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 ‘… I noticed something more fearful – the glint and flash of sunlight on metal. An icy coldness swept over me. The girdles around their waists were stuffed with weapons – jewelled daggers and adzes and bronze sickle swords – and slung across their backs were enormous bows and dark hide quivers bulging with arrows.’
A murderous plot and a battle for succession sets brother against brother and drives two girls to war. Tuthmosis is about to be made Pharaoh but Isikara, daughter of the Priest at the Temple of the Crocodile god, discovers a plot to kill him. She and Tuthmosis escape through the passages of the underground tombs and down the Nile by disguising themselves as peasants. They are captured by a tribe of fierce desert nomads and meet up with the slave dancer, Anoukhet. Dressed as boys they join the Nubian army where Isikara makes an astounding discovery and Tuthmosis is forced to make a decision. The sequel is Eye of the Sun
Reviews:
‘Hofmeyr’s sensuous, elegant prose brings the ancient world to life in glorious colour and convincing detail’ Nikki Gamble, The Bookseller
‘pleasingly spooky… a novel that boys as well as girls will not be able to put down’ Adele Geras, the Guardian
‘imaginative, atmospheric and entertaining’ The Irish Times
Age Range: The story is a gripping read for Year 6 and 7 and with visuals, music and an opportunity to handle various artefacts, makes a good subject for an author visit, see SCHOOLS AND WORSHOPS.
An email from Turkey
Below is part of an email message from Sevval who is 14 and read Eye of the Moon tranlated into Turkish but wrote to me in excellent English. She said Isikara was her favourite character in the book and she was sorry about Tuthmosis (I can’t say what happens to him because it would give the ending away!)
Dear Di
I’m 14 years old.I live in Antalya.Antalya is in the Mediterranean Region.Antalya is very beautiful city.Here you can swim in the sea.The sea water is hot enough,but the sea water is cold now.(I learned “too” and “enough”  )In summertime,the weather is hot and  sunny in Antalya.You can see this photos of Antalya.
The schools also have English lessons in Turkey.We have English exam on Monday.I got 98 points.The highest score is 100 points.
You can come to Turkey.When it comes to Turkey you, Will you stay in our house?
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Foreign Editions:
Italian edition published by Mondadori, Italy.
French edition published by Gallimard Jeunesse, France
Spanish edition published by Alfaguara Juvenil, Spain
German edition published by Sauerlander, Germany
Turkish edition published by Tudem
CD – BBC Audio Books – read by India Fisher
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