Hatshepsut enjoys her leisurely life as the pharaoh's daughter in the 1400s B.C. All of that changes, however, when tragedy strikes and now Hatshepsut has to step up into the role of becoming the wife of the "hawk in the nest" and thus the future Great Royal Wife. Will Hatshepsut embrace her new role and leave a legacy for all of Egypt to remember?

Hatshepsut's life is not an easy one, despite her rise to glory. She has to sacrifice quite a bit and Stephanie Thornton does a marvelous job at bringing the history to vivid life. It still makes me cringe just a bit as Hatshepsut was forced to marry her half-brother, Thut, but his later behavior is even more infuriating. I won't reveal spoilers but there are several revelations in the book that truly leave me flabbergasted and sad for the treachery and betrayal that lurked in Hatshepsut's world.

Stephanie Thornton meticulously details the cultural and political world in which Hatshepsut resides. I love seeing how Hatshepsut rises above the expectations for a woman during her time period as Stephanie Thornton clearly shows the multiple difficulties Hatshepsut encounters solely because of her gender. Stephanie Thornton doesn't shy away from showing us some of the harsher realities, but it only makes me even more appreciative of the legacy of Hatshepsut. DAUGHTER OF THE GODS will be best appreciated by readers who want to immerse themselves in the world of ancient Egypt and the rise of a female pharaoh.