Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the dual-narrative structure affect your reading experience? Which woman’s story, Eve’s or Hatshepsut’s, resonated with you more deeply as the novel unfolded?

2. What did you think of the novel’s reimagining of Hatshepsut’s story? Have you read other historical fiction that gives a voice to a female figure from myth or ancient history, like Madeline Miller’s Circe (2018), and how did Daughter of Egypt’s approach compare?

3. What was the most memorable scene for you, and why did it stick with you after you finished the book?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Eve often feels caught between her personal passion for archaeology and the expectations of her family. Have you ever felt a similar pull between a personal calling and your perceived duties?

2. Howard Carter acts as a crucial mentor for Eve, validating her skills and ambitions. Think about a mentor in your own life. What makes that kind of relationship so transformative?

3. Near the end of the novel, Eve considers uncovering the lost histories of the women in her own family at Highclere. Does your own family have stories, particularly about its female ancestors, that have been passed down or perhaps forgotten over time?

4. Hatshepsut often performs a public role that is very different from her private self; is this a familiar experience to you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel unfolds during the rise of the Egyptian nationalist movement. In what ways does this political backdrop change your perspective on the “golden age” of European archaeology?

2. What parallels did you see between Madame Zaghloul’s modern political activism and Hatshepsut’s ancient methods of rule? Are there any current politicians or reformers that remind you of either of these women?

3. Early Egyptologists dismissed Hatshepsut as a “deviant and usurper” for taking on a male role. How do you see societal biases influencing the way history is written and interpreted today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Evaluate Porchey, Eve’s brother. What is his role in the narrative?

2. How is the architecture of Highclere Castle symbolic?

3. Consider the endings of both Eve’s and Hatshepsut’s narratives. What is the tone of these final scenes?

4. Clothing plays a significant role in the novel. Analyze not just Hatshepsut’s choice of attire, but also what Eve, Safiya Zaghloul, and Mrs. Seton wear. What does clothing symbolize?

5. Why is alternating between the first-person perspectives of Eve and Hatshepsut a fitting choice for Daughter of Egypt?

6. Have you read other novels by Marie Benedict, such as The Other Einstein: A Novel or Her Hidden Genius (2016)? If so, how does Daughter of Egypt compare to her other works that bring the stories of historical women to the forefront?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write an Epilogue set 20 years later, what would Eve’s life look like?

2. What if you were to design a museum exhibit based on this novel? What three objects would you choose to represent the parallel journeys of Eve and Hatshepsut, and what would their display labels say?

3. Imagine you found a lost letter written by Senenmut after Hatshepsut went into hiding; what would it say?