*Do NOT read the synopsis on the back of the book/goodreads—gives away the entire story. Literally. The whole plot.*

It’s been almost ten years since I read this book for the first time, and it still has a powerful hold on me. I can’t explain exactly why it is a favorite; sure, it has the bold and brave girl-who-disguises-herself-as-a-boy in order to do what she loves, but it’s so much more than that. Charis is one of those characters that I can’t help loving and rooting for, and her journey during the declining years of the Roman empire is both vivid, uplifting, and sad. Despite sounding a modern heroine, she feels totally authentic, as do all the characters. In some ways she reminds me of Amelia Peabody, another favorite heroine of mine, but minus the tongue-in-cheek humor and over-the-top adventure. Charis’ story certainly has some over-the-top qualities to it (and even a little bit of humor), but it never veers into melodrama, and while her disregard for danger leaves her friends throwing up their hands in despair, the author has her face very real and complex situations, without any glib solutions. This is one of those novels that transcends genre, that is thoroughly enjoyable to read but also impossible to stop thinking about. It’s a rare book that will keep you up to 4 a.m. for a re-read.

The plot: Charis is the daughter of a well-to-do Greek politician in Ephesus. Despite her interest in all things medical, she never imagines any life for herself other than that of dutiful wife. But when the malicious new governor Festinus accuses her father of treason, and then announces that he will marry her, she knows she has to real choice but to flee. Disguising herself as a eunuch (which makes the story a lot more believable than the typical girl-dressed-up-as-a-boy), she travels to Alexandria, where she hopes to study medicine at the famed university. But Charis quickly learns that eunuchs are almost as much of outsiders as women are, and she struggles to earn the right to study.

And that is just the beginning: but to tell more of her story would be cheating you of the chance to experience it yourself. The simultaneous splendor, squalor, nobility, and corruption of the empire is presented in both beautiful and heartbreaking ways, and it is a love letter to that civilization as well as a meditation on living in a world that is falling apart.
favorites historical-fiction26 s Chrisl607 87

Top rank Bradshaw, a multiple re-read ... with a marginal review from someone at Kirkus.
No longer copy in regional network. (Really would to re-read.)
Tagged YA because I'd definitely have it in a high school library. Maybe multiple copies.
Bradshaw develops characters you to share time with. Perhaps my favorite creator of historical fiction ...
***
4July2020 - Do fawns react as do dogs when fireworks explode? Have two does each with two fawns in residence this season.
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Reading wiki about Hindu Kush, saw 'Ferghana listed on Bactria Map. Thought of another book by Bradshaw ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_K...
Horses of Heaven (Would to re-read - would have it in high school library?
No longer available in regional library ... no re-read no review.)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"KIRKUS REVIEW

Solid but not particularly stirring historical, from the author of an Arthurian trilogy (concluded with In Winter's Shadow, 1982). In A.D. 371, Valens is Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire at Constantinople. Cowardly, chariot-race-loving Theodoros, a consul at Ephesus, is disconcerted to be accused of treachery by ugly, low-born Imperial agent Festinus: Valens, it seems, is taking seriously a prophesy which states that he will be replaced by one whose name begins with Theod--. Theodoros, of course, is wholly innocent, but during the investigation the sadistic Festinus becomes enamoured of Theodoros' beautiful daughter Charis; weakly, Theodoros agrees to the marriage. Horrified, Charis--who wants to be a doctor, a profession forbidden to women--rejects the vile Festinus and, with her brother Thorion's connivance, flees to Alexandria, center of the healing arts. There she becomes Chariton ""the eunuch,"" medical student and assistant to the skilled, humane, Jewish doctor Philon. Alexandria, however, is seething with religious strife, as the powerful, popular Bishop Athanasios continues to rebuff Imperial attempts to oust him; during an interview he divines Chariton's secret but agrees not to divulge it. And an Imperial spy, the handsome Goth Athanaric, is impressed when Chariton refuses a hefty bribe to inform on Athanasios. The latter, alas, eventually dies, and Alexandria is no longer safe for Chariton; she agrees to go to Thrace to serve as an army doctor. Here, among other complications, Chariton's career comes to a head: she kills a would-be rapist; she's reunited with brother Thorion, now an Imperial governor; eventually she's revealed as a woman, but continues to practice her art; and, Finally, Athanaric beholds the real Charis, and love blossoms. An appealing drama, with a vibrant, vital backdrop, agreeable characters, and steady plotting. But, unfortunately, this was a turbulent but rather anonymous epoch in Roman history, with a succession of unmemorable Emperors, a weary procession of invading barbarian hordes, and no famous historical figures that might help fix the period in readers' minds. So the result, while well above average, lacks the drawing power of big-name notoriety.
Pub Date: Sept. 12th, 1986
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin"1980s hf-africa hf-roman ...more11 s Rachel NeumeierAuthor 47 books518

Gillian Bradshaw is my favorite historical author, hands down, and this is my favorite book of hers. It's one of the books I reach for when I need something to read for just a minute -- and one of the ones I usually wind up reading straight through (again) because I can't leave it unfinished.

Charis is a wonderful character; the world building is exquisite; the romance is handled subtly and beautifully and doesn't take over the book -- not only did I just re-read BEACON for the fifth or sixth time over the past few days, but I know I'll come back to it many times in the future.

7 s Phil80 11

This is a novel about an aristocratic girl, Charis, in Ephesus around 380 AD. Her father wants to marry her to a crony of the Emperor Valens, who has been appointed governor of the province. Festinus is a cruel and sadistic man and to avoid the marriage Charis cuts her hair, disguises herself as a eunuch (changing her name to Chariton) and flees to Alexandria to study medicine. Chariton is a prodigy and becomes the personal physician to the Nicene bishop Anthanasius (lauded by Gibbon) and involved in the chaos that follows his death. Chariton is exiled to an obscure fort on the Danube frontier and comes to be trusted by Fritigern, the Visigoth chieftain who rules north of the river. She also nurses a secret passion for Fritigern's cousin, Athanaric, who serves as a special agent of the Roman Emperor.When the Visigoths are allowed to cross the Danube to flee the onslaught of the Huns corrupt Roman officials cause them to revolt and Chariton falls into their hands, where she is revealed to be a woman. After the battle of Adrianople, which ends in the total destruction of the Roman army in the Balkans and the death of the Emperor Valens, Athanaric rescues Charis from the Goths and they live happily ever after. A great love story, a great historical novel. This book caused me to become interested in this period of Roman history. Bradshaw brings it vividly to life. She's a great storyteller and a good, solid, unpretentious writer.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review5 s ???????? ??????72 5

??????????-????????? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ?????????. ??? ??? ???? ????? ?? ????? ? ???????? ??? ???? ????????. ? ?????????? ????? ??? ?????????? ????????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ??????????. ? ?????? ??? ?????????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ???????, ????? ??? ? ??????????, ? ??????, ? ?????, ?? ?????, ?? ???????. ???? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ?????????? ??????? ??? ????????????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ??? ??????????? ????????? ??? ???????? ????????????? ??? 4? ?.? ?????, ? ????? ????????? ??? ???? ???. ?????? ?? ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??? ?????. ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ????????? ???? ???? ????. ??? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ????? ??? ???????: ?? ????????? ?? ???? ???? ???. ?? ?? ????????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ???????? ?? ?? ??????. ??? ?? ?? ???????????.
"??????, 4?? ??. ?.?. ? ????? ?????, ???? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ?????, ???????????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??????????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ???????? ???????.
???????????, 4?? ??. ?.?. ? ?????? ????????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?????. ???? ?? ???????? ??? ???????? ?? ???????? ???, ? ????????? ?? ????? ? ?????????? ??????? ??? ????????????? ?????????, ???? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ????????? ????????????? ??? ????????????, ???????? ??? ?????? ?? ??????????, ?? ??????? ??? ?? ?????????? ?? ????????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ??????? ?????.
??? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ????????????? ???? ??????????? ??? ?? ?????????? ??? ???????????? ???????????: ??? ????????? ??? ???????? ??? ?????????? ??? ??? ???????? ????????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ???. ? ?????? ????????? ??? ????? ????? ??? ?? ?????, ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ?????.
?? ???? ????? ????????????? ??? ?????? ???????, ? ????? ???????? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ??????????? ??? ??? ???????? ???: ??? ????????? ??? ??? ????? ??? ?? ???????."4 s BrianAuthor 49 books143

When Charis, a fifteen year old girl living in Ephesus in the middle of the fourth century finds herself betrothed to a powerful but sadistic man, she flees to Alexandria and, instead of domesticity, pursues her interest in medicine. Disguised as a eunuch she attends lectures and is apprenticed to a Jewish doctor.

But fourth century Alexandria is a hotbed of religious and political dissent and, finding herself inadvertently caught up in the midst of it, she's obliged to flee once more, this time to Thrace where she works as a military doctor before her secret is finally uncovered.

all Bradshaw's books, this is a character-based story. It is true that the protagonist finds herself stationed on the edge of the Eastern Roman empire at the precise moment Attila the Hun's marauding army forces thousands of displaced Goths to come pouring across the border, creating a crisis that was instrumental in the ultimate collapse of half the empire. But Bradshaw's main focus in this book, as in all her works, is on the effect that great events have on individual people, rather than on the grand sweep of history.

With her determination to live life on her own terms, despite apparently overwhelming odds, Charis is a deeply sympathetic character, and what is particular absorbing about this book is the way that, a stone in the middle of a river, she bends the current of popular opinion around her, creating a place for an intelligent and uncompromising woman in a world largely governed by greedy and often unimaginative men.
4 s Rindis443 73

Gillian Bradshaw is one of my favorite historical authors, and this one does not disappoint. She admits up front to distorting the timeline slightly in the interests of the plot, which spans about seven critical years in the Fourth Century.

At this point the Roman Empire is Christian, but not necessarily deeply so, with plenty of pagan traditions surviving, and of course deep factionalism over the proper form of belief. All of this is far from the life of a sixteen-year-old upper-class girl in Ephesus, but the plot takes us into that world. Athanasius is one of the most prominent figures of this time, and from what very little I know of him, I think Bradshaw did a great job depicting him.

But back to the center of the story. Charis is in love with medicine in a society that doesn't allow women to practice it. So she largely hides her interest, and then for much of the book hides who she is instead, and much of the novel is an outpouring of love for medical learning, and the practicalities of its practice in this age as well as a glimpse into the scholastic side of Alexandria.

This is an intensely character-driven novel, with Charis' first-person descriptions and relationships driving everything. With a couple exceptions for when larger events intrude on her life, and suddenly plot drives everything to lever it into the next major section. Some of that feels abrupt, because of the change in pacing, but overall, it's a wonderfully-written, very personal feeling novel, and another winner from Bradshaw.historical-novel5 s Peter Tillman3,718 406

Jo Walton's review is the one to read: https://www.tor.com/2009/05/07/missin...
"Gillian Bradshaw has written more accomplished books than The Beacon at Alexandria, but none that I love more. It’s a comfort book for me, fitting into a sweet spot where she does everything just the way I it."

Highly recommended, and on my list to reread sometime. But my favorite Bradshaw novel (so far) remains her story of Archimedes: "The Sand-Reckoner," https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...at-slo-paso-bg-pa hist-fiction reread-list5 s Ozymandias436 156

Plot: 10 (engrossing at all points and compelling in overall thrust)
Characters: 10 (complex and memorable)
Accuracy: 10 (thorough and detailed even with obscure details)

A genuinely great novel set in the later Roman Empire. It's a complicated setting to place a novel in since the open autocracy and religious fanaticism of the period doesn't endear it to the average reader. This book however, doesn't really focus on all that (though it certainly shows up) but instead tries to portray everyday life as it would have been experienced by those at the time. There are a lot of these slice-of-life stories set in the early empire and Republic. Very few attempt this for the later empire. It's great to see somebody try to delve into it.

The basic plot is the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a eunuch to escape an unwanted marriage and study medicine in Alexandria. So already we're given four unique elements: an underexplored era/setting (Ephesus, Alexandria, and Thrace in the 370s), a female perspective, an essentially eunuch perspective (since she's treated as such for most of the book), and a depiction of ancient medical techniques and theories. All of these elements are handled well and there is much development of the themes that arise naturally from them. I actually found the eunuch's perspective to be so compelling I almost wish they'd just gone with that. We hardly even get a woman's perspective after all, since she spends most of the book in disguise, and eunuchs are often her most compelling characters.

The book is structured in clearly demarcated sections. In fact, a lot of the time it feels three loosely connected novels sharing the same lead. The book is divided by location: her time in Ephesus as a noble's daughter, her time studying medicine in Alexandria, and her time as an army doctor on the Danubian frontier. Each region features a completely different cast of characters, although there is a bit of overlap.

I was quite impressed that the book tends to avoid the cliched plot points that might be expected to appear. One confrontation I was particularly dreading as it would derail whatever direction the plot was taking, but it never appeared even though it seemed so obvious a final showdown would happen. I being surprised in this way. At least when my surprise is due to dispensing with unnecessary plot formulae and not to incompetence and failure to properly signpost necessary plot details. About the only failing here is the insertion of a completely unnecessary romantic subplot that both feels forced and as cliched as any of the mistakes it avoids. Having read a number of Bradshaw's books at this point I feel this is a common failing in her novels. She has to hook everyone up with a happy romantic match, no matter the appropriateness of it to the plot. Charis' closest real comparison is Hypatia, who taught philosophy in Alexandria about twenty years after this novel, and in order to maintain the respect of the men who studied under her she had to remain ostentatiously celibate since any romantic attachments would have prevented her from having any position beyond that of housewife, mother, and obedient servant to her husband. Bradshaw's quite open about the immense misogyny of Roman society elsewhere in the book, but she conveniently ignores it when it comes time to wrap up the novel and settle her down happily ever after. It's not great.

But any problems about individual plotpoints pale in view of the immensity of the work. It tells a coherent story about a woman's journey through the late Roman empire and it does so with class and style. It feels a lived life rather than just a collection of stray facts and an adventure narrative. We get to see an entire area of Roman life that we're otherwise unfamiliar with. That alone makes the book worth reading. Even better are the collection of entertaining characters and peripheral glances at major events of the time. By the end you feel almost as if you've spent some time living in this foreign but sometimes familiar world. It's masterfully done. Highly recommended.fiction-byzantine fiction-late-antique fiction-roman ...more3 s Emmy951 167

Really wonderfully done. The last line in the epilogue literally left me with chills: "the Fall of Rome was, for the west anyway, 'the greatest, perhaps, and most awful scene in the history of mankind."' Coming on the heels of this story, it was really excellently done. I mourned the empire's demise with the characters. I felt powerfully for many of the characters throughout the story. Particularly in the second half of the book, I was literally heartbroken for Charis at the idea of how unfair it was that she could not be both woman and doctor. Every injustice thrown at her had my hand itching to smack the person who was telling her no.

On top of the good story, it is clear that this author knows this period. This book is chock full of history and I can honestly saw that I learned a lot about the 4th century Roman Empire. In Alexandria she shows you about the struggle between sects of Christianity and Judaism and in Thrace she demonstrates how relations developed between Rome and the Visigoths. It was all fascinating and educational. Some of the information did bog down the story once or twice, but nothing too bad. Overall, really excellently done.

"Love is certainly a great god, to make two intelligent people look so foolish."ancient disguised-gender doctor-midwife-medicine ...more3 s Amy398

I finally finished "The Beacon at Alexandria" by Gillian Bradshaw. It took me a really long time to read this book. I d it fairly well, but it was long. It is only 350 pages long, but it felt forever. Basically it is a story of a young woman in Ephesus during the third century who runs away from her about to be arranged marriage and goes to Alexandria to become a doctor. The rest of the story is her career and attempts to remain disguised as a eunuch. The idea was a good one, but I found the author's writing style to be tedious. Even the parts of the story that should have been exciting were written in a way that made them not exciting. I also had a hard time following the history and the Roman names made it difficult for me to read as quickly as I normally do. I had to stop and think about the name every time and that slowed down the progress of the story for me. I was also disappointed by the ending of the story. I d the idea and the premise of the book, but the writing style was not exciting enough to make the book a truly enjoyable read.
2008 book-club3 s SavannahAuthor 3 books12

It is very difficult to make a self-determined female in an historical setting not seem, at best, oxymoronic and at worst a puppet of modern sensibilities. Somehow, Gillian Bradshaw manages it in this eloquent, slow-moving yet motivating read about a woman who studies medicine in an otherwise restrictive world, eventually needing to disguise herself as a eunuch in order to continue practicing, while fighting an attraction to a male who may or may not understand her.3 s Christina116 47

??????? - ????? ? ? ???? ?????????? ??????? - ???????????? ????? ? ?????????? ?????? (?? ??? ????????? ????? ????? ?????????, ???????? ????????? ?? ?? ? ???????? ? ????? ?????????? ?? ?????? ? ?? ????????? ??????? ???? ??????? ?????).
????????? ??????????? ?????? ? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ?????????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ? ??????, ?? ??????? ???? ????? ????????? ?? ??????????? ???????.
????? ? ????? ?????? ????? (? ????? ?????? ???, ???????? - ?? ??????????? ???????? ??????, ???? ?? ?? ???? ? ??????? :) ??? ?? ??? ?????, ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???) - ? ?????? ? ??????? ? ?????????? ???????, ?.?. ?? ? ?????????? ??????????? ? ?? ????? ?? ?? ????? ??? ????? ???????? ?? ???????????????. ???????? ? ???????? ?? ?????????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ?? 19 ?, ?? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ??????????, ?? ???????? ? ????, ??? ???? ? ??????? ? ????? ?????? :)
???? ?? ????????? ? ????? ? ???????????, ????? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ??????? ????? - ????????? ???? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? The Physician ?? ??? ??????.
????? ???? ???????????, ? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ???????? ?????, ?? ?? ? ?? ????????? - ? ? ????? ??????? ?????, ????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????????? ?? ?????????. 2 s Anna1,317 26

This took me much longer to finish than it should have. It's not that I ever disd the book, although after the first few pages I was quite concerned about the violence (it never got any worse), I just found it really slow to get into. In part I think it is because this is set in a historical time period that I am not particularly well acquainted with so getting up to speed on the setting took a while, it also took me some time to grow to love Charis/Charition. However the basic story is quite engaging and the pacing gets better after about the halfway mark.fiction2 s christina845 Want to read

A part of The Hera Series by Soho Pressclassics historical-fiction2 s nats535 10

Una historia que te enganchas desde la primera página y te mantiene atrapado hasta la última. Los conflictos a los que se tiene que enfrentar Caris, la protagonista, se suceden uno tras otro, y es maravilloso ver cómo va creciendo a lo largo de la novela. Una de mis lecturas favoritas sin ninguna duda. 2 s Riccarla Roman121 8

I love history, but lately I've been reading a lot of Tudor England books. This book was completely different in time period, but the desire for sex, money, and power was still the same.

Charis of Ephesus is the daughter of a prominent citizen of Ephesus. Her brother wants to be a lawyer and she wants to be a physician. Of course, this is not possible in Ephesus a of centuries after Christ.

The new governor accuses her father of possibly trying to overthrow the Emperor. Her quick thinking helps her father but brings her to the attention of the governor. He makes an inappropriate assault and offers marriage. This guy is so foul that Charis is willing to disguise herself as a eunuch and sail to Alexandria, the center of knowledge and culture in the known world. She hopes to study medicine and apprentice with an established doctor. Due to ancient prejudices about eunuchs, she is rejected by all the leading men of medicine. Finally, Philon, a Jewish doctor, agrees to teach her.

The book follows her journey from apprentice to doctor as she tries to avoid the political and religious conflicts of the day along with keeping her true gender a secret.

This was a very complex time - unrest in the Roman Empire as it was losing its empire, upheaval in the Church as all faiths are persecuted by someone, and urgency to improve medicine as people on all sides of any issue find themselves facing illness in a time period where the slightest remark could cost you your head (or other body parts).

This a great albeit slow read. I had to read slower than usual in order to understand what was being done and how it affected the charactiers. Charis is fascinating and her struggles resonate with our modern world. There are two more books in the series and I can't wait to read them.2 s Lisa (Harmonybites)1,834 359

I probably love this more than it deserves so feel torn how I should rate it. Is this a deathless historical classic such as Gone With the Wind, Name of the Rose or I, Claudius? No. Neither its style nor an ability to place me in a foreign, alien mindset places it in five star territory. Is this book and are Bradshaw's works in general great favorites I out and out love? You betcha.

Charis, the heroine and narrator of the tale is arguably too modern in her outlook--but it doesn't stop me from loving this story--one of those great "comfort reads" because you can immerse yourself in the narrative and love the characters. Charis is a woman who disguises herself as a eunuch so she can study medicine in the Alexandria of the late Roman Empire in the 370s. Besides the appeal of her story, it's interesting to have a look at this period, one still cosmopolitan and rich in learning, but on the brink of a dark age.

I own and enjoy other Bradshaw novels, such as Hawk of May (Athurian), Island of Ghosts (Roman Britain) and The Wolf Hunt (Medieval France, but more historical fantasy than historical fiction).fiction historical-fiction novels ...more2 s Gelisvb346 103

This is the story of a patrician girl living in Efeso in 371 d.c whose dream is to become a doctor, even if it was not allowed for women.
Her chance to follow her dream arrives when she is forced to marry an undesired suitor: she disguise herself as an eunuch and she leaves for Alessandra, the cultural capital of the empire.
The story follows ten years of her life, the beauty and the decadence of the Roman empire, the poilitics, the religious conflicts, the military camps, the behinning of barbaric invasions.
it's a beautiful portrait of an age, in this book it is give much importance to the description of what it mean to live in that times.
More important it's a story about determination and the importance of standing up for yourself and not letting other people tell you what you be. Charis is a great and belivable character and I enjoyed very much reading about her struggles to become what she wanted to be. 5 s Dana StabenowAuthor 81 books1,999 Read

I was supposed to do a bunch of stuff today. Instead I finished this book.

Charis of Ephesus in 371AD is about to be married off to the odious local governor and runs off to Alexandria to become a doctor instead. Historical fiction at its best, great characters and a you-are-there setting that makes you feel you're living then. Her street scene descriptions are some of the best I've ever read. In a sane world books this one would never be out of print.2 s Celeste149 65

*NO LEAN LA SINOPSIS de la novela ! es un completo spoiler.*

Caris de Éfeso quiere aprender medicina, a pesar de las dificultades del siglo IV, ella hará lo imposible hasta cumplir con su deseo de aprender y ser médico.
Amé la novela!? espero que la otras novelas de Gillian Bradshaw sean tan buenas como el faro de Alejandría! no es una novela centrada en romances, aunque si hay alguito por allí ;) .
Recomendada a todas las personas que le guste leer ficción- histórica.favorites historical-fiction2 s Gwendolyn Cayad77 15

I had very high expectations of this book because of the 4-5 stars rating, but I was not so impressed because the ending was predictable and the writing style was flat. It was an exciting idea though, about a woman practicing medicine in ancient Alexandria.2 s Cherie1,321 131

Tbd3 s Chris781 144

Enjoyable read about a young woman in the 4thC AD who flees an impending marriage to a cruel noble by disguising herself as a eunuch and heads to Alexandria, Egypt to study medicine, something that has been her secret desire. Despite many scoffers, she turns out to be an intelligent, quick study and gifted healer who has luckily been taken on as an apprentice by wise & compassionate Jewish physician. She comes to the attention of the current archbishop & is soon embroiled in religious rifts and must flee again. This time she/he becomes an army doctor in a remote outpost of Thrace.

I always enjoy stories of girls & women who buck at the restraints of their time and/or culture and this did not disappoint. Some situations seemed contrived, the ending too pat and really for all those years she could hide the fact she was a female?!!! But I felt immersed in the history, was engaged by many of the characters & storyline. So thumbs up to this!hf1 Stephanie C467 5

A cross between Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series and Rosemary Sutcliff (setting and writing-wise). The plot was not quite as heart-wrenching as anything I've read by Rivers or Sutcliff, but included plenty of desperate events and unpleasant things. Despite this, the book never depressed me, the characters (especially Charis) were glorious and it had a nice ending. I'll read more by Bradshaw.adventure-tale complex connected-to-the-larger-world ...more1 Rebecca972 81 Read

Really enjoyed this! I can tell the author really did her research. The world is so detailed and vivid and consistent. Charis is a great heroine. I called a few of the plot points, but I think the strength of this book is in her growth. The way she seizes her life for herself is admirable, and as she is thrown into precarious/dangerous and new situations, her inner strength and conviction shine through, and it's wonderful to read. Loved reading about her.read-in-20181 Black Bones114 21

The story started the great Virginia Woolf's "Shakespeare's Sister" and ended the cheap Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight".
The description of setting was fabulous, all that Ephesus, Thrice, Alexandria...

1 Mary Sullaway4

This is another book that I read every couple of years, solely for the great story and great writing. It's taking a trip to a favorite place. Well developed characters, interesting story, emotional. If you just want a good read, pick this one!1 Gonzalo35

4/5
Si te gusta leer sobre una mujer empoderada en una época en la que eso era difícil, este es tu libro. Si te gusta la novela histórica para aprender cosas sobre cómo se vivía en otras épocas, este es tu libro. Y si te gustan las historias de médicos y de cómo se ejercía esta profesión también es tu libro.
Ameno, entretenido, fácil de leer e interesante.1 Shannon1,082 34


And so I come to another re-read of one of Pauline Gedge’s magnificent books and a freshening up of an old review. I re-read her debut novel, Child of the Morning, right before this one, and it’s worth mentioning the key difference between that book and this. Child of the Morning oozed creative flair and talent, but lacked a bit of polish, which canted the pacing of the book slightly off-kilter. It’s an issue I’ve only ever seen in her first book, and by the time we get to The Twelfth Transforming, Gedge’s fourth novel, it is entirely absent. Now here is a true historical epic to be proud of.

Any passing layman will recognise the key names of this book – Tutankhamun, Nefertiti, and Akhenaten – but what has always interested me is that Gedge chose to delve deep into the lives of their lesser known contemporaries in order to tell the story of the Amarna era. It is Tiye who is our primary protagonist, a name Egyptologists and enthusiasts will know well, but certainly one which in the public consciousness is overshadowed by her infamous son. Personally, I find Tiye to be a fascinating individual: powerful in the reign of her husband, Amunhotep III, and a witness to many of the events of her son Akhenaten’s reign. Gedge’s portrayal illuminates a strong woman, calculatingly manipulative, ambitious, and a common-sense ruler (the two qualities are not mutually exclusive, despite some simplistic depictions out there of virtue versus villainy). One of Pauline Gedge’s finest skills as an author is in bringing historical people to life as fully fledged, complex human beings, and it’s working for every character here. Tiye is compelling, but so are Ay and Horemheb too. Each character is comprehensible and follows a line of clear, empathetic logic.

If you were looking to name an antagonist for this book, you’d probably cite Akhenaten, but he is no mere villain. It is Akhenaten’s portrayal that makes The Twelfth Transforming a true tragedy. Far from being hateable, Akhenaten is depicted as sympathetic and even pitiable. He has to struggle to gain his majority and his birthright against a prophecy of doom and a father who wants him dead. He shuns formality and favours naturalism and intimacy. His developing belief in the Aten goes hand in hand with a dream of a shining new city and a hope to spread peace and love across the ancient world. The problem is that Akhenaten is psychologically disturbed. He cannot conceive of being lied to, so corrupt individuals take advantage and Egypt’s empire begins to crumble. He hears the voice of the Aten in his mind telling him to initiate his family into a sacred circle of love. He thinks this will protect them and bless them all with prosperity, but what it actually means is that he forces himself on those who cannot consent or are impelled by his power as pharaoh to do so – his mother, his brother, and his underage daughters. When disasters strike, he believes it is punishment from the Aten, so instead of doing the practical thing and taking steps to provision against hard times, he actively impedes any such efforts, insisting that his deity will resolve all. The slow unravelling of his sanity occurs over the course of the book, meaning that his contemporaries in the beginning are uncertain but have little reason to oppose his changes or suspect where it all might lead. Akhenaten is at once admirable and reprehensible, the tragedy being that although he means well, he has no real conception of the damage he causes. This feels the most real portrayal of Akhenaten that I’ve ever read in a novel. So many writers seem to want to depict the ancient king as either a saintly visionary or a deplorable villain. Why not both? It is my observation that human beings frequently embody a mix of good and bad; being complex and contradictory is a defining trait. Pauline Gedge understands this.

She also understands cause and effect, and how the actions of one individual can have a profound and lasting impact on another, which in turn affects their own relationships and on and on. In the aftermath phase of the novel, despite the fact that Akhenaten’s presence is removed, there is still a lingering sense of pervading corruption. The surviving characters carry the scars of trauma in their experience, and there can be no quick and easy going back to their happiness and innocence and Egypt’s prosperity. The legacy of Akhenaten’s tragic reign runs deep.

I’m not sure what more I can say about Pauline Gedge’s linguistic skill, after having written about it in many other . It’s obvious that she has a broad knowledge from which to draw upon, and she creates the most wonderfully inventive metaphors in her descriptions. Her imagery is not only vivid, bringing to life an ancient world of epic scope with believable realism and detail, but it’s a pleasure to read: lively, unexpected, delightful. I always feel engaged when reading her books.

“The court began to affect a simpering naturalness. Artificial flowers of amethyst, jasper, and turquoise set in gold appeared on necklaces and belts and in red-painted earlobes or were woven into the hair of wigs that hung to the waists of both men and women. No courtier with social aspirations paraded in the gardens without a monkey perched on one shoulder, a dog or goose at his heels, and a servant or two carrying kittens in baskets. Their women congregated on the lawns to share dainty sips of local beer and discuss the relative abilities of their respective gardeners. The harem acres, usually deserted until midmorning, were suddenly full of sleepy-eyed concubines who stumbled from their silken couches at dawn to breathe and exclaim over the new air. The trade in unperfumed oil began to soar. Tiye watched the courtiers transform Malkatta into an expensive imitation of a wealthy townsman’s summer retreat while her son moved oblivious at the centre of the new diversion. She hoped it would not last long. Her eyes followed Amunhotep as he nuzzled his cats, rolled on the grass with his monkeys, and ran laughing after the tame ducks that waddled out of his way”

Prospective readers who are Amarna aficionados will no doubt be curious as to how Gedge answers some of the key questions in Egyptology. There is little evidence for Tiye being anything but native Egyptian, but nevertheless novelists have played with her nationality. The one hint is that the name of her father, Yuya, is somewhat unusual, and has been postulated to indicate a Levantine origin. Gedge has taken this possibility and run with it, and it is plausible enough for her to get away with. Technically we don’t even know for sure that Ay was her brother, but many novelists write it so because it’s a neat explanation for his inheriting Yuya’s positions, his closeness to the royal family, and his acceptance as pharaoh as the last tangentially related family member. Free pass there. I would have d to have seen Henuttaneb, Iset, and Nebetah play a part, but they don’t feature. Probably the most controversial interpretation Gedge adds in is the relationship between Tiye and Akhenaten. Smenkhkare as the last gasp child of Tiye and Amunhotep is a common take, even Baketaten as Tiye’s daughter is reasonably creditable. What is unusual is postulating a union between Tiye and Akhenaten and both Baketaten and Tutankhamun as the fruit. It is probably not the most ly scenario, although it can’t be completely ruled out. I found myself on board with it as a literary decision though. It provides a welcome alternative to the well-worn and outdated Kiya-is-Tutankhamun’s-mother interpretation, and as a plot device it drives much of the character dynamics and the action. Horemheb’s wife Mutnodjmet is the same person as Nefertiti’s sister, but to be fair the widely accepted separation of Mutnodjmet and Mutbenret is well after the time of this book, and I for one greatly enjoy the depiction of Mutnodjmet as an independent, vivacious hedonist with clearly defined boundaries, rather than a simpering Purity Sue foil to an evil Nefertiti. Regarding Meketaten, historians have attempted to interpret her death and appearance in a birthing bower as symbolic, but I find it difficult not to go with Occam’s razor on this one, and so too does Gedge. Details such as Mutbenret’s well attested dwarf attendants, and the lock of Tiye’s hair possessed by Tutankhamun, are wonderfully accurate historical strands picked out by Gedge and woven into the novel, but ultimately we still don’t know exactly what end Tiye, Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their family met. Current evidence leans towards the conclusion that Tutankhamun was not murdered, and the letter to the Hittite king asking for one of his princes to marry from an unnamed Egyptian widow queen seems more ly to have been written by Ankhsenamun rather than Nefertiti.

As with any Amarna fiction, the choices of how to illuminate the many gaps are unly to please everyone, but if you’re happy to play in this sandbox, you will get some fresh twists and novel interpretations, along with a well-written, immersive story and a truly compelling tragic plot. Having read several efforts over the years, I can safely say that The Twelfth Transforming is still the best Amarna novel out there.

10 out of 10bronze-age-5000-to-1100bce-fiction cream-of-the-crop10 s Donna1 review7

I'm rereading this book after finishing the: ("Twice Born", "Seer of Egypt", "King's Man") trilogy. I first read "Twelfth Transforming" many years ago, probably when it was first published. I've long been a fan of Pauline Gedge. Well, ever since I first read "Child of the Morning". So a long time past now.

I usually find myself researching the subjects of her novels because I can't get enough. She brings ancient Egypt alive with her novels in a way that is compelling. Her characters were real people living in a time and place that is far removed yet she breathes life into them. They are human beings with strengths, weaknesses and especially human frailties that remind us of our own.

In a way Ms Gedge has brought them 'back' from their afterlife. Her characterizations breathe with me as I read. The people in her novels are that real to me. 5 s Damon380 56

Quite a bit of research must have gone into this one to work out the timeline and fit the characters in.historical-fiction2 s Rob50 186

Gedge is one of those authors who ruins most historical fiction for me. Her ability to evoke another time and place, and her insight into the characters who inhabit those worlds, makes much of the rest of the genre feel juvenile and superficial. This is not modern melodrama in period costume - it's the real deal.

I've read several of her novels set in ancient Egypt now, and once again I was immediately drawn into the world of pharaohs, courtiers, and priests. Of palaces redolent with incense, the luxurious sanctuary of the harem garden, and the great Nile flowing past sun-blasted landscapes.

Gedge paints wonderfully textured scenes in this exotic world. And she peoples it with characters just as vivid and authentic. Scheming queens vie with rivals and courtiers for influence over power-mad pharaohs. These are people of their times, not ours, and unly to inspire affection in a modern reader. They're ambitious and cynical almost beyond belief, and treat underlings with airy contempt. But they're real. Gedge teases out the humanity in their fears and desires.

The Twelfth Transforming is not a heroic or inspiring novel - it's a story of ambition, decadence, and madness. Incest and murder feature prominently. And it's not a brisk read, either. Much of the text is descriptions of the cloistered world the characters inhabit. Most of the rest is oblique conversations between aristocrats. So don't expect to be propelled forward by a driving plot rich with suspense and dramatic reversals. This is a book to ease into and immerse yourself in, a pool in a walled courtyard, pushing away lily-pads and feeling the sun blaze on your bare skin.
2 s The Book and Beauty Blog166 20

"The Twelfth Transforming" attempts to tell the story of a very interesting time in Egyptian history, the Eighteenth Dynasty. The key players from that time period are also the main characters in this book; Tiye, Akenhaten, Nefertiti, Horemheb and Ay. This is my favorite period of Egyptian history so I was excited to see how Gedge would portray the known historical facts while fleshing out the story with details we can only guess about.

To put it simply, this is the best Egyptian historical fiction book that I’ve ever read. It’s a rather large book but I tore through it and was never bored. Gedge’s writing style flowed smoothly from scene to scene. The settings were described excellently and made me feel I was in ancient Egypt. She elaborated on what the characters smelled, heard, felt, etc. and those details helped to completely immerse me in the story.

Speaking of the characters, "The Twelfth Transforming" follows multiple characters and is told from many points of view. I do feel that the characters had plenty of depth in this book but there wasn’t a lot of character growth. Having so many characters and points of view made the story more entertaining but it also made it harder to get to know the characters or to see any change in them. This wasn’t a major issue for me, though, because I did enjoy the way the characters were written. They weren’t perfect by any means but that made them more realistic.

This book was also incredibly researched and historically accurate- i.e., my favorite kind of historical fiction. However, history wasn’t always pretty and certain things that were normal among ancient Egyptian royalty can be disturbing to read about. To put it simply, there is a lot of incest in this book and some of it is very disturbing. *Spoilers have been redacted, full review on my blog*

Akenhaten is almost always portrayed, in fiction stories, as being mentally disturbed. Gedge did a fantastic job of describing the infamous Pharaoh’s decent into madness and his religious fanaticism. It has been proven that Akenhaten had at least one child with his sister and that child was Tutankhamun. *Spoilers have been redacted, full review on my blog*

"The Twelfth Transforming" isn’t appropriate for all readers but if you love Egyptian historical fiction and don’t mind the historical, but gross, relationships, I can’t recommend this book enough.

For my full review and other , go to https://thebookandbeautyblog.com/1 Katy Berman51 1 follower

When setting a novel in ancient Egypt, one has only sketchy historical information to work with. The ancient Egyptian elite left many clues about their life and time, but also attempted to erase undesirable parts of their history. Pauline Gedge does a masterful job of weaving historical fact with fiction and brings us characters that are as fully formed and human as anyone we might know today. Some of the story is shocking and it is easy to pass judgment on the past from the cultural and time differences of modern Western society. For me, a fan of ancient Egypt, the saga rang true, except for the circumstances of young pharaoh Tutankhamun's death, which (spoiler alert!), we now know from DNA testing in the early 21st century on his mummy, was most ly caused by malaria. Rumors circulated for years that he may have been murdered, so it is an intriguing plot point nevertheless. How he died is less important than the events that ensued.

The novel begins during the last years of the reign of 18th Dynasty's Pharaoh Amunhotep III, told primarily from the point of view of his queen and empress, Tiye, who were the parents of the "heretic" king Akhenaten. The aging pharaoh has placed his hopes for succession on his son Thotmes (Thutmose), who dies prematurely before his father, allowing his younger brother, the strange and isolated Amunhotep IV (who will later change his name to Akhenaten), to ascend the throne, supported by his mother, who loves her son in spite of his unusual appearance and ideas, and tries to exert as much influence on his governance as possible. Akhenaten marries the beautiful Nefertiti, his cousin, whom he loves, and after a few years of a somewhat inept reign, declares the sun disk, Aten, as the one and only god, forsaking Egypt's other gods, particularly Amun, and has a new capital built called Akhetaten. The court moves to the new city from Thebes, which has been the Egyptian royal capital for decades, leaving it to decline and decay. Egyptologists know from written records and depictions of the royal family that Nefertiti produces six daughters and no sons. However, there are two young boys (whose maternal parentage is not clear), viewed as possible future successors: the lazy, spoiled Smenkhara, a late son born of Amunhotep III and (according to Gedge's account) Tiye, and the infant Tutankhaten (later Tutankhamun), Akhenaten's son with another wife or concubine.

The story takes us through Akhenaten's entire disastrous reign, and we see all the major players - Tiye, Ay, Horemheb, Nefertiti and her sister Mutnodjme, and other known historical figures - in the story that Gedge expertly allows to unfold. The novel concludes at the start of Horemheb's reign, who is the last ruler of the 18th Dynasty.

Gedge is careful to make the dialogue sound natural without seeming too modern and colloquial, which other authors have attempted to do with varying amounts of success. To anyone who is interested in ancient Egypt and fascinated in particular with the 18th Dynasty rulers, I would recommend The Twelfth Transforming (which may only be available as an ebook) as well as her previous novel, Child of the Morning, about the earlier 18th century pharaoh, Hatshepsut, a woman who defied tradition to become pharaoh.fiction historical-fiction1 Jane1,602 213

Some things I really d about this book and other things not. I was conflicted in rating it.

It was up to Gedge's usual high standard in her novels on ancient Egypt: flowing, excellent, evocative writing. I did the storyline and the events in the novel were plausible. However, I absolutely hated the characters and that alone drove it down from 4 to 3 stars for me. Each character was out for him- or herself only. The manipulation started with the main character, the ambitious Empress Tiye, wife of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who had her son named heir apparent. The same controlling quality spread a canker through the rest of the royal family; the vizier, Ay; and General Horemheb. Figuratively, each was ready to stick a knife into someone else's back to advance in power. This overweening ambition led to the assassination by suffocation, of one of the pharaohs, Smenkhara, as he lay sleeping, and, on a hunt, the sabotage of the chariot of another pharaoh, Tutankhamen, and subsequent murder.

The main story was that of Akhenaten, the monotheistic pharaoh. Years before, a holy man had advised his family to have him killed, or dark days would fall upon Egypt. No one listens; the boy grows to manhood. Gedge's interpretation of Akhenaten in this novel was not the usual: that of the gentle martyr. She has him descending into madness with the promotion and promulgation of his worship of Aten, the sun god--"The Teaching". Akhenaten bankrupts the Egyptian treasury to build a beautiful new city of marble and alabaster, Akhetaten, for worship of Aten and where the royal family decamps. He forbids the worship of any other gods. The extent of Akhenaten's incest made me queasy. Extended drought, famine and plague kill many of the royal family and other population. Is the city cursed? A cabal plans to do away with him and to name another pharaoh.

The writing was so good I felt as though I were in ancient Egypt. I d Gedge's description of the drought and plague years. Her telling of the assassination was chilling. But none of the characters had any redeeming qualities, except possibly for Tutankhamen.

Recommended for the depiction of ancient Egypt and an unusual portrayal of Akhenaten. ancient-egypt library reviewed1 Carrie Slager683 25

Pauline Gedge is one of the best writers of historical fiction set in ancient Egypt and The Twelfth Transforming proves it.

Set in the (in)famous 18th Dynasty of Egypt, this novel chronicles the entirety of the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign through the eyes of his domineering mother, Queen Tiye. Tiye is a ruthless woman by virtue of being Great Royal Wife to pharaoh Amunhotep III (Akhenaten’s father), and as such, is not always a sympathetic narrator. But she is so three dimensional that she commands your attention and you miss her forceful personality near the end of the novel when she dies.

Pauline Gedge paints a vivid picture of the 18th Dynasty and fills her novel with authentic historical details. Most of the events in the novel are correct, however there are gaps in history that she fills with the most salacious and dramatic explanations. But readers also have to keep in mind that The Twelfth Transforming was written in 1984 and reflects the information she had available at the time. If you do not mind tiny historical inaccuracies (most of which are only noticeable to fanatics myself), then this is certainly the novel for you.

I give this book 4/5 stars.books-i-was-given1 Kayla20 1 follower

The only reason I finished this book is because I paid for it through my Wordy Traveler subscription. If it had been free, I would have given up within the first 50 pages.

There were several reasons this book received ??? instead of ????. While the subject of ancient Egypt isn't something I'm naturally drawn to, this book was simply not an interesting read. All the characters were selfish and self-absorbed. Most annoying, however, was the amount of pages dedicated to the Empress Tiye. She was so disinterested in everything around her and always backtracked on her initial impressions or thoughts about what was happening. I kept expecting some action or for her to take charge, but she literally committed suicide because she was bored with life.

What also seriously bugged and grossed me out about this book was the rampant incest. Ugh.1 Luveska1 review

My favourite book to date. I've reread it at least a dozen times. Dynamic characters in a vibrant, well-crafted world.1 The Idle Woman791 33

What distinguishes a visionary from a madman? That question lies at the heart of this sumptuous novel by Pauline Gedge, which takes us to the Egyptian court of the late 18th dynasty, in the mid-14th century BC. The Empress Tiye is the primary wife of Pharaoh Amunhotep III, whose failing health and debaucheries distract him from the everyday business of ruling. Tiye has commanded the reins of power for years, using her acute political sensibilities to keep Egypt prosperous and to maintain its military supremacy. Unusually, she is not of full royal blood herself, and her rise has also boosted members of her family, especially her brother Ay, a leading courtier. Now, in the twilight of her husband’s reign, Tiye is preoccupied with the issue of the succession. Her eldest son, also called Amunhotep, has spent his life imprisoned within the harem, hated and suspected by his father, but he is the only plausible successor if Tiye wishes to continue her control of Egyptian politics. She sets out to secure the throne for her son, planning to marry him off to her niece (Ay’s daughter) Nefertiti, thereby cementing her family’s influence. It is a fine plan. But Tiye hasn’t accounted for one crucial detail: the personality of the prince into whose hands she has consigned the future of her country. For Amunhotep IV – or Akhenaten, as he renames himself – has a vision of his own for Egypt, which will strike to the very heart of the country’s civilisation. Epic in every sense, this account of the Amarna period is richly intricate: a gripping story of Egypt’s most extraordinary, fascinating and enigmatic personalities...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2020/05/24/t... SaraB208 Read

I'm agonizing over how to review this. While the writing is EXCELLENT, some passages were icky - and that's from a fan of vampires and zombies. No, the incest thing with his young daughter was horrifying. Unforgivable, even by their standards, as there was an older one and often those marriages went unconsummated. He also marries (fully) his mother. The consequences of all those are... heart wrenching. I am absolutely respectful of many cultures but a couple generations of first degree relative marrying leads to exactly what is depicted. And this is the man who wanted to teach us the way?
Though I didn't her, I felt for the old Empress who first competed for her husband (A's dad) with a young boy, then with her own daughter, cousin, and granndaughter for her husband (A). Hugs. Shonna115 1 follower

Once again, Gedge has written an immersive, plausible, realistic, historically accurate, passion-filled, human drama! I love that she chose to use Tiye as her narrator for most of the book. What a fascinating portrait of Akhenaten. It's kind of amazing how Gedge manages to write these novels completely outside of the filter of a modern mind. You never get the sense that a 21st century author is lending her opinions or conclusions. Just top notch. owned Julio116 14

Nota media 3,5 estrellas ??

He estado a punto de abandonar la lectura por la mala edición digital que tenía. No había capítulos ni siquiera había puntos y aparte. Una vez hube cambiado a otra edición el problema se solucionó y la lectura empezó a atraparme.

Con mucho detalle se nos describe la vida de los faraones en el antiguo egipto y sus costumbres. Las intrigas de la corte del faraón, las luchas de poder y la decadencia de la familia real. Centrado sobre todo en el reinado de Akhenaton la historia esta muy bien novelada y hará las delicias de los apasionados de la ficción histórica. Mary Alex113 2

This is the best book involving Ancient Egypt I have ever read. I love Pauline Gedge's work so much. She really brought Ancient Egypt, it's glory and it's people alive in The Twelfth Transforming. I enjoyed reading the scandalous misadventures of Akhenaten, Tiye, Nefertiti, Ay and Horemheb and the whole cast come alive.
action ancient-egypt controversial-reads ...more Marta Asensio5

El mejor libro sobre el Antiguo Egipto que he leído. Realmente merece la pena para entender mejor la Dinastía XVIII y todos sus acontecimientos que tanto marcaron la bella historia de esta antigua y mágica civilización. Está novelada pero con gran rigurosidad y ciñéndose a todos los aspectos históricos datados. Sharon6

I LOVE, LOVE
Autor del comentario:
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And so I come to another re-read of one of Pauline Gedge’s magnificent books and a freshening up of an old review. I re-read her debut novel, Child of the Morning, right before this one, and it’s worth mentioning the key difference between that book and this. Child of the Morning oozed creative flair and talent, but lacked a bit of polish, which canted the pacing of the book slightly off-kilter. It’s an issue I’ve only ever seen in her first book, and by the time we get to The Twelfth Transforming, Gedge’s fourth novel, it is entirely absent. Now here is a true historical epic to be proud of.

Any passing layman will recognise the key names of this book – Tutankhamun, Nefertiti, and Akhenaten – but what has always interested me is that Gedge chose to delve deep into the lives of their lesser known contemporaries in order to tell the story of the Amarna era. It is Tiye who is our primary protagonist, a name Egyptologists and enthusiasts will know well, but certainly one which in the public consciousness is overshadowed by her infamous son. Personally, I find Tiye to be a fascinating individual: powerful in the reign of her husband, Amunhotep III, and a witness to many of the events of her son Akhenaten’s reign. Gedge’s portrayal illuminates a strong woman, calculatingly manipulative, ambitious, and a common-sense ruler (the two qualities are not mutually exclusive, despite some simplistic depictions out there of virtue versus villainy). One of Pauline Gedge’s finest skills as an author is in bringing historical people to life as fully fledged, complex human beings, and it’s working for every character here. Tiye is compelling, but so are Ay and Horemheb too. Each character is comprehensible and follows a line of clear, empathetic logic.

If you were looking to name an antagonist for this book, you’d probably cite Akhenaten, but he is no mere villain. It is Akhenaten’s portrayal that makes The Twelfth Transforming a true tragedy. Far from being hateable, Akhenaten is depicted as sympathetic and even pitiable. He has to struggle to gain his majority and his birthright against a prophecy of doom and a father who wants him dead. He shuns formality and favours naturalism and intimacy. His developing belief in the Aten goes hand in hand with a dream of a shining new city and a hope to spread peace and love across the ancient world. The problem is that Akhenaten is psychologically disturbed. He cannot conceive of being lied to, so corrupt individuals take advantage and Egypt’s empire begins to crumble. He hears the voice of the Aten in his mind telling him to initiate his family into a sacred circle of love. He thinks this will protect them and bless them all with prosperity, but what it actually means is that he forces himself on those who cannot consent or are impelled by his power as pharaoh to do so – his mother, his brother, and his underage daughters. When disasters strike, he believes it is punishment from the Aten, so instead of doing the practical thing and taking steps to provision against hard times, he actively impedes any such efforts, insisting that his deity will resolve all. The slow unravelling of his sanity occurs over the course of the book, meaning that his contemporaries in the beginning are uncertain but have little reason to oppose his changes or suspect where it all might lead. Akhenaten is at once admirable and reprehensible, the tragedy being that although he means well, he has no real conception of the damage he causes. This feels the most real portrayal of Akhenaten that I’ve ever read in a novel. So many writers seem to want to depict the ancient king as either a saintly visionary or a deplorable villain. Why not both? It is my observation that human beings frequently embody a mix of good and bad; being complex and contradictory is a defining trait. Pauline Gedge understands this.

She also understands cause and effect, and how the actions of one individual can have a profound and lasting impact on another, which in turn affects their own relationships and on and on. In the aftermath phase of the novel, despite the fact that Akhenaten’s presence is removed, there is still a lingering sense of pervading corruption. The surviving characters carry the scars of trauma in their experience, and there can be no quick and easy going back to their happiness and innocence and Egypt’s prosperity. The legacy of Akhenaten’s tragic reign runs deep.

I’m not sure what more I can say about Pauline Gedge’s linguistic skill, after having written about it in many other . It’s obvious that she has a broad knowledge from which to draw upon, and she creates the most wonderfully inventive metaphors in her descriptions. Her imagery is not only vivid, bringing to life an ancient world of epic scope with believable realism and detail, but it’s a pleasure to read: lively, unexpected, delightful. I always feel engaged when reading her books.

“The court began to affect a simpering naturalness. Artificial flowers of amethyst, jasper, and turquoise set in gold appeared on necklaces and belts and in red-painted earlobes or were woven into the hair of wigs that hung to the waists of both men and women. No courtier with social aspirations paraded in the gardens without a monkey perched on one shoulder, a dog or goose at his heels, and a servant or two carrying kittens in baskets. Their women congregated on the lawns to share dainty sips of local beer and discuss the relative abilities of their respective gardeners. The harem acres, usually deserted until midmorning, were suddenly full of sleepy-eyed concubines who stumbled from their silken couches at dawn to breathe and exclaim over the new air. The trade in unperfumed oil began to soar. Tiye watched the courtiers transform Malkatta into an expensive imitation of a wealthy townsman’s summer retreat while her son moved oblivious at the centre of the new diversion. She hoped it would not last long. Her eyes followed Amunhotep as he nuzzled his cats, rolled on the grass with his monkeys, and ran laughing after the tame ducks that waddled out of his way”

Prospective readers who are Amarna aficionados will no doubt be curious as to how Gedge answers some of the key questions in Egyptology. There is little evidence for Tiye being anything but native Egyptian, but nevertheless novelists have played with her nationality. The one hint is that the name of her father, Yuya, is somewhat unusual, and has been postulated to indicate a Levantine origin. Gedge has taken this possibility and run with it, and it is plausible enough for her to get away with. Technically we don’t even know for sure that Ay was her brother, but many novelists write it so because it’s a neat explanation for his inheriting Yuya’s positions, his closeness to the royal family, and his acceptance as pharaoh as the last tangentially related family member. Free pass there. I would have d to have seen Henuttaneb, Iset, and Nebetah play a part, but they don’t feature. Probably the most controversial interpretation Gedge adds in is the relationship between Tiye and Akhenaten. Smenkhkare as the last gasp child of Tiye and Amunhotep is a common take, even Baketaten as Tiye’s daughter is reasonably creditable. What is unusual is postulating a union between Tiye and Akhenaten and both Baketaten and Tutankhamun as the fruit. It is probably not the most ly scenario, although it can’t be completely ruled out. I found myself on board with it as a literary decision though. It provides a welcome alternative to the well-worn and outdated Kiya-is-Tutankhamun’s-mother interpretation, and as a plot device it drives much of the character dynamics and the action. Horemheb’s wife Mutnodjmet is the same person as Nefertiti’s sister, but to be fair the widely accepted separation of Mutnodjmet and Mutbenret is well after the time of this book, and I for one greatly enjoy the depiction of Mutnodjmet as an independent, vivacious hedonist with clearly defined boundaries, rather than a simpering Purity Sue foil to an evil Nefertiti. Regarding Meketaten, historians have attempted to interpret her death and appearance in a birthing bower as symbolic, but I find it difficult not to go with Occam’s razor on this one, and so too does Gedge. Details such as Mutbenret’s well attested dwarf attendants, and the lock of Tiye’s hair possessed by Tutankhamun, are wonderfully accurate historical strands picked out by Gedge and woven into the novel, but ultimately we still don’t know exactly what end Tiye, Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their family met. Current evidence leans towards the conclusion that Tutankhamun was not murdered, and the letter to the Hittite king asking for one of his princes to marry from an unnamed Egyptian widow queen seems more ly to have been written by Ankhsenamun rather than Nefertiti.

As with any Amarna fiction, the choices of how to illuminate the many gaps are unly to please everyone, but if you’re happy to play in this sandbox, you will get some fresh twists and novel interpretations, along with a well-written, immersive story and a truly compelling tragic plot. Having read several efforts over the years, I can safely say that The Twelfth Transforming is still the best Amarna novel out there.

10 out of 10bronze-age-5000-to-1100bce-fiction cream-of-the-crop10 s Donna1 review7

I'm rereading this book after finishing the: ("Twice Born", "Seer of Egypt", "King's Man") trilogy. I first read "Twelfth Transforming" many years ago, probably when it was first published. I've long been a fan of Pauline Gedge. Well, ever since I first read "Child of the Morning". So a long time past now.

I usually find myself researching the subjects of her novels because I can't get enough. She brings ancient Egypt alive with her novels in a way that is compelling. Her characters were real people living in a time and place that is far removed yet she breathes life into them. They are human beings with strengths, weaknesses and especially human frailties that remind us of our own.

In a way Ms Gedge has brought them 'back' from their afterlife. Her characterizations breathe with me as I read. The people in her novels are that real to me. 5 s Damon380 58

Quite a bit of research must have gone into this one to work out the timeline and fit the characters in.historical-fiction2 s Rob50 187

Gedge is one of those authors who ruins most historical fiction for me. Her ability to evoke another time and place, and her insight into the characters who inhabit those worlds, makes much of the rest of the genre feel juvenile and superficial. This is not modern melodrama in period costume - it's the real deal.

I've read several of her novels set in ancient Egypt now, and once again I was immediately drawn into the world of pharaohs, courtiers, and priests. Of palaces redolent with incense, the luxurious sanctuary of the harem garden, and the great Nile flowing past sun-blasted landscapes.

Gedge paints wonderfully textured scenes in this exotic world. And she peoples it with characters just as vivid and authentic. Scheming queens vie with rivals and courtiers for influence over power-mad pharaohs. These are people of their times, not ours, and unly to inspire affection in a modern reader. They're ambitious and cynical almost beyond belief, and treat underlings with airy contempt. But they're real. Gedge teases out the humanity in their fears and desires.

The Twelfth Transforming is not a heroic or inspiring novel - it's a story of ambition, decadence, and madness. Incest and murder feature prominently. And it's not a brisk read, either. Much of the text is descriptions of the cloistered world the characters inhabit. Most of the rest is oblique conversations between aristocrats. So don't expect to be propelled forward by a driving plot rich with suspense and dramatic reversals. This is a book to ease into and immerse yourself in, a pool in a walled courtyard, pushing away lily-pads and feeling the sun blaze on your bare skin.
2 s The Book and Beauty Blog168 19

"The Twelfth Transforming" attempts to tell the story of a very interesting time in Egyptian history, the Eighteenth Dynasty. The key players from that time period are also the main characters in this book; Tiye, Akenhaten, Nefertiti, Horemheb and Ay. This is my favorite period of Egyptian history so I was excited to see how Gedge would portray the known historical facts while fleshing out the story with details we can only guess about.

To put it simply, this is the best Egyptian historical fiction book that I’ve ever read. It’s a rather large book but I tore through it and was never bored. Gedge’s writing style flowed smoothly from scene to scene. The settings were described excellently and made me feel I was in ancient Egypt. She elaborated on what the characters smelled, heard, felt, etc. and those details helped to completely immerse me in the story.

Speaking of the characters, "The Twelfth Transforming" follows multiple characters and is told from many points of view. I do feel that the characters had plenty of depth in this book but there wasn’t a lot of character growth. Having so many characters and points of view made the story more entertaining but it also made it harder to get to know the characters or to see any change in them. This wasn’t a major issue for me, though, because I did enjoy the way the characters were written. They weren’t perfect by any means but that made them more realistic.

This book was also incredibly researched and historically accurate- i.e., my favorite kind of historical fiction. However, history wasn’t always pretty and certain things that were normal among ancient Egyptian royalty can be disturbing to read about. To put it simply, there is a lot of incest in this book and some of it is very disturbing. *Spoilers have been redacted, full review on my blog*

Akenhaten is almost always portrayed, in fiction stories, as being mentally disturbed. Gedge did a fantastic job of describing the infamous Pharaoh’s decent into madness and his religious fanaticism. It has been proven that Akenhaten had at least one child with his sister and that child was Tutankhamun. *Spoilers have been redacted, full review on my blog*

"The Twelfth Transforming" isn’t appropriate for all readers but if you love Egyptian historical fiction and don’t mind the historical, but gross, relationships, I can’t recommend this book enough.

For my full review and other , go to https://thebookandbeautyblog.com/1 Katy Berman53 1 follower

When setting a novel in ancient Egypt, one has only sketchy historical information to work with. The ancient Egyptian elite left many clues about their life and time, but also attempted to erase undesirable parts of their history. Pauline Gedge does a masterful job of weaving historical fact with fiction and brings us characters that are as fully formed and human as anyone we might know today. Some of the story is shocking and it is easy to pass judgment on the past from the cultural and time differences of modern Western society. For me, a fan of ancient Egypt, the saga rang true, except for the circumstances of young pharaoh Tutankhamun's death, which (spoiler alert!), we now know from DNA testing in the early 21st century on his mummy, was most ly caused by malaria. Rumors circulated for years that he may have been murdered, so it is an intriguing plot point nevertheless. How he died is less important than the events that ensued.

The novel begins during the last years of the reign of 18th Dynasty's Pharaoh Amunhotep III, told primarily from the point of view of his queen and empress, Tiye, who were the parents of the "heretic" king Akhenaten. The aging pharaoh has placed his hopes for succession on his son Thotmes (Thutmose), who dies prematurely before his father, allowing his younger brother, the strange and isolated Amunhotep IV (who will later change his name to Akhenaten), to ascend the throne, supported by his mother, who loves her son in spite of his unusual appearance and ideas, and tries to exert as much influence on his governance as possible. Akhenaten marries the beautiful Nefertiti, his cousin, whom he loves, and after a few years of a somewhat inept reign, declares the sun disk, Aten, as the one and only god, forsaking Egypt's other gods, particularly Amun, and has a new capital built called Akhetaten. The court moves to the new city from Thebes, which has been the Egyptian royal capital for decades, leaving it to decline and decay. Egyptologists know from written records and depictions of the royal family that Nefertiti produces six daughters and no sons. However, there are two young boys (whose maternal parentage is not clear), viewed as possible future successors: the lazy, spoiled Smenkhara, a late son born of Amunhotep III and (according to Gedge's account) Tiye, and the infant Tutankhaten (later Tutankhamun), Akhenaten's son with another wife or concubine.

The story takes us through Akhenaten's entire disastrous reign, and we see all the major players - Tiye, Ay, Horemheb, Nefertiti and her sister Mutnodjme, and other known historical figures - in the story that Gedge expertly allows to unfold. The novel concludes at the start of Horemheb's reign, who is the last ruler of the 18th Dynasty.

Gedge is careful to make the dialogue sound natural without seeming too modern and colloquial, which other authors have attempted to do with varying amounts of success. To anyone who is interested in ancient Egypt and fascinated in particular with the 18th Dynasty rulers, I would recommend The Twelfth Transforming (which may only be available as an ebook) as well as her previous novel, Child of the Morning, about the earlier 18th century pharaoh, Hatshepsut, a woman who defied tradition to become pharaoh.fiction historical-fiction1 Jane1,620 217

Some things I really d about this book and other things not. I was conflicted in rating it.

It was up to Gedge's usual high standard in her novels on ancient Egypt: flowing, excellent, evocative writing. I did the storyline and the events in the novel were plausible. However, I absolutely hated the characters and that alone drove it down from 4 to 3 stars for me. Each character was out for him- or herself only. The manipulation started with the main character, the ambitious Empress Tiye, wife of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who had her son named heir apparent. The same controlling quality spread a canker through the rest of the royal family; the vizier, Ay; and General Horemheb. Figuratively, each was ready to stick a knife into someone else's back to advance in power. This overweening ambition led to the assassination by suffocation, of one of the pharaohs, Smenkhara, as he lay sleeping, and, on a hunt, the sabotage of the chariot of another pharaoh, Tutankhamen, and subsequent murder.

The main story was that of Akhenaten, the monotheistic pharaoh. Years before, a holy man had advised his family to have him killed, or dark days would fall upon Egypt. No one listens; the boy grows to manhood. Gedge's interpretation of Akhenaten in this novel was not the usual: that of the gentle martyr. She has him descending into madness with the promotion and promulgation of his worship of Aten, the sun god--"The Teaching". Akhenaten bankrupts the Egyptian treasury to build a beautiful new city of marble and alabaster, Akhetaten, for worship of Aten and where the royal family decamps. He forbids the worship of any other gods. The extent of Akhenaten's incest made me queasy. Extended drought, famine and plague kill many of the royal family and other population. Is the city cursed? A cabal plans to do away with him and to name another pharaoh.

The writing was so good I felt as though I were in ancient Egypt. I d Gedge's description of the drought and plague years. Her telling of the assassination was chilling. But none of the characters had any redeeming qualities, except possibly for Tutankhamen.

Recommended for the depiction of ancient Egypt and an unusual portrayal of Akhenaten. ancient-egypt library reviewed1 Carrie Slager683 25

Pauline Gedge is one of the best writers of historical fiction set in ancient Egypt and The Twelfth Transforming proves it.

Set in the (in)famous 18th Dynasty of Egypt, this novel chronicles the entirety of the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign through the eyes of his domineering mother, Queen Tiye. Tiye is a ruthless woman by virtue of being Great Royal Wife to pharaoh Amunhotep III (Akhenaten’s father), and as such, is not always a sympathetic narrator. But she is so three dimensional that she commands your attention and you miss her forceful personality near the end of the novel when she dies.

Pauline Gedge paints a vivid picture of the 18th Dynasty and fills her novel with authentic historical details. Most of the events in the novel are correct, however there are gaps in history that she fills with the most salacious and dramatic explanations. But readers also have to keep in mind that The Twelfth Transforming was written in 1984 and reflects the information she had available at the time. If you do not mind tiny historical inaccuracies (most of which are only noticeable to fanatics myself), then this is certainly the novel for you.

I give this book 4/5 stars.books-i-was-given1 Kayla21 1 follower

The only reason I finished this book is because I paid for it through my Wordy Traveler subscription. If it had been free, I would have given up within the first 50 pages.

There were several reasons this book received ??? instead of ????. While the subject of ancient Egypt isn't something I'm naturally drawn to, this book was simply not an interesting read. All the characters were selfish and self-absorbed. Most annoying, however, was the amount of pages dedicated to the Empress Tiye. She was so disinterested in everything around her and always backtracked on her initial impressions or thoughts about what was happening. I kept expecting some action or for her to take charge, but she literally committed suicide because she was bored with life.

What also seriously bugged and grossed me out about this book was the rampant incest. Ugh.1 Luveska1 review

My favourite book to date. I've reread it at least a dozen times. Dynamic characters in a vibrant, well-crafted world.1 The Idle Woman791 33

What distinguishes a visionary from a madman? That question lies at the heart of this sumptuous novel by Pauline Gedge, which takes us to the Egyptian court of the late 18th dynasty, in the mid-14th century BC. The Empress Tiye is the primary wife of Pharaoh Amunhotep III, whose failing health and debaucheries distract him from the everyday business of ruling. Tiye has commanded the reins of power for years, using her acute political sensibilities to keep Egypt prosperous and to maintain its military supremacy. Unusually, she is not of full royal blood herself, and her rise has also boosted members of her family, especially her brother Ay, a leading courtier. Now, in the twilight of her husband’s reign, Tiye is preoccupied with the issue of the succession. Her eldest son, also called Amunhotep, has spent his life imprisoned within the harem, hated and suspected by his father, but he is the only plausible successor if Tiye wishes to continue her control of Egyptian politics. She sets out to secure the throne for her son, planning to marry him off to her niece (Ay’s daughter) Nefertiti, thereby cementing her family’s influence. It is a fine plan. But Tiye hasn’t accounted for one crucial detail: the personality of the prince into whose hands she has consigned the future of her country. For Amunhotep IV – or Akhenaten, as he renames himself – has a vision of his own for Egypt, which will strike to the very heart of the country’s civilisation. Epic in every sense, this account of the Amarna period is richly intricate: a gripping story of Egypt’s most extraordinary, fascinating and enigmatic personalities...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2020/05/24/t... SaraB208 Read

I'm agonizing over how to review this. While the writing is EXCELLENT, some passages were icky - and that's from a fan of vampires and zombies. No, the incest thing with his young daughter was horrifying. Unforgivable, even by their standards, as there was an older one and often those marriages went unconsummated. He also marries (fully) his mother. The consequences of all those are... heart wrenching. I am absolutely respectful of many cultures but a couple generations of first degree relative marrying leads to exactly what is depicted. And this is the man who wanted to teach us the way?
Though I didn't her, I felt for the old Empress who first competed for her husband (A's dad) with a young boy, then with her own daughter, cousin, and granndaughter for her husband (A). Hugs. Shonna115 1 follower

Once again, Gedge has written an immersive, plausible, realistic, historically accurate, passion-filled, human drama! I love that she chose to use Tiye as her narrator for most of the book. What a fascinating portrait of Akhenaten. It's kind of amazing how Gedge manages to write these novels completely outside of the filter of a modern mind. You never get the sense that a 21st century author is lending her opinions or conclusions. Just top notch. owned Julio119 14

Nota media 3,5 estrellas ??

He estado a punto de abandonar la lectura por la mala edición digital que tenía. No había capítulos ni siquiera había puntos y aparte. Una vez hube cambiado a otra edición el problema se solucionó y la lectura empezó a atraparme.

Con mucho detalle se nos describe la vida de los faraones en el antiguo egipto y sus costumbres. Las intrigas de la corte del faraón, las luchas de poder y la decadencia de la familia real. Centrado sobre todo en el reinado de Akhenaton la historia esta muy bien novelada y hará las delicias de los apasionados de la ficción histórica. Mary Alex113 2

This is the best book involving Ancient Egypt I have ever read. I love Pauline Gedge's work so much. She really brought Ancient Egypt, it's glory and it's people alive in The Twelfth Transforming. I enjoyed reading the scandalous misadventures of Akhenaten, Tiye, Nefertiti, Ay and Horemheb and the whole cast come alive.
action ancient-egypt controversial-reads ...more Marta Asensio5

El mejor libro sobre el Antiguo Egipto que he leído. Realmente merece la pena para entender mejor la Dinastía XVIII y todos sus acontecimientos que tanto marcaron la bella historia de esta antigua y mágica civilización. Está novelada pero con gran rigurosidad y ciñéndose a todos los aspectos históricos datados. Sharon6

I LOVE, LOVE Pauline Gedge! This was my last of her books to read. It is quite dark at times and all but her writing and research are top notch. Evaramni257

Interesante para conocer la cultura del tiempo de los faraones, su modo de vida y forma de pensar, toda ella centrada en su Dios. De obligada lectura para los egiptólogosleidos-antes-2017 Anne23

Great read. An interesting and well documented historical novel. Suzanne892 127

This was a good work if historical fiction dealing with the reign of the Pharoah Ahtenakten in ancient Egypt. Loaded with palace intrigue, murder and even incest (blech!). 3 1/2 stars.2020-trivia-challenge geocaching-challenge-2016 historical-fiction Pattycita Ptvh61

La mayor parte del libro tiene a la reina Tiy como personaje principal .... Por momentos se torna una lectura tediosa y peca de fantasiosa argumento que le da cierto atractivo. TheLinhDo144 5

Troublant Lila Gloria Fernández de Castro113 10

Muy buena. Junto con El adivino, lo mejor de esta autora. Elsie M215 1 follower

5/5 Stars

One of the best historical fiction books set in Egypt I’ve read! Entertaining and captivating take on the Amarna Period. Jenny Buckley80 11

The politics and story overall were fascinating, but sooooo much incest. I get that it’s historically accurate, but it made for a tough read. Just_bethy18

A complex and incredible read. Stacey Esler13 3

Pauline Gedge is an amazing historical author. I am whisked away to another time in history with every one of her novels. I will be forlorn when I have finished all of her books. KaraAuthor 24 books87


The story follows several generations of pharaohs in ancient Egypt, and we see the kind of family power struggles that play out very similar to any modern drama today.

Except the incest. And there is a LOT of incest, even by the standards of pharaohs. One of the main characters has ex with several of his sisters, his mother, his sisters' daughters by him (so, his daughters / nieces), his daughter's daughters (his daughters / granddaughters), and his brother. Say it with me -ewwwwwww.history-ancient Paloma123

Another excellent book from Pauline Gedge. This one about the Amarna period with Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Tiye. As always beautifully written. Outis152 32

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