The Wise Woman

by Christian Jacq Book 2 in the The Stone of Light series.

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4.2(15)

After the death of Ramesses the Great, the Place of Truth faces pressure from outside interests and danger from within its own walls. Ubekhet, Nefer and Paneb try to protect the community as intrigue and murder threaten the sacred order of the village. The novel uses the figure of the wise woman to explore healing, intuition and authority in a society where betrayal can hide behind religious duty.

The succession after Ramesses II creates uncertainty far beyond the royal court. Deir el-Medina depends upon steady patronage and strict control of its privileged knowledge, so political weakness outside the village makes internal rivalries more dangerous. Ubekhet's authority as healer and counsellor is tested against ambitions that cannot be defeated simply by identifying an enemy.