Daughter of Egypt - Marie Benedict

Genre - Historical Fiction

Marie Benedict’s Daughter of Egypt was a delightful historical look in two distinct timelines that  have more in common than one might think. In the 1920s, Lady Evelyn Herbert is fascinated by archaeology, and because of her father’s interests, in spite of being a woman, has the opportunity to participate in Egyptian excavations.  In ancient Egypt, Hatshepsut struggles to become pharaoh in a male dominated country. As always, Benedict with the narration of Bessie Carter and Suehyla El-Attar, brings history to life and highlights the lives of unsung women.

I was lucky to hear Marie Benedict speak at a local public library. As part of her presentation she outlined how carefully and thoroughly she researches. This extensive research contributes to how fully the women from both eras are developed. Evelyn must bargain with mother: social obligations for time on an archeological dig. She’s expected to marry, and marry well but fears having to give up her other interests. Hatshepsut has the responsibility of waking before dawn every single day to awaken a god in ancient Egypt, but then is restricted in all other ways because of her gender. She knows she should be pharaoh in Egypt but the path to getting there is littered with obligations to even the little boys in her world. These women are eras apart but are facing very similar challenges. The multiple timelines are very effective in highlighting these similarities. I would not have said that I had a fascination with Egyptian culture before reading this novel, and yet, I was rapt. 

Time and again Marie Benedict explores the life of a woman largely overlooked in history and invites me into a world I didn’t know I needed to see. By exploring their truths she gives them a life and encourages me to better observe the folks in the world around me. And as I often am, I am left with the question of how far we have really come. I feel a bit like I grew up in the golden age. I never doubted that I could be whatever I wanted. I got a credit card. I attended college - no questions asked. I have taken all of this for granted. I would very much like for my daughter to be able to do the same. I wonder what my role in that wish is - looking back at the women of history, artfully brought to life by Marie Benedict is part of the process. Daughter of Egypt is an excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARD in exchange for an honest review.

Skylark - Paula McClain

Genre: Historical Fiction

Paula McClain’s Skylark is a compelling and complex historical novel. In it she explores Paris, France in 1644 and France in 1939. Alouette is a woman in 1644 France who has learned the art of creating dye from her father. As a woman, she is not permitted such knowledge and is sentenced to an asylum for hysteria. While her lover Etienne waits for her outside, she is bled, abused, and must defend herself while demonstrating “improvement.” Kristoff is working in psychiatric care in a Paris hospital in 1939 when the Germans take over the city that has been abandoned by its government. He becomes involved with the resistance as he struggles with the treatment of both his mentally ill patients and his Jewish neighbors. Sasha’s family is ripped from their home by the Nazis, and she must figure out how to move forward. 

McClain’s research is detailed and flawless. She develops the setting - geographically, culturally, and historically in both 1644 and 1939. As different as these time periods are - mining and dye, guilds and corruption in 1644; war, antisemitism, racism, and corruption in 1939 - the similarities are what McClain highlights. People are trapped in a world ruled by corrupt leaders. While they can find some measure of joy in their work, families, music, nature, the world surrounding them seems determined to destroy them. In this environment Alouette, Ettienne, Kristoff, and Sasha demonstrate strength and resilience that to me are stunning. These strong individuals - all very different - share a passion for justice and freedom that can find hope in the darkest of tunnels. The tunnels are a motif throughout. The markings in them beautifully illustrate the human need to record and to be seen. Ultimately they become an escape route in 1939 - in part, because of the people who came before. McClain also captures the human need to create - color, music and explores how these pursuits can sustain people. Finally, she touches carefully and thoughtfully on mental health - and the horror that accompanies its treatment in both of these eras. Her portrayal feels to me like a call to do better. 

I have loved each and every one of Paula McClain’s books. She broke my heart just a little in this one. Hers are not easy reads - the content is challenging - but so important. I am stunned at the lack of change from 1644 to 1939. Many will find it easy to draw parallels to 2026. The people are strong, but evil can prevail so easily, for longer than believable. Authors who research, study, and create narratives like Skylark are essential to maintaining hope for change. 

For a nice discussion of this book, tune into Adriana Trigiani’s podcast “You are What you Read,” originally dropped December 30, 2025. Trigiana interviews McClain, and the insights are fascinating. 

Book Cover of Skylark by Paula McClain

Awake - Jen Hatmaker

Genre: Memoir

Jen Hatmaker does not disappoint even as she writes about the most difficult experiences in her life in her soon to come memoir Awake. I have read many of her books. I have been following her social media for a number of years. We - her community - worried over her during the time she recounts. We worked to honor her privacy while trying to find a way to show our support. We knew she was hurting and absent, and we didn’t know why. And in spite of the cruelty of some, we didn’t feel we needed to know. God knew. We could pray. 

Jen waited years to fully process her grief and work on her new life before writing and publishing this beautifully reflective memoir. I love how she weaves the memories from childhood forward into this book. She has clearly done the work to: a. figure out what shaped young Jen and her decisions- particularly to marry as a teenager and b. figure out how to move forward - awake, living her best life. Her writing here is clearly meant more to explore these things and not, as  I’ve seen some accuse her, to share the salacious details of the implosion of her marriage. Her community expected this insight. Her community expected her to have considered her contributions to the implosion. Her community expected her to inspire and offer hope. I, we, will not be disappointed - our expectations have been met and exceeded. 

The structure appeals to me very much as well. Some of her vignettes are several pages; others a mere sentence or two. She revisits childhood and junior high and young adulthood and alternates that with her marriage story and her moving forward. These all work seamlessly to create a picture of her marriage, her faith, her family, and her career that most of us who are middle aged ish can relate to. She encourages us through her work to do our own to shape our lives so that, like her, we are more awake in hope and joy. Jen is a beautiful writer. I love that I feel like she is just talking to me as she does through social media - but with  the polish of her written words - delightful. 

Please read Awake by Jen Hetmaker. You will be glad you did - whatever your situation, she models how to face challenges, accept help, work hard and get to the other side. 

The World's Fair Quilt - Jennifer Chiaverini

Genre: Contemporary and Historical

If you are already a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts series, her newest installment The World’s Fair Quilt is one for you. If not, this title is a lovely place to start. Sylvia is staring down some changes at Elm Creek Quilts - in part because the camp is in a very difficult financial place. She is also reflecting back on her childhood relationship with her sister Claudia and their experience in working on a quilt for a 1933 contest sponsored by the Chicago World’s Fair. Elm Creek is one of my favorite places to visit.

I have long admired Sylvia, the owner of Elm Creek Quilts. She has creatively saved her family’s home and created a thriving business. She has created a new family, surrounded by friends who care deeply about her. She feels the pressure of honoring them all while staring down increasing financial pressure. Sylvia struggles with the changes that may be necessary in spite of the expert advice of Sarah and Matthew - whom she considers her very own children. Meanwhile, Summer has asked to display the quilt she created with her sister for a world’s fair contest. Searching for the quilt and the memorabilia she’s kept opens a flood of memories. These memories cause her to reevaluate her perceptions of her sister as well as the decisions she’s made. 

The family relationships are what really spoke to me. How often I reflect and reflect again on my history with my family. I hope that I have the insight that Sylvia has to grow and change over time as I gain new information. The book is encouragement to look at both sides when we feel at odds with someone. I always love the quilting talk. I am not a quilter, but perhaps wish I were. In any case, I am one vicariously when I read Chiverini’s books. The historical sections here were fascinating to me as well. I loved the insight into the Bergstrom family struggles and to the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago. The World’s Fair Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini offers a number of avenues to get the reader's attention. You will enjoy it!

The World’s Fair Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

Dear Writer - Maggie Smith

Genre - Nonfiction; the Craft of Writing

Maggie Smith is a beautiful poet and writer. I have read and love her poetry. I have read and love her memoirs. How could I resist reading Dear Writer by Maggie Smith, a book about the process of writing. I am sure glad I didn’t resist it!

Smith’s subtitle is Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life, as it should goes a long way to capturing the spirit of this work. Not that I expected it - given her other work - this book is not a dry instructional manual about the written word. In most ways she shows how she lives as a creative - it can very much shape the reader’s approach to life. As someone who longs to express creativity but prioritizes below tasks that “must” be completed all too often, I very much appreciated her honest insight into her very busy life and how she finds a way to nurture her desire to write each and every day. As a retired English teacher who spent much of her career teaching poetry and writing, I was also drawn to her chapter called “play.” In it she captures much of the joy of writing, that I always worried that I wasn’t communicating to my students. And perhaps, a joy that I wasn’t even experiencing myself. What a fun approach to the writing process. She graciously uses her own work as examples. She uses those beautiful poetic terms like “enjambment” and makes the discussion magical. (I fear I treated that topic in a rather dry way!) 

I have long wanted to be a consistent writer and have consistently failed in doing so. But boy have I learned to admire the magic that poets create. I have worked hard to appreciate their work as fully as possible. I am so grateful that Maggie Smith in Dear Writer created a beautiful balance of joy and technique and inspiration. I may never be the writer that I dreamed but she gives me hope that I can write.

Dear Writer by Maggie Smith book cover