Crocodile on the Sandbank

What is my favorite novel? Oh, boy! That would be like asking me what is my favorite song, band, writer, or food. There is just not one answer. Sometimes it depends on my mood, sometimes it depends on the genre (although even that presents a dilemma), and sometimes it depends on what I have most recently read. Reading is as necessary as breathing to me. I am one of those annoying people who can read a book in record time and retain the information. I see the characters as real people, and if the novel is one of a series, I begin to feel as if they are old friends or family. I also find it funny how well I did in history classes thanks to the historical novels. Hey, those writers really do their research!

If I am going to choose a novel, I would go with Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters (aka Barbara Michaels). This novel is the first in the series involving the character, Amelia Peabody. Peabody is a young English woman who finds herself the sole heir of her father's estate. Since she has no desire to marry, she decides to see the world. On this trip, she meets a young, frail woman named Evelyn who is in need of help. Peabody decides to take care of her, and takes her to Egypt. Once in Egypt, Peabody falls in love with the land and discovers a passion for archaeology. It is here that she makes the acquaintance of a cantankerous archaeologist who is referred to by his last name, Emerson. He is assisted in his work by his much more amenable brother Walter, who is talented with languages.

The book is packed with Egyptian history, fascinating archaeological facts and mystery. There is danger around every corner, and one cannot be quite certain what is going to happen next. This is one of the reasons that I love the author. If I can decipher the mystery before the end of the book, I lose interest and have no reason to read further works by him or her. Peters never disappoints me, regardless of which pen name she uses. I enjoy the main characters, and the author makes the people who would be secondary just as interesting. I have read all of the novels in the Amelia Peabody series, and I am never disappointed. However, since this one is the first, it is my favorite. It led me through a lifetime of a woman, her family and her friends, and I learned not only the fascinating history of Egypt, but I learned of the trials of an independent woman in the late nineteenth century. Peabody is a forward thinking woman for her time, but she is also quite capable of being a proper lady of her time, when necessary.

The author, Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels/Barbara Mertz has a PhD in Egyptology from the University of Chicago, so she is quite knowledgeable about archaeology. This makes the book not only interesting but a learning experience. There is information about the history of the Egyptians and their mythology, as well. Also, there is much to be learned about life in Egypt in the late nineteenth century for both the natives and the people of many nationalities that lived or visited the area. Since Peabody fancies herself a bit of a detective, a medical expert and a problem-solver, she is constantly in predicaments, and she drives the people around her crazy. She takes no guff from any person, and she is quite able to protect herself, much to the consternation of the men of the time who feel as if a proper woman should rely entirely upon a man to take care of her. I enjoy Peabody tremendously.

I will not tell much of the story, since I hope you will read it and the subsequent novels featuring her, for yourself, but I appreciate that not all of her stories are the "happily ever after" types. Again, I am not telling you the end of Crocodile on the Sandbank. They are not what I would call romance novels, either. The first one, Crocodile on the Sandbank, is my favorite simply because it begins a journey through the life of a fascinating woman whom I admire. The novel is so well-written that I feel as if Amelia Peabody is a real person. I even have my husband hooked on them. Thanks to my mother, who handed that book to me when I told her that I needed something new to read, I have had years of enjoyment. The bonus is that there are now so many, that when I feel the need to start over, even with my ability to retain what I read, it is almost like reading a new book. Plus, there are so many other books under that name and under Barbara Michaels, that I can be entertained for quite some time.

To make it simple, Crocodile on the Sandbank, is one of my very favorite novels because it has a heroine who is not a fainting ninny. She is educated, and she has a thirst for knowledge. Peabody does not mind getting her hands dirty, and she has a kind of courage that is not often seen, even now. She speaks her mind in a time when a woman is supposed to be a second class citizen. Although she may seem a little brusque, she has a kind heart without being a pushover. Peabody also has no racism, which is something that has not quite been eradicated, even now. Plus, there is a lot of humor in this novel and the ones that follow. Humor is one of the best parts of any story.

Peabody is not perfect, though. She does get herself into trouble, and occasionally has to be rescued, but she does just as much rescuing in return. One of my favorite qualities that she possesses is that she does not care what others think of her and her choices and way of life. Peabody stands up for herself. As a bonus, while she is a fictional character, the historical facts are accurate and have stirred an interest in the history of the Egyptian dynasties within me. There is no better way to learn than to be entertained, and Crocodile on the Sandbank, is the first novel of many about this character who does both.