The combination of historical events and mythology was unique and unlike anything I had read before.Some conversations between characters felt more natural than others. But overall it was an enjoyable read.

I tried super hard with this one but, I really couldn't get into it. I liked the Egyptian mythology aspect and all of those aspects. It did give me Shadowhunter vibes and I think this is going to be great for fans of that series.

This book was very eloquently written, almost to a fault. While it made the sequence of events flow, it tended to stilt the conversation. Some of the characters would have enormous monologues that really hindered the believability of the story. It was a beautiful read, just not a very realistic one.

The characters were also questionable. Sayer, the love interest, seemed all too convenient. He was literally the only Egyptian boy around her age that she met. Nasira was also a little too perfect, being both a brilliant fighter and a decent friend. It was enjoyable, however, to see Ziva gradually open up to them. I liked that she was a strong female character.

I saw the betrayal coming from the beginning, but her final decision caught me by suprise. It is not the route I would have gone, but I can easily see how she would believe it is what would be best for her people. I respect her for that.

The book itself was fairly fast paced and kept my attention. I learned more about the Egyptian Gods, which is always fun. If asked, I would recommend it to fans of Rick Riordan and Marissa Moss.

I really enjoyed the mix of mythology and history in this novel I think its what made me enjoy it more. The characters were great and the only thing I was confused about was using Nazis and ancient Egypt. But it worked for me.

NOTE: thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC of this novel. "Wardens of Eternity" will be released on January 21, 2020.


THE POSITIVES

I don't read much action-adventure, nor do I read a lot of books that deal with magic and mythology; "Wardens of Eternity" was a bit of an outside-of-the-box read for me. I love action-adventure movies, so I'm not surprised, but the degree to which I enjoyed this was unprecedented. 

The premise of "Wardens" - teenage girl with magical powers finds out she's the descendant of a powerful Egyptian queen and is swept into a world where mythological deities and creatures meddle in mortals' affairs - is wholly unique, but it's got a vibe that feels familiar. It's like The Mummy meets Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Percy Jackson,  with a plenty of its own unique flavor to spare. The action kept me on my toes, the settings were evocatively painted, and the characters were easy to love. Another thing I loved about "Wardens" was its cinematic feel. This novel would make a fantastic film - I felt like I was reading an action movie, if that makes any sense. The way action scenes and settings are described capture the feeling of seeing, visually, the story as it plays out. It's hard to capture that very visual feeling in a completely verbal medium, but Moulton does it quite nicely. Oh, and that TWIST ENDING - I did not see it coming at all and there had better be a sequel to this, because there's way too much that we still don't know to end Ziva's story here! 

Lastly, as the author explains in a note sent to reviewers, this book was a very personal exploration of what it's like to be a person of Mediterranean heritage in the United States. I could tell, while reading, that Ziva's struggles were very much the author's own, and I appreciated the heart and honesty with which she tackled issues that clearly hit close to home. And we don't see a lot of Mediterranean POC characters of any nationality  in YA, so Ziva's Egyptian heritage adds a bit of diversity to the book world in an area not many people are talking about.

THE CONS

The main issue I had with this book was its writing style. The dialogue came off as very stilted at times; many of the characters seemed to speak in grand, scripted proclamations rather than casually conversing with each other as most people do. This was especially evident because of the fact that most of the story's social commentary was done through dialogue. There were some very good points about imperialism to be made, but the fact that characters spoke in such an unrealistically lofty manner made it sound a liiiittle heavy-handed and ultimately dampened its power. It was like no one could talk about anything without making a speech. And some parts of the writing seemed like they could have been less clunky. However, the strength of the story was more than enough to make me overlook that. 

Also, this isn't necessarily a knock on the story, but the summary made it sound like "Wardens" would focus much more on Ziva and the Medjai's attempts to stop the Nazis than it ever did. That plot seemed like it was no more than a brief footnote at the very end of the book. It took at least half the book for Ziva and co. to even leave New York, so most of it was actually focused on Ziva's training and attempts to discover who she is through her Medjai heritage. 

CLOSING

Six-Word Summary: ancient Egypt meets 1930s - chaos ensues. 

Recommended For: fans of mythology, Egyptology, or action-adventure stories helmed by Interesting and Capable Females. 

Possibly-Objectionable Content: a few heated kisses.

Overall Rating: 4/5