A well-researched and beautifully conceived novel set in Egypt and England during the 1920’s and dealing with the excavation of the tomb of King Tutankhamen. The story is told from the point of view of Lucy Payne, at the outset a 12 year-old, who is present for and observes all the work and entangled lives of those involved in the find. Howard Carter, Lord Carnarvon, Evelyn Herbert (the Lord’s daughter), Herbert and Helen Winlock and their young daughter, Frances, are all historical figures and are portrayed within the context of a the novel in very believable and accurate fashion.

Beauman has a lovely writing style that is almost conversational. I felt at home right away with her characters and could feel their emotional surges, tensions and heartbreaks. Lucy is the perfect vehicle for the story, which must have read much differently had it been told by any of the adults at hand.

Had it not been for the persistence of Howard Carter and the Earl of Carnarvon, Tutankhamen might well still be buried in the Valley of the Kings, his treasure trove and self undiscovered. Few believed in the possibility of finding an intact tomb, and most would certainly have given up long before the treasures were found. Only private money could have financed such a search, and Carnarvon made a huge contribution by simply keeping the endeavor financially afloat. Still, it took quite a bit of ego and a certain sense of entitlement which might only have been possible in the exact era in which this dig took place. Without the spirit of colonialism, which was already on the wane, and the freedom afforded the wealthy at that time, the world might have never had a glimpse of the tomb, its inhabitants, and the history that was forthcoming with the find.

To say the least, the lifestyles and the world travels depicted in this novel make it fascinating and interesting. It is a way of life that is as remote and unattainable for us as Tutankhamen's was to them. It is no minor achievement that Beauman has managed to make these characters both real and approachable.

I enjoy a good and accurately set historical novel. I like to walk away feeling I have learned something about the period and place that I did not know before. This novel certainly filled that bill. It made me thirsty to know more about the real people and events, and I spent several hours doing some additional research online and viewing photos. I have had this on my Kindle for well over a year, and I am only sorry that I waited so long to get to it.
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I've always been a touch fascinated by Egypt and the Pyramids, and I was totally taken in by this historical tale of two young girls who become friends in 1922 Egypt, just at the time that the excavations in the Valley of Kings finally yield the ultimate find. I loved how this book was told from the perspective of two young girls, one the daughter of expatriate archaeologists. They're caught up in the middle of the Egypt-mania that has seized the English. The tensions between the wealthy sponsors of the digs and the ambitious archaeologists determined to find Tutankhamun's tomb are rife. The girls realize something untoward is afoot but can't quite grasp it. This is a long book that doesn't feel long. I relished every page of Beauman's richly drawn Egypt and her cast of characters all entangled in the intrigue of robbing a nation of its treasures at any cost. ( )

I made it almost half way through and gave up. So boring! Not much seemed to be going on. I did not get attached to any of the characters. ( )

This was an enjoyable read, but I was very disappointed that it left so many unanswered questions. I kept expecting it to build into an intense climax with revelations about what happened to certain characters and more, but it just kind of fizzled out. I felt the end was a little too cryptic, too. ( )

It took me a long time to finish this book. The material was very interesting but at times it got bogged down. For example the second time Lucy returned to Egypt with miss mack and the ponderous description of people, tourists, journalists, archeologists, investors etc etc etc. What occurred and debated was the clandestine break into the burial chamber of King Tut and the removal of antiquities. Certain story lines were left dangling and not resolved. What bece of her heartless father during and after WWII? Who killed Peter and Rose's mother? Why was Carter such jerk to children? Children whoes ages were 11, 10 and 9 were presented and accepted as miniature adults.
I liked it in many aspects but I believe 500 pages was too long and the story could have been much tighter. ( )