by Gary J.Shaw

• Non-Fiction
• Mythology
• Egypt
• History
• Myths

This book offers a factual overview of key Egyptian myths, presented in a clear sequence from creation to death. I’ve always been fascinated by ancient Egypt—so much so that as a child I wanted to become an Egyptologist or archaeologist—and that curiosity clearly hasn’t faded. A friend lent me this book, and I was excited to dive in.

The book is divided into three parts: the creation of the world and humanity, the gods and their roles, and finally, death and the afterlife. It’s a straightforward retelling of major stories; if you’re hoping for a creative or narrative-driven version of the myths, this isn’t it. Instead, Shaw delivers concise, factual summaries—almost like a collection of short stories.

Despite my long-standing interest in Egypt, I quickly realised why I never had a full grasp of the mythology: it’s complicated. The book packs a huge amount of information into a relatively small space, which can feel overwhelming at times.

One of the most compelling insights for me was Shaw’s explanation of how the Greeks modelled some of their gods and belief systems upon Egyptian deities, simply changing their names. It makes perfect sense in retrospect, but it wasn’t something I expected.

There were moments where the list-style retellings lost my attention, and although I did enjoy the book overall, I couldn’t confidently recount most of the myths back to you—there’s just so much to take in.

Still, this book has deepened my interest in Egyptian mythology, and I may look into it further. The extensive further-reading list at the back is a helpful starting point, and I’m especially keen to explore the similarities and differences between Greek and Egyptian mythology.

As for practical takeaways—well, the most entertaining section was the inclusion of “do-it-yourself” ancient spell recipes, such as:

1. Find a ‘gecko from the fields’.
2. Drown it in a bowl of lily oil.
3. Engrave ‘Asclepius of Memphis’ (Imhotep) in Greek onto an iron ring that was once a shackle.
4. Dunk the ring in your expired-gecko lily oil.
5. Hold the ring up to the Pole Star.
6. Say seven times: “Menophri, sitting on the cherubim, send me the real Asclepius, not a deceitful demon instead of the god.”
7. In your bedroom, burn three grains of frankincense in a bowl and pass the ring through the smoke.
8. Say, “Lord Asclepius, appear!” seven times.
9. Wear the ring on the index finger of your right hand while you sleep.
10. Wait for Imhotep to appear in your dream.

I’d say this book works well as an easy beginner’s guide to Egyptian mythology. If you’re not already interested in the subject, you might find it a difficult read, but for anyone who wants to better understand how the ancient Egyptians thought and how their myths evolved, it’s a strong starting point.

This title is part of a series I’ve seen in several museums, and I’d be very interested in reading more—especially if there’s a Greek edition, so I can compare the two mythologies even further.