Children of the Storm (Kitty Rainbow Trilogy, Book 2): A gripping wartime saga of love and madness

Elizabeth Peters has so firmly established a place in my heart as the Mistress of Mystery that I find it hard to write a review without sounding over-effusive in my praise! A word of caution: I advise the Reader to first read at least "The Golden One" and "Lord of the Silent" before reading this; unfamiliarity with the Emerson clan and their far-flung acquaintances (friendly and not-so) will leave you dizzy and rather confused with the intricacies of the plot here. But to continue:Following the tradition of (frustratingly) leaving (tremendously interesting and, one knows, adventure-packed) time gaps between books, "Children of the Storm" picks up two years after "The Golden One" left off. The Great War is finally ended, and at last the Emersons may return to their (rarely!) peaceable archaeological explorations. The entire Emerson clan, now quite large and quite vocal and spanning three generations, are reunited, with the result being that the Reader feels like he (or she) is amongst old friends. This is not without some tinges of nostalgia: all our beloved characters, from the charming Ramses to the inimitable Amelia, are not suspended in time and must grow older, choosing the paths they will take and ineluctably leaving other paths not taken. The effects are as realistic as they are bittersweet.As Readers of "The Golden One" will know, Ramses and Nefret were at the end of that volume expecting a child. This turned out to be a feignt: Ms. Peters has given the darling couple not one but TWO mischief-makers to keep track of. Two-year-old toddlers are a challenge anyplace, but in the midst of Egyptology and intrigue provide an especially frightening prospect. Ramses and Nefret make excellent parents, although whilst I do enjoy the scenes of domesticity (though tranquil is hardly the case with young children!), I find myself rather missing their status as newlyweds...as does Ramses! Emerson, however, is absolutely endearing as a grandfather: as loud and irascible as always, but charmingly affectionate putty in the hands of the small ones. The adventure begins, as always, with a theft and a death or two and several shirts ruined. There is also the requisite abduction of an Emerson and the extravagant plotting of arch-nemeses. To say more than this will be to give the intricately plotted and exquisitely delivered story away, and I refuse to cheat the Reader so. (One side-note that I can't help but declare in delight: we finally learn Sethos' real name!!)I was almost glad to be relieved of the war business: the greater part of the strength and delight of the Peabody mysteries was always the Egyptology that bound the family together, and this volume carries it on with aplomb. The last several novels have been rather nostalgic, even wistful, in their style, and I fear that the series is winding down towards a final conclusion, for there are very few loose ends to tie up and the beloved characters are all growing older. I do hope for at least two more nov

In truth, my five stars are intended for a subset of the general reading population, those who have been enjoying the continuing saga of this most peculiar and lovable Egyptological (and much else) family. In my experience, people either get a kick out of the quasi-Victorian tongue-in-cheek flavor of these adventures and dote on their favorite characters, or they don't have the patience or whimsy for them. I am unabashedly in the pro-Amelia (and Ramses and Emerson and Sethos and so on) group, and I loved this book. Unlike many "mainstream" mysteries, these books will not depress you but are excellent company in a comfortable chair, preferably with a cup of "the genial beverage" nearby. (This is not necessarily tea -- Amelia clarifies that when sufficiently stressed, her choice of genial beverage is a whiskey-and-soda.) I wouldn't say it is the very best in the whole series, but it is definitely in the top half. I enjoyed it very much, and if you like this series, you will too. Besides, who could resist Emerson as a grandpa? I also have a strong amateur interest in archaeology and always value the Egyptological tidbits this knowledgable author shares along the way. I also appreciate her essentially compassionate, constructive and anti-authoritarian worldview. These stories are entertaining, but they're not fluff.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I am an avid fan of Elizabeth Peters (and her sense of humor), and have read, reread, and own her entire Amelia Peabody series. This is, without a doubt, the best since"He Shall Thunder in the Sky." It keeps you on your toes and guessing until literally the very end. Amelia and Emerson are as funny as ever, and Ramses and Nefret...are Ramses and Nefret. I was glad to see several of the old characters again, and some new ones too. I hope she keeps it up, because I'll read anything she writes about the Emerson family.

As international tensions spiral out of control, we're all forced to contemplate the uncertain present and future role of Middle Eastern countries in global politics. Centuries-old ideological conflicts have spilled over geographic boundaries into our own daily lives, leaving roiling emotions in their tragic wake. Yet there was a time when this region that lies half a world away held a romantic allure for travelers and historians alike. The mystique of this ancient cradle of civilization sparked the imaginations of novelists like Mailer, Smith, McCullough and Michener, who transported us with a stroke of their pen to the stark deserts, lush river valleys and towering monuments of the Valley of the Kings. Bedouin tents and bustling bazaars fascinated visitors from all over the world.Elizabeth Peters is one such author who found the beauty of the land and the rich history of its people a compelling backdrop for her historical fiction. With this latest novel, she continues to reach beyond the ugly realities of today's turbulent Middle East to a gentler era of the early 20th century, crafting her enchanting mysteries from the fabric of her own life experience.CHILDREN OF THE STORM is the fifteenth journal of Peters's beloved fictional character, Amelia Peabody Emerson; it brings together all the family principals of previous novels in one grand reunion. The First World War has ended and the Peabody/Emerson generations are gathering in Egypt for what is hoped to be an uneventful season of reacquaintance and renewal, but fans of Amelia know that it isn't likely to remain that way for long. Ramses and Nefret, David and Lia, and Walter and Evelyn have arrived, accompanied by their respective children, to lend a hand with the latest archeological project that is preoccupying Amelia's husband, Radcliff. Descendants of the faithful Adbullah still comprise the household staff and lend their own colorful facet to the chaos that follows when the priceless Jewelry of the God's Wives goes missing and Ramses is briefly kidnapped by a woman claiming to be the legendary seductress, Hathor. Suspicion for the theft quickly settles on Emerson's half-brother, Sethos, who has shown up to aid in the search for the jewelry but Amelia is convinced that, despite his previous unsavory activities, he's not responsible for this latest criminal caper. As for the abduction of Ramses, there seems to be any number of possible candidates from his past youthful escapades, creating embarrassment and marital tensions for Amelia's handsome offspring.While Amelia and her family are investigating these events, another familiar face reenters their lives through a mysterious encounter with a strange young boy in the marketplace. Even though she has taken great pains to disguise herself, Sethos's estranged daughter Maryam is eventually revealed to be one of the boy's traveling companions and she soon joins the household, adding further strain on the family dynamics. Ghostly visitors, a seri

Peters sets up a sprawling ensemble story, with Emerson family members united on the page for the first time in several novels. Yet, the participation of three generations is necessary to the solution of the mystery and to the ultimate understanding of the antagonists' motivations.I don't think a new reader could step into the series with this book and find it rewarding, yet the details from previous novels that drop in reinforce the set-up that these tales are from the Peabody-Emerson private papers. More than a few shirts ruined, cats behaving like cats, typical toddler behavior, the sense of world events surrounding the Emerson clan, finally learning Sethos' true name, archaeological projects that play over several seasons & novels, an action-packed finale, my belly laugh at Amelia's disguise, a title that resonants in several threads of the novel, the bittersweet realistic details of well-loved characters aging (from Walter to Nefret), and the fact that Emerson still has it......well, I stayed awake 'til five AM to finish this one.For me, each Amelia novel now resolves with a sense that an approprate ending to this 28 year long series has been delivered. The series has always been about family, as well as the choices women make for independence. Both these themes play out satisfyingly - and disturbingly - in Children of the Storm.