What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pitched as the Mummy meets Death on the Nile, Isabel Ibañez’s latest release, What the River Knows, is a lush YA Fantasy set in Egypt in the 19th-century.
In this story we follow Inez Olivera, who lives in Argentina, mostly with her Aunt and cousins. Inez’s parents spend the majority of their time away from their Argentinian home, traveling and researching in Egypt.
Because of this, it has always made sense for Inez to stay behind with her Aunt.
As she has gotten older though, it has started to make less sense to Inez. Why won’t they take her with them? She knows that plenty of children travel and live aboard with their parents. Why can’t she?
Before she is able to get to the bottom of these questions, she receives terrible news. Her parents are dead, lost in the desert of the country they clearly loved so much. That is all the explanation Inez is given.
Inez’s head is left spinning. How could something like this possibly happen? What were they doing unaccompanied out in the desert? Her parents were experienced travelers, in Egypt in particular, they wouldn’t have unnecessarily put themselves at risk.
When everyone in her life refuses to answer her questions, Inez decides to take matters into her own hands. Under the cover of darkness, she decides to set out on the journey that will change her life forever.
Setting sail for Cairo as a young woman traveling alone, Inez has to be extra resourceful just to get by.
Once in Cairo, she’s reunited with the Uncle she barely knows, her Mother’s brother, Ricardo, who had been a large part of all her parents’ expeditions. She also makes quick acquaintance with her Uncle’s assistant, Whit, who though handsome, becomes a big thorn in her side, dogging her every move.
Inez begins looking for clues immediately, trying to discover the truth about what happened to her parents. Her Uncle wants to send her immediately back to Argentina, but Inez isn’t giving up without a fight. She’s not leaving until she finds the answers she seeks.
This story is an absolute roller coaster ride. You go through it with Inez. Her emotions are palpable throughout. I had such empathy for her. Although she is smart and strong, there’s also something about her that is just so innocent, you want to protect her.
I loved the initial set-up and the small details of magic that Ibañez wove throughout. There is magic in this world, but it is just touches and it never overwhelms the story in any way. It’s Fantasy Light.
This story is a bit of a slow burn, and it did take me a while to read, but there was never a moment when I wasn’t enjoying it. I think the story, as it is, is just built out beautifully and although it may seem a little long, there’s nothing I would take out of it.
I loved learning about these characters, watching the relationships evolve and also trying to figure out what actually happened to Inez’s parents. It was all compelling.
The mystery does successfully build in intensity over the course of the story and I definitely suspected everyone at one point or another.
Overall, I was impressed with the scope of this adventure. I also appreciated the commentary included on colonial powers and tomb raiders, or treasure hunters, in Egypt.
Ibañez included a lot of different layers in this story, but they all worked so well together. Finally, I will just say, when I first learned about this novel, I do not believe there was anything said about it being a part of a series, so I did not know that going in.
I genuinely thought this was a standalone, then I get to the ending and I’m like, jaw on the floor, guess freaking not!?
Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was looking forward to this and it was just as wonderful as expected.
Ibañez is an incredibly talented writer. Her stories truly come to life on the page. I can’t wait to see where this goes from here. This is one ending that I will not forget!
