled with the strength of her love for her sister which led her to Egypt in the first place.

If you love Ancient Egypt, its myths and goddesses, and the beauty of its architecture and land, then grab a copy and lose yourself in this tale.

I chose to read an ARC of this work, which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own. My thanks to the publishers, NetGalley, and the author.

Although an interesting and different read i did feel it was quite slow and potentially even boring at points, however there are not many books that make you feel that you have not only gone back in time but to another place in the world

What an incredible read Nephthys was!

I always loved stories and learning about Egypt, so I was very excited to read this book.
Let me tell you, this did not disappoint at all.

Nephthys is a story of family, passion, love, belief and mystery all rolled into one.

Join Clemmie on a journey into the heart of Egypt to return an amulet, that she believes will break a curse held over her family.
However, be aware that nothing is as it seems.

A well-crafted story with plenty to appreciate. The pacing, characters, and plot twists kept me interested throughout. I'm looking forward to seeing how readers respond once it's released!

This book wasn’t really for me. I love mythology, and was intrigued by the synopsis but I just couldn’t connect with the writing style. The author uses the familiar ‘jumping a bout in time’ style but also extended to dreams, and telling parts of myths, though never in the first person, and it got a bit muddled.
When Horatio comes on the scene, it gets a bit ‘Victorian melodrama’ for me, and a lot of Clemmie’s actions and decisions were completely illogical.

Nephthys is a story that brings back to life parts of the Egyptian mythology forgotten all combined with the story of Clemmie who is interested in everything the Egyptian mythology stands for. It was an interesting reading with enjoyable characters and interesting facts about the Egyptian culture, loved all the words that are part of that culture.