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The Valley of the Kings

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'The Valley of the Kings' by Cecelia Holland is a historical fiction novel that revolves around the story of Howard Carter and the events leading up to the death of Tutankhamun. The narrative is divided into two parts, with the first part focusing on Carter's expedition in the early 20th century, while the second part delves into ancient Egypt during Tutankhamun's reign. combines these two distinct stories under one title, exploring the challenges faced by Carter during his search for Tutankhamun's tomb and providing a glimpse into the life in ancient Egypt.

Characters:

Characters range from dedicated but flawed individuals like Howard Carter to less relatable figures like Tutankhamun and his wife, leading to dissatisfaction with depth.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is engaging and self-aware, combining historical facts with fictional elements.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features two stories: one about Howard Carter's discovery of King Tut's tomb and another set in ancient Egypt.

Setting:

The novel is set in two primary locations: 1920s Egypt during the excavation and ancient Egypt during Tutankhamun's rule.

Pacing:

The pacing varies significantly, with a disjointed transition between the two halves affecting overall engagement.
My name is Howard Carter, and I am English; I am an Egyptologist. In 1902 I was working for the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, supervising the diggings in the Valley of the Kings, near the ancien...

Notes:

The novel was originally published in 1977 under a pseudonym.
It tells two distinct stories: Howard Carter's discovery of King Tut's tomb and the life in ancient Egypt during Tutankhamun's reign.
The first part focuses on Howard Carter's struggles with British officials and his dedication to archaeology rather than treasure hunting.
Cecelia Holland is known for her historical novels but some readers found this one lacking in depth and character development.
The book alternates between first-person and third-person narratives, featuring Carter's perspective and the historical events of Tutankhamun's time.
Despite being well-researched, some factual inaccuracies related to ancient Egypt were noted by readers.
The second part of the book, set in ancient Egypt, was criticized as being 'overdone' and 'silly.'
The author has 21 other titles to her name, indicating her experience in writing historical fiction.
Readers found the abrupt shift in narrative jarring and wished for a more seamless transition between the two parts.
The book includes themes of flawed human nature and historical misconceptions, making it a complex historical fiction piece.

From The Publisher:

An enthralling fictional account of Howard Carter's famous search for the tomb of King Tut and the mystery behind the tragic death and disappearance of ancient Egypt's child ruler

In ancient times, a boy king occupied the throne in a troubled desert land. His name was Tutankhamun. Both his reign and his life were shockingly brief, and his burial place was unknown-mysteries that would intrigue the inquisitive for centuries to come.

An English archaeologist irresistibly drawn to Egypt and her secrets, Howard Carter arrives in the Middle East in the second decade of the twentieth century to uncover the hidden final resting place of the tragic child pharaoh. But from the outset his search is plagued by misfortune and obstruction-a corrupt and unbending Egyptian bureaucracy, a British lord and patron more interested in profit than in knowledge, and Carter's own inability to connect with his fellow human beings. Still, he will not be deterred from his obsessive hunt for the answer to one of the most astonishing puzzles in the history of the world.

In her magnificent novel Valley of the Kings , Cecelia Holland has created two worlds, brilliantly re-creating Egypt in the 1920s and in the time of Tutankhamun. A stunning tale of determination and discovery, brimming with color, mystery, and life, it confirms her standing as one of the true masters of historical fiction.

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