The story of Hatshepsut begins in childhood. A precocious princess, who can both read and write, she is destined to be the wife of the next King of Egypt.
Unfortunately, her husband dies young. There is only a toddler to take his place. Thutmose III (''the Great'') ascends to the Throne of Horus at the age of three.
As Hatshepsut's nephew, Thutmose cannot be protected by her in the role of co-regent.Â
There is only one option if the throne of Egypt is to be saved.
Hatshepsut must become King.
The story of Hatshepsut begins in childhood. A precocious princess, who can both read and write, she is destined to be the wife of the next King of Egypt.
Unfortunately, her husband dies young. There is only a toddler to take his place. Thutmose III (''the Great'') ascends to the Throne of Horus at the age of three.
As Hatshepsut's nephew, Thutmose cannot be protected by her in the role of co-regent.Â
There is only one option if the throne of Egypt is to be saved.
Hatshepsut must become King.
ââHatshepsut! Put your sandals on, now!ââ
Nanny Ayaâs face was purple. Shoving on her footwear, the little girl rapidly obeyed. She leaned forward. Gleaming gold filled the harbour. Her father, King Tuthmosis, was arriving from the battlefields of Nubia. His queen, the Great Wife Ahmose, and Hatshepsutâs brothers, Wadj and Mose, huddled together under the royal pavilion. In the chilly dawn, they could make out the ships. Wadj jostled his motherâs skirts. Peering frantically across the water, he tried to spot his father. Mose was dignified and sat still. Hatshepsut put her hand in her motherâs and smiled up at her. Tired, Ahmose did not respond. Having worried for months, she did not know whether her husband was returning to Egypt wounded or whole. Dangerous and unpredictable, the southern Nile cataracts had prevented regular updates from Nubia.
Now, with the crowds of common Egyptians, they awaited Pharaoh. Egyptâs subjects knew Tuthmosis was conquering foreign lands and making his kingdom great. However, Ahmose was aware of a more homespun truth. The only reason her husband had endangered his life was because their country needed resources. The trip to Nubia was important. Egyptâs economy was at stake.
Finally, the kingâs flagship swung into port, followed by his royal fleet. Cheering subjects crowded on the pier in the frosty morning air. With loud shouts, crew members flung ropes to men waiting on the shore. Sliding up against the bank, King Tuthmosisâ ship docked as the sun struck the top of the palm trees. Hatshepsut wanted to rush forward, but the family had to remain seated under the protective awning of the royal pavilion.
Dressed in a white robe and carrying a staff, Vizier Ptah-hotep stepped forward. Catching the girlâs eye, he inclined his head. She knew him well from visits to his home. It was a place where she could play with other children of her own age and where tasty cooking smells filled the air. Ptah-hotepâs cooks were also better than the palace chefs. This morning, the vizier made her feel important. Hatshepsut sat up straight and the nannyâs admonition rolled off her.
Crew lowered a wooden gangplank from the royal flagship. Porters carrying chests and sacks, disembarked. Officers followed. A group of prisoners in chains and wooden handcuffs shuffled onshore. Suddenly, Pharaoh appeared. Clad in a ceremonial kilt and war crown, Tuthmosis moved swiftly down the gangplank. He accepted his peopleâs adulation while his bodyguards desperately tried to keep the unruly masses at bay.
ââDaddy!ââ
Tuthmosis waved to his daughter. Excited, Wadj and Mose followed their sisterâs lead, calling out to their father. The kingâs officers disembarked and joined their leader. Finally, they moved as a group towards the royal pavilion to where the royal party waited. Tuthmosis scooped up his daughter into brawny arms. She smelled his myrrh gum, which he chewed to keep his breath fresh.
ââMiss me, petal?ââ
Hatshepsut hugged his neck. Gently, he kissed the top of her head. The child relaxed and dangled her legs. Her sandals fell off. Rubbing noses with his wife Ahmose, the king stroked her long tresses. Wiping tears from her pale cheeks, he spoke softly. Then, deciding his family needed to get out of the morning chill, Tuthmosis headed for the palace, dragging everyone in his wake. Ptah-hotep, who had a speech prepared, picked up the hem of his garment and trotted behind them. Catching up to the royal party, he took Mose and Wadj by the hand. The princess gazed over her fatherâs shoulder. The sun was still rising. On the jetty, empty boats lay in a long line. In the distance, she noticed a naked man hanging from the prow of the flagship. Rocking back and forth, he dangled upside down, hands bound behind him, an arrow sticking out of his chest.
Hatshepsut turned her head on her fatherâs shoulder. Birds rose out of the marshes. Still as the royal fleet of ships, the Nile gleamed like a mirror. Up since an early hour, the child fell asleep.
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The Queen Who Became King is a fictional retelling of the life of the great Egyptian ruler, Hatshepsut. The book chronicles the princessâs life from a curious child, an avid reader and skilled writer, to a strong young woman who becomes the Great Wife to the next King of Egypt, her half-brother, Dhey. After her husbandâs concubine dies giving birth to his first male heir, Hatshepsut puts aside any jealousies and welcomes the boy into her home.  After the Kingâs life is tragically cut short, the Throne of Horus is taken by the three-year-old Thutmose III (âthe Greatâ). Not her child by blood, Hatshepsut knows that she will not be allowed to protect him and rule in his stead until he comes of age. Instead, she concludes that the only option is to become King herself.
I was really intrigued when I first read the synopsis for The Queen Who Became King. Hatshepsutâs life is legendary in world history, after all, and I was excited to see her brought to life, and get a peek into her world. While the book seemed to capture her essence well, the pacing of the book was so fast that I couldnât really dwell on any single event too long. Even tragic scenes regarding the deaths of loved ones seemed to breeze by quite fast, and I had a hard time tuning into the charactersâ emotions. Additionally, it was also disorienting at times, especially in the beginning, because I was not sure how old the characters were supposed to be, as there was not much differentiation between their speech and behaviors as children versus how Hatshepsut conversed and navigated her world as an adult.Â
That being said, the historical events that make up the main plotline of the story held it together for me, since there was that factual basis to them. Hatshepsutâs life still unfolded in such a way that it felt like you were really watching her grow from a young princess into a cunning, sophisticated, extraordinary King in her own right. The Queen Who Became King has a lot of potential, but I think if the story had been slowed down just a bit, and more balanced between dialogue and showing the environment the characters live in, then the book would have gained that extra layer of depth I felt like it was missing.Â
Ultimately, I think there are many who would enjoy The Queen Who Became King, especially readers who enjoy reading about strong female leaders and are interested in what it might have been like to live in Ancient Egypt. Â