Isis of Egypt: Goddess of Thrones by Malayna Evans (Alcove Press)

Malayna Evans skips the usual marble statue version of Egyptian gods. She puts Isis in the mud instead. This isn't just another myth about a stolen throne; it’s a long, exhausting grind. When Isis loses Osiris and has to hide as a human for decades, she loses everything that made her a goddess. It’s a story about what’s left of you when your status and your home are gone. Just a quiet, stubborn need to fix a mess she didn't even start.

Isis doesn't turn into some girl-boss cliché here. She’s just a tired survivor who finally gets what it's like to be a mortal. The other gods, especially Set, aren't just villains; they’re a messy family with way too much power. Watching her stay empathetic while being totally alone is the best part of the book. It feels like modern burnout. It’s that feeling of doing the thankless work in the background for years just to keep your world from falling apart.

The writing is blunt. No flowery prose or over-the-top descriptions. Evans keeps it cinematic and visceral. Ancient Egypt feels like a real, dirty place, not a museum. Because of that, the emotions feel heavy. When she finally finds what she’s looking for, it isn't a "happily ever after" moment. It’s just the massive, complicated relief of a burden finally moving.

Dust from the Nile and the passage of time fill the pages of this book. It matches the feminist retelling trend yet does not feel like an imitation. It focuses on how much love can actually endure over time, not just the initial spark. My only complaint is the middle part. It’s slow. It mirrors her years of waiting, which might annoy readers looking for a fast plot. But that slowness is the point. You have to feel the loneliness she’s trapped in.

This book makes you look at your own long-term stuff. We all have something we’re searching for, some goal that keeps us going through the boring or hard years. It asks what you’re willing to drop to find what matters. It’s a sharp, weary look at the kind of grit we all hope we have when things get stripped back to nothing.

3.5/5