Don't let all the cool magic powers in The Red Pyramid make you forget that the basis for the very idea of magic and magicians comes from the ancient Egyptian religion. Religion in this sense is basically a set of guidelines for how to live, how to die, and how to interact with the natural (and supernatural) forces that surround you. The fact that ancient Egyptian religion is polytheistic—it has a lot of gods—and is not based on a single sacred text—like the Bible or the Quran—means that it can be more open to interpretation than some modern religions you might already be familiar with. Add to this mix the author's creative spin on religion, and you're in for a wild ride.
Questions About Religion
- Sadie and Carter obviously enter the story with different levels of knowledge about ancient Egyptian religion. Who has it better?
- Why are most magicians so opposed to worshiping gods?
- What do the myths about the gods reveal about ancient Egyptian culture?
- How did the book's take on Egyptian religion change or challenge what you already knew—or thought you knew—about the religion?