Ellen Galford (1) (1971–)

Well-written, engaging narrative, bursting with detail on both Hatshepsut and the Egypt of her day. Includes supporting photographs of artifacts alongside the text and a timeline along the bottom of the pages. The layout was somewhat busy, but not enough to be overwhelming. There were a few two-page informational spreads, which were placed cleanly between sections so they did not disrupt the flow of the text. An informative and solid introduction to Egypt's princess who became a king.

Content considerations:

Artistic nudity (including an Egyptian painting of a birthing, p 11)… (altro)

This is a lot of fun. Rainbow Rosenbloom is a lesbian, a London taxi driver, and a non-observant Jew. She's also the great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of a woman who jilted her lover two centuries back. Kokos is a dybbuk who's been contracted to possess the female descendants of that woman - although, having been stuck in a tree for the past two centuries, Rainbow is the first one she's got to. Hilarity, as they say, ensues.

I enjoyed the glimpses of lesbian London (with the exception of the biphobia), and Jewish London, and the intersection of the two, in the early 90s. Beyond that, it reminded me of nothing so much as Good Omens in its portrayal of a supernatural bureaucracy which is all too reminiscent of the earthly sort. Kokos is an engaging if unreliable narrator, and the ending has a satisfying twist (though the direction the plot takes to get there feels a bit forced and melodramatic).

Good fun, though with a hefty dose of fridge horror.… (altro)