Review & Giveaway: Written in the Ashes by K. Hollan Van Zandt

Written In the Ashes by K. Hollan Van Zandt

Publisher: Harper Collins (Nov. 29, 2016)

Category: Historical Fiction

Tour Dates: May-June, 2017

ISBN: 978-0062673688

ASIN: B01CY3A8X4

Available in: Print & ebook,  554Pages

"Written in the Ashes is one of those rare novels that sets 'history' afire, to bathe readers in the glow of a greater, hotter truth. Fans of The Mists of Avalon will find this romantic/alchemical/feminist/spiritual epic equally captivating."—Tom Robbins, bestselling author of Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. and Villa Incognito

In the bloody clash between Christians and pagans in fifth-century Alexandria, a servant girl becomes the last hope for preserving peace in this evocative and thrilling tale—a blend of history, adventure, religion, romance, and mysticism reminiscent of The Mists of Avalon.

After she is abducted from her home in the mountains of Sinai, Hannah is enslaved and taken to Alexandria, where she becomes the property of Alizar, an alchemist and pagan secretly working to preserve his culture. Revered for her beautiful singing voice, the young slave is invited to perform at the city's Great Library, where she becomes friends with the revered mathematician and philosopher, Hypatia, as well as other pagans who curate its magnificent collections. Determined to help them uphold pagan culture and traditions, Hannah embarks on a dangerous quest to unite the fractured pieces of the Emerald Tablet—the last hope to save the pagans and create peace.

On this odyssey that leads her to the lost oracles of Delfi and Amun-Ra and to rediscovered ancient cities and rituals, Hannah will experience forbidden loves, painful betrayals, and poignant reunions. But her efforts may be in vain. Returning to Alexandria, Hannah finds a city engulfed in violence, even as her own romantic entanglements come to a head. Now, it's not only her future, but the fate of all Alexandria that is at stake.

MY REVIEW

Rating: 4 stars

After seeing the rave reviews of Written in the Ashes from my blogger peeps I knew I had to read it, and when Teddy emailed me with the chance to review it for Kaia's Blog Tour I immediately signed up! And boy am I glad that I did! It's just as intriguing and un-put-down-able as I hoped it would be!

Written in the Ashes brings us back to 5th century BC, to Alexandria and the events leading up to the burning of the Library at Alexandria. The story is told through the eyes of Hannah, a young girl who is taken from her homeland and sold as a slave to a prominent man in Alexandria. Her intelligence and lovely singing voice set her apart and her new owner, Alizar, sends her on a quest for the Emerald Tablet, which Alizar believed would be the key to uniting the empire.

I read Written in the Ashes in just a few sittings, despite the massive size (500 pages) and suffering from motion sickness on a road trip. No way was I going to let a little naseua keep me from finishing this amazing novel! The perfect mix of action, adventure, mysticism, history, and a strong female protagonist, Van Zandt knocks it out of the park and has written the quintessential historical fiction novel. Highly recommended!

Important Note: I feel that I would be remiss in mentioning that there is a pretty vivid rape scene in the beginning of the novel. I don't feel that it took away from the book itself, but I would hate for someone that has been a victim of sexual assault to be triggered by such a scene.

Thanks to Teddy from Virtual Author Book Tours & K. Hollan Van Zandt for the chance to read this amazing book!

Praise for Written In the Ashes

“In her captivating debut novel, Written in the Ashes, K. Hollan Van Zandt brings to life a fascinating and forgotten woman of history: Hypatia of Alexandria, who may have been one of the greatest female minds of all time. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk the streets of long ago Egypt, then look no further. You will be enthralled!”– Michelle Moran, international bestselling author of Nefertiti and Cleopatra’s Daughter

“Van Zandt’s vivid description of the Great Library instantly transported me to a lush fifth century Alexandria. Her lyrical writing style and breakneck storytelling kept me riveted to the very last page.”– Robin Maxwell bestselling author of The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn and Signora da Vinci.

"Going back so far in time leaves an author with little written record to rely on for fact. The burning of the Great Library at Alexandria was a monumental loss to humanity. The facts of the matter aside, this novel was truly arresting and I had a hard time putting it down to get anything done.
Ancient history fascinates me. Religion fascinates me. This book manages to tie both together in a story that resonates through time.
The book was fascinating. The characters were well developed and I really didn't want to leave this world of ancient Alexandria. The imaginary, magical priests and the beautiful goddesses created by Ms. Van Zandt lent themselves to a mystical world that was quite believable within its context. As the story unfolded I was rooting for Hannah to fulfill her destiny and find peace with her past. I am looking forward to the next chapters in these characters lives."-Patty Woodland, Broken Teepee

About K. Hollan Van Zandt

Kaia Van Zandt is a celebrated author and teacher whose novel, Written in the Ashes, chronicles the events that led up to the burning of the Great Library of Alexandria, Egypt. Kaia’s spiritual journey began at age 14 when she founded the youth division of the Humane Society of the United States. Then as a junior in high school, she traveled to the Earth Summit in Brazil, where she taught meditation, and was given the opportunity to work with world leaders on the challenges facing humanity and the planet today, an experience that profoundly influenced her work.

She’s a graduate of Antioch University, where she focused on the intersection between the ancient Goddess traditions and modern culture. Her fascination with healing-both personally and collectively – led her to yoga. During her career she’s worked with thought leaders like Marci Shimoff and Deepak Chopra, actors like Ashley Judd, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Garry Shandling, as well as Sony ImageWorks, UCLA Medical, and the San Francisco 49ers. Her beloved writing mentor is bestselling novelist/humorist, Tom Robbins.

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Giveaway

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