Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise J McGraw

Mara, Daughter of the Nile

Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Series/Novella/Standalone: Standalone                                             

PRG Rating: 8.2 – A Really Clean Read                          

Publisher: Puffin

Date:
October 1985                                                                    

Book Genre: Ancient Historical Fiction; Mystery; Romance

Audience: 12+ (Tweens, Teens, Adults)

Mara's a slave in Egypt. Though beautiful, she's proud and feisty. In a change of fate, Mara finds herself sold to a new mysterious owner. Her new task as a slave is a messenger and spy to discover who leads the rebellion against Pharaoh. However, everything is not as simple as it seems when Mara finds herself caught in a web because she's working for the rebellion too. Will Mara outsmart these two opposing parties that she serves? Or will she be caught in the web of deceit and betrayal and face the consequences?

As far as they come, this is a really great historical read. Eloise Jarvis weaves this tale elaborately. The twists in the plot are enough to keep the reader on their seats. We had quite a few surprises here and there, but in the end the story was wrapped up nicely. The characters (especially the protagonist) displayed all sorts’ courage, bravery, and loyalty - remarkable traits we can all learn from. Mara is a good heroine. She lies often to get her way but when put to the test she proves that nobility comes from inner strength and not by birth. You'll also meet great characters like the sly Sheftu and the grouchy Nekonkh. If you're into ancient historical reads, love mystery and suspense and love the Egyptian dynasty, then this book is definitely for you! We thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Nala's thoughts: I have been on the hunt for good ancient historical reads. When I got this one, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. I went through so many rollercoaster emotions during the entire read. Definitely up there with my favorites.

Jo's thoughts: Rags to riches, Fairytale endings? I am game! This was a delightful read!!

Content Review

 Score: 8.2

Themes/Topics Explored:

Violence - (Score 1.5):

• A girl is whipped on a few occasions.
• A man threatens a woman with death; he says it lightly and later attempts to kill her.
• A man kills three men.

Profanity/Swearing - (Score 1.9):

• A young woman uses rude language or some sort of ancient swear(Not graphic or Current = Just plain rude)

Sexual Content - (Score 1.5):

• A young man flirts with a young woman
• About a page’s worth of a romantic kiss scene
• Two other kisses in the rest of the book

Alcohol/Drugs - (Score 1.7):

• People at a party are described as drunk
• Several of the characters drink wine throughout the book

Disrespectfulness/Wrong Attitudes - (Score 1.6):

• A girl steals on a few occasions.
• A young woman is rude to people

 Total Points Out of 10: 8.2

*Special Note: This is an Ancient Fiction based on the Egyptian Dynasty. It has a lot of mentions of Egyptian Deities.