Daughter of Egypt

When Daughter of Egypt opens, the Great War—known to us now as World War I—has ended, and both England and Egypt are in a period of tremendous change. How much did you know about this time period in England and continental Europe? How familiar were you with the impact the Great War had on Egypt? Is this an era about which you needed to educate yourself?

Highclere Castle is famous as the real-life location of Downton Abbey. The castle and the family who own it, however, have a fascinating and important history. Had you heard of the Carnarvons, for whom Highclere Castle has been the seat since the 1600s? What, if anything, did you know about them and their realm?

For many people—their first introduction to ancient Egypt and its archaeology comes through the splendors found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankamun. Was this the case for you? Did you find the role of the esteemed Carnarvon family in unearthing this singular discovery—Lady Evelyn Herbert, in particular—surprising? Did their excavations and those of this time period differ from the way you envisioned them?

Egypt and its history are at the very core of the novel—not only ancient Egypt but also Egypt during this critical juncture. Did you have any specific reaction to the colonial nature of 1920s Egypt or the rise of the movement for independence?

Daughter of Egypt weaves together the story of Evelyn and her desire to uncover the tomb of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut with the story of Hatshepsut herself. Had you ever heard of Hatshepsut? Did the depiction of her in the novel shift any understanding you may have had about ancient Egypt? What legacy do you think Hatshepsut may have left behind?

Did you see any parallels between Evelyn and Hatshepsut, despite the fact that the worlds and times they inhabited were so very different? What similarities exist between their concerns and the issues faced by people of today?

How did you respond to the way in which Hatshepsut and Evelyn’s stories concluded in Daughter of Egypt? Were you satisfied with the path that Evelyn chose? How did you feel about the manner in which Hatshepsut’s reign—indeed, her life insofar as most people knew— ended? As you may know from the Author’s Note, the cause of Hatshepsut’s death and the reason for her erasure from monuments, sculpture, and even papyri throughout Egypt remains a mystery.

Woven throughout the novel is the question about who owns the past and its artifacts, and how it is remembered. Discuss this critical issue, one that is both historical and modern.