REVIEW: The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

 

This book looked absolutely fascinating - I like mysteries and Egypt has fascinated me. Some of my favorite parts of any museum was seeing the mummies.  This book also was from the library so it covers one of my challenges.

This book focuses on NY - specifically the Metropolitan Museum of Art - and Egypt.  The timelines often alternate between the 1930's and the 1970's (during the height of the King Tut phase). It is both a mystery and historical fiction. We follow Charlotte (when she's 19 in the 30's) and in her 60's (in the 70's) and Annie (who is 20 in the 70's). When we first meet Charlotte, she's trying to find her way and she's been offered a position with a dig in Egypt. While there, she uncovers unknown history and falls in love. She also suffers an unimaginable tragedy (I don't want to tell - it's unfolded over a period of time!) that makes her vow to never be in a relationship again. Annie, in 1978, is also struggling. She works two jobs and is trying to support her mother. She's thrilled to land a job with Dianna Vreeland at the Met and to work on a very important exhibit for the Met Gala that year. In the 70's Charlotte is also working at the Met as an assistant curator in the Department of Egyptian Art. She's consumed by her research on Hathorkare, one of the few female Pharaohs that was dismissed by history as a usurper.   

On the evening of the gala, one of the museums pieces is stolen, as is Charlotte's research on Hathorkare. Annie and Charlotte team up to find both, and Charlotte tries to get to the bottom of things that occurred in her past, while she was in Egypt. I loved reading about Egypt in the 30's, less so NY (maybe because I grew up there in the 80's) and, while Annie is more energetic, I preferred learning and reading about Charlotte and her journey. We definitely got to know each character extremely well. I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints provided on how museums get art and whether that art is better suited to be in the country of origin - should that art from Egypt, for instance, be returned to Egypt for exhibition? 

This is a very vivid and fast paced novel, that held my attention.  I enjoyed the themes of family, feminism, and art. There's a lot to discuss about relationships as well.  Highly recommend.