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Cleopatra's Daughter
At the dawn of the Roman Empire, when tyranny ruled, a daughter of Egypt and a son of Rome found each other...
Selene's legendary parents are gone. Her country taken, she has been brought to the city of Rome in chains, with only her twin brother, Alexander, to remind her of home and all she once had.
Living under the watchful eyes of the ruling family, Selene and her brother must quickly learn how to be Roman – and how to be useful to Caesar. She puts her artistry to work, in the hope of staying alive and being allowed to return to Egypt. Before long, however, she is distracted by the young and handsome heir to the empire...
When the elusive ‘Red Eagle' starts calling for the end of slavery, Selene and Alexander are in grave danger. Will this mysterious figure bring their liberation, or their demise?
Selene's legendary parents are gone. Her country taken, she has been brought to the city of Rome in chains, with only her twin brother, Alexander, to remind her of home and all she once had.
Living under the watchful eyes of the ruling family, Selene and her brother must quickly learn how to be Roman – and how to be useful to Caesar. She puts her artistry to work, in the hope of staying alive and being allowed to return to Egypt. Before long, however, she is distracted by the young and handsome heir to the empire...
When the elusive ‘Red Eagle' starts calling for the end of slavery, Selene and Alexander are in grave danger. Will this mysterious figure bring their liberation, or their demise?
429 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2009
About the author
Michelle Moran
12 books5,154 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of eight historical novels. A native of southern California, she attended Pomona College, then earned a Masters Degree from the Claremont Graduate University. During her six years as a public high school teacher, she used her summers to travel around the world, and it was her experiences as a volunteer on archaeological digs that inspired her to write historical fiction. Her novels, translated into more than twenty languages, include Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra’s Daughter, Madame Tussaud, The Second Empress, Rebel Queen, Mata Hari, and Maria. A frequent traveler, she currently lives with her family in England, where she is researching her ninth book.
Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of eight historical novels. A native of southern California, she attended Pomona College, then earned a Masters Degree from the Claremont Graduate University. During her six years as a public high school teacher, she used her summers to travel around the world, and it was her experiences as a volunteer on archaeological digs that inspired her to write historical fiction. Her novels, translated into more than twenty languages, include Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, Cleopatra’s Daughter, Madame Tussaud, The Second Empress, Rebel Queen, Mata Hari, and Maria. A frequent traveler, she currently lives with her family in England, where she is researching her ninth book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,639 reviews
September 6, 2021
Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, the ten-year old twins of Queen Cleopatra and Mark Antony, are taken as prisoners to Rome by Octavian (later renamed Caesar Augustus) after their parents committed suicide when he conquered Egypt. For about five years, they live under Octavia's protective wing, who is Octavian's sister and ex-wife of Mark Antony.
Some good things about this story:
1. it focuses on what life in imperial Rome may have been like under Octavian's rule, and how Selene may have envisioned it as a young teenager with a front-row seat to all the goings-on;
2 it contains very descriptive details throughout; and,
3. it includes a most informative "Afterword" and "Historical Note".
Some things that niggled me:
1. since Selene only plays an eyewitness role in this story, I wish this part was maybe 25% of the book and that the "Afterword", which tells of Selene's life as a married woman and Queen of Mauretania, was the major focus instead. In reality, she makes noteworthy accomplishments as a monarch - that would have made an interesting story in itself! Instead, the "mystery" of the fictional "Red Eagle" seemed contrived and time-consuming;
2. some terminology inaccuracies were distracting. If I didn't just read that it was Consuelo Vanderbilt who coined the phrase "an heir and a spare", and not an ancient Roman, I probably wouldn't have stopped and said, "Now, wait a minute here!"; and,
3. the narrator chosen for this audiobook sounded much too mature for a young girl, and the reading speed was way too fast - I needed to slow it down to make sense of the story!
Overall, this book isn't my favorite historical fiction by Moran, as I felt disappointed by the lack of Selene's achievements in history. Otherwise, I really enjoy reading her books, and I will continue to do so in the future!
Some good things about this story:
1. it focuses on what life in imperial Rome may have been like under Octavian's rule, and how Selene may have envisioned it as a young teenager with a front-row seat to all the goings-on;
2 it contains very descriptive details throughout; and,
3. it includes a most informative "Afterword" and "Historical Note".
Some things that niggled me:
1. since Selene only plays an eyewitness role in this story, I wish this part was maybe 25% of the book and that the "Afterword", which tells of Selene's life as a married woman and Queen of Mauretania, was the major focus instead. In reality, she makes noteworthy accomplishments as a monarch - that would have made an interesting story in itself! Instead, the "mystery" of the fictional "Red Eagle" seemed contrived and time-consuming;
2. some terminology inaccuracies were distracting. If I didn't just read that it was Consuelo Vanderbilt who coined the phrase "an heir and a spare", and not an ancient Roman, I probably wouldn't have stopped and said, "Now, wait a minute here!"; and,
3. the narrator chosen for this audiobook sounded much too mature for a young girl, and the reading speed was way too fast - I needed to slow it down to make sense of the story!
Overall, this book isn't my favorite historical fiction by Moran, as I felt disappointed by the lack of Selene's achievements in history. Otherwise, I really enjoy reading her books, and I will continue to do so in the future!
March 10, 2015
In terms of the recommendation to those who love historical fiction and ancient Egypt, as a voracious reader and someone so interested in history that I've made a career out of it, I've got to say that my response was more of a mixed bag to this book.
There were good and bad things to say about this book. I didn't like the blatant name-dropping, especially as it served little to no purpose and seemed to be added in purely for the "Ooooh, look, there's Ovid! And this is Vercingetorix's daughter!!!" factor. It just seemed unnecessary to drop names when the main characters and plot ought to be able to carry a novel. There were also some implausible moments, such as Octavian taking the children with him out and about in Alexandria, or Octavia befriending them instantly (having the children by another woman of the husband who abandoned you dropped into your care? You'd at least think it'd take a while to bond). Also the twins seem to fit into their new lives and companions in Rome rather quickly, which surprised me given the traumatising experiences they'd been through. It just takes away from a sense that these are real people reacting as real people would. Well-drawn characters react to events around them in a way that makes sense given their personality and experiences, and it shows refinement from an author if they can create characters who seem to react and grow almost naturally.
There's a lot of exposition throughout the book. It's all too obvious that it's exposition for the benefit of the reader, and unfortunately it hasn't been done subtly. The information conveyed consists of all the most iconic trivia about the Romans that has filtered into the public consciousness, and the way it's presented is rather clunky and simplistic in a "oh and by the way did you know..." kind of way, such as Octavian saying "And remember, a third of Rome's population is enslaved". It's not woven into the plot very often, it tends to take the form of one character verbally explaining things to another character. The plot twists can be seen a mile off, and by page 80 I had guessed who the Red Eagle would be and who Kleopatra Selene would end up with (I'm avoiding saying who so as not to give spoilers, but it's become a real trend in historical fiction recently). The inclusion of the fictional Red Eagle plot surprised me because it's such a well worn storyline in so many books before, the classic "masked fighter of injustice in the big city" trope, and I wondered if Moran felt like she had to include it out of fear that readers would think the unembellished true story was too "boring" or "dull".
In addition, the scope of the story felt very insular and small scale, and not just because Kleopatra Selene is the first person narrator. The sense of epic scale is missing from this book, which feels strange given that the events and characters were so important historically. Many scenes are blinkered and narrow in scope, and I felt that there were some missed opportunities to convey a grander scale of events - for example, Octavian's first triumph is covered in only two pages and most of that consists of Kleopatra Selene's internal thoughts with a few titbits of description thrown in, and I was a bit disappointed that it didn't really evoke the magnitude of the occasion. I was pleasantly surprised by the author's note at the back of the book, and really appreciated Moran having a frank discussion about some of the changes she made to the history. However, I was also disappointed that there were so very many inaccuracies which are not mentioned in the author's note. Poor Octavian takes a beating on the historical accuracy front - his description and many of his actions in the novel are in fact made up - and I thought he was too vilified.
On the positive side, the story built up well to the climax, creating tension and probably the most emotion in the entire novel with a certain tragic incident, and then releasing that tension with the double revelation of the Red Eagle's identity and the identity of Kleopatra Selene's intended husband. Though the writing was rather simplistic, it seemed more forgivable if I approached this as a children's book. I actually think it was a good marketing decision to rate this book as for Young Adults/Adults (her previous two novels were defined only for the Adults group) - I think Moran needs to go further and market it completely at the early teens age group. Viewing it from that perspective, the story comes off as an enjoyable teenaged adventure romp. It's not earth-shattering literature, but it seems really well suited to an enthusiastic young historian, or those times when you just want to kick back and read something fun and unchallenging.
4 out of 10
There were good and bad things to say about this book. I didn't like the blatant name-dropping, especially as it served little to no purpose and seemed to be added in purely for the "Ooooh, look, there's Ovid! And this is Vercingetorix's daughter!!!" factor. It just seemed unnecessary to drop names when the main characters and plot ought to be able to carry a novel. There were also some implausible moments, such as Octavian taking the children with him out and about in Alexandria, or Octavia befriending them instantly (having the children by another woman of the husband who abandoned you dropped into your care? You'd at least think it'd take a while to bond). Also the twins seem to fit into their new lives and companions in Rome rather quickly, which surprised me given the traumatising experiences they'd been through. It just takes away from a sense that these are real people reacting as real people would. Well-drawn characters react to events around them in a way that makes sense given their personality and experiences, and it shows refinement from an author if they can create characters who seem to react and grow almost naturally.
There's a lot of exposition throughout the book. It's all too obvious that it's exposition for the benefit of the reader, and unfortunately it hasn't been done subtly. The information conveyed consists of all the most iconic trivia about the Romans that has filtered into the public consciousness, and the way it's presented is rather clunky and simplistic in a "oh and by the way did you know..." kind of way, such as Octavian saying "And remember, a third of Rome's population is enslaved". It's not woven into the plot very often, it tends to take the form of one character verbally explaining things to another character. The plot twists can be seen a mile off, and by page 80 I had guessed who the Red Eagle would be and who Kleopatra Selene would end up with (I'm avoiding saying who so as not to give spoilers, but it's become a real trend in historical fiction recently). The inclusion of the fictional Red Eagle plot surprised me because it's such a well worn storyline in so many books before, the classic "masked fighter of injustice in the big city" trope, and I wondered if Moran felt like she had to include it out of fear that readers would think the unembellished true story was too "boring" or "dull".
In addition, the scope of the story felt very insular and small scale, and not just because Kleopatra Selene is the first person narrator. The sense of epic scale is missing from this book, which feels strange given that the events and characters were so important historically. Many scenes are blinkered and narrow in scope, and I felt that there were some missed opportunities to convey a grander scale of events - for example, Octavian's first triumph is covered in only two pages and most of that consists of Kleopatra Selene's internal thoughts with a few titbits of description thrown in, and I was a bit disappointed that it didn't really evoke the magnitude of the occasion. I was pleasantly surprised by the author's note at the back of the book, and really appreciated Moran having a frank discussion about some of the changes she made to the history. However, I was also disappointed that there were so very many inaccuracies which are not mentioned in the author's note. Poor Octavian takes a beating on the historical accuracy front - his description and many of his actions in the novel are in fact made up - and I thought he was too vilified.
On the positive side, the story built up well to the climax, creating tension and probably the most emotion in the entire novel with a certain tragic incident, and then releasing that tension with the double revelation of the Red Eagle's identity and the identity of Kleopatra Selene's intended husband. Though the writing was rather simplistic, it seemed more forgivable if I approached this as a children's book. I actually think it was a good marketing decision to rate this book as for Young Adults/Adults (her previous two novels were defined only for the Adults group) - I think Moran needs to go further and market it completely at the early teens age group. Viewing it from that perspective, the story comes off as an enjoyable teenaged adventure romp. It's not earth-shattering literature, but it seems really well suited to an enthusiastic young historian, or those times when you just want to kick back and read something fun and unchallenging.
4 out of 10
December 16, 2015
This book was chosen for the May/June 2010 group read in the historical fiction group that I moderate here on Goodreads, and I couldn't wait to read it, so I started a teensy bit early. *blush* I'd been wanting to read one of Michelle Moran's books for a while, since I hear so much praise for them, and I'd planned on starting with "Nefertiti" with a friend, but that kind of fell apart due to other obligations. So I was thrilled when "Cleopatra's Daughter" was chosen, as it gave me the perfect excuse to shove all of my obligations off to the side for a day and read this.
And it literally only took me a day to read it. I could not put it down. I've always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt and Rome, so this one was right up my alley. (All of Moran's books at this point are right up my alley, actually!) I was not disappointed. The book starts with a bang with Cleopatra's rule crumbling around her, and follows Selene (Cleopatra's daughter) as she's taken from her home and country to Rome, which is rife with danger, uncertainty, spies, cattiness and political roller-coasters. Selene and her twin brother, Alexander, are guest/prisoners of the royal family, and never know what the next day will bring - an unwanted and unhappy marriage, slavery, death?
It's fascinating. I would have gladly read another 400 pages. There was so much going on between these covers that even though it was not action-packed, it felt like it was, and I just had to know what would happen next. This is the kind of book that made me love historical fiction - books that can bring a name and date-range to life, and make me not only intrigued by their life, but care about them, and empathize with them. So much in history is distant and boring that unless you have a real interest and passion for it, we forget to keep it alive. And much of history was so brutal and harsh that we forget that people who lived it were really people, and had hopes and dreams and fears that were probably cut short by the brutality and upheaval. It's easy to distance ourselves from that brutality, so that 30,000 deaths in such and such battle becomes just a number, and not a staggering atrocity.
But this book brought these ancient people to life, and I crossed my fingers for them, and mourned with them, and was angry on their behalf even though they've all been dead for 2000 years. I loved Selene's character. I admired her courage to do the right thing even when it could have cost her her life at any time. Her life was one thread away from forfeited as soon as she stepped foot off of Egyptian soil, but she still spoke up for those who could not speak for themselves. And this, in a time when callousness and bloodlust seemed to be an artform, is admirable.
I also loved the way that Octavian Caesar's loyal men were humanized, rather than just being expressionless moving statues which do the Caesar's bidding, they were men who were able to think and feel and hope themselves.
I also loved the political and societal issues depicted. Octavian's fear of any potential threat, his genius political maneuvering and manipulation, his ruthlessness all gave me chills. Livia's too, and her pure maliciousness made me want to slap her. I couldn't imagine living under the thumb of people like that. But then to counter them, Octavia, his sister, was kind and compassionate and charitable, even when she had cause not to be, and when it was almost pointless given the attitudes of the time.
Moran pulls no punches with this book, and shows the harshness of living in Rome at this time. Slaves were everywhere and harshly ruled and even more harshly punished at their owners' and/or corrupt judges' whims. Babies are cast out for being born the wrong sex, or for having a deformity, or for no reason at all other than that they are unwanted and are left to die of starvation or by the elements if not for charitable wet-nurses. It's appalling, but all of this combined to create a Rome that felt real to me.
I also liked the subtle nod to homosexuality in the book, and how it's accepted in private, but kept quiet in public. I'm glad that we're at a point now where being gay is socially accepted (by most) and doesn't need to be hidden.
Anyway, in short, I loved this book. The only thing that I can think of to complain about is a single misspelling: quite should have been quiet, and that should have been caught by an editor. ;) I will definitely be reading more of Moran's books. If they are half as good as this one it will be well worth it. :)
And it literally only took me a day to read it. I could not put it down. I've always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt and Rome, so this one was right up my alley. (All of Moran's books at this point are right up my alley, actually!) I was not disappointed. The book starts with a bang with Cleopatra's rule crumbling around her, and follows Selene (Cleopatra's daughter) as she's taken from her home and country to Rome, which is rife with danger, uncertainty, spies, cattiness and political roller-coasters. Selene and her twin brother, Alexander, are guest/prisoners of the royal family, and never know what the next day will bring - an unwanted and unhappy marriage, slavery, death?
It's fascinating. I would have gladly read another 400 pages. There was so much going on between these covers that even though it was not action-packed, it felt like it was, and I just had to know what would happen next. This is the kind of book that made me love historical fiction - books that can bring a name and date-range to life, and make me not only intrigued by their life, but care about them, and empathize with them. So much in history is distant and boring that unless you have a real interest and passion for it, we forget to keep it alive. And much of history was so brutal and harsh that we forget that people who lived it were really people, and had hopes and dreams and fears that were probably cut short by the brutality and upheaval. It's easy to distance ourselves from that brutality, so that 30,000 deaths in such and such battle becomes just a number, and not a staggering atrocity.
But this book brought these ancient people to life, and I crossed my fingers for them, and mourned with them, and was angry on their behalf even though they've all been dead for 2000 years. I loved Selene's character. I admired her courage to do the right thing even when it could have cost her her life at any time. Her life was one thread away from forfeited as soon as she stepped foot off of Egyptian soil, but she still spoke up for those who could not speak for themselves. And this, in a time when callousness and bloodlust seemed to be an artform, is admirable.
I also loved the way that Octavian Caesar's loyal men were humanized, rather than just being expressionless moving statues which do the Caesar's bidding, they were men who were able to think and feel and hope themselves.
I also loved the political and societal issues depicted. Octavian's fear of any potential threat, his genius political maneuvering and manipulation, his ruthlessness all gave me chills. Livia's too, and her pure maliciousness made me want to slap her. I couldn't imagine living under the thumb of people like that. But then to counter them, Octavia, his sister, was kind and compassionate and charitable, even when she had cause not to be, and when it was almost pointless given the attitudes of the time.
Moran pulls no punches with this book, and shows the harshness of living in Rome at this time. Slaves were everywhere and harshly ruled and even more harshly punished at their owners' and/or corrupt judges' whims. Babies are cast out for being born the wrong sex, or for having a deformity, or for no reason at all other than that they are unwanted and are left to die of starvation or by the elements if not for charitable wet-nurses. It's appalling, but all of this combined to create a Rome that felt real to me.
I also liked the subtle nod to homosexuality in the book, and how it's accepted in private, but kept quiet in public. I'm glad that we're at a point now where being gay is socially accepted (by most) and doesn't need to be hidden.
Anyway, in short, I loved this book. The only thing that I can think of to complain about is a single misspelling: quite should have been quiet, and that should have been caught by an editor. ;) I will definitely be reading more of Moran's books. If they are half as good as this one it will be well worth it. :)
September 16, 2009
Wow! I loved this book! 'Cleopatra's Daughter' is one of the best books I have read for a long time! Cleopatra Selene, her twin brother, Alexander, and their young brother Ptolemy suffer the loss of their parents, Cleopatra and Marc Antony, when Romans invade Egypt. As the children of the King and Queen of Egypt, Selene and her brothers are forcibly taken to Rome, essentially as prizes of the war. The story takes flight after their arrival in Rome and the twins adjust to a vastly different lifestyle than they knew in Egypt. Octavian is the ruler of Rome and the person responsible for their parents'deaths, but they have no choice to obey and trust him because he is repsonsible for their livelihood. Octavian has the children live with his kind sister and her son, but still their fates are ominously uncertain. When they arrive in Rome, Selene and Alexander are only eleven and not a threat to Octavian, but will they still be safe when they reach adulthood at 15?
Each and every character leapt off the page and their vivid personalities were based on historical record. Selene was definitely her mother's daughter, an intelligent, strong girl, not afraid to stand up for herself and what she believes in. Her compassion for the less fortunate showed her soft and caring side. Selene had a passion for drawing and her talent for sketching buildings impressed even Octavian.
Selene's peers were more interested in betting on chariot races and shopping than participating in her scholarly and charitable pursuits, but they were definitely supportive of her and more idealistic than the older generation. Selene loves getting attention from Octavian's nephew and probable heir, Marcellus. Marcellus is handsome, young, and carefree, and clearly admires Selene's beauty as well as her morals. Selene fails to notice that Juba, one of Octavian's most trusted guards, admires her as well for her strength and hope along with her humanitarian endeavors.
I loved the portrayal of Selene's relationship with Alexander. As twins, they had an incredibly close bond that was strengthened by the loss of their family and home. Sometimes they felt like all they had was each other. They were much more learned than most Romans, due to their mother's guidance, and they would speak to each other in languages that no one else could understand. Moran really captured their deep bond, affection for each other, and even playfulness.
The author added the fictional character of the Red Eagle to represent those Romans who fought against slavery. The identity of the Red Eagle is a secret and the mystery surrounding him and his adventures add a lot of excitement to the story.
Michelle Moran really brought Selene's world alive. She told an epic story but never lost sight of the everyday details of ancient Rome. I felt like I could see Juba's statues, Selene's scrolls, and Marcellus and Alexander's betting dice. My only complaint about this book is that at 400 pages, it was over too soon! I feel like there is much more of Selene's story to be told, and really hope that Moran has plans for a sequel!
Reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
Each and every character leapt off the page and their vivid personalities were based on historical record. Selene was definitely her mother's daughter, an intelligent, strong girl, not afraid to stand up for herself and what she believes in. Her compassion for the less fortunate showed her soft and caring side. Selene had a passion for drawing and her talent for sketching buildings impressed even Octavian.
Selene's peers were more interested in betting on chariot races and shopping than participating in her scholarly and charitable pursuits, but they were definitely supportive of her and more idealistic than the older generation. Selene loves getting attention from Octavian's nephew and probable heir, Marcellus. Marcellus is handsome, young, and carefree, and clearly admires Selene's beauty as well as her morals. Selene fails to notice that Juba, one of Octavian's most trusted guards, admires her as well for her strength and hope along with her humanitarian endeavors.
I loved the portrayal of Selene's relationship with Alexander. As twins, they had an incredibly close bond that was strengthened by the loss of their family and home. Sometimes they felt like all they had was each other. They were much more learned than most Romans, due to their mother's guidance, and they would speak to each other in languages that no one else could understand. Moran really captured their deep bond, affection for each other, and even playfulness.
The author added the fictional character of the Red Eagle to represent those Romans who fought against slavery. The identity of the Red Eagle is a secret and the mystery surrounding him and his adventures add a lot of excitement to the story.
Michelle Moran really brought Selene's world alive. She told an epic story but never lost sight of the everyday details of ancient Rome. I felt like I could see Juba's statues, Selene's scrolls, and Marcellus and Alexander's betting dice. My only complaint about this book is that at 400 pages, it was over too soon! I feel like there is much more of Selene's story to be told, and really hope that Moran has plans for a sequel!
Reviewed for: http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
March 14, 2014
I read a lot of Roman material: fiction, history, contemporary letters, etc. So when an author's view of Rome significantly departs from what is known about the period, it yanks me out of the story. My wife and I had recently finished Colleen McCullough's masterful multi-volume series on Rome, which ended with the event at which this book begins. The contrast was jarring. Perhaps it says more about the quality of writing, but I think it says more about the comparative depth of research. McCullough's bibliography runs to nearly 50 pages of primary sources.
Perhaps it's the narrator's voice - a teenage Egyptian princess in Rome is a typical fish out of water, and her upbringing and youth would provide a much smaller lens from which to view the Rome to which she's been forcibly brought. But the author gets enough things wrong - the value of a denarius, the appropriate size of a dowry, the value of daughters to noble Roman males as political assets, injecting 21st-century political issues (same-sex marriage?) into 1st century BCE heads - that I had serious trouble staying in the world Moran created. But it was a Christmas gift, so we persisted.
Frustrations with historicity aside, the novel was predictable, and few of the characters felt fully rendered, none of them men. Livia is little more than a snarling harpy. You are left to wonder how Moran's Octavian managed to conquer the Roman world.
But no matter. It's safe to say I was not the intended audience. But it's an odd book; not romantic enough to be a romance, insufficient veritas to stand as reliable historical fiction.
Perhaps it's the narrator's voice - a teenage Egyptian princess in Rome is a typical fish out of water, and her upbringing and youth would provide a much smaller lens from which to view the Rome to which she's been forcibly brought. But the author gets enough things wrong - the value of a denarius, the appropriate size of a dowry, the value of daughters to noble Roman males as political assets, injecting 21st-century political issues (same-sex marriage?) into 1st century BCE heads - that I had serious trouble staying in the world Moran created. But it was a Christmas gift, so we persisted.
Frustrations with historicity aside, the novel was predictable, and few of the characters felt fully rendered, none of them men. Livia is little more than a snarling harpy. You are left to wonder how Moran's Octavian managed to conquer the Roman world.
But no matter. It's safe to say I was not the intended audience. But it's an odd book; not romantic enough to be a romance, insufficient veritas to stand as reliable historical fiction.
April 3, 2024
“I'm not staring. I'm observing. . . . And what do you observe? . . . A brave young woman who has always fought for what was right, even when it was unpopular.”
― Michelle Moran, Cleopatra's Daughter
Such a lovely and interesting novel. There are so very many books on Cleopatra (and I have read many of them) but few on her children. This is one of them. It's about her daughter, Cleopatra Selene.
This author is excellent at writing historical fiction.
I have now read several of Michelle Moran's books and this is one of my favorites. Being a real enthusiastic reader of Cleopatra, since childhood, I wanted to read this because it is about her daughter.
I have now read two books on Cleopatra Selene, this one and "Cleopatra's Moon". But this was the first book I read on Cleopatra's daughter and it was elegantly written, beautifully crafted and just plain wonderful to read.
So I really enjoyed this for all the reasons one enjoys Historical fiction. This is told from the daughter's point of view and I did read some of the other reviews and a few did not like that this book is in a child's voice.
I did not see that as an obstacle at all in my reading enjoyment.
She maybe a child but wise and strong beyond her age, as was her mother. And She does grow and mature during the book but she is, as stated, young, so those bothered by reading books where the narrator is a YA may not take to this. I loved it.
I loved the romance aspect, the stunning atmosphere, the Historical element. It was a great book and I wound up suggesting it to my old book club and they loved it too. One club member told me it was one of her favorites of the year.
Read it if you want some awesome Historical Fiction. But also read it if you, like myself, are a fan of all things Cleopatra, including what the lives of her children were like. To the best of my knowledge, this was Cleopatra's only daughter, though she had several other children, all boys.
I've met few people who read this and did not like it. I like this author very much and this is one of her best.
― Michelle Moran, Cleopatra's Daughter
Such a lovely and interesting novel. There are so very many books on Cleopatra (and I have read many of them) but few on her children. This is one of them. It's about her daughter, Cleopatra Selene.
This author is excellent at writing historical fiction.
I have now read several of Michelle Moran's books and this is one of my favorites. Being a real enthusiastic reader of Cleopatra, since childhood, I wanted to read this because it is about her daughter.
I have now read two books on Cleopatra Selene, this one and "Cleopatra's Moon". But this was the first book I read on Cleopatra's daughter and it was elegantly written, beautifully crafted and just plain wonderful to read.
So I really enjoyed this for all the reasons one enjoys Historical fiction. This is told from the daughter's point of view and I did read some of the other reviews and a few did not like that this book is in a child's voice.
I did not see that as an obstacle at all in my reading enjoyment.
She maybe a child but wise and strong beyond her age, as was her mother. And She does grow and mature during the book but she is, as stated, young, so those bothered by reading books where the narrator is a YA may not take to this. I loved it.
I loved the romance aspect, the stunning atmosphere, the Historical element. It was a great book and I wound up suggesting it to my old book club and they loved it too. One club member told me it was one of her favorites of the year.
Read it if you want some awesome Historical Fiction. But also read it if you, like myself, are a fan of all things Cleopatra, including what the lives of her children were like. To the best of my knowledge, this was Cleopatra's only daughter, though she had several other children, all boys.
I've met few people who read this and did not like it. I like this author very much and this is one of her best.
January 31, 2020
Absolutely loved this book. Fast easy read! Read all Michelle Moran's other book's as a result! All great!
June 21, 2017
While an interesting take on the children of Cleopatra and Marc Antony, there is very little imagination or even characterization going on here. You don't feel attached to the characters, there is little to no reason to keep reading, and even the plot is a play-by-play account and not a real story. The ending feels more like a sop to keep the reader happy than an ending, and even the more intriguing characters seem flat and uncaring. I enjoyed the background because I like historical fiction, but for the most part, it's a shame. There was so much potential with this story, and Moran botched it.
March 6, 2022
Looks like I read this six years ago? Now that I have a better grip on Egypt let’s see if my rating increases
So I’m doing audio this time and the narrator is TOTALLY WRONG Such a bad choice! I can’t think what her name is but she reads more mature voiced books, so no.
Oh right now I remember why I gave it two stars! Heavy on the fiction, light on the historical. Moran has much better work than this out there. And I could have sworn Selena’s twin had a different name than Alexander. That’s not clicking with me at all from all the reading I’ve done. This is one book than let me down. I hate that because I like Moran.
Thanks for the info on her brother’s name. I don’t think I’ve read much about him except sporadically in something to do with his mother. I hate when something is in your brain and you just can’t get it out.
HELIOS! THATS the name I had in my mind! His MIDDLE NAME! To go with his twin sister! I admit I googled it because it was driving me crazy !
So I’m doing audio this time and the narrator is TOTALLY WRONG Such a bad choice! I can’t think what her name is but she reads more mature voiced books, so no.
Oh right now I remember why I gave it two stars! Heavy on the fiction, light on the historical. Moran has much better work than this out there. And I could have sworn Selena’s twin had a different name than Alexander. That’s not clicking with me at all from all the reading I’ve done. This is one book than let me down. I hate that because I like Moran.
Thanks for the info on her brother’s name. I don’t think I’ve read much about him except sporadically in something to do with his mother. I hate when something is in your brain and you just can’t get it out.
HELIOS! THATS the name I had in my mind! His MIDDLE NAME! To go with his twin sister! I admit I googled it because it was driving me crazy !
July 31, 2020
The story of the ill-fated love affair and marriage of Marc Anthony and the Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, is well known. What isn’t well known is that Cleopatra had four children: Caesarion (translated as “little Caesar) one by Gaius Julius Caesar and three by Marc Anthony: the twins Alexander Helios (Greek for “sun”) and Cleopatra Selene (Greek for “moon”), and Ptolemy Philadelphus by Marc Anthony. Those children’s stories, for the most part, have been consigned to the dustbin of history.
But we do know this: Octavian, Julius Caesar’s nephew and future emperor of Rome, defeated Marc Anthony and took control of Egypt. He had Caesarion murdered. Then he shipped Caesarion, Alexander, and Selene to Rome to take part in his triumph and afterwards had his younger sister, Octavia Minor, take them into her household. Apparently, though, Ptolemy Philadelphus never completed the voyage and Alexander soon disappeared from history. But not Selene. She grew up and became Queen of Mauretania, which is in modern-day Algeria.
From these historical snippets, Michelle Moran weaves a delightful tale about Cleopatra Selene. Her story begins in Egypt with the defeat of Marc Anthony and the arrival of Octavian and ends when Selene becomes queen. The novel isn’t an edge-of-the-seat action thriller. Instead it’s more like a leisurely travel guide of Rome at the end of the Republic and gives you a good idea of what it was like to live there. I have a Master’s Degree in Roman History and was impressed with Moran’s research and the tidbits of social history she put into the novel.
I would have given the book five stars except for a couple of issues. First, I think the Red Archer was a bit of fluff that detracted from the plot. Apparently, Moran used him to show the horrors of slavery and to put some “action and intrigue” into the story. But for me, that failed. And second, Selene was ten years old when she was taken to Rome and already she had a knack for designing things. And by 13 or so she was designing buildings for Rome’s preeminent architect? I found that a bit far-fetched and hard to believe.
All and all, though, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a wonderful book, and I intend to read Moran’s other novels: Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen.
But we do know this: Octavian, Julius Caesar’s nephew and future emperor of Rome, defeated Marc Anthony and took control of Egypt. He had Caesarion murdered. Then he shipped Caesarion, Alexander, and Selene to Rome to take part in his triumph and afterwards had his younger sister, Octavia Minor, take them into her household. Apparently, though, Ptolemy Philadelphus never completed the voyage and Alexander soon disappeared from history. But not Selene. She grew up and became Queen of Mauretania, which is in modern-day Algeria.
From these historical snippets, Michelle Moran weaves a delightful tale about Cleopatra Selene. Her story begins in Egypt with the defeat of Marc Anthony and the arrival of Octavian and ends when Selene becomes queen. The novel isn’t an edge-of-the-seat action thriller. Instead it’s more like a leisurely travel guide of Rome at the end of the Republic and gives you a good idea of what it was like to live there. I have a Master’s Degree in Roman History and was impressed with Moran’s research and the tidbits of social history she put into the novel.
I would have given the book five stars except for a couple of issues. First, I think the Red Archer was a bit of fluff that detracted from the plot. Apparently, Moran used him to show the horrors of slavery and to put some “action and intrigue” into the story. But for me, that failed. And second, Selene was ten years old when she was taken to Rome and already she had a knack for designing things. And by 13 or so she was designing buildings for Rome’s preeminent architect? I found that a bit far-fetched and hard to believe.
All and all, though, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a wonderful book, and I intend to read Moran’s other novels: Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen.
July 12, 2010
so I gave up after 120 pages. The perspective was from a 10 year old in 27BC who sounds like a 25 year old in 2010 AD. very Dawson's Creek, but not is a good way.
March 1, 2021
It took me quite a while to get into the book, and perhaps because of the slow build-up and a saturation point in reading (had been reading at a frantic pace the first 4 months of the year), it was almost 5 months before I picked it up again (or any reading at all).
Anyways, after the long break, I got absorbed into it quickly. The narrative was compelling, though I could see the plot twists that the author tried to create long before they were revealed .... the secret about Alexander, his fate, the identity of Red Eagle ....
I enjoyed it, but felt that there was something missing.
Anyways, after the long break, I got absorbed into it quickly. The narrative was compelling, though I could see the plot twists that the author tried to create long before they were revealed .... the secret about Alexander, his fate, the identity of Red Eagle ....
I enjoyed it, but felt that there was something missing.
July 18, 2009
I loved this book! As with her previous books, Moran has a knack for bringing the ancient world alive. Following the defeat and death of her parents, Cleopatra Selene (along with her two brothers) are taken to Rome by Octavian where they will be raised by his sister Octavia (the wife Marc Antony left for Cleopatra - the woman must have been a saint). The book covers about a 3 year period as Selene grows up under the watchful eye of Octavia and learns about life and love. If you don't know much about her, don't Google her or you'll ruin the end of the story!
February 16, 2021
This is one of those books where I feel a real sense of loss having finished it. I just really sunk into the world. I should really seek out more varied historicals because I do so enjoy these "new" worlds.
Wanted more from the romance in this!!! I guess there's always Yuletide.
Owned physical book 1/2 for the month
Overall owned book 3/5 for the month
Wanted more from the romance in this!!! I guess there's always Yuletide.
Owned physical book 1/2 for the month
Overall owned book 3/5 for the month
November 13, 2020
When Egypt is conquered by Octavian and Mark Anthony & Cleopatra wind up dead by their own hand, their twin children are taken. Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, are eleven years old when their parents and kingdom are taken away from them. Octavian takes the children to Rome, places them in his sister Octavia's household and parades them as victory trophies. Unsure of their fate, Selene and Alexander try to be more Roman and to become useful to Caesar. As they are being raised by Caesar's sister, someone in her household catches Selene's eye, but as the Princess of Egypt she can not afford to get distracted by a son of Rome. Or can she?
Recently, I have been doing some reading into English royalty. On that note, I thought I should look into another monarchy and as I had never read anything related to Ancient Egypt, I thought this would be a good time to begin. I, of course, am familiar with Cleopatra but know little about her, her family or Ancient Egypt. That made the initial reading of this book slightly complicated as I knew nothig about the people or events. The narrative starts off with the defeat of Mark Anthony by Octavian's forces. Egypt falls into Roman rule. Only the children are spared from the iconic couple (both take their own lives). Selene and Alexander are eleven years old and forced to go got to Rome. Surprisingly, they are welcomed into the house of the sister of Octavian, Octavia (who was actually married to Mark Anthony [their father] before he married their mother Cleopatra). Realizing their uncertain status, both Selene and Alexander do their best to adapt and try to be useful. Selene refuses to forget Egypt but fights to make her place in Rome. She actually makes meaningful friendships and connections but her Greek side will always be a danger to her and to Alexander.
I did not love this book initially but the further I read on, the more I was intrigued by these ancient worlds. Selene and Alexander certainly were dealing with quite a bit of trouble. At first, I was not a fan of the characterization for a bulk of these characters were children that appeared too adult. The note at the end clarified that life in ancient Rome was tough, life spans were considerably shorter and children had to grow up quickly. As the twins of Queen Cleopatra, one of the most learned women in the world, it makes sense that they would act considerably older than their 11 to 15 years of age. Historical details were, I think, wonderfully integrated and I learned quite a bit. I liked the historical aspect and Selene herself is admirable. She was a child that had to take on the weight of her family, her country and legacy on her shoulders. She did so well. I have had The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George on my TBR for a while now and having read this propels me to move that book further up the list. My interest has been piqued. I am glad to have read this book.
Recently, I have been doing some reading into English royalty. On that note, I thought I should look into another monarchy and as I had never read anything related to Ancient Egypt, I thought this would be a good time to begin. I, of course, am familiar with Cleopatra but know little about her, her family or Ancient Egypt. That made the initial reading of this book slightly complicated as I knew nothig about the people or events. The narrative starts off with the defeat of Mark Anthony by Octavian's forces. Egypt falls into Roman rule. Only the children are spared from the iconic couple (both take their own lives). Selene and Alexander are eleven years old and forced to go got to Rome. Surprisingly, they are welcomed into the house of the sister of Octavian, Octavia (who was actually married to Mark Anthony [their father] before he married their mother Cleopatra). Realizing their uncertain status, both Selene and Alexander do their best to adapt and try to be useful. Selene refuses to forget Egypt but fights to make her place in Rome. She actually makes meaningful friendships and connections but her Greek side will always be a danger to her and to Alexander.
I did not love this book initially but the further I read on, the more I was intrigued by these ancient worlds. Selene and Alexander certainly were dealing with quite a bit of trouble. At first, I was not a fan of the characterization for a bulk of these characters were children that appeared too adult. The note at the end clarified that life in ancient Rome was tough, life spans were considerably shorter and children had to grow up quickly. As the twins of Queen Cleopatra, one of the most learned women in the world, it makes sense that they would act considerably older than their 11 to 15 years of age. Historical details were, I think, wonderfully integrated and I learned quite a bit. I liked the historical aspect and Selene herself is admirable. She was a child that had to take on the weight of her family, her country and legacy on her shoulders. She did so well. I have had The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George on my TBR for a while now and having read this propels me to move that book further up the list. My interest has been piqued. I am glad to have read this book.
August 18, 2016
Many of us know the story of Cleopatra, the beautiful and famed Egyptian queen who wedded Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony and who killed herself after Octavian conquered Egypt. But how many know what happened to her children? Cleopatra's Daughter (ironic, really, that the story persists in snobbishly spelling her name Kleopatra when the title spells it with a C) tells the story of Kleopatra Selene, Cleopatra's daughter who was brought to Rome in chains after her parents' defeat. The story follows her transition from girl to young woman as she lives in Rome and interacts with historical characters ranging from Tiberius to Julia to Ovid.
I enjoyed many aspects of Cleopatra's Daughter. Michelle Moran is a good writer and she does a great job fleshing out historical characters and events. It really brought history to life. The story flows well and really is interesting. The historical setting and the basically unknown personality of Selene alone provides a setting for a fascinating book. The mystery thrown in kept the plot going as well. It really was a decent, fun, historical read. However, it never got above 3 stars in my mind. I "liked" it, but only just.
Truthfully, I didn't care much for the main character, Selene. She had very few redeeming qualities. She was snobbish, jealous, conniving, and, frankly, boring. She is perfect at everything. Selene is beautiful, excels at school and is so excellent at drawing that a famous architect basically makes her his star apprentice. She whines about how unfair and difficult her life is (*gasp*, Octavian will choose a husband for her! The man could be old!) when in fact it only reflected the reality of every Roman girl. She could easily have been sold as a slave, or killed! The farther I got in the book, the harder it was to sympathize with her.
What I disliked most about Selene was her crush on Marcellus. Talk about angst overload! On the one hand, she is supposed to be this intelligent, shrewd woman. On the other hand, she continues to pine after this dopey guy for years just because he has a handsome face? Ugh.
Selene also throws out her sense and intelligence when it comes to the mystery of the Red Eagle. It is OBVIOUS who the Red Eagle is, but she continues to stumble about, mentally accusing the same two people. The Red Eagle plot line was stretched out far too long. Once it became obvious who the Red Eagle was, the mystery ceased to be, and instead there were simply endless paragraphs of Selene and the other characters wondering who it was. While the Red Eagle mystery helped pull the plot from utter dullness, it wasn't quite enough to create suspense.
Perhaps it wasn't just the Red Eagle mystery, the book itself was too long. Moran spends a lot of time talking about the social wrongs of Rome, particularly the way unwanted infants were treated. However, while it adds to Selene's frustration with Rome, it doesn't actually add to an overall plot. Julia's friend's baby and its subsequent abandonment might have added pathos to the story, but to be honest, doesn't seem to have a role.
Overall, I would say my biggest frustration with this book (besides my dislike for Selene) was its loose plot. Is it a romance? A mystery? A slice of life? None of elements are developed well enough to make this book a tight, cohesive story. It was a good story, an enjoyable one, but not something that fully satisfied me. The frustrating thing is, it could have been!
While I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading Cleopatra's Daughter, I also wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it either.
I enjoyed many aspects of Cleopatra's Daughter. Michelle Moran is a good writer and she does a great job fleshing out historical characters and events. It really brought history to life. The story flows well and really is interesting. The historical setting and the basically unknown personality of Selene alone provides a setting for a fascinating book. The mystery thrown in kept the plot going as well. It really was a decent, fun, historical read. However, it never got above 3 stars in my mind. I "liked" it, but only just.
Truthfully, I didn't care much for the main character, Selene. She had very few redeeming qualities. She was snobbish, jealous, conniving, and, frankly, boring. She is perfect at everything. Selene is beautiful, excels at school and is so excellent at drawing that a famous architect basically makes her his star apprentice. She whines about how unfair and difficult her life is (*gasp*, Octavian will choose a husband for her! The man could be old!) when in fact it only reflected the reality of every Roman girl. She could easily have been sold as a slave, or killed! The farther I got in the book, the harder it was to sympathize with her.
What I disliked most about Selene was her crush on Marcellus. Talk about angst overload! On the one hand, she is supposed to be this intelligent, shrewd woman. On the other hand, she continues to pine after this dopey guy for years just because he has a handsome face? Ugh.
Selene also throws out her sense and intelligence when it comes to the mystery of the Red Eagle. It is OBVIOUS who the Red Eagle is, but she continues to stumble about, mentally accusing the same two people. The Red Eagle plot line was stretched out far too long. Once it became obvious who the Red Eagle was, the mystery ceased to be, and instead there were simply endless paragraphs of Selene and the other characters wondering who it was. While the Red Eagle mystery helped pull the plot from utter dullness, it wasn't quite enough to create suspense.
Perhaps it wasn't just the Red Eagle mystery, the book itself was too long. Moran spends a lot of time talking about the social wrongs of Rome, particularly the way unwanted infants were treated. However, while it adds to Selene's frustration with Rome, it doesn't actually add to an overall plot. Julia's friend's baby and its subsequent abandonment might have added pathos to the story, but to be honest, doesn't seem to have a role.
Overall, I would say my biggest frustration with this book (besides my dislike for Selene) was its loose plot. Is it a romance? A mystery? A slice of life? None of elements are developed well enough to make this book a tight, cohesive story. It was a good story, an enjoyable one, but not something that fully satisfied me. The frustrating thing is, it could have been!
While I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading Cleopatra's Daughter, I also wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it either.
November 28, 2010
Semua orang tentu mengetahui Kleopatra, sang ratu Mesir yang terkenal dengan kecantikan dan kelicikannya. Kleopatra VII, yang kisah cintanya dengan Marc Anthony adalah salah satu cerita cinta terbesar pada waktu Sebelum Masehi. Tapi setelah kematian Kleopatra yang menyedihkan, kehidupan Mesir tidak berakhir begitu saja. Masih ada anak-anak Kleopatra dan Marc Anthony, yang terus hidup dan menderita.
Setelah kematian Kleopatra dan Marc Anthony, ketiga anak mereka diambil oleh Octavian, kaisar Romawi yang berhasil menduduki Mesir. Si kembar berusia 12 tahun Kleopatra Selene dan Alexander Helios, serta adik mereka Ptolemy yang masih berusia 3 tahun, sengaja dibiarkan hidup untuk dibawa ke Roma dalam Perayaan Kemenangan Octavian. Octavian sengaja membiarkan mereka hidup karena itu akan membuatnya terlihat bermurah hati, dan agar mereka dapat berguna dalam perkawinan politik yang akan disusun olehnya.
Selene dan Alexander kehilangan hampir segalanya; harta mereka, posisi mereka sebagai Pangeran dan Putri, rumah mereka di Mesir, orang tua mereka, bahkan adik mereka Ptolemy yang sakit keras dan akhirnya mati. Mereka dipaksa menyesuaikan diri dan mengakui diri mereka sebagai warga Roma. Memakai pakaian ala orang Roma, pulasan seperti warga Roma, dan menilai sesuatu dari sudut pandang Roma. Selene yang cantik dan cerdas, meskipun keras kepala, menemukan kebebasannya dalam melukis arsitektur gedung-gedung. Kakak kembarnya Alexander yang tampan dan ramah lebih memilih pacuan kuda dan bersosialisasi dengan anak-anak Roma lainnya. Mereka melindungi satu sama lain, dan bersumpah akan kembali ke Mesir bersama-sama suatu hari nanti.
Di umur yang masih belia, para anak-anak bangsawan Roma sudah mengerti bahaya dan kewajiban mereka pada Roma. Tindakan-tindakan dan ucapan mereka bagaikan anak berumur 15 atau 16 tahun di masa kini. Sekali, saudara tiri Selene dan Alexander yang masih berumur 10 tahun datang dan memperingatkan mereka agar berguna untuk Octavian, karena itulah satu-satunya cara untuk bertahan hidup di Roma. Kemiskinan dan bayi-bayi yang ditelantarkan bukanlah hal yang aneh di Roma. Perkawinan bagi wanita adalah kewajiban, dan ayah serta saudara lelaki merekalah yang memutuskan perkawinan itu. Budak-budak adalah pihak yang tak bisa menuntut. Kaum bangsawan dan senat adalah pihak yang akan selalu memerintah Roma.
Merskipun tidak seratus persen sama dengan sejarah, Cleopatra’s Daughter berhasil menyuguhkan kisah yang menawan dengan setting Sebelum Masehi. Istilah-istilah Latin seperti chitos dan domina mewarnai cerita, dan kebiasaan-kebiasaan orang Romawi digambarkan dengan begitu baik. Setiap tokoh dalam cerita memegang peran yang penting, terutama tokoh Red Eagle yang digambarkan sebagai tokoh misterius yang ingin menghentikan perbudakan di Roma. Aku terutama mengagumi tokoh Selene yang pandai, tegar, dan tak pernah berhenti menyerah dalam memerangi ketidakadilan.
Cleopatra’s Daughter membuatku menangis dan tertawa. Efek yang ditimbulkannya begitu dahsyat, dan aku yakin seperti setiap buku yang luar biasa, buku ini akan tetap mempengaruhiku dalam waktu yang lama. Aku bahkan merasa sedih ketika aku mencapai halaman terakhir, dan membaca halaman terakhir kisah ini.
Setelah kematian Kleopatra dan Marc Anthony, ketiga anak mereka diambil oleh Octavian, kaisar Romawi yang berhasil menduduki Mesir. Si kembar berusia 12 tahun Kleopatra Selene dan Alexander Helios, serta adik mereka Ptolemy yang masih berusia 3 tahun, sengaja dibiarkan hidup untuk dibawa ke Roma dalam Perayaan Kemenangan Octavian. Octavian sengaja membiarkan mereka hidup karena itu akan membuatnya terlihat bermurah hati, dan agar mereka dapat berguna dalam perkawinan politik yang akan disusun olehnya.
Selene dan Alexander kehilangan hampir segalanya; harta mereka, posisi mereka sebagai Pangeran dan Putri, rumah mereka di Mesir, orang tua mereka, bahkan adik mereka Ptolemy yang sakit keras dan akhirnya mati. Mereka dipaksa menyesuaikan diri dan mengakui diri mereka sebagai warga Roma. Memakai pakaian ala orang Roma, pulasan seperti warga Roma, dan menilai sesuatu dari sudut pandang Roma. Selene yang cantik dan cerdas, meskipun keras kepala, menemukan kebebasannya dalam melukis arsitektur gedung-gedung. Kakak kembarnya Alexander yang tampan dan ramah lebih memilih pacuan kuda dan bersosialisasi dengan anak-anak Roma lainnya. Mereka melindungi satu sama lain, dan bersumpah akan kembali ke Mesir bersama-sama suatu hari nanti.
Di umur yang masih belia, para anak-anak bangsawan Roma sudah mengerti bahaya dan kewajiban mereka pada Roma. Tindakan-tindakan dan ucapan mereka bagaikan anak berumur 15 atau 16 tahun di masa kini. Sekali, saudara tiri Selene dan Alexander yang masih berumur 10 tahun datang dan memperingatkan mereka agar berguna untuk Octavian, karena itulah satu-satunya cara untuk bertahan hidup di Roma. Kemiskinan dan bayi-bayi yang ditelantarkan bukanlah hal yang aneh di Roma. Perkawinan bagi wanita adalah kewajiban, dan ayah serta saudara lelaki merekalah yang memutuskan perkawinan itu. Budak-budak adalah pihak yang tak bisa menuntut. Kaum bangsawan dan senat adalah pihak yang akan selalu memerintah Roma.
Merskipun tidak seratus persen sama dengan sejarah, Cleopatra’s Daughter berhasil menyuguhkan kisah yang menawan dengan setting Sebelum Masehi. Istilah-istilah Latin seperti chitos dan domina mewarnai cerita, dan kebiasaan-kebiasaan orang Romawi digambarkan dengan begitu baik. Setiap tokoh dalam cerita memegang peran yang penting, terutama tokoh Red Eagle yang digambarkan sebagai tokoh misterius yang ingin menghentikan perbudakan di Roma. Aku terutama mengagumi tokoh Selene yang pandai, tegar, dan tak pernah berhenti menyerah dalam memerangi ketidakadilan.
Cleopatra’s Daughter membuatku menangis dan tertawa. Efek yang ditimbulkannya begitu dahsyat, dan aku yakin seperti setiap buku yang luar biasa, buku ini akan tetap mempengaruhiku dalam waktu yang lama. Aku bahkan merasa sedih ketika aku mencapai halaman terakhir, dan membaca halaman terakhir kisah ini.
October 1, 2014
Where to start? When I first started this a month ago I was really disappointed in it. In fact, so disappointed that I put it down for 2-3 weeks. I ordered it because I was in the mood for a historical novel that would teach me things through a fantastic story. A story like one by Follett, Gable, Gordon. Those authors make me feel like I just had the best history lecture ever, without it ever feeling like one. Cleopatra's daughter felt like I was reading a middle grade historical novel. Imagine Percy Jackson turned into Cleopatra's daughter. I would have not ordered it had I known that, but all you ever get to read about is how it is an 'intelligent historical novel' and how the author has been working at archaeological sites around the world.
The characters didn't have any depth, they were naive and extremely young (especially the main character, a 12-year-old girl and her spoiled friend), important characters, like the emperor of Rome, acted unrealistically, the story line was flat and rushed. The most exciting thing happened within the last 50p and it happened completely out of nowhere. Just..ugh, irritating.
As far as historical facts and input goes, this really didn't teach me anything. I studied Latin for over 6 years and am familiar with Roman life during that time. It truly was uncomfortable to see how the author build in facts and dropped names in the most obvious way. 'Here is a fact/historical person for you!!!'- was how it felt.
The only people I'd recommend this to would be girls around the age 12-15 who have never read a historical novel before and can relate to silly girl crushes and naive main characters. It probably is a great first step into the genre for a young teen! I remember reading similar things before heading into 'grown-up' historical fiction. So, all in all, somewhere between 1-2 stars for me.
The characters didn't have any depth, they were naive and extremely young (especially the main character, a 12-year-old girl and her spoiled friend), important characters, like the emperor of Rome, acted unrealistically, the story line was flat and rushed. The most exciting thing happened within the last 50p and it happened completely out of nowhere. Just..ugh, irritating.
As far as historical facts and input goes, this really didn't teach me anything. I studied Latin for over 6 years and am familiar with Roman life during that time. It truly was uncomfortable to see how the author build in facts and dropped names in the most obvious way. 'Here is a fact/historical person for you!!!'- was how it felt.
The only people I'd recommend this to would be girls around the age 12-15 who have never read a historical novel before and can relate to silly girl crushes and naive main characters. It probably is a great first step into the genre for a young teen! I remember reading similar things before heading into 'grown-up' historical fiction. So, all in all, somewhere between 1-2 stars for me.
September 7, 2021
I always enjoy reading Moran's historical fiction novels. They are easy to read yet still filled with wonderful gems of historical fact and her sense of place is easily felt as you read them. That said, I was slightly disappointed with this book.
I love the Roman Empire era and was really looking forward to this one, but while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as satisfying as some of her previous novels. I was especially disappointed with the rush to end the book-- I felt like 100 pages or so had been left on the editor's desk, which was a big disappointment.
I appreciate learning about the lesser known children of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, but I would have loved a little more depth!
I love the Roman Empire era and was really looking forward to this one, but while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as satisfying as some of her previous novels. I was especially disappointed with the rush to end the book-- I felt like 100 pages or so had been left on the editor's desk, which was a big disappointment.
I appreciate learning about the lesser known children of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, but I would have loved a little more depth!
September 17, 2009
What a waste of timber! The plot in this "novel" is paper-thin and the dialogue is perfectly puerile. I am astounded that others have given this punishing volume fine ratings. The breadth of this subject would have been better left to more finely chiseled authors.
Read
October 4, 20233★ Good story, just not my favorite topic and I found my mind wandering at times. Lots of Roman Empire politics. Read for a challenge.
March 29, 2016
I went into CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER with almost no idea at all about her children by Marc Antony. This isn't to say I had no idea who they were, but I didn't know their fates beyond that they didn't die with Cleopatra. Moran is careful to note any historical changes she made in the Historical Notes section, although she stayed as true to what is factually known as possible, in as much as possible.
There are smaller details that are interesting and noteworthy—such as Livia's (Octavian's obsequious, spiteful wife) purposeful misspelling of Kleopatra, substituting the 'C' for the 'K' or the topical references to Spartacus, not as a historical mark piece, but as a rebellious slave that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Or Octavian's careful cruelty (challenging a father to duel his son to the death) and fake humbleness (visitors only see the crude wood benches when visiting, not the luxurious silver-gilted tables and couches his friends dine at).
The key is in the details, after all.
We follow Kleopatra Selene and her twin brother, Helios Alexander (Marc Anthony's 'Sun and Moon'), from the age of 11 years old (in 30 B.C.), all the way to 25 B.C. when they are 15 years old. We start with Octavian storming Kleopatra the VII's palace and taking the children captive for his 'Triumph' in Rome, and end things with Selene finally leaving Rome.
Selene is depicted as being willful, clinging to a past that can never be again and searching for a way to keep herself alive in a kingdom where its ruler will kill a trusted friend's son just because he speaks rashly. I felt pity for Selene, for the troubles she had to endure and rise above, but some of that she brought on herself by being stubborn. Her brother, in contrast, tries to fall into line as quickly as possible. He is the more practical one, but also tends to make foolish choices to 'impress' others.
The cast of characters surrounding Selene are all, with the exception of one, true historical personages she met and interacted with. Most interesting to me was Gallia (a Gallic Princess enslaved three decades before by Julius Caesar after his conquering of Gaul) and Octavia, Octavian's sister. Octavia was at times the most caring, compassionate person Selene had ever met, but she was Roman to her core—employing slaves, devoted to her brother's politics (if not his practices, and a worshiper of the Roman Gods.
This is a wonderful, remarkable book that historical fiction lovers will be immensely pleased with.
There are smaller details that are interesting and noteworthy—such as Livia's (Octavian's obsequious, spiteful wife) purposeful misspelling of Kleopatra, substituting the 'C' for the 'K' or the topical references to Spartacus, not as a historical mark piece, but as a rebellious slave that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Or Octavian's careful cruelty (challenging a father to duel his son to the death) and fake humbleness (visitors only see the crude wood benches when visiting, not the luxurious silver-gilted tables and couches his friends dine at).
The key is in the details, after all.
We follow Kleopatra Selene and her twin brother, Helios Alexander (Marc Anthony's 'Sun and Moon'), from the age of 11 years old (in 30 B.C.), all the way to 25 B.C. when they are 15 years old. We start with Octavian storming Kleopatra the VII's palace and taking the children captive for his 'Triumph' in Rome, and end things with Selene finally leaving Rome.
Selene is depicted as being willful, clinging to a past that can never be again and searching for a way to keep herself alive in a kingdom where its ruler will kill a trusted friend's son just because he speaks rashly. I felt pity for Selene, for the troubles she had to endure and rise above, but some of that she brought on herself by being stubborn. Her brother, in contrast, tries to fall into line as quickly as possible. He is the more practical one, but also tends to make foolish choices to 'impress' others.
The cast of characters surrounding Selene are all, with the exception of one, true historical personages she met and interacted with. Most interesting to me was Gallia (a Gallic Princess enslaved three decades before by Julius Caesar after his conquering of Gaul) and Octavia, Octavian's sister. Octavia was at times the most caring, compassionate person Selene had ever met, but she was Roman to her core—employing slaves, devoted to her brother's politics (if not his practices, and a worshiper of the Roman Gods.
This is a wonderful, remarkable book that historical fiction lovers will be immensely pleased with.
September 29, 2019
The engaging tale of Cleopatra's surviving children attempting to survive in Ancient Rome under the eye of Emperor Augustus and his family. Still young they have to worry what happens when they reach the age of 15 and become a possible threat to the stability of Rome. Can they curry the favor of the imperial family and their lackeys or will they face execution in later years?
This tale is told from the perspective of Selene, a child when captured who has to come with terms that her Egyptian life is over and she must change to survive. There are a few heartbreaking moments in particular for her as a warning to sensitive readers.
Well narrated by Wanda McCadon who is able to portray the epic cast of characters.
MY GRADE: B plus.
This tale is told from the perspective of Selene, a child when captured who has to come with terms that her Egyptian life is over and she must change to survive. There are a few heartbreaking moments in particular for her as a warning to sensitive readers.
Well narrated by Wanda McCadon who is able to portray the epic cast of characters.
MY GRADE: B plus.
March 9, 2011
Because I have a short reading attention span, reading Cleopatra: A Life reminded me that I had this book on my mental to-read list. And today I decided to take a detour into reading Cleopatra's Daughter before resuming that one. I wasn't super impressed with Nefertiti; in presentation, it struck me as a warmed over The Other Boleyn Girl... this time in Egypt! (And with a more interesting main character, to be fair.) Still, I have been curious about Cleopatra Selene for some time now and historical fiction is like my literary comfort food. tl;dr: I was totally destined to read this someday and, hurray!, this book proved to be well worth my while.
I will say that I was frustrated in some points; some of the character are tiresome caricatures and boring tropes, sticking out like sore thumbs among the more well-developed ones. Likewise, Moran's writing style is a puzzle to me, wherein stronger emotions occasionally fall flat. Nothing comes across as maudlin, but she had an unenviable task considering the sheer number of tragedies in Selene's life. Also, and this is probably petty, but I rather wish this book had been a duology. I really wanted to read about Selene's life after the time span covered in this book, because it's some pretty fascinating stuff. As it stands, the ending feels a bit abrupt, and I think a chapter or two more wouldn't have hurt.
Still, Cleopatra's Daughter is compulsively readable and ridiculously entertaining. Prickly, conscientious Selene is an appealing heroine, and a number of the side characters are equally interesting. Julia in particular steals the show, and I was so glad that the author made her and Selene have a somewhat complicated relationship. (Actually, and this might have been because I was just reading this books, I was slightly reminded of Gemma and Felicty from A Great and Terrible Beauty. This is a good thing!)
Moran is also pretty decent about sticking to historical fact. She does invent a slave uprising out of whole cloth, but this didn't bother me. It fit well into the climate of the day, and it didn't come across as the author going "well I think THIS should have happened instead!" Furthermore, Cleopatra's Daughter does a pretty damn decent job of developing the character's personalities, rather than merely going from point A to B in history.
This is more like a 4.5. Pretty much a perfect rainy day read!
I will say that I was frustrated in some points; some of the character are tiresome caricatures and boring tropes, sticking out like sore thumbs among the more well-developed ones. Likewise, Moran's writing style is a puzzle to me, wherein stronger emotions occasionally fall flat. Nothing comes across as maudlin, but she had an unenviable task considering the sheer number of tragedies in Selene's life. Also, and this is probably petty, but I rather wish this book had been a duology. I really wanted to read about Selene's life after the time span covered in this book, because it's some pretty fascinating stuff. As it stands, the ending feels a bit abrupt, and I think a chapter or two more wouldn't have hurt.
Still, Cleopatra's Daughter is compulsively readable and ridiculously entertaining. Prickly, conscientious Selene is an appealing heroine, and a number of the side characters are equally interesting. Julia in particular steals the show, and I was so glad that the author made her and Selene have a somewhat complicated relationship. (Actually, and this might have been because I was just reading this books, I was slightly reminded of Gemma and Felicty from A Great and Terrible Beauty. This is a good thing!)
Moran is also pretty decent about sticking to historical fact. She does invent a slave uprising out of whole cloth, but this didn't bother me. It fit well into the climate of the day, and it didn't come across as the author going "well I think THIS should have happened instead!" Furthermore, Cleopatra's Daughter does a pretty damn decent job of developing the character's personalities, rather than merely going from point A to B in history.
This is more like a 4.5. Pretty much a perfect rainy day read!
January 20, 2020
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January 11, 2011
This book was ok, just fine, pretty good . . . so it was nice, but not great. I liked the historical details about the day to day life of Romans under the rule of Augustus. I liked the descriptions of building interiors and places that made them come to life.
The characters I didn't like quite so much. Even Selene, the cool headed 12 year old daughter this book is about was just a little too cool - she's so mature that Vitruvius takes her on to help design a mausoleum. Really? A 12 year old? And then the book seemed to want to both linger on everyday details as well as tell years worth of story. So at the end when Selene is reflecting how she came to Italy as a girl and is now a woman I had to go back and do the math. . . and yep, she's 15 when she's talking. Made me not quite as touched by her journey.
I found myself wishing this book was about Cleopatra herself, as other characters talked about her and Egypt - now HER I wanted to get to know.
The characters I didn't like quite so much. Even Selene, the cool headed 12 year old daughter this book is about was just a little too cool - she's so mature that Vitruvius takes her on to help design a mausoleum. Really? A 12 year old? And then the book seemed to want to both linger on everyday details as well as tell years worth of story. So at the end when Selene is reflecting how she came to Italy as a girl and is now a woman I had to go back and do the math. . . and yep, she's 15 when she's talking. Made me not quite as touched by her journey.
I found myself wishing this book was about Cleopatra herself, as other characters talked about her and Egypt - now HER I wanted to get to know.
July 11, 2016
Cleopatra's daughter, a 10 year old, telling a story when she is 10, in a really unbelievable way (same issue bothered me in A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers lately). And, when her father committed suicide and her mother is devastated and worried about her life, children and crown, she is talking about what people are wearing and their faces, and how many languages her mother speaks, and in what accent. Terrible, in addition to boring.
Very flat, almost no characterization and therefore, pretty impossible to empathize with the characters. Reading the wikipedia entry about Cleopatra and Marc Anthony will easily draw more emotion (I'm not kidding).
1 star. Read other historical fiction.
Very flat, almost no characterization and therefore, pretty impossible to empathize with the characters. Reading the wikipedia entry about Cleopatra and Marc Anthony will easily draw more emotion (I'm not kidding).
1 star. Read other historical fiction.
July 24, 2009
I have to say that Michelle Moran is a master story teller and if it's possible her third book is even better than the previous two. This book swept me into a world I had never imagined, it is filled with tragedy and yet has an ending that will take your breath away. Selene and Alexander (twins) are the last remaining children of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra who die by suicide when Egypt is conquered by Caesar. Selene and Alexander are taken to Rome to be raised by Octavia, Caesar's sister. While Alexander is able to find enjoyment in his new life, Selena lives with much fear for their future. However, through Octavia's care and generosity she is trained as an architect, an unheard of privilege for a woman in Rome. This gives Selene hope for the future.
What moved me most about this book is the attention to the details of the setting, yet at no time was I bored, if anything I was captivated. Michelle describes the events of everyday life for Romans and the slaves in a way that makes you realise what fear many of these people lived with especially women. It is a good reminder of how lucky we are to be living in this time in history. This isn't just a story about the ruling family of Rome, it describes in detail what it's like to live as a citizen, slave or Senator.
There are no words that I can use to do this book justice, I can only say that if you like historical novels then this is a must read. It is a fantastic book!
What moved me most about this book is the attention to the details of the setting, yet at no time was I bored, if anything I was captivated. Michelle describes the events of everyday life for Romans and the slaves in a way that makes you realise what fear many of these people lived with especially women. It is a good reminder of how lucky we are to be living in this time in history. This isn't just a story about the ruling family of Rome, it describes in detail what it's like to live as a citizen, slave or Senator.
There are no words that I can use to do this book justice, I can only say that if you like historical novels then this is a must read. It is a fantastic book!
May 12, 2014
I love reading about the time period between the Caesars Julius and Augustus. I find the time and the people fascinating and while I’ve read many books on various people involved in those families and households, I’d never read one about Selene Kleopatra (daughter to Marc Antony and Cleopatra). I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how Selene and her twin brother came to Rome and how their lives unfolded in the following years. Selene was engaging and was easy to sympathise with, as was her brother. And while this is mainly Selene’s story, I was most taken with Alexander and felt so badly about his fate. I, like Selene, took that one hard to heart. The other characters that I knew well from the time were well rendered and I always enjoy seeing them from the perspective others. Selene’s was unique in that she was a Roman citizen but she was also in Caesar’s care due to his successful conquer of Egypt and her parents. An uneasy relationship and disquiet of position would be an understatement for anyone in such a household. I was glad when her fate was revealed and relieved. I also liked how the B-story of the Red Eagle mystery was woven throughout and resolved. It added very nice depth to the story. This was a good story telling of a not much covered woman of the ancient world. Definitely recommended and I'm glad I picked this one up at the library.
November 2, 2010
This book was fascinating. The book, while a work of fiction, is based on real people in history. While I was somewhat familiar with the actual historical figures, my knowledge is limited to college courses.
The book is a semi-fictional account of Cleopatra's children with Marc Antony- twins Alexander and Cleopatra Selene. Selene and Alexander are taken to Rome against their will after Octavian, the ruler of Rome, defeats their parents, the rulers of Egypt.
The story begins when Selene and Alexander must learn how to adjust to a different way of life in Rome. Selene, a very compassionate girl, has the harder time adjusting. Even though at 15, Romans are considered an "adult", it is clear that Selene (a very young 11 at the start of the book) wants to think with her head but is often lead by her heart.
The story does not have a ton of action, or even romance. It is almost like a diary of a girl growing up and how numerous heartbreaking events in her life, she matures into a woman.
One warning- you might need a few Kleenex tissues at the end!
The book is a semi-fictional account of Cleopatra's children with Marc Antony- twins Alexander and Cleopatra Selene. Selene and Alexander are taken to Rome against their will after Octavian, the ruler of Rome, defeats their parents, the rulers of Egypt.
The story begins when Selene and Alexander must learn how to adjust to a different way of life in Rome. Selene, a very compassionate girl, has the harder time adjusting. Even though at 15, Romans are considered an "adult", it is clear that Selene (a very young 11 at the start of the book) wants to think with her head but is often lead by her heart.
The story does not have a ton of action, or even romance. It is almost like a diary of a girl growing up and how numerous heartbreaking events in her life, she matures into a woman.
One warning- you might need a few Kleenex tissues at the end!
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