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With Eyes of Blue

Author Erin Hylands is a writer friend of mine, so I was excited to read her book and share my thoughts on it with you all!

Summary

Set in Ancient Egypt, 965BC, With Eyes of Blue follows the story of Amunet. Amunet is a young Egyptian girl who wakes up to find herself mysteriously trapped inside the pyramid of dead Pharaoh Ahmose. She has no memory of how she got there or who she is. Once she finds her way out of the dark pyramid, she befriends an Israelite family, who help support her while she struggles to recall her past. Throughout the story, the Israelite family shares stories about their God, Yahweh, and how He cares for Amunet. With their help, Amunet remembers who she really is and rises up to her new identity to serve her people.

Intended ages according to author/publisher:

The recommended age for With Eyes of Blue is 10-14 years old. As an older teen, I still loved the story and I think that younger readers would as well.

Violence:

At the time the story is set, Egypt is at war with several other countries. There is a bit of fighting mentioned briefly, but no gory or violent scenes.

Language:

Since this story takes place in Egypt, naturally some of the characters swear by the gods of Egypt, but there is no foul language used at all in this book.

Relationship/Morality:

There are a few subtle romance relationships woven in through the story, but they were very clean and sweet. Solomon, prince of Israel, has a part in the book and he ends up marrying one of the main characters. Some of the characters hold hands and hug, but that is all.

Magic or Spiritual Realms

Once again, since this story is in Egypt, some of the characters believe in the Egyptian gods, and mention them frequently. But author Erin Hylands also did a beautiful job of weaving in the truth of the one true God, Yahweh, and proving how He is supreme over the false gods of Egypt.

Intense Scenes:

The most intense scene is probably at the beginning when Amunet is trapped inside Pharaoh Amose’s pyramid. Lots of groping around in the dark and getting lost among the many rooms of the pyramid.

Our Thoughts:

With Eyes of Blue was an intriguing and fun read! Something that I really loved was the Biblical elements throughout the story, and how the Israelite family shares about their God to Amunet. It’s very sweet and encouraging to read about! It was also fun to see some Biblical characters like King David and Solomon appear in the story.

Overall, I think that readers 10 and older could read and enjoy this book! Perfect for independent readers who are wanting a longer book to read but aren’t ready for other historical fictions like Jenny L. Cote’s The Dreamer, the Schemer and the Robe.

Ages 4-6: Not recommended
Ages 7-8: Not recommended
Ages 9-10: Recommend
Ages 11-12: Recommended
Ages 13-15: Recommended
Ages 16-18: Recommended

Noble Knoll

3 Minute Review: With Eyes of Blue