Review of Bird in a Snare

[Emily Hernandez 3]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Bird in a Snare" by N.L. Holmes.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Bird in a Snare by N. L. Holmes is an exciting journey into the politics and daily life of Egyptian royal court life. The story follows Hani, a royal ambassador, and his scribe Maya. Hani and Maya are tasked with the investigation of an assassination. As Hani begins to discover clues, all of Egypt is thrown into a new era. The new king has different priorities and immediately begins changing the ways of life at court and in daily worship. Meanwhile, Hani continues to untangle a web of secret relationships, strange payments, and dangerous men in power.

There were many positive points in the story. Hani's personal life was well developed and engaging. His relationship with his wife and children was authentic and it was fascinating how they influenced his decision in court and while on assignment. There were also some perspective shifts to Maya, Hani's scribe. These shifts allowed the reader to see certain events from multiple points of view and added to the suspense. The descriptions of Egypt, daily life, and court politics were also authentic and well researched. While enjoying the storyline, I felt I was immersed in the culture. I learned a lot about historical Egyptian life in a way that I will remember clearly as it has been brought to life.

I did find some negative points that distracted me from the flow of the story. There are a few uncommon terms that are used throughout the book. Even though some of these are defined in the glossary in the beginning of the book, it did take some time to flip back and search for the appropriate term. A particular word I had an issue with was "somnambulant" on page 271. Although literature is often what creates our vocabulary and introduces us to new words, I found this one to be particularly distracting because it did not seem to match the reading level of the rest of the book. Another was "coregent" first seen on page 31. I believe a small definition after this word would explain it enough to not pull me out of the story. Instead, it sent me to look it up and distracted from the momentum.

Overall, I give this a 4 out of 4. Bird in a Snare was an exciting read and there was not a single dull moment. I did not find a single error throughout the entire book.

There are a great many audiences who would enjoy reading this book. If any historical fiction or world history has ever peaked your interest, this would be a very informative read. If you enjoy mystery, suspense and treachery, Hani's adventures will be sure to entertain you.

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Bird in a Snare
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[WriteOn]

While enjoying the storyline, I felt I was immersed in the culture. I learned a lot about historical Egyptian life in a way that I will remember clearly as it has been brought to life.

Thanks for such a comprehensive and well composed review Emily Hernandez 3. I enjoyed reading it and was especially interested to know that it is educative and absorbing. I thought you were very perceptive regarding the incongruent words - I'm going to find out what they mean now! I look forward to reading more of your reviews.