The Twelfth Transforming: A Novel Summary and Reviews

The Twelfth Transforming: A Novel
by Pauline Gedge

The Twelfth Transforming: A Novel
List Price: $14.95
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions

Book Summary Information

Author: Pauline Gedge
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1998-11
ISBN: 1559212594
Number of pages: 407
Publisher: Moyer Bell Ltd.

Book Reviews of The Twelfth Transforming: A Novel

Book Review: a very good historical novel
Summary: 4 Stars

Queen Tiye, the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoah Amunhotep III is the focus of this very complex historical novel. Pauline Gedge gives a new interpretation of some of the known historical and archaelogical facts about the entire Amarna Royal Family including Akhenaton, Nefertiti, Smenhkara, Ay,Tutanhamon and Horemheb. Her portrayals of Queens' Tiye and Nefertiti are masterful in showing their struggles to govern and hold on to power for the former and to attain power for the latter. Each were women who had husbands who were Pharaohs, but had other agendas which were to the detriment of Egypt. However, these women wanted power and to govern. Gedge's new spin sees Tiye and Nefertiti as rivals with Ay and Horemheb forming a quadrangle of deadly machinations, murder and political intrigue which resulted from Akhenaten's religious revolution during the Eighteenth Dynasty.

Ancient Egyptian buffs will be intrigued by Gedge's use of known facts and figures and the weaving of these into a fascinating portrait of an Egyptian Queen fighting the decline of her empire. The rich historical details and the incorporation of stories, myths and facts about the opulent lifestyles,descriptions of palaces and of the cities of Karnak, Akhetaten shows Miss Gedge's thorough knowledge of or research of the period.

Unfortunately this is also a handicap, because the need to weave facts and create fiction to make a workable story had me questioning certain elements crucial to the story. An example would be Nefertiti's desire to becoming a Great Royal Wife This is known to have been attained; however, she did not wear the disk and two-feathers crown which Tiye wore, wearing her own distintive Blue Crown. Although, this crown was known previously or used later, Nefertiti was a Great Royal Wife. In the story her pursuit of this Rank and The Two Feather Disk Crown of Tiye was a crucial dramatic element which formed the basis of a number of her misdeeds. Another example was the diminution of the role of Kia(Kiya)one of Akhena! ten's secondary wives who many believe may be Tutankhamun's mother or at best was a "Favorite" such that wine jars were found at Amarna with this inscription. A greater role was given to Sitamun, daughter-wife of Amunhotep III and Tiye. The rivalry between she and Nefertiti was quite interesting. Another interesting character was Mutnodjme, sister of Nefertiti and wife to Horemheb. Gedge even had the vicissitudes of Tiye as working mother. The best feature of the novel is the atmosphere and descriptions of this historical period which were so vivid and seemly accurate that you felt you were in that time period. Having read Lady of the Reeds, Miss Gedge is a master of this type of writing and her ability to weave the archaelogical and historical evidence with mythological and religious elements is excellent.

Literature & Fiction Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Blue Recommends
Child of the Morning (The Hera Series) ImageChild of the Morning (The Hera Series)
by Pauline Gedge
Soho Press; Published: 2003-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.99
Price in other shops: $15.00
The Twelfth Transforming: A Novel ImageThe Twelfth Transforming: A Novel
by Pauline Gedge
Moyer Bell Ltd.; Published: 1998-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $43.99
To Kill a Mockingbird ImageTo Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 1988-10-11; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops: $7.99
You Can Heal Your Life (Gift Edition) ImageYou Can Heal Your Life (Gift Edition)
by Louise Hay
Hay House; Published: 1999-09; Perfect Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops: $17.95
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) ImageThe Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
by Don Miguel Ruiz
Amber-Allen Publishing; Published: 1997-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.85
Price in other shops: $12.95
Memoirs of a Geisha (Random House Large Print (Cloth/Paper)) ImageMemoirs of a Geisha (Random House Large Print (Cloth/ Paper))
by Arthur Golden
Random House Large Print; Published: 2005-11-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $54.24
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (Unofficial Guides) ImageThe Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2007 (Unofficial Guides)
by Bob Sehlinger, Len Testa
Wiley; Published: 2006-08-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.98
Price in other shops: $18.99
Azure - Toronto ImageAzure - Toronto
Azure Publ Inc; Azure Publ Inc; Magazine; Magazine
Best price: $29.95
Price in other shops: $68.64
National Geographic ImageNational Geographic
National Geographic Society; National Geographic Society; Magazine; Magazine
Best price: $15.00
Price in other shops: $71.88
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Mirage: A Novel ImageMirage: A Novel
by Pauline Gedge
Harpercollins; Published: 1991-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.77
Price in other shops: $21.95
The Oasis: Lords of the Two Lands: Volume 2 ImageThe Oasis: Lords of the Two Lands: Volume 2
by Pauline Gedge
Soho Press; Published: 2003-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $25.74
The Hippopotamus Marsh : Lord of the Two Lands: Volume I (Lords of the Two Lands, Volume 1) ImageThe Hippopotamus Marsh : Lord of the Two Lands: Volume I (Lords of the Two Lands, Volume 1)
by Pauline Gedge
Published: 2000-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.68
Price in other shops: $14.00
The Horus Road: Lords of the Two Lands: Volume 3 ImageThe Horus Road: Lords of the Two Lands: Volume 3
by Pauline Gedge
Soho Press; Published: 2001-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $60.20
House of dreams ImageHouse of dreams
by Pauline Gedge
Viking; Published: 1994; Unknown Binding; Book
Best price: $13.99
The Eagle and the Raven ImageThe Eagle and the Raven
by Pauline Gedge
Chicago Review Press; Published: 2007-10-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.05
Price in other shops: $18.95
Scroll of Saqqara ImageScroll of Saqqara
by Pauline Gedge
Penguin Books; Published: 1991; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.95
Lady of the Reeds (The Hera Series) ImageLady of the Reeds (The Hera Series)
by Pauline Gedge
Soho Press; Published: 2003-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $54.96
House of Illusions ImageHouse of Illusions
by Pauline Gedge
Penguin Books Canada, Limited; Published: 2002; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.99
Child of the Morning (The Hera Series) ImageChild of the Morning (The Hera Series)
by Pauline Gedge
Published: 1993-04-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $23.92