Novel Books, Apr 2003
ISBN 1591051932
Museum Egyptian Curator Thomas Harris hires artist Harriet Williams to draw the illustrations of a book on the first female Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Though Thomas is confident in Hattie's talent, the illustrator struggles to capture the subject's visage. To inspire Hattie, Thomas allows her to see jewelry not yet shown to the public. Hattie touches a necklace, but instead of sensing herself alone in a backroom, she finds herself staring at a woman who insists she is the original Hatshepsut and an ancestor of Hattie. She informs her descendent that they must temporarily switch bodies and Hattie must keep her stepson safe.
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Hattie next sees the Royal Architect Senemut, a hunk rumored to be Hatshepsut's lover. Though stunned, Hattie tries to adapt to a less technical world than hers. She also attempts to befriend the irritable stepson and nurture Hatshespsut's daughter. However, she falls in love with Senemut while the High Priest feels that a female does not belong on the throne plotting to replace her with his puppet, the stepson.
Fans of time travel romance that displaces a modern day independent female into an ancient culture will want to read LADY OF TWO LANDS. The story line engages the audience and the heroine does not instantly adjust to her displacement (though she does do it relatively easily). Hattie is quite the “little warrior” and Senemut is an intelligent hunk who would do well in any era. The court intrigue is well done so that sub-genre readers obtain a delightful tale in which Elizabeth Delisi forces her audience to have food delivered so as to complete the novel without interruption.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
