My knowledge of genres and age categorizations of books has been developing since I started book blogging. When Ben reached out to me to read The Eye of Ra, a Middle Grade Historical Fantasy set in Ancient Egypt, I could not say no. My friend Ariel has been an immense influence in my reading habits and her love for Middle Grade also helped me appreciate the age group once I finally started reading the book. Here is a quick look at the synopsis first and then I’ll share my thoughts.
Exploring a mysterious cave in the mountains behind their house, John and his sister Sarah are shocked to discover they’ve time traveled to ancient Egypt!
Now they must work together to find a way back home from an ancient civilization of golden desert sand and a towering new pyramid, without parents to save them. The adventures abound—cobras, scorpions, a tomb robber, and more! The two kids have to trust each other, make friends who can help, and survive the challenges thrown at them . . . or be stuck in ancient Egypt forever.
For readers graduating from the Magic Treehouse series and ready for intense action, dive into this middle grade novel rich with meticulous historical detail.
Themes for Thought
When siblings John and Sarah stumble into a cave that takes them back in time, all the way to Ancient Egypt, it is the beginning of an adventure for the two. While they struggle to make sense of the world that they have come to, their curiosity helps them make friends and enjoy the journey, as they actively work to find their way back home. The Eye of Ra is an exciting fast-paced adventure with kids being kids, detectives, curious, sometimes daring, and much more!
On Ancient Egypt and adventures
Growing up, I loved Ancient Egypt. I had a number of Eyewitness books and owned the most titles related to Egypt – Ancient Egypt, Mummy, Pyramids are some book titles that I still remember. There was something so magical about the desert land, their kings, queens, customs and art that it inspired stories. I am sure I was trying to learn hieroglyphics for a while. Though I no longer remember the adventures I went on while reading these books, this ancient civilization will always be one of my favorites.
The Eye of Ra is probably the first book I have read in the last decade that is fiction set in Ancient Egypt. Following protagonists who are younger than the ones I usually read added a nostalgia to the story. I liked reading about what it would have been like to live in Ancient Egypt as a young kid, face sand storms, help build monumental structures and work collaboratively with others.
I was always the kid who did not like venturing far from home so I related with John more. I liked Sarah’s sense of adventure and she reminded me of a friend of mine who was always ready to jump into things, without worrying too much about her parents.
As time passed in Ancient Egypt and the kids were no more closer to getting home, they start to count on their friendships and try harder to get back to their time. As much as we love to be independent, it is hard to be away from our parents for too long, and those feelings were portrayed well by John and Sarah.
On the Power of Stories
And at some level, the textbooks were nothing more than stories passed down from one generation to the next.
John in The Eye of Ra
One of the best ways to learn is through stories. They stick with us longer than visual media, such as a movie or TV show, and when we start to discuss them with others, we create even more special memories. I have learned this many times thanks to my buddy reads with friends in recent months.
The Eye of Ra was a trip down memory lane in its unique manner – it added experience to the place I had only visited in textbooks and non-fiction books. I enjoyed being another kid on a journey with the protagonists, worrying about being home, thinking about my parents, while at the same time, admiring the wonders of this ancient civilization, their food, their way of living, their homes and their craft.
Overall, this was a great book to get me to read Middle Grade stories more. I am eagerly waiting for my brother (10 years old) to finish it and look forward to discussing this with him on the blog sometime!
The Eye of Ra is available at all major retail stores. I hope you will pick up this Middle Grade novel. 🙂
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
Tomorrow, I will share my interview with Ben and he will go into details around why he chose Ancient Egypt and what’s next for John and Sarah.
Many thanks to Ben for providing me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Cover image: Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash
Image of lamps and lights from Unsplash
I still love stories About ancient Egypt!