Nephthys (UK) / The House of Two Sisters (US/CAN)
Victorian England, when Egyptomania and mummy unwrapping parties were at their height, and Dr Clement Attridge is at the centre – hosting such parties for the rich, macabre and curious. However, one night and one party set in motion a series of events that only his daughter Clementine, or ‘Clemmie’ to her friends, is able to understand. Her remarkable ability to read hieroglyphics enables her to comprehend and be very concerned about the amulet wrapped with the two-headed mummy, the main guest at the party.
Tragedy ensues, obliging Clemmie to travel away from the safety of London to Egypt. This was a dangerous time to be travelling in the North African home of Isis and Osiris, particularly carrying an extremely valuable and equally frightening amulet, which needs to be returned to its rightful owner.
This is a remarkable debut novel. The level of research into both Victorian London and Egypt in Victorian times is breathtaking. Clemmie has only two people in Egypt she can truly trust: her sister Rosetta, and Mariam, the local cook on board the boat they hire to travel along the Nile. What Clemmie sees around her, and Mariam’s interpretation and insight into the reality of the circumstances they are living through, are both fascinating and educational.
Rachel Louise Driscoll is a writer to look out for. Her ability to intertwine the ancient with the not-quite-so-old is phenomenal. Knowing ancient Egypt is one thing, but knowing how Egyptology was viewed a century or more ago is even more meritorious.
