Final review and exam/final

The extraordinary tale of, "the Mummy's Curse," is revisited and spun into a whole new tale by the gothic angel, Anne Rice. Full of magic, thrills, and a hint of love, The Mummy or Ramses the Damned is spell binding and enticing from beginning to end.

Set in 1914, an eager Lawrence Stratford discovers the resting place of Ramses, the greatest king Egypt had ever seen. Confusion erupts since Ramses was thought to have been found long ago and was supposed to reside in Cairo Museum. Stratford appears to be on the verge of the greatest archeological find of this century until his untimely death only moments after uncovering the body of Ramses. His daughter, Julie, takes over reluctantly the family business while dealing with the grief of losing her father and suspicion of Henry, her cousin, for the murder of Lawrence. But that isn’t all. Her relationship with Alex Savarell, Viscount of Summerfield, is quickly withering and Julie doesn’t know if that’s a good thing or not; especially since she’s just met Ramses the Great, known as Reginald Ramsey in this Edwardian society. And still, there’s the growing public fear of the Mummy’s curse, set ablaze by the media. “Heiress defies Mummy’s curse,  ‘Ramses the Damned’ to visit London,” is what every paper in England reads and sparks everyone’s curiosity to get a look at the mummy. Sadly, that cannot happen since Ramses is immortal and has awakened from his slumber. Slowly consequences slide into play and everyone knows the King of Egypt has returned along with his queen.

This novel flows in Anne Rice’s beautiful yet antique style of writing details these events in that elegant style we’ve come to know and love. Phrases like, “The figure stopped. It moved to the blinds. Edward stood stock-still in the chilly darkness. He watched Ramsey peer out at the sky, and perhaps at the great web of stars flung out over the roof tops,” dribble throughout the book, filling the reader with glee each time he or she stumbles upon one of these hidden gems describing the fabulous life and times of Julie or Ramses or even Henry.

His dark motives are quickly providing destruction for more lives than one and begin to drive the characters to new places, new limits, and new levels of panic. The theme of terror only Anne Rice can produce seeps into the pages because of Henry’s mad obsession for proving Ramses to be a monster. “Henry himself was in a silent rage. He glared at her as if he meant to strangle her with his bare hands. And she glared right back at him, thinking coldly, You killed my father. You would have killed me.”

The novel is definitely a strong one. Filled to the brim with marvelous description, a quick plot, and wonderfully developed character, even Lawrence, who died by the end of the first chapter, The Mummy or Ramses the Damned is a high quality book. There are very few weaknesses in the book. Any plot hole possible has been addressed at some point in the book and stitched together, leaving a flawless tale earning five stars by all who experience it.