Mara, Daughter of the Nile

When I was in junior high school, I read this book and loved it. In fact, I read it over and over, and recently sent a copy to my niece as a 12th birthday gift. Mara, the spunky 17-year-old slave girl, is a wonderful role model for adolescent girls: far from perfect (in fact, rather devious), but brave and eventually quite heroic as she risks death rather than betray the people and ideals that she loves. I'm not entirely happy with the fact that Queen Hatshepsut, another feminist heroine of mine, was the villain of this novel. For the record, the real Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for many years of peace and prosperity, and as far as we know, died peacefully of old age. Her stepson (NOT her brother) Thutmose then destroyed her statues and inscriptions in a fit of petulant pique, but did not overthrow her. Still, who cares? This version makes a wonderful, swashbuckling story, and also provides an excellent introduction to the culture of ancient Egypt for kids who are curious about its history.

Mara is a wonderful heroine for young girls. Set in the time of Hatshepsut, Pharoah of Egypt, this small novel brings to life a distant era with remarkable clarity. McGraw has crafted her vision of the period around an exciting palace intrigue. The character of Mara, a young slave girl, is an excellent example for young women and it is remarkable to find in a book that was written in the 1950s. If you know a young woman of 9 to 14, give her this book. This is one of the best books that I have ever read - how fortunate that it is still in print after all these years! I first encountered this excellent novel in 1961. I read it at least 20 times. I was too poor to purchase, so I copied the book out in about 10 school scribblers. True! When my daughter was 10, I bought a copy for her and another for myself. McGraw's interpretation of the era can easily be faulted, but her sense of "Egypt" cannot. This book sent me on an investigative journey into the subject of Egyptology that has been a distinct pleasure all my life. I highly recommend this wonderful tale.

This book is the ultimate Egypt book. It is about a fictional girl named Mara who helps overthrow the Queen of Egypt, Hatshepsut. Along the way you are thrown into a world of secrecy and danger, where anything can happen at any moment. You'll be transfixed with an unsual love story, and amazed with Mara's cunning when she plays a double spy. I promise you . . . you will NOT want to put this book down!!!!!!! And your life is not complete if you don't read it! When I picked up this book in my school library, I was really interested, because I think McGraw is an awesome author. I had read her book, The Golden Goblet, in class, and loved it. So when I read this book, it was as though I knew Mara herself. McGraw paints a picture so life like, so real, that you too, like I was, will be a witness to Mara's extrordinary adventure. If your a coward, well then . . . don't read this book. If you're not, then sit back, and dare to dream.