4.5 stars, this is a lot of fun, but maybe not as detailed as I like my fantasy. I love the setting in Egypt, the headstrong protagonist, the deceits and betrayals, and the bits of magic. Looking forward to the next! ( )

Maybe it was the narrators voice that bothered me"," but the protagonist seemed too childish to make the story work. I will read the next book when it comes out. ( )

Gr 8 Up—When her parents disappear, Inez abandons her future as a high-society socialite in Argentina to find
answers in Egypt and discovers their dangerous expedition to Cleopatra's Tomb. Magic and an excellent rivals-tolovers romance add layers to the tightly woven plot and intricate historical worldbuilding.

What The River Knows is a delightful historical fantasy set in the 19th Century. Our protagonist, young Inez Olivera, flouts all societal conventions and travels to Egypt by herself, hoping to discover the fates of her archaeologist parents who are missing, presumed dead. She meets up with her uncle, also an archaeologist, and thus begins a tale of magic, wonder, discovery, romance, murder, and betrayal.

Written in a clean, engaging, straightforward style, what The River Knows is a lovely book. Inez is a strong, independent woman and it is from her perspective that readers get most of the story. We learn of her resolve, her angers, her fears, her doubts, her desires. She is a very human character, likeable despite her flaws. The characters surrounding her are well-portrayed as well.

The magical elements of the story, and the lovingly researched Egyptian elements included for flavor, are delicious. The story also contains one or two incidents that are very dark, shockingly so. Well done. And that ending: utterly unexpected and flabbergasting. I will most certainly need to read the next volume of Inez Olivero's adventures.

Isabel Ibañez is a writer I will be keeping an eye on. A very enjoyable reading experience traveling down the Nile in this novel. I'm willing to wager that other books by Ibañez will provide thrills as well. ( )

https://tamaranth.blogspot.com/2024/02/2024020-what-river-knows-isabel-ibanez.ht... ( )