Review of Bird in a Snare

[Brittni Quintana]

[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 a historical fiction mystery story set in ancient Egypt. It follows a royal scribe named Hani, who is respected and adored by almost everyone he knows. The kindly king Neb-ma'at-ra soon passes away, passing on the throne to his son, Nefer-khepru-ra Wa-en-ra. Almost immediately, things start changing for the worse.

As things slowly begin to change for Hani and his family, the reader is presented with a beautiful way of storytelling. Holmes writes with gorgeous imagery and language that flows in a way that fully brings the reader into the story. We can almost hear and see what Hani hears and sees. We travel with Hani as he visits diplomats, politicians, and even the king himself. He suddenly finds himself involved in multiple murder plots. It's up to him to find out who is behind the murders, while at the same time avoiding his own demise.

Alongside Hani is his family- his son-in-law/personal scribe, his daughters, sons, and his wife, Nub-Nefer. Hani does his best to keep everyone safe as things begin to fall apart under the new king. Together, they persevere through losing their gods, losing their capital, murder attempts, riots, and political intrigue. We watch as Hani visits battle zones to speak with rival rulers and political offices of officers of the king - both friendly and unfriendly, though they never outwardly show their unfriendliness. We are never quite sure what's going to happen to Hani next, and how he'll survive the next challenge.

When I first began the book, I was initially overwhelmed by the list of Egyptian character names, terms, and information about the gods. This is made all the more complicated when the King encourages his followers to change their names, as he changes his to Akh-en-aten.
When Hani is traveling as a diplomat, following the orders of his king, the book gets a little slow. Hani travels up and down the river many times, and the reader feels his boredom and the beginnings of his ennui. It truly feels like we are part of the story.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and/or anyone who enjoys a mystery. This book is for you if you want to read something that will keep you on the edge of your seat while immersing yourself in another culture.

I give Bird in a snare 4 out of 4 stars - I would give it more stars if I could. This book has earned a top spot on my list of enjoyable reads.

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Bird in a Snare
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