Theodosia and The Last Pharaoh – Book Review

Theodosia and The Last Pharaoh
(Book 4)

by R.L. LaFevers
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012
400 Pages
Middle-Grade (Ages 9-12)

Upon arrival, she meets secretly with her version of James Bond’s ‘Q,’ Doctor Seymour Quillings, head of the Brotherhood of Chosen Keepers’ Research and Development branch. He gifts her with awesome heavy weaponry like the curse of one-thousand scorpion stings (ouch!), a powder compact filled with sand from a pharaoh’s tomb, and a homing device pocket-watch! Meanwhile, her mother is meeting with a man she believes to be working for the antiquities service, but is in fact, none other than von Braggenschnott of the Serpents of Chaos!

After being pursued by a man named Carruthers who works for the Serpents, Theodosia finds herself lost is a sea of nationalist protestors and enlists the aid of a donkey-boy named Gadji (and his monkey, Sefu,) who helps her escape the angry mob.

Theodosia is eager to learn more about what it means that she was born in a Temple of Isis and was accepted as a gift to the Goddess. Under the pretense of locating the lost Temple of Thutmose III, she sets forth to meet with the Wedjadeen… but finds them less than hospitable. In fact, they begin discussing whether they should cut out her tongue or just kill her on the spot.

This was a thick miasma of magic and curses. Far removed from the source of their power, they buzzed faintly in the air, an invisible swarm of tiny, malevolent insects. With so much of it contained in such a confined space, there was the distinct sense of pressure building– like the air just before a thunderstorm.

Major Harriman Grindle, The Brotherhood’s contact in Luxor, becomes a steadfast ally to Theodosia. The strange thing about him though, is that unlike Wigmere and the Brotherhood of Chosen Keepers in London, Major Grindle has no reservations about the use of ancient magic. The front lines, you know, require rather less ethical philosophy and more direct action. Grindle also knows things about Theodosia’s grandfather, and he helps put some pieces together for her. It is interesting that both the Brotherhood and the Wedjadeen bear the wedjat eye tattoo.

Theodosia returns the Tablet to its rightful protectors (we think,) but despite this, the Wedjadeen again threaten to kill her unless she now hands over the other treasure! The real treasure that she keeps by her side. The donkey boy, they inform her, is more than what he appears. Gadji is a descendant of the last true pharaoh of Egypt.

Then the Serpents of Chaos demand the tablet which Theodosia no longer has in her possession, or they will kill her mother. Grindle helps to make a fake tablet with his magic, but it will only last for a short time. Isis disappears, and the monkey, Sefu is gravely injured. The Wedjadeen take Major Grindle and Theodosia captive and place them on trial for knowing things they should not know. Luckily, an elderly woman speaks up and declares Theodosia “Rekhet,” a seer. Will Theodosia be able to escape the very people she came to Egypt to help and then save the boy pharaoh from the clutches of the Serpents of Chaos?

The Chosen Keepers are descendants of the ancient librarians of the Royal Library of Alexandria– the few, the proud, and the learned. We have sworn an oath to seek out and replace all the ancient knowledge that was lost when our great library was destroyed by Emperor Theodosius. Our goal is to reignite the flame of knowledge and restore it to mankind.

The story explodes in a final crescendo as the Eyes of Horus and the Brotherhood face off against the Serpents of Chaos with the life of both the young Pharaoh and Theodosia’s mother at stake! Giant sphinxes come to life! A thousand scorpions sting! Will Theodosia finally clear Awi Bubu’s name? Will she even survive?