House of Illusions: A Novel

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Summary: The story of Thu of Aswat continues...
Review: House of Illusions picks up the story of Thu of Aswat sixteen years after her diary ends in Lady of the Reeds. For the past interval, Thu has been serving internal banishment in her native village of Aswat for her part in the harem plot to murder Ramses III. The terms of her exile are thus: She must remain in Aswat and exist in simplicity. She must provide sustenance for herself. Her feet must be unshod. She cannot marry or have a consort, as technically she remains a concubine of Ramses III. She must perform menial manual labor in the local temple of Wepwawet. Thus it has been until one day... a royal messenger barge docks in the temple canal at Aswat. Per form, Thu begs the occupants to deliver a box to Pharaoh on their return to Pi-Ramesses. This box contains her diary, the story of her life. Thu hopes that upon reading her diary, Ramses will realize how badly and by whom she was manipulated, and true justice will finally prevail. She also dearly hopes Ramses will remember the great love they once shared, and perhaps a softening of his hard heart by these joyous and sensual memories will induce him to pardon her or commute sentence. A young soldier, Kamen, agrees to deliver the box. Unbeknownst to either at this time, Thu and Kamen are mother and son. House of Illusions continues the story of Thu of Aswat in a trilogy of different perspectives. The first is that of the young soldier Kamen, whose life changes forever the moment he accepts the box from Thu. The second perspective is that of Kaha, a minor scribe at the estate of Hui when Thu lived there, but now the chief scribe for the wealthy merchant Men, who is Kamen's adoptive father. The last and most endearing perspective comes from Thu herself. I will not reveal the ending to this story, but merely say that justice prevails in a manner that is incredible, and yet so sweetly poetic.

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Summary: Not As Good As 'Lady Of The Reeds'
Review: I got this book a week or so ago and while it is excellent I didn't find it as good as Lady Of The Reeds(published as House Of Dreams in Canada). The plot didn't seem as strong, and to me it was a little bit disconcerting having three parts (the first told by Kamen, the second by a scribe, and the third by Thu) inside the book.

It's still a good book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Gedge once again has painted a vivid image of Ancient Egypt and continued with the story of Thu. The plot was still griping, even if it didn't shine quite as brightly as Lady Of The Reeds, and the characters were well-written as usual. This book is worth buying, and the ending has an interesting twist.

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Summary: Egypt Vividly Recreated
Review: I LOVE Pauline Gedge's books about Egypt (as well as her other books). "Illusions" opens with the main character, Thu, a woman who has been banished to live alone in the desert, serving the priests in a temple there, because of an accusation that she attempted to kill Pharaoh when she lived at court. Thu wishes desperately to send a message to Pharaoh explaining what really happened, but she is never given the opportunity, until one day a young court officer arrives, and agrees to help her. Discovering that this is his mother, he helps her plot revenge on the group of people who set her up for the crime which caused her exile. In the process of intrigue, Thu does not always act wisely, and her character is not always admirable. Thus, though she is the heroine of the story, Thu is not necessarily lovable, but she is definitely fascinating. The plot is complex, involving all the characters that surround Pharaoh. The scenery, the buildings, the poorer sections of the city, the clothing, the feasts...everything... is so vividly described, that I am caught up in these images. This feeling of being transported there is reason enough to read Gedge's books, but combined with the drama and suspense, they are unforgettable.

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Summary: Absorbing historical fiction. Well researched.
Review: Pauline Gedge is a master of her craft. Her intimate knowledge of Egyptology is apparent in her historical fiction. A truly entertaining tale set in the time of the Ramesside Dynasty. The companion volume House of Dreams is equally fascinating.

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Summary: A suitable sequel!
Review: Pauline Gedge, as usual, is probably the best writer of "Egyptian Fiction". Her characters and scenes are equisitely detailed, whether she writes in the third or first person. House of Illusions continues the story of Thu, and her son, who were separated under edict of Rameses III. The ending and events, although near the end were rather fantastical and almost predictable. If you have not read Lady of the Reeds, then you probably would not enjoy this book as much, but as sequels go, it is quite well done.

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Summary: Better than the first.
Review: The return of some of the most intriquing characters in Ancient Egypt! The first book was wonderful, with characters that exposed dark and human sides and a main character that draws readers in to her incredible story. In the sequel, Gedge has beautifully developed her characters in the seventeen years since the first segment of the story of the concubine Thu. While a few outcomes were expected, overall it was a suspenceful and romantic read that showed how close all humans are, regardless of the era in which they live. I think I have found my new favorite author!

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Summary: HOUSE OF ILLUSIONS
Review: THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK FOR EGYTOPHILES. IT IS SET IN ANCIENT EGYPT AND HAS SO MANY DETAILS THAT YOU WONDER IF MS. GEDGE LIVED THERE. PAULINE GEDGE IS AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS WHEN IT COME TO BOOKS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT AND SHE IS NO SLOUCH IN THE SCIENCE FICTION DEPARTMENT EITHER---SO GOOD I READ IT 7 TIMES THUS FAR!

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Summary: HOUSE OF ILLUSIONS
Review: THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK FOR EGYTOPHILES. IT IS SET IN ANCIENT EGYPT AND HAS SO MANY DETAILS THAT YOU WONDER IF MS. GEDGE LIVED THERE. PAULINE GEDGE IS AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS WHEN IT COME TO BOOKS ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT AND SHE IS NO SLOUCH IN THE SCIENCE FICTION DEPARTMENT EITHER---SO GOOD I READ IT 7 TIMES THUS FAR!

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Summary: Amazing
Review: When I read 'Lady of the reeds' and found out there was a second book following Thu's life, I never expected it to be this good, I got the book three days ago and I have to admit, it was very hard for me to put it down, I have to say Pauline Gedge did an amazing job, in her book you can feel the pain, passion and regrets involving Thu's life. I just have to say, you have to read this book, believe me, you won't regret it.