Wife of Ay is a work of fiction in the historical fiction, interpersonal drama, and emotional coming of age sub-genres, and was penned by author Lauren Lee Merewether. Written as part of the prequel series of the Lost Pharaoh Chronicles, this second book continues the events of Paaten's War from book one, Salvation in the Sun. In ancient Egypt in the time of the forgotten kings, we find ourselves following the trials and tribulations of Temehu. Great expectations weigh on her in terms of her marriage and future, but this young woman has deep concerns that plague her almost as much as the gossipmongers and new family members she must endure.

Author Lauren Lee Merewether delivers another fantastic and engaging slice of ancient history with this immersive and emotive novel. One of the things which I really admire about Merewether’s work is her ability to take figures from history and get into the core of their humanity, thereby making them highly relatable to us in contemporary times. Temehu is a deep-feeling young woman with much for us to empathize with, and as we root for her through thick and thin, the story develops into a powerful metaphor for what we all truly want in our lives. I also found the setting and atmosphere to be superbly well-crafted, with all the little details that bring ancient times to life vividly. Overall, I would highly recommend Wife of Ay for fans of the genre and time period, but also to those who love emotive coming of age tales filled with timeless emotion.

Wife of Ay by Lauren Lee Merewether is a prequel to her trilogy The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles. The prequel introduces readers to Temehu, the daughter of Nomarch Paser, a high-ranking citizen in the Egyptian hierarchy. When we first meet Temehu, she is thirteen years old and her mother is planning to find a suitable husband befitting a family in such high standing. Temehu and her mother, however, have been struggling to find a suitor who meets her mother’s special requirements. Regardless, Temehu has no desire to marry anyone other than her beloved childhood friend, Ay. The problem is that by the time she recognizes that Ay is her one true love, he is already betrothed to someone else. When Temehu’s beloved mother dies unexpectedly and her father remarries a woman Temehu despises, she is determined to claim her Ay from his betrothed, despite the inherent scandal of doing so. This story chronicles the struggles and trials this pair will face as they try to navigate the gossip and scandal of Egyptian high society, as well as fulfilling their dream to have a child, especially a daughter who would be earmarked to marry the son of the Emperor’s First Queen, who just happens to be Ay’s sister. This story takes us inside the family lives of the Egyptians during a period lost to history’s annals for three millennia.

I have always been a great fan of fiction based around the Egyptian civilization, their gods, and their pharaohs. Wife of Ay certainly fills that niche for me. Author Lauren Lee Merewether has written a short but sweeping tale of family life for upper-class society in this period of Egyptian history. Temehu was a character that was easy to feel empathy with and sympathy for. As a thirteen-year-old, she made a silly decision (for the right reasons perhaps) to push Ay away and she suffered greatly over the years to come for that choice. The pain and anguish she felt resonated through the pages and one couldn’t help but sympathize. I particularly enjoyed the sharp and vitriolic relationship between Temehu and her stepmother, who was beautifully portrayed as a money-grubbing, you-know-what. Because of the length of the story, it is an easy and satisfying read from an author who clearly has an excellent grasp of language and story construction. I read it in one sitting and it strikes me as the perfect book to while away a wet afternoon by the fire. If the intention of a prequel is to suck the reader into wanting to read more and indeed the author’s entire series, this prequel worked magnificently. I am dying to know what happens to Temehu and Ay’s little daughter, whose name I won’t give away, as that would definitely be a spoiler. I intend to read more of this author’s work and I can highly recommend this book as an excellent introduction to Merewether and her version of ancient Egypt.