*Editorial Book Review*
The Moon That Fell From Heaven
by N. L. Holmes
Ehli-nikkalu, eldest daughter of the Hittite emperor, is married to a mere vassal of her father. But despite her status, her foreignness and inability to produce an heir drive a wedge between her and the court that surrounds her. When her secretary is mysteriously murdered while carrying the emperor a message that would indict the loyalty of his vassal, Ehli-nikkalu adopts the dead man’s orphaned children out of a guilty sense of responsibility.
A young cousin she has never met becomes a pretender to the throne and mobilizes roving armies of the poor and dispossessed, which causes the priority of her loyalties to become even more suspect. However, Ehli-nikkalu discovers a terrible secret that could destabilize the present regime if the pretender ever learns of it.
With the help of a kindly scribe, her brave young ward, and an embittered former soldier trapped in debt and self-doubt, Ehli-nikkalu sets out to save the kingdom and prove herself to her father. And along the way, she learns something about love.
“Where is it?” Niqmaddu demanded, stalking straight up to her and staring at her fiercely.
“Where is what?” It was all she could do not to recoil from his proximity in distaste. She was taller than he was and used her height to create a wall of offended dignity between them.
“That letter I left in here. Don’t tell me you don’t know what I mean.”
Despite being married for seven years, Queen Ehli-nikkalu's loyalty to her father always took precedence. After discovering written proof that her husband was colluding with Mizri to capture the port and halt Hatti's exactions, she sent a messenger to her father. She entrusts her letter to her most trusted messenger, who unfortunately meets a cruel fate before he can deliver it.
The King is now certain that she has betrayed him and their kingdom since he knows he left the letter in her chambers, and it's nowhere to be found. The Queen, Ehli-nikkalu, was always brave in front of her husband, but now she's afraid of his immense anger. Previously, he employed words as a weapon against her, but now he's using physical violence as a threat.
The emissary of her father was due to arrive soon, giving her an opportunity to reveal what she knows and suspects. She would do anything to protect her father's interests, regardless of the person involved.
Full of political scheming, and an attempted uprising, The Moon That Fell from Heaven by N.L. Holmes is a tautly gripping novel.
It's obvious that Holmes has spent a lot of time researching this era, and she deserves recognition for that. I was impressed with how the historical era was portrayed. However, Holmes’ decision to include her author’s notes at the end of each chapter made it difficult for me to stay engaged in the story. My preference would have been to have the author's notes in full at the beginning or end of the novel.
This novel's time skips presented a bit of a challenge for me. The author jumps the story forward in time subtly, whether by a week or a month, which caused confusion and required me to reread passages. Likewise, the beginning of the book was marked by a descriptive and busy narrative, but it became more fluid towards the end.
I found the religious component of this book quite fascinating. This story presented intriguing omens and predictions, demonstrating how the smallest things could have significant meaning in this era. Many of these omens that are included in this novel come from birds which I thought was interesting.
The novel suggests that politics is a game of power and corruption, with competing forces vying for control. Ugarit's importance as a trading port is accompanied by close connections through marriage and trade with the Hittite Land. Ugarit has varying degrees of autonomy in its internal matters, but it is still subservient to Hittite as it is a vassal state. Ugarit does have several pressing domestic concerns. There's significant unrest caused by famine and poverty. The throne is being contested by Utri-sharrumma as well, and he does seem to have a genuine claim. Utri-sharrumma is convinced that he is the legitimate ruler of Ugarit and is resolved to seize the throne by any means necessary. I was fascinated by the political landscape and its portrayal was magnificent.
The novel boasts multiple characters, all with unique backstories. Although it was taxing to keep track of all the characters at first, I appreciate their inclusions as each one adds something unique to the story.
Queen Ehli-nikkalu is the main protagonist of this tale. She is the eldest princess of the Great Lady of the powerful Hatti Land, and she is married to King Niqmaddu of Ugarit. At first, I found Ehli-nikkalu to be a rather tiresome character. Despite her refined and regal manners, she borders on rude with narcissistic traits. Only after receiving a letter from her grandmother, scolding her for her behaviour, does she begin to change. However, she remains erratic, seeking to secure the loyalty of those around her.
Although Queen Ehli-nikkalu often confuses it with pity, she still holds a deep appreciation for the concept of love, and she laments at never experiencing it. Despite her desire for a child, her husband favours his concubine over her, and that is just another thing for her to feel bitter about. The story depicts several instances where Queen Ehli-nikkalu's impulsive nature, driven by her strong emotions, endangers herself and others. While I may have had reservations about her choices, they undeniably pushed the story forward. It took some time, but I eventually grew fond of her, though connecting with her was still difficult.
The King's Mother, Sharryelli, has significant influence over her son, King Niqmaddu, making her the most powerful person in the kingdom. While Sharryelli is shown as a loving mother, mother-in-law and grandmother, she always has a scapegoat in reserve in case her plans go awry. Despite being in a man's world, she is a capable woman. I thought Sharryelli was a really interesting character. Although Queen Ehli-nikkalu initially views her as a great evil, the reader later discovers her true strength and generosity - especially with regard to Amaya.
Amaya was a character I became really fond of. Despite enduring a great deal of loss in the book, she persists in moving forward. She shows admirable devotion to her sibling and unquestionable loyalty to Queen Ehli-nikkalu. Throughout the novel, Amaya is constantly in danger, trusting only Queen Ehli-nikkalu to keep her and her siblings safe. She is an incredibly brave woman, always ready to put herself in harm's way to help others.
The further along in the story, the better the writing became. I found the plot to be well-conceived and engaging. Meeting the characters and going back in time to the world Holmes created was a great experience. This author has certainly grabbed my attention and I'll be eagerly anticipating her future books.
I Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
N.L. Holmes is the pen name of a professional archaeologist who received her doctorate from Bryn Mawr College. She has excavated in Greece and in Israel, and taught ancient history and humanities at the university level for many years. She has always had a passion for books, and in childhood, she and her cousin (also a writer today) used to write stories for fun.
The inspiration for her Bronze Age novels came with an assignment she gave to her students one day: here are the only documents we have telling us about a certain royal divorce in Ugarit in the 13th century. How much can we say about what happened? It quickly became apparent that almost anything we might come up with was as much fiction as historiography!
Today, since their son is grown, she lives with her husband, three cats and a dog. They split their time between Florida and northern France, where she gardens, weaves, plays the violin, dances, and occasionally drives a jog-cart. And reads, of course.
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