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As the Queen of Sheba lies dying, she tells her only son the secret which she’s kept hidden his entire life. His father did not die in battle, as she led him to believe. No, indeed he is non other than King Solomon of Isreal. He bestowed on her a wondrous gift, The Kumaz, a beautiful, magical stone which becomes attended to the wearers soul. It amplifies their characteristics, reflecting their inner beauty with their outer image.
The Queen has two granddaughters, the non-identical twins Nezem and Setannah. They’re as different on the outside as they are on the inside – although both beautiful beyond imagine. Nezem is kind, generous and gentle; sharing her grandmother’s dream of Sheba being a place of sanctuary – a place where everyone is free and equal. Setannah is more calculating, bold and somewhat mocking. She has her own agenda, and will stop at nothing to achieve it.
Kumaz is a tale of a fractured and complicated relationship between twin sisters, as each battles their own demons and beliefs in order to discover what it means to be a woman. It’s set against the legendary backdrop of biblical era Isreal and Sheba, mentioning biblical figures and events. It builds into a fantastical novel about the power of a woman and how ambitions can drive a family apart.
I downloaded Kumaz somewhat excitedly, expecting high adventures, Pharaoh’s and tombs and magic interwoven throughout the book. What I got was not that. It was a slow burner, spending a lot of time with the Queen Sheba as she lay prone on her sick bed. Many family arguments and a confused text which swapped from one character’s point of view to the next within the same sentence. It was a clunky read, and did not live up to my high hopes.
S. A.
This book was reviewed as part of the Reedsy Discovery Reviewer Program. You can read the original review here. You can buy Kumaz by clicking on the name.