The Sacred River

by Wendy Wallace

A romantic, vivid novel about three women who leave Victorian London for Egypt—a tale of female empowerment, self-discovery, love, and the absolution that comes from facing the secrets of our pasts.

Harriet Heron’s life is almost over before it has even begun. At just twenty-three years of age, she is an invalid, overprotected and reclusive. Before it is too late, she must escape the fog of Victorian London for a place where she can breathe.

Together with her devoted mother, Louisa, her god-fearing aunt, Yael, and a book of her own spells inspired by the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Harriet travels to a land where the air is tinged with rose and gold and for the first time begins to experience what it is to live. But a chance meeting on the voyage to Alexandria results in a dangerous friendship as Louisa’s long-buried past returns, in the form of someone determined to destroy her by preying on her daughter. As Harriet journeys towards a destiny no one could have foreseen, her Aunt Yael is caught up in an Egypt on the brink of revolt and Louisa must confront the ghosts of her own youth.

The Sacred River is an indelible depiction of the power of women and the influence they can have when released from the confines of proper English society. In the tradition of Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writer Wendy Wallace spins a tale of three women caught between propriety and love on a journey of cultural awakening through an exquisitely drawn Egypt. Sumptuous and mesmerizing, this provocative novel about finding your rightful place in the world is a beautiful, tantalizing read.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Egypt, Fiction, Historical, Romance, Adventure, British Literature

400 pages, Hardcover

First published July 4, 2013

About the author

I grew up in Kent, in England, and later graduated in Media Studies from what was then Central London Polytechnic. I worked first as a photographer, then for many years as a feature writer, before turning to fiction.

I’ve written for the Times, the Times Educational Supplement, the Guardian, the Telegraph and many other magazines and newspapers.

My journalism, on Sudan and later on schools, led to my two non-fiction books - Daughter of Dust (Simon & Schuster 2009) and Oranges and Lemons (Routledge 2005). In 2001, I was Education Journalist of the Year.

I have now turned to writing fiction, which had always been my dream. The Painted Bridge, the story of a woman tricked into a Victorian asylum in the year 1859, is my first novel. I’m working on a second, titled Magic for the Living.

I’ve been greatly helped and encouraged in my writing by my family, my agent and my writing friends. My two grown up sons are sources of inspiration.

I have lived all my adult life in London. As well as enjoying company and solitude, reading and writing, I am an enthusiastic and sometimes year-round swimmer in the women’s pond on Hampstead Heath.

To receive updates on The Painted Bridge, as well as news about the book I'm writing now, you can 'like' my Facebook author page.

http://www.facebook.com/wendywallacea...

Reviews

[♡ Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

London 1882: Die 23-jährige Harriet leidet seit Jahren unter schlimmen Asthma. Ihr Arzt befürwortet einen Klimawechsel, und so machen sich Harriet, ihre Mutter Louisa und Harriets Tante Yael gemeinsam auf die Reise nach Ägypten. Dort angekommen, lebt Harriet sichtlich auf. Sie ist fasziniert von dem Land und seiner Geschichte. Die drei Frauen machen Bekanntschaften, die sich als sehr schicksalhaft herausstellen...
💖💖
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das Buch hat mir mein Wochenende versüßt. Ich war sehr gefesselt von der Geschichte und von den drei sehr unterschiedlichen Frauen, um die es hier hauptsächlich geht. Jede der drei Protagonistinnen macht im Laufe der Geschichte eine Entwicklung durch, die für mich sehr spannend zu verfolgen war.
Harriet entwickelt sich weiter und wird in Ägypten erst so richtig erwachsen. Ihre Mutter Louisa dagegen wird von ihrer Vergangenheit eingeholt. Und Harriets Tante Yael entdeckt endlich einen Sinn in ihrem Leben.
Alle drei Frauenschicksale konnten mich sehr fesseln. Es wird abwechselnd erzählt, wie sich Harriet, Louisa und Yael in Ägypten behaupten. Der Ort der Handlung hat mir hierbei auch sehr gut gefallen, denn Ägypten ist einfach ein interessantes Land und ich konnte Harriets Faszination für die alten Hieroglyphen gut nachvollziehen.
Die Autorin hat dazu einen sehr angenehmen Schreibstil. Die Seiten haben sich flüssig lesen lassen, und beim Lesen sind direkt Bilder in meinem Kopf entstanden - ein klasse Kopfkino!
Mir hat das Buch richtig gut gefallen. Ich hatte viel Lesespaß und werde den Roman gerne weiterempfehlen!

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Having recently recovered by an acute exacerbation of my asthma, I found myself thinking how lucky we are now with the all the treatments available. How many must of died in the past when so little could be done. I starts reading this and found one of the main characters, Harriet a Yung woman in her early twenties had been an invalid most of her life due to her serious asthma condition. This takes place in London in 1882, and her treatment seems to consist of various tincture and tonics, though they did use menthol and eucalyptus in steaming water to rest a mist. Sort of like today's nebulizer but the treatment of last resort seemed to be chloroform.

Eventually her mother along with her aunt take her to Egypt, a place she had long been fascinated with. As an invalid books were her friends and her main area of interest was the tombs and hieroglyphics.
In Egypt all three of these women would change and only one would return home. A voice from the past would attempt to arrange thing to his advantage with a look towards revenge.

Enjoyed the time they spent Egypt, watching the women become different people. This was a time when spiritualists were very popular so the too was included in a few areas in the book. Her prose is very understated and the stories pacing is consistent. My favorite part though was reading about the Egyptian culture, and of course the tombs.

A well done and well thought out second novel.

[MaryannC Victorian Dreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed thoughts about this one. This was a sometimes gentle, descriptive read about 3 women travelling to Egypt for the health of Harriet, the youngest of the three. While there, each woman begins a self realization of themselves that in the end will shape the future of their lives. While I enjoyed the genteel descriptions of travel abroad, the story also has it's moments of stark reality and brutality along the way. Despite my enjoyment of this book,I couldn't help but feel a little let down at it's conclusion.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sacred River was a lovely historical novel, beautifully written, and totally evocative of colonial Egypt. It was a somber novel, filled with the themes of death; however, it ends with rebirth, bringing a sense of hope to the final chapters.

The novel focuses on a short period for three very different, but related women. First, we have Harriet Heron, a young woman, who has been bedridden for most of her life due to asthma. When her doctor hints that there’s very little that he can do for her, Harriet begs him to recommend to her parents that she should travel to a warmer climate to help her breathing. Harriet has long had a fascination with Egypt and would love to explore the city of Thebes before she dies.

Harriet’s mother, Louisa, is convinced that traveling to Egypt will help her daughter so she cautiously takes on the adventure without the accompaniment of her husband. What Louisa doesn’t count on is the resurrection of her past during the journey. A past she desperately doesn't want anyone to kow about.

Lastly, Louisa’s sister-in-law and Harriet’s aunt, Yael, is also joining the ladies on the journey to Egypt. Yael is the last person to ever want to go on a spontaneous adventure, but her brother insists and Yael finds herself growing in the foreign city in an unexpected way. A staunch charity worker and devout woman, Yael finds herself learning much about the city and gaining a sense of freedom that she's never before experienced.

The Scared River wasn’t really what I was expecting. I was thinking that this would be more of an adventure story, and to an extent it was, it just was an adventure of personal growth rather than the conquering of terrain. Each of the three women begin the novel as somewhat pathetic creatures, but through their respective journeys they each learn something about themselves and what they learn allows them to go forward into a new life.

On an intellectual level, I loved the use of the imagery in the novel: the use of the Nile as a symbol for a journey, and the scarab for rebirth. The theme of death kept the novel somber in tone, but the rebirths of all the characters at the end left you with a feeling of hope. For me, the structure of this novel was beautifully rendered. There was no question that this was a well-written novel.

However, on a less intellectual level, I wish I hadn’t had to leave the book just as things were changing for the characters. For most of the novel, I was waiting for Harriet, Louisa and Yael to come to realizations unique to their situations, and at the end they all got to that point, but readers aren’t treated to what happens after that. While I think part of the point of the novel was to end on the idea that life has changed for the three women, they have all experienced a rebirth varying degrees; I personally would have liked to know what their new life was like. But then again, that’s just the kind of reader I am. As it stands, I’ll just have to appreciate the beauty of the symbolism of this one.

In terms of the characters, they were all interesting, but I felt that I connected with Harriet the most. Perhaps it's the that I'm closer in age to Harriet and have also been fascinated with Egypt, but it could also be the fact that out of the three, Harriet seemed to stand the best chance of really moving forward. Harriet was also the closest to death because of her asthma, and her gaining new life in Egypt, gave me the sense of hope that she can have a new and full life ahead of her.

Ultimately, The Sacred River was a wonderful piece of armchair travel and I feel like I was given a sense of Egypt in 1882. The historical setting was what immediately drew me to the title, but the crafting of the novel is what had me hooked. It’s not a happy or light book, but one that gets you thinking about the various manifestations of journeys that life can take.

For similar reads see my blog.

*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three women travelled from Victorian London to Egypt, and all of their lives were changed as a result of the journey, the country, and their experiences.

Harriet Heron was twenty-three years old, and she was an invalid, afflicted by asthma in its severest form. Her great love was Egypt, discovered and explored through books, and she longed to go there, but she knew her anxious, protective parents would not countenance the idea. She knew that they loved her, but she was beginning to find their love stifling. And so she spoke to her doctor, who agreed that the change in climate could only be beneficial to her health, and between them they persuaded her parents that a trip to Egypt, a change of climate could only be good for Harriet’s health.

Harriet was thrilled that she could finally escape the confines of her life in London and see the world. Louisa, her mother, was anxious, but her love for her daughter compelled her to you. And because Harriet’s father could not leave his responsibilities in London behind, he asked his spinster sister, Yael, to accompany his wife and daughter.

Egypt was everything that Harriet had hoped, and more. Her health improved, and she took bold steps towards a new life of her own. Louisa feared for her, and her fears grew when she encountered a man who knew about her past, her life before she was married, because she knew that both she and her daughter could be badly hurt.

Meanwhile Yael, a devout Christian, found a cause that gave her a sense of purpose that she realised had been missing from her life. She was shocked by the poverty, the poor sanitation, and the lack of health care for to the city’s children and she made plans to start a clinic to support and educate their mothers. But she was shocked again when people she was sure would be supportive were anything but.

It was lovely to watch the three different women, and to see their stories unfold. Harriet was a wonderful character and was thrilled to see she her blossom as she stepped forward as a grown-up woman. There were moments when I thought her a little selfish, but I could understand why, and I never doubted that she loved her mother and her aunt. I sympathised and empathised with Louisa, as the story of her past, and the very real threat to her family’s happiness, slowly became clear. But I think that most of all I loved Yael; her desire to make a difference, her willingness to do whatever it took, and her refusal to take no for an answer. She, like her niece, blossomed when she found a sense of purpose that had been missing from her constrained London life.

Wendy Wallace’s wonderful writing made all of their stories sing. It was light, elegant, and so wonderfully evocative. Egypt lived and breathed. I never for a moment doubted that she loved and knew the country - and everything she wrote about – just as well as Harriet. there was so much to take in.

I was just a little disappointed that there wasn’t quite enough space in a single novel to develop the stories and characters of the three protagonists quite as much as I would have liked. The telling of all of their stories was slightly episodic, and that made them a little less effective than they might have been.

That leaves me inclined to say that Wendy Wallace’s first novel – ‘The Painted Bridge’ – which focused on one woman’s story, was a stronger novel. But I appreciate that she has done something a little different with her second novel, that she is still writing about the constraints on women in Victorian society, and the potential that those women had. And there was so much that I enjoyed about ‘The Sacred River’ that I already wondering what she might do in her next book…

[N.L.B. Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read fiction about Egypt via the late Barbara Mertz, aka Elizabeth Peters. She is a hard act to follow. I’m not a romance reader, so was wary about a book that markets itself as a “vivid, romantic novel” about three women debarking for far off lands. But I’m glad I read it.

WHAT I LIKED: Wallace captures the locations from London to Luxor beautifully. Her characters are interesting and engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. The romance was minimal and respectfully handled—not degrading in any way. It served a purpose other than fulfilling Victorian expectations. The three ladies (Harriet, Louisa, and Yael) broke barriers as they explored the world between the living and the dead. I appreciated Wallace's inclusion of religion with archaeology, especially since, at least in Egypt, the topics are inextricably intertwined. Her technical descriptions were just enough, and accurate.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER: The novel was easy to anticipate. I read the first half and knew how it would end. I would have enjoyed a few plot twists.

Recommended, especially for readers who enjoy the work of the late Barbara Mertz.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story wasn't what I was expecting. I liked it well enough though. We have three women with very different types of strength that we see at very different points of the story. Their ages and situation vary greatly, as do their desires.

Sickly Harriet just wants to live again and feels she can do that in Egypt, a place she's always been somewhat obsessed with. If she can't live, she just wants to die. She picks up a beau (so she thinks), learns about love--what it feels like, and also finally develops the gumption to speak up for herself and say, "No, Mom." Through her we see that letting yourself be treated like a child will make you feel like one and others will view you that way too.

Her mother Louisa is tortured by her past when someone from it happens to be on the same ship to Egypt. I can't say I enjoyed her part much. I didn't see the point, the moral. I'm sure there was something there, but I'm not picking it up. I found this character somewhat weird.

Yael, the aunt, has to be my favorite. I love how she strays from the safe, the norm, and breaks convention to stay in Alexandria and open a clinic to teach women how to practice good hygiene and fight disease. I feel too often the story went long periods of time of not giving us more Yael and switching to Louisa instead. The moral I sorta took from her: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I really liked her though.

Long review short: It was well written if a big overly long at times, a bit drawn out. I must say, however, and though this doesn't bother me, there was no romance really. "A romantic, vivid novel about three women..." I wouldn't call the "love" stories romance to be honest. If you're looking for a romance, this isn't for you.

I do however find myself a little disappointed. "The Sacred River is an indelible depiction of the power of women and the influence they can have when released from the confines of proper English society." Except for Yael, I fail to see how these women have influence over anyone, at least in a good way. Making a man seek revenge? Is that it? I guess I was expecting something else.

Is it a strong woman book? Hm. Louisa shows strength in trying to protect her daughter. Yael shows strength and courage both by what she does, and this in a time of turmoil as hatred against Europeans mounts. Harriet doesn't show much strength 'till the very end. I thought her a tad weak, though fighting an illness can't be easy.

Full review: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2014/...

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Wendy Wallace. An author to watch out for in future.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested an electronic ARC of Wendy Wallace’s The Sacred River because the story seemed so suited to my interests. The book opens in London, but is set primarily in British-controlled Egypt during the early 20th Century—a time of political unrest and archaeological discovery. What I hadn’t realized was that Wendy Wallace is also the author of one of my favorite books from 2012, The Painted Bridge, and I found The Sacred River every bit as enjoyable as that earlier work.

What Wallace writes is almost romance. Almost. But with more intellectual richness and with resolutions that are more complicated than the usual heterosexual coupling such books end with. Yes, in each book a man and a woman emerge as a couple, but that coupling isn’t the purpose that drives them. Instead, they come together because of shared interests or intellectual pursuits—and the women have as much substance in this area as the men do.

The Sacred River focuses on three women: a mother, Louisa; her sister-in-law, Yael; and Louisa’s daughter, Harriet. Harriet, now in her early twenties, is consumptive. She’s spent her years as an invalid studying texts on ancient Egypt, particularly hieroglyphs, and convinces her doctor to tell her parents that travel to Egypt is essential for her health. So Louisa and Harriet, accompanied by the spinster, Yael, set sail.

As it turns out, Egypt is good for Harriet’s health, easing her breathing and also giving her life a sense of purpose that it’s lacked before. Harriet is able to participate in archaeological work, sketching paintings and glyphs in a recently discovered tomb. Yael also finds a new sense of purpose in Egypt, one suited to her Christian beliefs and her inherent feminism. Louisa, meanwhile, is confronted with a past that, as a cover copy-writer might put it, she’d “prefer to keep buried.” The paths the women take are very different, giving the book a satisfying breadth of scope.

For the most part, the Egypt readers see is the Egypt of British colonialism. Egyptians themselves are background figures, helpful servants or vaguely menacing strangers. But by the book’s end, as political resistance to British rule increases, readers are given a sense of the anti-colonial struggle that will shake the country in years to come.

The Sacred River is one of those wonderful reads combining lyricism, self-realization, and historical reality in a combination that delights throughout. If you have time for a summer read, I can’t imagine a better recommendation than The Sacred River. This book will broaden your horizons as the heroines work to broaden their own.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
This receives 4.5 stars as a rating from me.
This is a unique historical novel about three women from Victorian London who take the trip of a lifetime to Egypt. Although the stories of the women (a mother, daughter and aunt) are intertwined at the onset, the author does a lovely job of gradually unfolding the story of each individual. Each woman embarks on her own journey of self- discovery and rebirth. As they explore Egypt the themes of death and rebirth are subtly brought before the reader through various landmarks, journeys and characters.

The characters of the men in this book are also intriguing. A dead painter named Augustus haunts the mother, Louisa, through his son who pursues her around Egypt. A German archaeologist, who has become a recluse after the death of his wife, is hesitant to become a part of the living again as he meets the daughter, Harriet, and connects with her through their interest in the tombs. As Yael, the aunt, tries to do charity work for the poor Egyptian children she encounters on the streets of Alexandria, she must deal with a Reverend and a Sheikh who really have no interest in helping her.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. My only criticism of the book is that it ended too quickly. I would have loved to see more interaction between the German Archaeologist and Harriet. I can only hope that the author will write a second book.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to receive an ARC of The Sacred River. I adored The Painted Bridge and was keen to read more of Wendy's work.

The press release accompanying the book notes that it is "...akin to that of E.M. Forster..." which is completely accurate. I adore this wonderful novel and hope you will too.

Set in Victorian London, and later Egypt, it tells the tale of Harriet Heron. Sickly all her life (we later discover she has asthma), both she and her Mother are resigned to her premature death. With the aid of her doctor, Harriet is given her last wish - to see Egypt, a place and history that has fascinated her. It is hoped the air will improve her condition, and so, with the Mother and Aunt, she travels to Alexandria.

I cannot do justice to the evocative, stirring descriptions Wendy has created of Egypt. The light, the life there is so deliciously recreated on the page; it is mesmerising. Harriet herself is a wonderful character; so unsure yet determined. Her Mother, Louisa, holds a secret that would shatter the family if discovered and Aunt Yael is so keen to help, to find her purpose in life. I found Yael's story the saddest part of the novel.

The Painted Bridge is such a strong novel, due to the characters. The injustice suffered, the hopelessness - I really felt connected to the novel. In The Sacred River, I experienced that strong connection again only this time it was to the lyrical descriptive beauty of Egypt and her people. Author Wendy Wallace is superb.

[Marcela (BookaholicCat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at The Bookaholic Cat

The Sacred River by Wendy Wallace is the story of three women, mother, daughter, and aunt and their journey of self-discovery.

Harriet, the daughter, has suffered all her life of severe asthma. The weather and pollution of London hasn’t helped with her condition and she knows she doesn’t have much time left. Her doctor knows this as well and recommends her parents to take her to Egypt, where the drier and warmer climate would be beneficial for her. Her parents only wanting the best for Harriet accept and decide that Harriet will travel immediately to Egypt with her mom, Louisa and her aunt, Yael.

Their journey is not only a physical one, but also one of self-discovery, forgiveness and rebirth, where they will encounter ghosts from the past and will discover inner strengths they didn’t know they posses.

The Sacred River is an evocative historical novel set in Victorian London and Egypt. Mrs. Wallace does an excellent job bringing to life the settings and the cultural differences. Her writing is elegant and flawless. The story is striking and will stay with you days after finishing the book.

The Sacred River was my first book by Wendy Wallace but I’m sure it won’t be my last. I recommend The Sacred River to historical fiction fans.

[J.S. Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

, 3.5 / 4 stars. Thin on atmosphere, so that at times the reader is gasping like the asthmatic daughter, Harriet. Could have used more zeitgeist as to the troubles causing unrest in Egypt at the time, specifically 1882. Until the final 20 pages, the story is devoid of details setting up civil unrest except for oblique references to poverty. If it is deliberate on the author's part to make the mother, Louisa, and her daughter Harriet oblivious to the culture around them, then a fine job has been done indeed. Only the aunt, Yael, comes to see what's up and for her perceptiveness she is killed: a highly probable outcome.

[ More foundation is needed esp. so the 1882 isssues would not be conflated with today's troubles ---for which error one would be accused of 'racism' or being white or Western or something really awful; for not being able to figure out one troubled era from the next troubled era in a chronically troubled region of the world,

as if we in the West ( who already had flush toilets and electricity by that date and to this day) must all stay tuned in nonstop to their nonstop troubles rather than mind our own. And for either assisting or not assisting with their troubles, we will be attacked and vilified. ---But I digress. ]

[Suzie Grogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been lucky enough to read a proof copy of this book, which isn't out just yet. I have to say it made a wonderful companion on a trip to Paris. It is not a sequel to The Painted Bridge (one of my favourite books of 2012, just out in paperback)but it does involve a sister of the main character of that book and takes us further into their troubled childhood.

I won't spoil the story, but this is a book that is a web of romance, betrayal, history and politics, set as it is in 19th century Egypt, where the main characters travel from London to improve the health of Harriet, a young woman who has led a restrained and literally suffocating life with her parents; all the time dreaming of Egypt and creating her own language of hieroglyphs.

Egypt is beautifully evoked, the heat almost palpable and the characters - both sympathetic and thoroughly unlikable are carefully drawn, although I would have liked to know just a little more about Eberhardt Wolfe - a man we might all fall in love with...

[Rudi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read all of Wendy's books! They all suck.

[Svanvithe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der dreiundzwanzigjährigen Harriet Heron schnürt es im nebligen giftigen Dunst des viktorianischen Londons im wahrsten Worte die Luft ab. Sie leidet an Asthma und rechnet jeden Tag damit, den nächsten nicht mehr zu erleben. Sie wird behütet und geschützt, ist gleichwohl aber auch gefangen in diesem Kokon der Fürsorge und getrennt von den Dingen, die eine junge Frau ihres Alters kennenlernen sollte. Lediglich ihre seit ihrer Kindheit bestehende Faszination für Ägypten, besonders ihre Leidenschaft für Hieroglyphen geben ihr Halt.

Da sie vor ihrem Tod das ägyptische Theben sehen möchte, kann sie erst ihren Arzt und dann ihre Mutter Louisa davon überzeugen, dass ihr das Klima in Ägypten besser bekommt. Mit auf die Reise geht als Dritte im Bunde der Damen die unverheiratete, gottesfürchtige (Tante) Yael, Louisas Schwägerin, nicht minder naiv in ihrem Glauben und ohne Kenntnis, was sie im unbekannten Land erwartet.

Schon auf dem Schiff begegnen sie unterschiedlichen Menschen: dem Ehepaar Cox, das seine Hochzeitsreise macht, dem Maler Eyre Soane, den eine längst begraben geglaubte Vergangenheit mit Louisa zu verbinden scheint, dem deutschen Professor Eberhardt Wolf, der einen Flügel nach Ägypten transportiert.

Endlich in Alexandria angekommen, kann Harriet angesichts der sauberen Luft zunächst aufatmen. Yael, die bislang ihren Vater gepflegt oder „gefallene“ Mädchen betreut hat, findet einen neuen Lebenssinn. Sie eröffnet eine Klinik, in der die Augen der ägyptischen Kinder behandelt werden.

Doch Louisa will zurück nach London, auch um Soane und den Erinnerungen und Geistern ihrer Jugend, die er weckt, auszuweichen. Als in Alexandria die Stürme beginnen, verschlechtert sich Harriets Gesundheitszustand. Erneut kann sie die Mutter überreden, Ägypten nicht zu verlassen, sondern vielmehr nach Luxor weiterzureisen. Yael hingegen will ihre Kinderklinik nicht aufgeben und bleibt in Alexandria zurück.

In Luxor begegnet Harriet dem mit Ausgrabungen beschäftigten Eberhardt Wolf wieder und entdeckt in dem Ägyptologen eine verwandte Seele, nachdem dieser begreift, dass Harriets Interesse echt und nicht bloß das einer Touristin ist. Sie fertigt Kopien der von ihm ausgegrabenen Hieroglyphen an und hilft, deren Bedeutung zu entschlüsseln. Auch Soane taucht in Luxor wieder auf und interessiert sich für Harriet.

Unterdessen wächst angesichts der sozialen Verhältnisse im Land die Unruhe in der Bevölkerung, so dass eine Rückkehr nach England zunehmend unmöglich wird...

Wendy Wallace überrascht mit einer lebendigen, atmosphärisch dichten Geschichte, die von einer intensiven und sorgfältigen Beschäftigung mit dem historischen Hintergrund zeugt. Sie vermag es, dem Leser die herbe, gleichwohl mystische Schönheit Ägyptens ins üppigen Farben, die von Wind und Sand erfüllte Luft und die starke Hitze zu vermitteln. Während das neblige London die dunkle Seite darstellt, scheint Ägypten hell und voller Licht zu sein. Doch diese Schönheit täuscht.

Denn Ägypten ist im 19. Jahrhundert eine brutal unterdrückte Nation unter osmanischer Herrschaft, ein Land, das sich am Rande der Revolte befindet, es entwickelt sich eine wachsende nationalistische Bewegung wider die horrenden Steuern, die Sklavenarbeit und Unterdrückung, im Grunde entsteht der hier der erste „arabischen Frühling“.

In dieser Zeit gehen die drei Frauen, ohne es zu ahnen, auf eine Reise, die eine jede von ihnen verändert. Zunächst tragen sie das starre Korsett ihrer Herkunft und sind geprägt vom Anstand und der Moral ihrer Zeit. Eindrucksvoll schildert die Autorin, wie sie sich von den Zwängen befreien, die die viktorianischen Gesellschaft vor allem den Frauen auferlegt.

Alle Figuren wirken echt und aus dem Leben gegriffen. Ihre Gedanken, Gefühle und Motivation sind nachvollziehbar durch Handlungen und Aussagen dargestellt. Dabei ist der Erzählstil der Autorin sehr ausgewogen und nie übertrieben, klar und sensibel und durchaus poetisch.

"Der Himmel war gigantisch. Eine silbrige Riesenschale über ihrem Kopf, an deren Rändern sich perlmuttfarbene Wolkenfinger bis an den Horizont zogen. Um sie herum glitzerte und wogte das Meer. Es wirkte gewaltig. Rein und lebendig." (Seite 50)

Die drei im Mittelpunkt stehenden weiblichen Protagonisten Harriet, Lousia und Yael sind von ungleichem Charakter, und so reagieren sie auch völlig unterschiedlich auf das für sie fremde exotische Land.

Yael und Louisa haben nichts gemein. Während Louisa von dunkler Aufsehen erregender Schönheit ist, die noch immer jedem ins Aug fällt, allerdings weder Zeit für Wohltätigkeitsarbeiten noch für Bibelstudien hat, legt Yael weder auf ihr äußeres Erscheinungsbild größeren Wert noch ist sie an der Welt des Spirituellen interessiert. Hingegen Louisa lässt sich von Stimmen ihrer bereits verstorbenen Mutter leiten, misst diesen große Bedeutung zu. Außerdem ist nicht nur in ihrem Wunsch, ihre Tochter zu schützen, gefangen, sondern auch in der eigenen Vergangenheit und der Pflicht, den guten Ruf zu wahren. Aber sie verändert sich, und dies geschieht in einer für den Leser greifbaren Art und Weise.

Gleiches gilt für Yael. Allerdings ist sie, die die meisten Vorbehalte gegen die Reise hat, es, die letzten Endes über sich hinauswächst, als sie der Armut und Unterdrückung der ägyptischen Bevölkerung begegnet. Sie handelt, entdeckt ihre eigenen, beträchtlichen Fähigkeiten und emanzipiert sich, breitet die Flügel aus, bekommt Ausstrahlung und Souveränität und lebt eine Toleranz im Glauben, die bewundernswert ist.

Nachvollziehbar wird auch der Wandel von Harriet geschildert. Anfangs ist sie in London eine sterbenskranke, schwache junge Frau. In Ägypten lernt sie mit der Zeit das Atmen, gewinnt Kraft, Zuversicht und Unabhängigkeit. Dabei ist die Entwicklung langsam, kommt nicht als Wunder einer plötzlichen Heilung daher und weist zudem Rückschläge auf.

Harriet und damit auch dem Leser wird bewusst, dass die Welt ungeheuer schön und voller Möglichkeiten und Abenteuer sein kann. Dass sich die Leben der Menschen nicht nur in ihrer Länge unterscheiden, sondern vor allem in ihrer Intensität, im ungleichen Grad an Schönheit, Freude und Genuss. Dass es wichtig ist, sich nicht einfach nur ein langes Leben zu wünschen, sondern eines, das Belang hat, ein Leben (und eines Tages auch einen Tod) nach eigenen Vorstellungen...

[Ellora · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of three English women, mother-daughter-aunt trio, who never having left the English shore until now - set out on a trip to Egypt with minds full of apprehension and hearts full of hope.
Even though closely connected with one another, by family, by blood and a common goal – i.e. to see improvement in the daughter’s health who suffers from asthma, each of them set sail with different expectations from the journey.
Little do they know or anticipate the surprises in store for them and the turn of events which have the potential to change their lives forever or even render them lifeless. The question is: which ones from the trio will make it back to England for one of them has had a vision: A scary vision of death coming but knows not who or when.
With a peek into the erstwhile conservative English Society, especially around the position of women, to the restless streets of the other side of the world in Alexandria , Egypt – this period novel has a bit of history, religion, adventure and above all compassion with an ending that may surprise the readers.

Overall a fast read with some unexpected twists.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read fiction about Egypt via the late Barbara Mertz, aka Elizabeth Peters. She is a hard act to follow. I’m not a romance reader, so was wary about a book that markets itself as a “vivid, romantic novel” about three women debarking for far off lands. But I’m glad I read it.

WHAT I LIKED: Wallace captures the locations from London to Luxor beautifully. Her characters are interesting and engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. The romance was minimal and respectfully handled—not degrading in any way. It served a purpose other than fulfilling Victorian expectations. The three ladies (Harriet, Louisa, and Yael) broke barriers as they explored the world between the living and the dead. I appreciated Wallace's inclusion of religion with archaeology, especially since, at least in Egypt, the topics are inextricably intertwined. Her technical descriptions were just enough, and accurate.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER: The novel was easy to anticipate. I read the first half and knew how it would end. I would have enjoyed a few plot twists.

Recommended, especially for readers who enjoy the work of the late Barbara Mertz.

[Rhonda Bunge Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very excellent writing and a great read! You will not want to put this down as it keeps you engaged, intrigued and on the edge of your seat. Characters are realistic and believable. Feel like you know them. Love the Egyptian backdrop. Learned some new words. Highly recommend this book. Would love to read a sequel if there would be one written.

[Susan Ecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great perspective of Egypt in the 1880's and the English/Arab dynamic. Aunt Yael is a strong woman who shows growth. Louisa, the mom, is a bit two-dimensional but Harriet is strong a character. It seems nicely tied up package but was still a good read.

[Claire B. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beaucoup d’invraisemblances, un dénouement simplet après un développement hasardeux parce que ne comptent que les secrets et les intrigues amoureuses, qu’on sait d’avance comment elles finiront.
Le début est pourtant prometteur. Encore une histoire qui aurait pu mais… Dommage !

[Marion Aranjo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

[Susan Knell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oops, I think i just read my first romance novel. I'd say it was a well written waste of time. I had hoped to learn more about Egypt. Oh well, I finished it. That's saying something.

[Amanda Goldsworthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transported me back to The River Nile . Great read

[Julie Martz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This book was beautifully written and I was impressed with the author’s thorough research, which was clearly evident in the book and made it that much more readable. I was also entranced by her ability to capture the mood and spirit of the country, which doesn’t seem to have changed much over the last hundred years. The sights, sounds, language, and people were all very tangible. The author is a talented writer with the ability to entrance the reader with the beauty of her words.

I did find several structural problems, however, which is why I’ve only given it 3.5 stars instead of more. The first is the title – The Sacred River – which you’d think would reflect that the Nile River would be the central element in the book. Unfortunately the Nile itself is very rarely referred to, and except for a small paragraph late in the book, its importance to the lives of Egyptians isn’t even mentioned. As the title of the book and as the main artery for travel between Lower and Upper Egypt, which is the route the characters take in the book, it was lacking as an element in the book itself. The journeys on the river were only mentioned in passing, and when crossing the river it actually seemed to be a nuisance. Maybe this wasn’t a big deal to some people, but I had originally thought the entire book would have taken place on the Nile because of the title. The author could have thought of a more appropriate title that more accurately reflected the setting.

I love Egypt. Probably just as much as Harriett, and I was there earlier this year, taking the same route as the characters. Although the author captured the country realistically, I couldn’t help but feeling that this wasn’t a book about Egypt or its people or landscape, but about being European in a foreign country. All the main characters were European, even the promised love interest was between two Europeans. If Harriett had been obsessed with any other country, it could have taken place anywhere else. We get very little insight into the native Egyptians at all, but they were used as a backdrop – the entertainment, the servants, the poor, the sick, the misunderstood, the violent, the senseless… all there for the convenience of the Europeans. I understand that the story follows three European women on their adventure abroad, but it would have been refreshing to have been introduced to a central Egyptian character as well.

As for Harriett’s knowledge of ancient Egypt – I’m not an expert, but I find it highly improbable that she would be so learned on the subject. Confined to a bedroom in London, it would seem difficult to gain such an in-depth knowledge with only books as her guide. How much was even widely known about the hieroglyphs at the time, considering Champollion had only just deciphered the Rosetta Stone 60 years earlier? Were there comprehensive volumes printed and distributed throughout the world by the time of this story, such that Harriett could have studied them in such detail? Even today, Egyptologists spend their careers and their lives studying the meaning of the hieroglyphs and the messages the ancient Egyptians left for us, even with the benefit of hands-on learning. I couldn’t believe that Harriett could read the inscriptions inside the tomb. I was thrilled with her experience, though!

I did like that the three main characters had their own story lines and adventures. I was most entertained by Harriett, who was able to turn her life into one worth living and, of course, appreciate the magic and wonders of Egypt. I relived my trip through her eyes and fell in love all over again. I was intrigued by Louisa’s backstory, but the twisted conclusion with Eyre Soane as the obligatory villain seemed silly and forced. As for Yael, I was worried hers would be another story of a self-righteous Christian set on proselytizing the natives. Considering Christianity existed in Egypt long before it made its way to England, her attempts would have been unwelcome and misguided. She seemed to have good intentions, however, and her ability to overcome her initial prejudices and try to help people in need despite religious differences was commendable. Unfortunately it was her stubbornness that sealed her fate, just as has happened with many arrogant westerners who have thought themselves exempt from the rules of other countries.

Despite its few flaws, the book was beautiful and entertaining. It’s clear that the author is talented and I would love to read more from her.

[BookBlossom · Rating 3 out of 5]

----GERMAN REVIEW----



Erster Satz: "Oh Gott, was ist das?"

Im kalten, viktorianischen London wünscht sich Harriet Heron nichts sehnlicher, als eine Reise in das ferne Ägypten. Im Land der Pharaonen erhofft sie sich nicht nur ein Abenteuer, sondern auch eine rasche Verbesserung ihres Gesundheitszustandes. Die junge Frau leidet nämlich an starkem Asthma, das jeden Tag im rauen Inselklima Englands zu einer Qual werden lässt. Als ihre Mutter schließlich um ihr Leben fürchtet, reisen Harriett, Mama Luisa und Tante Yael in den faszinierenden Süden. Doch schon auf dem Weg nach Alexandria treffen die Frauen auf einen gefährlichen Widersacher, der wild entschlossen ist vergangene Fehler zu rächen.

Die Reise ins Land der goldenen Sonne wird von drei sehr unterschiedlichen Frauen erzählt, die das Band der Familie zusammenhält. Die junge Harriett ist aufgrund ihres Asthmaleidens in London ans Bett gefesselt. Noch nie hatte sie die Chance ihre Heimat zu erkunden oder Kontakte mit Gleichaltrigen zu knüpfen. Stattdessen tröstet sie sich mit der Flucht in abenteuerliche Bücher, die vom alten Ägypten erzählen. In der Empfehlung ihres Arztes das Land zu verlassen, sieht sie schließlich ihre Chance den fernen Ort real werden zu lassen. In Ägypten angekommen bessert sich Harrietts Gesundheit zusehends und sie hat die Möglichkeit sich zu entfalten und endlich das Leben zu führen von dem sie so lange geträumt hat. Ihre Figur vermittelt wunderbar den Inhalt eines Zitates von Adlai Ewing Stevenson: "Nicht die Jahre in unserem Leben zählen, sondern das Leben in unseren Jahren."

Der Himmel war gigantisch. Eine silbrige Riesenschale über ihrem Kopf, an deren Rändern sich perlmuttfarbene Wolkenfinger bis an den Horizont zogen. Um sie herum glitzerte und wogte das Meer. Es wirkte gewaltig. Rein und lebendig.

Harriets Mutter Louisa ist von der Reise so gar nicht angetan. Ihre anfänglichen Zweifel finden schließlich Bestätigung, als sie während der Schiffspassage nach Alexandria buchstäblich einem bedrohlichen Schatten ihrer Vergangenheit gegenübersteht. Langsam taucht man in Louisas dunkelste Geheimnisse ein und bangt mit ihr um die Zukunft der Familie Heron. Welche Pläne verfolgt der geheimnisvoller Gegenspieler? Und wird es ihm gelingen sich über die naive Harriet an Louisa zu rächen?

Die dritte im Bunde der Heron Frauen ist Tante Yael, die tiefgläubig ist und die größten Vorbehalte gegenüber dem Süden hegt. Als sie sich schließlich trotzdem überreden lässt mitzukommen, sieht sie sich der Armut und Unterdrückung des ägyptischen Volkes gegenüber. Yael ist entschlossen zu helfen und entdeckt ungeahnte Fähigkeiten an sich. Mit Leidenschaft und unerwartetem Gleichheitsbestreben kämpft sie für die Rechte von Frauen und Kindern.

Das Zusammenspiel der drei Charaktere hat für mich wunderbar funktioniert, auch wenn die größte Sympathie eindeutig bei der freiheitssuchenden Harriet lag. Mama Louisas rätselhafte Vergangenheit aufzudecken und gleichzeitig deren starken Einfluss auf die Gegenwart der Frauen mitzubekommen, gab dem Roman einen spannenden fast schon krimiähnlichen Touch.

Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist stellenweise sehr poetisch und verleiht den beschriebenen Landschaftseindrücken einen ganz besonderen Zauber. Allerdings musste ich mich anfangs erst an ihre Art und Weise zu schreiben gewöhnen. Das hat mir den Einstieg in die Geschichte leider nicht ganz so einfach gemacht. Auch hatte ich das Gefühl, dass dem Buch 50 Seiten weniger gut getan hätten, denn trotz der spannenden Handlung entstehen ab und an unnötige Längen.

Cover

Als großen Ägyptenfan hat mich das Cover sofort in seinen Bann gezogen. Auch der Titel klang für mich nach einem Büchlein an dem ich unmöglich vorbeigehen kann.

Fazit

Wer sich nicht vom ausführlichen und teilweise recht poetischem Schreibstil abschrecken lässt, entdeckt mit Freuden einen durchaus spannenden Reiseroman der ins faszinierende Ägypten entführt. Gut ausgearbeitete Charaktere und ein Land voller mystischem Zauber können über einige langatmige Passagen hinwegtrösten.

Vielen Dank an den das Bloggerportal und Heyne für dieses Rezensionsexemplar!

© BookBlossom

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The theme of this work of historical fiction is the journey of self-discovery. Three women travel to Egypt in 1882, and their lives are changed as a result. Harriet Heron is 23; a severe asthmatic, she convinces her doctor to persuade her mother Louisa to take her to Egypt in hopes of improving her health. Harriet’s father Blundell agrees but insists that his spinster sister Yael accompany his wife and daughter.

For Harriet, the trip is not just an attempt to ease her asthma; it is also an attempt to escape the sheltered life she has lived. Her parents, especially her mother, treat her like a child and make all decisions for her. “Her dream was to see for herself the tombs of the ancient Egyptians and study the hieroglyphs carved and painted by their hands. . . . Above all, she did not wish to end her days in the room in which she’d spent almost all her life.” She is like a heron hieroglyph she sees, “its pose curious and hesitant.” Because of the life she has led, she is rather naïve, but gradually she gains independence and confidence. Unfortunately, her journey’s end is rather predictable.

Louisa experiences a rebirth, symbolized by a carved green malachite scarab she is given: “a symbol of rebirth.” It is her story that provides the most suspense in the novel. On the sea voyage to Egypt, she meets a man who knows some secret about her past and who decides “to wreak a revenge he’d awaited all his life.” She fears her husband “would cast her off. The life she had made for herself would be destroyed. Her sons would be disgraced by the knowledge of what their mother was and Harriet would see her as a stranger.”

For me, it was Yael’s transformation that was most interesting. She reluctantly undertakes the trip, but once in Egypt, she, a devout Christian, is determined to make a difference. Indeed, she finds a sense of peace and purpose. Her symbol is the lizard which in climbing perpendicular walls is “defying laws of gravity and reason. She could do things here. It was this . . . that made Egypt a foreign country.” After some time away from England, Louisa has to admit that “Her sister-in-law had a presence and authority that were never apparent before.”

The novel examines the perception of women in the Victorian Age. None of them can do anything without the approval of a man. The restrictions on women are clearly seen in Yael’s life. She is the one who has to look after her aged father: “It was unfair, Louisa thought privately, that the care of their father fell entirely to her sister-in-law. Blundell paid the bills but it was Yael who sat with the old man morning and evening, listened to his complaints, read the newspaper aloud from cover to cover.” Yet when her brother decides she must accompany Louisa and Harriet, she has no choice but to agree.

The men in the novel are not portrayed in a very positive light. Other than the romantic hero who arrives on the scene, the men tend to be shallow and self-centred. One man refuses to blame his father for seducing powerless, innocent young girls; instead, he blames the girls for seducing his father. Another man shows an unbelievable callousness towards his wife who became pregnant with his child before their marriage. A missionary refuses to help a charity until he is bribed. There are some minor male characters who prove to be chivalrous, but they are the exception.

The novel’s slow pace at the beginning may discourage some readers, but those who persist will come to know three strong women whose stories are entertaining and enlightening.

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Please check out my reader's blog (http://schatjesshelves.blogspot.ca/) and follow me on Twitter (@DCYakabuski).

[The Starry Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sacred River is a story about three Victorian women who travel to Egypt and embark on a journey of self-discovery. Harriet is sickly, battling a lung disease, and longs to visit Egypt which she has had a long time obsession with, even creating her own hieroglyphs. Louisa, Harriet's Mother is over-protective and smothering towards Harriet and is harbouring secrets that slowly erode her well protected veneer. Yael, Aunt to Harriet, is a woman of the Church, who finds purpose in philanthropic work in the streets of Egypt. Each woman through the mystical energy of Egypt, experiences the cycle of death and rebirth and are able to unearth truths about themselves buried beneath sands of time.

It's a story about finding yourself once you discover where you are supposed to be. Excavating deep desires and secrets lead to realizations that things first need to die in order for the new to be born. Death is the ultimate freedom.

The story was beautifully written with evocative descriptions of Egypt. I liked Harriet and found her relatable, and thought the other characters were interesting as well.

The let down for me was the overall storyline. I got the impression there was going to be a supernatural twist or paranormal element to it, because it seemed like there was going to be something about past lives, reincarnation, or ancient Egyptian magic, judging by the first few chapters. I felt this was a missed opportunity for the author who could have incorporated more of the magic of Egypt into the story. The ending was underwhelming and was asking for a big twist.

I give it 4/5 stars because even though it needed some magic, it was a nice historical fiction story about freedom and destiny.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sacred River means I should let you know that since Harriet and Louisa are mother and daughter, their storylines are the main focus of the novel and Aunt Yael is there with them in the background as a shoulder of support for Harriet and as a sister figure for Louisa. Though, she has troubles and problems of her own, I felt that her complete story was not fleshed out and it isn't until the end that the reader understands why.

There are a numerous cast of characters including, The Heron Family, a few doctors, understandably as Harriet is an invalid in search of travelling to Eygpt to improve her health condition. Think Wings of the Dove with an Egyptian flare and you've almost got it! The Sacred River is partly a love story, a story of a young woman finding her way in the world, and a story of freedom and love at all costs.

"I was a sickly child, Mrs. Cox. From a young age, I read books. The ancient Egyptians, their writings and pictures, have been my consolation. They were for me what fairly tales were for other girls."

I found the running theme and the main connection between these three women was not necessarily purely a search for freedom but a search for varied aspects of love that comes with the freedom to experience it. For Harriet love depends upon her relationship with her family and the question of her health. For her mother, Louisa, her love story began in her youth and in her buried past but is connected with her daughter Harriet. As for Yael, well, her search for love may depend upon who she meets as she travels through Egypt with her family.

The men in The Sacred River are crucial to the subplot and I was pleasantly surprised to find two of the men were nineteenth century painters! I just love it when there is a male character or character's who happens to be a painter. There begins my painter and muse fantasy! Enough of that though, back to The Sacred River. I found myself, reading through most of the chapters that take place in Egypt: Luxor, Alexandria and Cairo, thinking about all those gorgeous paintings by Sir Alma-Tadema. Every time tall, red headed sickly Harriet walked through the arid streets of Luxor, in her long Victorian dress, carrying her red leather journal in search of tombs and hieroglyphs, images of Alma-Tadema women Greek, Roman, and some Egyptian ran through my head.

For Louisa's story, I kept picturing a tall, beautiful, pale skinned, jet black haired 'gypsy' type woman who might have captured the attention of a very interesting character, a painter named 'Augustus!' I kept thinking Augustus Egg? Could it be? I'm not saying but when two storylines and Victorian women are in the presence of young male painters well color me happy!

"She did not know where, apart from the floor, to look. Around the walls of the studio, on the floor or balanced on chairs, there were pictures of women. Women as she had never seen women before. From the back, from the side, from the front. Standing, seated or reclined. Draped with gauzy silks and chiffons, wisps of cloud or ribbons of mist that accentuated their nakedness rather than hid it."

I could go on for days about how much I truly loved and enjoyed 'The Sacred River but in fear of already saying too much, just know that Wendy Wallace writes with such beautiful descriptions that you will be enthralled with the storylines, the characters, the settings, and you will want to know what happens, what happened and why!

Thank you Wendy Wallace for such an engaging and passionate novel. I look forward to your next novel and await it anxiously.

[LaBibliodeCaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fort d’une couverture très soignée et attrayante, le roman La Dame des deux terres est une perle. Véritable coup de cœur de ce début de l’année, il compte parmi ses romans qui vous transportent dès les premiers chapitres. De la pollution ��touffante de Londres aux paysages exotiques et ensoleillés de l’Égypte, embarquez dans ce merveilleux voyage riche en émotions !

Au travers du regard de Harriet, le lecteur vit par procuration au rythme de la vie comme elle l’était au 19e siècle pour une partie de la population relativement aisée. Les descriptions sont vivantes et captivantes, comme la partie portant sur la traversée en bateau où l’on a parfois l’impression de revoir des scènes du début du film Titanic (fort heureusement sans la fin tragique !). L’arrivée en Égypte est particulièrement bien écrite, on sentirait presque les odeurs et l’atmosphères locales, de la zone portuaire aux rues étroites peuplés d’enfants indigents.

Ce roman sait surprendre le lecteur avec des moments déchirants, à l’image de la scène tragique réunissant Harriet et M. et Mme Cox. Entre les péripéties inattendues, les secrets du passé de Louisa et la quête de liberté de Harriet, le récit est dynamique et exempt de temps morts. Le personnage de Yael, la tante célibataire, est particulièrement intéressant grâce à une personnalité complexe et une évolution scénaristique soignée.

Parmi les atouts majeurs de ce roman, on retiendra le choc des cultures (Occident/Orient) à l’époque coloniale ; la présence de thèmes centraux comme la place de la femme, le poids de la religion, l’importance des codes sociaux et de la bienséance, l’omniprésence du concept du mariage (pour les hommes comme pour les femmes).

De surcroît, je tiens à souligner l’utilisation pertinente et plaisante de termes étrangers (en arabe, en allemand), ce qui contribue à renforcer la crédibilité du récit, conjointement avec les éléments historiques. Il est évident que l’auteure a consacré du temps aux recherches — du Caire à Alexandrie, en passant par Louxor, le lecteur se plonge dans l’histoire de l’Égypte antique, notamment au travers de la passion que Harriet voue aux hiéroglyphes, une activité qui s’inscrit dans sa quête visant à commencer à vivre, tout simplement.

Offrant un voyage dans le temps et dans l’espace, ce roman est émouvant, poétique et sensible, sublimé par un style d’écriture méticuleux et élégant. Dépaysement garanti !