{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20261010T034321Z-reviewed-full-unique-works","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591434459?tag=bookfrontie00-20","asin":"1591434459","authors":["Andrew Collins"],"book_id":"9781591434450","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/the-first-female-pharaoh-9781591434450","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781591434450.jpg?v=131bfc6e9579f53c","description":"The cult, magic, reign, and resurrection of the first female ruler in Egypt • Reveals the achievements of Sobekneferu, the political and religious issues of her age, the temples and ruins associated with her, and her continuing impact on ancient Egypt after her reign • Discusses Sobekneferu’s magical beliefs and practices centered on the crocodile god Sobek, the hippo goddess Neith, and their representation as constellations • Examines the modern-day resurrection of Sobekneferu among mystics and occultists of Victorian London, including her role in Bram Stoker’s shocking gothic novel, The Jewel of the Seven Stars Cleopatra. Nefertiti. Hatshepsut. All of them are ancient Egyptian female rulers who rose above their predominantly patriarchal societies to become controllers of a great empire. Missing from this list, however, is Sobekneferu, ancient Egypt’s first female ruler. Why was the reign of this powerful woman all but forgotten? Piecing together the lost history of the first female pharaoh, Andrew Collins presents the first comprehensive biography of Sobekneferu. Using every text and monument that concerns Sobekneferu and her time in power, he examines her achievements as ruler, the political and religious issues of her age, the temples and ruins associated with her, and her continuing impact on ancient Egypt after her reign. He explores her relationship with her brother Amenemhat IV, her sister Neferuptah, and their father Amenemhat III, regarded as one of the most beloved pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom. He examines Sobekneferu’s untimely end, the fate of her body, and the cult that developed in her name. Discussing Sobekneferu’s magical beliefs and practices, Collins shows how they centered on the crocodile god Sobek, the hippopotamus goddess Neith, and Sekhmet, the goddess presiding over divine power. He reveals also how Sobekneferu’s suspected pyramid was positioned to align with the setting of Eltanin, the brightest star in the constellation of Draco, seen in ancient Egypt as the celestial form of Sobek. Examining the modern-day resurrection of Sobekneferu among the occultists and mystics of Victorian London, Collins shows how she is the true inspiration behind every ancient Egyptian female queen who comes back to life after her tomb is found—as featured first in Bram Stoker’s shocking 1903 novel The Jewel of Seven Stars and later in several modern blockbuster movies. Revealing how Sobekneferu has left a lasting impact on culture and occulture through the ages despite being nearly erased from history, Collins shows how her continuing legacy is perhaps, ultimately, her true resurrection.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9781591434450","publication_date":"20230425","publisher":"Inner Traditions/Bear & Company","slug":"the-first-female-pharaoh","subtitle":"Sobekneferu, Goddess of the Seven Stars","title":"The First Female Pharaoh"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002030","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Ancient Egypt","score":0.7354,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAN006100","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Royal Lives","score":0.7191,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"FIC014010","confidence_band":"low","label":"Ancient Historical Fiction","score":0.6583,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002030","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Ancient Egypt","score":0.7354,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"YAN006100","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Royal Lives","score":0.7191,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"FIC014010","confidence_band":"low","label":"Ancient Historical Fiction","score":0.6583,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002030","confidence_band":"high","label":"Ancient Egypt","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"OCC031000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Ancient Mysteries & Lost Knowledge","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"OCC036050","confidence_band":"high","label":"Goddess Spirituality","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Ancient Egypt","score":0.7354,"slug":"ancient-egypt"},{"label":"Royal Lives","score":0.7191,"slug":"royal-lives"},{"label":"Ancient Historical Fiction","score":0.6583,"slug":"ancient-historical-fiction"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers interested in Sobekneferu and ancient Egyptian rulership","Readers curious about Egyptian magic and Victorian occultism"],"related_lists":[],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Phyllis G Jestice"],"book_id":"9781838863166","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781838863166.jpg?v=0b1468e3785a45be","score":0.7063,"title":"Pharaohs","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781838863166"},{"authors":["Barbara S. 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Burstein"],"book_id":"9780806138718","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780806138718.jpg?v=03f1345dcfdba8a3","score":0.6902,"title":"The Reign of Cleopatra","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780806138718"},{"authors":["Kathleen Sheppard"],"book_id":"9781250284358","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781250284358.jpg?v=01a7b108d148f978","score":0.6664,"title":"Women in the Valley of the Kings","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781250284358"},{"authors":["Esther Friesner"],"book_id":"9780375856556","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780375856556.jpg?v=1a42a7f6ebd7bc3b","score":0.6592,"title":"Sphinx's Princess","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780375856556"},{"authors":["Aidan Dodson"],"book_id":"9781649031631","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781649031631.jpg?v=3833d85ace947a2f","score":0.6512,"title":"The Nubian Pharaohs of Egypt","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781649031631"},{"authors":["Richard H. Wilkinson"],"book_id":"9780500284247","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780500284247.jpg?v=73f56ee0bac49c94","score":0.6465,"title":"The Complete Gods and Godesses of Ancient Egypt","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780500284247"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:ancient mystery books"],"label":"Mystery","score":0.0915,"slug":"mystery"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:first biography of sobekneferu"],"label":"Biography","score":0.0744,"slug":"biography"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:political"],"label":"Political","score":0.0493,"slug":"political"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:ancient mystery books"],"label":"Ancient","score":0.0259,"slug":"ancient"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Female rulership in ancient Egypt, Egyptian religion and magic, Victorian occult revival.","Themes: Mystery, Biography, Political.","Reading lane: Ancient Egypt and Royal Lives."]},"llm_signals":{"confidence":0.94,"pacing":"unknown","reader_fit":["Readers interested in Sobekneferu and ancient Egyptian rulership","Readers curious about Egyptian magic and Victorian occultism"],"themes":["Female rulership in ancient Egypt","Egyptian religion and magic","Victorian occult revival"],"tropes":[]},"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":true,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":0,"goodreads_ratings_count":18,"goodreads_reviews_count":4,"quality_score":0.8402}}