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Akhenaten : Dweller in Truth by Naguib Mahfouz - Book Review

 Akhenaten : Dweller in Truth

By Naguib Mahfouz

Genre : Historical Fiction, Ancient Egypt, Akhenaten, Nefertiti, Biographical Fiction,2021-read



Rating : 3.5/5


Akhenaten was a heretic king that took Egypt by storm. He with his wife had denounced all the existing gods and tried to establish a new religion with Sun God Aten as the supreme. Akhenaten made himself a prophet and priest in Aten's command. He created a new city Akhetaten where only Sun God is worshipped. He passed decrees ordering the  demolishing and closing of  temples for other gods(Amun) all across Egypt also stripping the powers of Amun priests. But his attempts to crusade for this new religion of "love,peace and equality" fails to sustain when internal strife in the form of civil wars and external threats in the form of enemy attacks rock the country. Instead of raising to meet the occassion as befitting a king, Akhenaten chooses to remain shrouded in his faith hoping "love" would conquer "war". No one, not even his one soul mate Nefertiti could shake his faith. Knowing and branding him to be a weakling and a madman, all his staunch followers and even his wife Nefertiti leave him to save/protect Egypt. Alone and abandoned, Akhenaten dies. Many believe it to be due to illness but there are those few who suspect foul play from the hands of Amin priests. 


This is the gist of basically what happened with one of the greatest and most popular kings of Egypt. His wife Nefertiti who ruled as his equal was as well known if not even more than him. I have read many books - some fiction and some not - detailing the events of their life and reign. But while most concur in deeming both Akhenaten and Nefertiti as heretics who were power hungry and ambitious enough to turn themselves into gods, this is the first book that totally threw me off. What if Akhenaten is a truly spiritually enlightened being that happened to preach the word of god - like a prophet? What if he is not a mad man like everyone regarded him but a priest setup in a king's path for the greater good?  


Akhenaten is dead. Thutankamun,his younger brother, is ruling over as king of Egypt. Nefertiti has marooned herself in a castle of Akhetaten spending her time praying and mourning her dead soulmate/husband/king. A young boy wants to write a story on what transpired and he gets different points of view from people close to Akhenaten. This story is the same set of events told by different people and it felt repetitive - also most of it marred by persoal opinions and bias. While some looked upon Akhenaten with love/adoration and kindness, others were vicious and unforgiving of what he "almost" accomplished - utter destruction of Egypt. Few also claimed him to be impotent and to have had an incestuous relationship with his mother. Finally we hear from Nefertiti herself and I guess we have to take her word for what/how it happened. 


This being a work of historical "fiction" - where the author adheres to a set of facts and weaves most of the narrative around it based on imagination - I can't certainly embrace one theory over the other.  These are two figures who remain close to my heart/head for they inspire awe and admiration - rebellious nature has its own charm. 👌👌

 


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