This week we are discussing Guarded Treasure by Mae Lovette, Ch. 15-End.
Content Warning!!! This book contains situations and subjects related to: sexual content, curses, and sexism.
Spoiler Warning!!! This post is full of spoilers for Guarded Treasure by Mae Lovette.
Discussion:
Michaela: Hello friends and welcome to our final discussion of Guarded Treasure by Mae Lovette. This last section really picked up and I think I enjoyed it more than the rest of the story. The mystery of the plot to kill the Pharaoh was quite dramatic. Amnara, or Isfetheru the Weeping Viper, was framed by the Pharaoh’s second wife. I suspected it but it was still fun to finally figure it out for sure. I felt like this whole last part was kind of jam packed with more action and story than the rest of the book.
Jac: One aspect I was a bit confused about was how Ramesses was stabbed and Amnara was framed for it…. But then he was there in her crypt as she was laid to rest. I’m not sure if this is an inconsistency in the story, or if I got confused. In any case, I hadn’t expected it to be the second wife - I had thought it was the primary one who had been behind it!
I certainly hadn’t guessed that this whole time, Ben was basically undercover finding evidence against Pimsley. I knew Ben was sneaking around doing something when he sent Edith ahead at the ball, so it was satisfying to finally find out what that was. I was annoyed that he didn’t think to leave a note for Edith, and I was annoyed that she thought the worst of him right away.
Michaela: I was also confused by seeing Ramesses in the tomb so I went back to that vision to see what I missed. He was stabbed and bleeding out, the only thing I found was that Edie said “she didn’t plot to kill Ramesses” instead of saying something like ‘she didn’t kill Ramesses’, implying he didn’t die. But I suppose in the beginning the story went that Ramesses built the tomb for Amnara after her execution, so he was never killed, just attempted. Somehow I got that all mixed up as the story went on because I was shook when Ramesses showed up. My question is did he know his wife was cursing Amnara in the afterlife? He was right there, so I find it hard to believe he didn’t but I don’t think he would have been okay with it either. All of that part was a little confusing to me if I’m being honest.
That misunderstanding trope really just jumped in there at the last second in this book but it was very quickly resolved by the character themselves which we love to see. Ben turning Pimsley in was so satisfying, I do wish it had been hinted at a smidge more though. Pimsley was such a smarmy dirtbag of a man, like every other rich white man who thinks they have the right to ancient cultural artifacts. Throw him in the trash! Or the sarcophagus like Ben did. I did laugh out loud at that one. I really thought it was going to be Ben’s crew turning against him for following a woman’s lead, but Pimsley actually shocked me and I really liked that twist. I still just wish there had been like one more clue that I could look back on and go “oh my god how did I miss it?”.
I loved the dramatics of the end of this story and I wish that those bits had been explored more and dragged out a bit. It felt like we finally got to the adventure part of this story for it to end right away. It was a satisfying ending though which was great. The quicksand and darkening skies, Ben speeding down the streets after escaping his kidnapper and showing all his cards to get him arrested, then Edie being surrounded in magical sand was such a cool visual. The last quarter of this book was really fun, adventurous, dramatic, and romantic just like I wanted it to be. I just wish the whole book had felt that way. Also, Amnara’s spirit reuniting with her son somehow brought tears to my eyes! Why was that so emotional all of a sudden, also the carving showing her and her son being burnt alive got me right in the feels too.
Jac: I wish we would have gotten more information about the magic, the curses, what all the Book of Light can do. There was mention of it reversing all the curses in tombs, so I’m surprised we didn’t get more about that in the press coverage at the end. I also thought the Medjai were kind of just an afterthought. I thought maybe they were the ones who attacked Ben outside of the market, but no! I agree on wishing there were more clues that Ben was working against Pimsley all along.
This last part of the book was definitely much more exciting, although I do feel like everything was resolved rather quickly. I’d have liked to feel a bit more tension at the end, feel more concerned about Ben being in the grasp of the enemy. I did really enjoy that Edith got everything she wanted in the end, though. She deserves that position at Oxford, and I thought the way Ben proposed was super adorable.
Well friends, that’s it for this discussion. Thank you for joining us, and we’ll see you next time!
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