Egypt: The Uprising, The Battle for Maat
by Amira Aly
Egypt is in the midst of political unrest resulting in a bloody uprising against the pharaoh (based upon real events in Egypt in January, 2011). 16 year-old Aya tries to shield and protect her twin brother, Shedy, from the blood-shed and violence. When he is kidnapped, Aya becomes entangled in the magic and the myths of the ancient Egyption dieties, setting her on a quest to save not only her brother but the world from a mis-guided plot to end the world.
On the whole, the premise is good, and I looked forward to reading this story wrapped in Egyptian mythology. There seemed to be a good amount of science in the author's research, which I admit, much of was lost on me, but that is not the fault of the story or the author. The story intertwines ancient mythology with current events, bringing the reader to historic landmarks such as the Sphynx.
I would have liked the author to spend more time introducing us to the characters, and the story moved quite quickly into the action so that I didn't have time to bond with Aya and didn't get to know her brother at all, who was pivotal in Aya's decisions. Setting is important in a story such as this, but the sights and sounds of Egypt were meager, and didn't quite immerse the reader into the story. For me, the mythology and science were introduced at break-neck speed, which at times was hard for me to digest. I would have preferred the story develop a little more slowly and evenly, taking a little more time so that I could taste, feel, see, and hear one of the most ancient places on Earth.
The author has a solid platform, and riveting historic and mythological wells to draw from, which I hope she brings into the sequel.
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