Mara, Daughter of the Nile - Eloise Jarvis McGraw

~by Abrah 

• 7 stars 
• ages 11+
• Pages: 288 

Okay, so I was noticing the other day that I tend to post what I think of as girl books. (Probably because I, a girl, enjoyed them.) Mara, Daughter of the Nile appears to be another "girl book" (whatever that means anyway), but the story is so phenomenal anyone would enjoy it! Right from the beginning this book grabs you, and doesn't let you go until the end. To put it in a cliche... I COULDN'T put this book down!

***

Mara's life was never easy. She starts out as a slave. Her master abuses her, because he is afraid of her blue eyes, and her uncanny knowledge of a foreign language. These traits end up benefiting her... kind of. One day, while taking a secret trip to the marketplace Mara's intelligence is observed by two men Nahereh and Sheftu.

The first man, Nahereh offers to buy her from her abusive master. He says he will keep her alive... so long as she spies for him! While on a ship across the Nile with Nahereh, Sheftu discovers Mara, in what he supposes is an act of spying on him. He then employs her to spy for him. The only catch is Nahereh and Sheftu have two completely opposite ideas of who should be Pharaoh! Mara is now caught up in spy acts for both supporters of Pharaoh, and those who wish to see the pharaoh dead. To stay alive Mara must not be discovered!

***

Negative Elements: (none being best, 5 being worst) 

 

Violence - 1 

• On several occasions Mara is whipped or beaten. 

 Profanity - none

 Romance and Sexuality - 0.5 

(SPOILER ALERT!!!!!)

• Mara and Sheftu fall in love and their marriage is implied. 

Other - 1 

• As a spy Mara has to go against authority and lie to people. She also stands up for the side that is trying to remove the present pharaoh from authority.