Thebes at War

 Naguib Mahfouz

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction

Initial Impression

This is the third historical novel by Naguib Mahfouz. I have read his first two, and this didn’t disappoint and was worth the wait and reading. 

Summary

Naguib Mahfouz’s Thebes at War drops us into a pretty bleak era of Egyptian history. We aren't looking at the height of the Empire here; instead, the North is under Hyksos occupation, and Thebes is essentially a wounded animal backed into a corner. What I found striking right away wasn't the sound of swords clashing, but the silence. There’s this heavy, bruised atmosphere where the Egyptians are paying tribute to foreign kings and just… waiting. It’s not exactly an "action-packed" start, but that slow simmer of humiliation makes the eventual pushback feel much more authentic.

The story follows the young prince Ahmose (of course, this is 10 years after the background story and what happens to his grandfather, the pharaoh of Thebes), and his "coming of age" is actually pretty frustrating at times. He isn't your typical proactive protagonist who has it all figured out. He spends a lot of time watching, absorbing the anxiety of his elders, and honestly, he seems a bit paralyzed by the weight of it all. His growth isn't a straight line to glory; it’s more of a jagged path shaped by losing people he cares about. It makes you realize that in Mahfouz’s world, leadership isn't something you’re born with. It’s something the world beats into you.

When the resistance finally starts, it’s less about "glory for the gods" and more about the gritty, messy necessity of survival. I appreciated that the victory doesn't feel like a clean Hollywood ending. By the final pages, sure, Egypt is "free," but there’s this lingering sense that the scars—both political and emotional—aren’t going anywhere. It leaves you wondering if things can ever really go back to how they were before the occupation.

Characters

The character work here is... interesting. It's very restrained. Ahmose is great because he’s allowed to be fallible—he second-guesses himself and makes bad calls, which is a relief to read. On the other hand, the side characters, be it the generals and advisors, can feel a bit like chess pieces. They represent "loyalty" or "ambition" more than they feel like people you’d grab a drink with. That said, I suspect Mahfouz did this on purpose. When the fate of a civilization is on the line, maybe the individual personalities are supposed to feel a bit dwarfed by the scale of history.

Writing Style

If you’re looking for flowery, descriptive prose about golden pyramids and glittering jewelry, this probably isn't the book for you. Mahfouz writes with a kind of "classical" distance. It’s calm, measured, and doesn't lean into melodrama. Sometimes it feels a little cold, like you're reading a very poetic history textbook, but it fits the gravity of the subject. He doesn’t over-explain what a palace looks like; he’s much more interested in what’s being whispered in the hallways. This is not his writing style in this book only, but in all his other books that I’ve read so far. I’m very familiar by now with what he focuses on. 

Atmosphere

The atmosphere is just... heavy. There’s a persistent feeling of "waiting for the other shoe to drop." It’s a slow burn, for sure. If you need a plot that moves at 100 mph, you might find yourself checking how many pages are left, but if you like that feeling of mounting tension, it works. I liked the silence and the way the author contrasted the initial silence before the storm, and the big noise that followed the start of the liberation war.

Final Thoughts

I’m landing at a four-star rating. It’s one of those books I think I respect more than I actually loved. Mahfouz is clearly aiming for a deep dive into the psychology of how a nation gathers its strength after being beaten down, and he hits that mark. The important thing is that this book remains VERY RELEVANT today. I was in the middle of reading it when the news broke that “you know who” had bombed another country and kidnapped their president so he could steal their oil in the most disgusting way that one can ever think of. 

For that main reason, I’d suggest picking this up if you’re into historical fiction that prioritizes reflection over big cinematic battles. It might not grab you by the throat in the first chapter, and the emotional distance might keep you at arm’s length, but it’s worth the time and tells you that those who rise on greed will have to fall on their nose. The fall is not a matter of if, but when. The novel makes you think about how people—and nations—finally decide that they’ve had enough of being told what to do.

Key Themes

• Occupation and National Humiliation
• Resistance as a Moral Necessity
• The Slow Formation of Leadership
• Identity and the Birth of Nationhood
• Power, Legitimacy, and Responsibility
• War Without Glory
• Sacrifice and Its Lasting Cost
• Patience as a Form of Survival
• History Shaping the Individual
• Freedom Shadowed by Uncertainty