What the River Knows: the addictive and endlessly romantic historical fantasy (Secrets of the Nile Duology) (International Edition)
The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in What the River Knows, Isabel Ibañez's lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.
Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.
When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.
With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.
What the River Knows is the first book in the thrilling Secrets of the Nile duology.
"Expertly plotted, explosively adventurous, and burning with romance." - Stephanie Garber #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Take a plucky heroine, a historically grounded Indiana Jones-esque adventure through Ancient Egypt, and add a surprising dollop of magic — it’s a recipe for a delightful read." - Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
*Book 1 in the Secrets of the Nile duology*
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Readers say *What the River Knows* offers a richly described historical Egyptian setting with vivid, sometimes overly elaborate prose that immerses re...
What the River Knows takes readers into Egypt with romance and danger reminiscent of The Mummy.
A historical fiction with a dash of fantasy and danger, What The River Knows was fast-paced but struggled with characterization.
Characterization
My biggest issue with this novel is the characterization. Let’s say this, Inez is not Evie. And you know what, I wasn’t expecting that. The issue I have here is that Evie has many similarities, but Inez is not likable at all.
I feel like authors sometimes get into their heads about what it means to be a strong woman, and that means constantly making them argumentative and stubborn to the point of stupidity. That’s what happened here, and it was so frustrating.
Inez runs away from home and runs to Egypt to see her uncle because she believes her parents were murdered. She knows nothing of the country, has no money in her name, and is a young girl in a foreign land. So when her uncle sends her back home, you get it. However, that wouldn’t have been much of a story.
This just begins a cycle of her continually not listening to her uncle or anyone, being stubborn and argumentative, and getting into life-threatening situation after life-threatening situation with little to no plan that ultimately does lead to the death of someone dear to her.
Inez was so frustrating that I didn’t find her endearing at all. Half the time, I wanted to smack and yell at her to listen. I understand creating tension between characters to further the plot, but not at the risk of alienating the reader by making the MC so unlikeable.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed the story within What The River Knows, and I enjoyed the plot, for the most part. I wish the MC had been likable and used her brain more instead of being so frustratingly stubborn and argumentative.
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Set in nineteenth-century Buenos Aires, this book follows the fabulous life of Inez Olivera, a girl who has it all: wealth, status, and a knack for attracting drama. But when tragedy strikes and her globe-trotting parents die suddenly, Inez inherits their fortune. Cue the mysterious guardian and his Egyptian brother-in-law, because nothing says "inheritance" like a side of ancient artifacts and cryptic messages. Armed with her sketch pads and a shiny golden ring, Inez sets sail for Cairo. But forget about the pyramids or the Sphinx; it's the ancient magic tied to that ring that's going to lure Inez into a world of dangerous artifacts “dealers.”
As Inez unravels the secrets of her parents' disappearance, she discovers that there's more to this mystery than meets the eye. With danger lurking around every pyramid corner, Inez must rely on her wits, her charm, and a healthy dose of ancient magic to survive.
Oh, and did I mention Whit, the guardian's assistant? He's not just handsome; he's infuriatingly handsome. You know, the kind of handsome that makes you simultaneously swoon and want to punch something. And wouldn't you know it, he's determined to make Inez's life as difficult as humanly—or should I say, archaeologically—possible. But, Inez isn't just some damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining khakis to save her. No, she's got spunk, she's got moxie, and she's got a sketch pad that's mightier than any sword. Well, maybe not, but it's certainly more useful for recording artifacts and drawing handsome archaeologists.
So, if you're in the mood for a tale of adventure, romance, and enough ancient magic to make Indiana Jones do a double take, then this is the book for you. Just be warned: there’s a massive cliffhanger, and the sequel won’t be published until November.
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