I enjoyed this book a great deal. I though it provided a fresh perspective on a story we've seen done many times. This book deals mainly with Kleopatra's younger years, before she formally ascends to the throne, but ends when she is queen-in-exile and about to meet Julius Caesar for the first time.

Essex did a fantastic job painting the historical backdrop for this novel. Many of the little odds-and-ends that are known (or speculated) about Kleopatra and her family are included in the novel, so it all blends together to form a fascinating "what-if" picture. The way Essex writes the blend and clash of cultures that existed in Egypt and Rome at the time was also nicely done. I found myself as much fascinated by the descriptions of the lives, rituals, and beliefs of the people as by the story itself. The style of writing, although not as elegant as some other writers, still flowed nicely.

Most of the central characters are fleshed out, and Essex provides a well thought-out view into the possible motivations and reasonings behind the actions they take. Kleopatra herself starts out as a precocious, spoiled, and at times rather annoying princess, and it's interesting to read the growth in her character as she matures. The dynamics in her relationships with her family and friends play a large part in her beliefs and future actions, and I thought that was nicely intertwined.

Overall I don't have much to complain about with this novel. There were some sexually explicit scenes scattered throughout that I thought were distateful and unnecessary, so I figure readers should be warned about that. Some parts of the story were extended more than they should have been and grew a little dull, but fortunately they were few and far between. All in all, this is a book I would definitely recommend!

I enjoyed this book a great deal. I though it provided a fresh perspective on a story we've seen done many times. This book deals mainly with Kleopatra's younger years, before she formally ascends to the throne, but ends when she is queen-in-exile and about to meet Julius Caesar for the first time.

Essex did a fantastic job painting the historical backdrop for this novel. Many of the little odds-and-ends that are known (or speculated) about Kleopatra and her family are included in the novel, so it all blends together to form a fascinating "what-if" picture. The way Essex writes the blend and clash of cultures that existed in Egypt and Rome at the time was also nicely done. I found myself as much fascinated by the descriptions of the lives, rituals, and beliefs of the people as by the story itself. The style of writing, although not as elegant as some other writers, still flowed nicely.

Most of the central characters are fleshed out, and Essex provides a well thought-out view into the possible motivations and reasonings behind the actions they take. Kleopatra herself starts out as a precocious, spoiled, and at times rather annoying princess, and it's interesting to read the growth in her character as she matures. The dynamics in her relationships with her family and friends play a large part in her beliefs and future actions, and I thought that was nicely intertwined.

Overall I don't have much to complain about with this novel. There were some sexually explicit scenes scattered throughout that I thought were distateful and unnecessary, so I figure readers should be warned about that. Some parts of the story were extended more than they should have been and grew a little dull, but fortunately they were few and far between. All in all, this is a book I would definitely recommend!