Wendy N. reviewed on + 177 more book reviews
This book is much broader in scope than I had expected. The whole contentious debate over the reliability of mitochondrial DNA typing is here, as well as several very interesting historical accounts, including the discovery of the Iceman (frozen in the alps for several centuries) and the story of the recovery and identification of the remains of the Romanovs. Of course, the process of identifying the seven maternal ancestors of most European is here. Bryan Sykes demonstrates that he is also quite able as a historical fiction writer, as he invents the unknowable details of the lives of each of the seven based on the archeological evidence collected from the regions suggested by the genetic confluence. Overall, a well written and easily accessible book.
