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A review by mediaevalmuse
Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth a Novel by Naguib Mahfouz
3.0
Let me preface this review by stating that I am no expert in the time period, though I do have an interest in learning more. I originally picked up this book because I was interested in reading a novel about ancient Egypt by an actual Egyptian author. Overall, I liked what it was trying to do: through different testimonies, we received different portraits of Akhenaten, which was incredibly interesting to me. But I do admit, I was frustrated by the rush through all the events, and I think I would have appreciated this novel better if I had read more about Akhenaten first.
Things I Liked
1. Shifting Perspectives: This novel retells the same events through the perspectives of a number of different characters. Some are loyal to Akhenaten, some appalled at his shift to monotheism, some think him mad, some agree with his logic. I really liked the effect these perspectives had on me as a reader - because I could see multiple points of view, the sketch of Akhenaten became more and more complex, so I thought of him more complexly.
2. Emotion: Mahfouz is very good at making Akhenaten seem sympathetic through the eyes of the people who loved him. I especially loved hearing the accounts of lower-status persons who felt valued by the friendship they developed with their pharaoh. I also liked how Mahfouz handled Nefertiti’s honesty when she described how she came to love her husband after her marriage, which made me like her as well.
3. Philosophical Questions: This book begins with a young man’s search for truth and the claim that history is impartial and objective. But the more we move through the witness accounts, the more blurry some things seem. May that, then, is the truth, which I very much like.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Pace: Because of this novel’s purpose, there was no time to slow down and explore all the implications of Akhenaten’s decisions, policies, etc. Parts of the accounts read like bare-bones overviews (the pharaoh did this, then there was chaos, then his health deteriorated). For someone who isn’t super familiar with the history of Akhenaten’s reign, I was left wanting to know more.
2. Treatment of Femininity: I’m not entirely sure what ancient Egyptian culture thought of femininity, but at least in this novel, I grew a little tired of it always being brought up as something negative. Akhenaten is described as having “womanish” features and effeminate emotions, and it is constantly discussed in terms of ugliness, monstrosity, etc. Female characters, too, were derided for their sexuality, and Nefertiti and Tiye, in particular, were described as whores by some POV characters. It was a little tiring.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in ancient Egypt, reign of Akhenaten, unreliable narrators, different retellings of the same events, and religious reform/conflict.
Things I Liked
1. Shifting Perspectives: This novel retells the same events through the perspectives of a number of different characters. Some are loyal to Akhenaten, some appalled at his shift to monotheism, some think him mad, some agree with his logic. I really liked the effect these perspectives had on me as a reader - because I could see multiple points of view, the sketch of Akhenaten became more and more complex, so I thought of him more complexly.
2. Emotion: Mahfouz is very good at making Akhenaten seem sympathetic through the eyes of the people who loved him. I especially loved hearing the accounts of lower-status persons who felt valued by the friendship they developed with their pharaoh. I also liked how Mahfouz handled Nefertiti’s honesty when she described how she came to love her husband after her marriage, which made me like her as well.
3. Philosophical Questions: This book begins with a young man’s search for truth and the claim that history is impartial and objective. But the more we move through the witness accounts, the more blurry some things seem. May that, then, is the truth, which I very much like.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Pace: Because of this novel’s purpose, there was no time to slow down and explore all the implications of Akhenaten’s decisions, policies, etc. Parts of the accounts read like bare-bones overviews (the pharaoh did this, then there was chaos, then his health deteriorated). For someone who isn’t super familiar with the history of Akhenaten’s reign, I was left wanting to know more.
2. Treatment of Femininity: I’m not entirely sure what ancient Egyptian culture thought of femininity, but at least in this novel, I grew a little tired of it always being brought up as something negative. Akhenaten is described as having “womanish” features and effeminate emotions, and it is constantly discussed in terms of ugliness, monstrosity, etc. Female characters, too, were derided for their sexuality, and Nefertiti and Tiye, in particular, were described as whores by some POV characters. It was a little tiring.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in ancient Egypt, reign of Akhenaten, unreliable narrators, different retellings of the same events, and religious reform/conflict.