Eye of the Moon

Gr 4—6—When Isikara travels with her father to the glittering city of ancient Thebes to assist in the embalming of the great Queen Tiy, grandmother of Tutankhamun, she becomes a witness to murder and conspiracy. Outspoken Isikara soon finds herself separated from her father and on the run with Tuthmosis, the queen's oldest son and rightful heir. The landscape that flows by them as they make their way along the Nile and through the desert is described in rich sensory terms, as are the objects used by the two young people and other characters. Weapons, household items, pottery, and clothing known only to readers from tomb paintings or as faded museum objects are here given weight, color, and utility. Although flawed by erratic pacing and labored dialogue, the action comes together in the novel's third act, when Isikara and Tuthmosis join forces with a runaway Nubian slave and ally themselves with Egypt's rivals, the Kushites.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD