Casting the Gods Adrift

Tutmose is a gifted apprentice sculptor in Akhetaten, the new capital of Egypt where Pharaoh Akhenaten has replaced the old gods with the sun disk, Aten. While Tutmose and his nearly blind brother, Ibriman, find joy in their artistic lives at court, their father is consumed by rage and religious zealotry. The father plots a terrorist act to destroy the Pharaoh during a river procession, forcing Tutmose to choose between filial piety and the lives of hundreds. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals with religious extremism and domestic tension directly. The father's zealotry is portrayed as destructive and radical. The resolution is bittersweet and realistic rather than neatly happy. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a sense of wonder at the new city and art, but the tension builds steadily into a heavy, high-stakes thriller. It ends on a note of survival and moral clarity, though the family unit is irrevocably fractured. IDEAL READER: A 10-year-old who enjoys history but is also starting to notice the political or religious disagreements in their own community. It is perfect for the child who values fairness and feels a strong protective instinct toward siblings. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might see their child struggling with a 'secret' they feel they must keep for a peer or relative that feels 'wrong' or dangerous. PARENT PREP: Parents should be aware of the scene involving the father's violent intent and the high-tension climax on the Nile. Parents may want to familiarize themselves with the Amarna Period of Egypt to better understand the historical context of the religious conflict depicted in the book. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers (9) will focus on the adventure and the mystery of the father's plan. Older readers (12) will better grasp the philosophical conflict between the 'old ways' and 'new ways' and the agonizing moral choice Tutmose faces. DIFFERENTIATOR: It stands out by linking the creation of one of history's most famous artifacts (the Nefertiti bust) to a high-stakes political thriller about domestic radicalization. ```