Helpful Score: 4
This was one of the best books that I have read in a while. The story draws you in from the first page and does not let go! We all have heard of the story of Cleopatra and Marc Antony, but not much about her children. Although this is a fictionalized account, it has historical accuracy for the most part.
The story is told through the eyes of Cleopatra Selene (or just Selene as she is known). It starts when her father's (Marc Antony's) army is defeated by Augustus and as a result both her parents take their own lives. She and her brothers are brought to Rome where Augustus can parade his win.
It spans the next several years. We find out how she and her sibling accustom themselves to life in Rome and what her fears and thoughts are. There is a great balance of viewing Selene has a scared teen trying to figure out life, as well as, seeing her as a strong woman who stands up for her principles. This is a great book and I highly recommend it for both teens and adults!
The story is told through the eyes of Cleopatra Selene (or just Selene as she is known). It starts when her father's (Marc Antony's) army is defeated by Augustus and as a result both her parents take their own lives. She and her brothers are brought to Rome where Augustus can parade his win.
It spans the next several years. We find out how she and her sibling accustom themselves to life in Rome and what her fears and thoughts are. There is a great balance of viewing Selene has a scared teen trying to figure out life, as well as, seeing her as a strong woman who stands up for her principles. This is a great book and I highly recommend it for both teens and adults!
Helpful Score: 4
What does it say when you can finish reading a book in three days from receiving it with a five week old baby causing a hiatus every two to four hours for food, changes, or just plain attention. Well... I would say that means it is a really good book!
Michelle Moran does not disappoint with her third novel, and I am excited for the four. She is one of those authors who writes a good book and as a reader you assume that was it, but each next novel is full of such entertainment that you are excited and cannot decide if it was better than the last.
Through the words of these pages, a reader gets to travel from Egypt to Rome and become immersed in the lives of historical figures in a way intangible before. The characters and people are brought to life on the pages and their emotions and causes are strongly felt as if a reader was a participant in their day to day lives.
This is a general market novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and would easily say it could be meant for any audience, young adult or adult. The only caution with a young adult I would say is for maturity. Be forewarned of the historically accurate references to the indulgences that the Romans participated in that may be distasteful. Each page brings to light the good and the bad of history and makes me want to delve a bit deeper and just go get a textbook and read. (Yet this is so much more entertaining!)
My favorite part is basically a Roman version of a Robin Hood wanting to bring out the very best. With issues of slavery, indiscretion, betrayal, kidnapping, murder, suicide, illness, birth, adventure, travel, romance, secrets, true love, and long lasting truth every page keeps a reader on their toes. I highly recommend this and every other novel by author Michelle Moran.
Michelle Moran does not disappoint with her third novel, and I am excited for the four. She is one of those authors who writes a good book and as a reader you assume that was it, but each next novel is full of such entertainment that you are excited and cannot decide if it was better than the last.
Through the words of these pages, a reader gets to travel from Egypt to Rome and become immersed in the lives of historical figures in a way intangible before. The characters and people are brought to life on the pages and their emotions and causes are strongly felt as if a reader was a participant in their day to day lives.
This is a general market novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and would easily say it could be meant for any audience, young adult or adult. The only caution with a young adult I would say is for maturity. Be forewarned of the historically accurate references to the indulgences that the Romans participated in that may be distasteful. Each page brings to light the good and the bad of history and makes me want to delve a bit deeper and just go get a textbook and read. (Yet this is so much more entertaining!)
My favorite part is basically a Roman version of a Robin Hood wanting to bring out the very best. With issues of slavery, indiscretion, betrayal, kidnapping, murder, suicide, illness, birth, adventure, travel, romance, secrets, true love, and long lasting truth every page keeps a reader on their toes. I highly recommend this and every other novel by author Michelle Moran.
Helpful Score: 4
This review was originally posted on my review blog : Falling Off The Shelf.
Princess Kleopatra Selene is mourning both the loss of her parents and her kingdom of Egypt. The only person she now has in the world to call family is her twin brother, Prince Alexander Helios. At the age of 12, they must now live as Romans, in the home of Octavian's sister Octavia in Rome. Although they live like royalty, they are nothing more than beautiful slaves, unsure of their future or if they will even have one once they hit the age of 15.
It is mercy to allow the children of Queen Kleopatra IIV to live until they are considered adults. In the Roman age, adulthood is proclaimed at the age of 15. Selene and her brother Alexander are promised that at their arrival into adulthood they will be arranged marriages, but they hope to be useful enough to be returned to their rightful thrones in Egypt.
The story of Cleopatra's Daughter created a vivid image of Imperial Rome, and brought out both it's wonders and horrors. It was a beautiful story of love, loss, and even revenge. I was gripped from the very first page, and didn't want to put it down even during my most tired moments.
Moran wrote this novel so it flowed beautiful, and was easy to read. This wonderful story of Princess Cleopatra Selene can be read by both young adults and adults alike as it tells a story of a young girl coming of age. You will be able to feel her pain, rage, and those bittersweet moments of happiness that she experiences throughout her years.
Throughout all of this, Moran paints a picture of a Rome that will both enrage and captivate you. I would be more than pleased if this was to be created into a movie, as I would love to see it portrayed on the big screen. I would like to give a special thanks to Michelle Moran for being so kind as to allow me to review this novel. She is truly a wonderful person, and I look forward to seeing where her imagination will take her next. I will be sure to pick up her other two novels, The Heretic Queen, and Nefertiti soon.
Princess Kleopatra Selene is mourning both the loss of her parents and her kingdom of Egypt. The only person she now has in the world to call family is her twin brother, Prince Alexander Helios. At the age of 12, they must now live as Romans, in the home of Octavian's sister Octavia in Rome. Although they live like royalty, they are nothing more than beautiful slaves, unsure of their future or if they will even have one once they hit the age of 15.
It is mercy to allow the children of Queen Kleopatra IIV to live until they are considered adults. In the Roman age, adulthood is proclaimed at the age of 15. Selene and her brother Alexander are promised that at their arrival into adulthood they will be arranged marriages, but they hope to be useful enough to be returned to their rightful thrones in Egypt.
The story of Cleopatra's Daughter created a vivid image of Imperial Rome, and brought out both it's wonders and horrors. It was a beautiful story of love, loss, and even revenge. I was gripped from the very first page, and didn't want to put it down even during my most tired moments.
Moran wrote this novel so it flowed beautiful, and was easy to read. This wonderful story of Princess Cleopatra Selene can be read by both young adults and adults alike as it tells a story of a young girl coming of age. You will be able to feel her pain, rage, and those bittersweet moments of happiness that she experiences throughout her years.
Throughout all of this, Moran paints a picture of a Rome that will both enrage and captivate you. I would be more than pleased if this was to be created into a movie, as I would love to see it portrayed on the big screen. I would like to give a special thanks to Michelle Moran for being so kind as to allow me to review this novel. She is truly a wonderful person, and I look forward to seeing where her imagination will take her next. I will be sure to pick up her other two novels, The Heretic Queen, and Nefertiti soon.
Helpful Score: 4
Reviewed by Natalie Tsang for TeensReadToo.com
I absolutely loved reading CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER by Michelle Moran. The novel is about Marc Anthony and Kleopatra's children and told from the point of view of their daughter, Selene.
The novel starts in 30 BC, after two years of fighting between Marc Anthony and Octavian for control of Rome. Things go from bad to worse when Octavian captures Alexandria, the capital of Egypt, and effectively ends the war. After their parents commit suicide, the royal children - twins named Alexander and Selene and their younger brother, Ptolemy - are exiled from their home and sent to Rome.
While I found the history familiar and fascinating, Selene's story is also compelling. At the start of the novel, she is a precocious eleven-year-old who loves to draw. Though the recent war has made her grow up quickly, she is still hopeful, idealistic, and quickly befriends several members of Octavian's household, including Octavian's heir, Marcellus, and Gallia, a proud enslaved princess.
However, even with allies, there is also plenty of court intrigue as Selene struggles to prove that she's useful enough to keep alive to a ruthless and murderous Octavian. Livia, Octavian's wife, hates her and tries to humiliate her at every opportunity. Juba, the prince of Numidia, watches her every move. Moran also does a great job of interpreting historical figures such as a teenage Ovid, the author of Metamorphoses, and a child Tiberius, forty years before his reign as the second Roman emperor.
CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER achieves a lovely balance between a survey of early Imperial Rome and the story of a young girl growing up far from home. Though Moran show us gladiator games and court trials through Selene's eyes, her main character is much more than a camera lens. I had a hard time putting this book down! Moran creates a world that is both exotic and familiar. Julia, Octavian's daughter, and Selene's shopping sprees are evidence that some things haven't changed in two thousand years!
While history lovers are sure to be pleased, readers of romance and mystery should also check this book out. Five Stars!
I absolutely loved reading CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER by Michelle Moran. The novel is about Marc Anthony and Kleopatra's children and told from the point of view of their daughter, Selene.
The novel starts in 30 BC, after two years of fighting between Marc Anthony and Octavian for control of Rome. Things go from bad to worse when Octavian captures Alexandria, the capital of Egypt, and effectively ends the war. After their parents commit suicide, the royal children - twins named Alexander and Selene and their younger brother, Ptolemy - are exiled from their home and sent to Rome.
While I found the history familiar and fascinating, Selene's story is also compelling. At the start of the novel, she is a precocious eleven-year-old who loves to draw. Though the recent war has made her grow up quickly, she is still hopeful, idealistic, and quickly befriends several members of Octavian's household, including Octavian's heir, Marcellus, and Gallia, a proud enslaved princess.
However, even with allies, there is also plenty of court intrigue as Selene struggles to prove that she's useful enough to keep alive to a ruthless and murderous Octavian. Livia, Octavian's wife, hates her and tries to humiliate her at every opportunity. Juba, the prince of Numidia, watches her every move. Moran also does a great job of interpreting historical figures such as a teenage Ovid, the author of Metamorphoses, and a child Tiberius, forty years before his reign as the second Roman emperor.
CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER achieves a lovely balance between a survey of early Imperial Rome and the story of a young girl growing up far from home. Though Moran show us gladiator games and court trials through Selene's eyes, her main character is much more than a camera lens. I had a hard time putting this book down! Moran creates a world that is both exotic and familiar. Julia, Octavian's daughter, and Selene's shopping sprees are evidence that some things haven't changed in two thousand years!
While history lovers are sure to be pleased, readers of romance and mystery should also check this book out. Five Stars!
Helpful Score: 4
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!
Helpful Score: 3
Philippa Gregory made me a historical fiction fan but I have read most of her books so I have been looking for someone else who does it as well as she does. Enter Michelle Moran! I am happy to say that she is now on my list of favorites.
This book held my attention from beginning to end. At the start of the book, there is a listing of all the "characters" and why they are important to the story. When I read that, I was thinking there were way too many people to keep track of and the book would be confusing. That was not the case. The author does a good job of telling the story and helping you remember who is who.
The story is told from the point of Selene - Cleopatra's daughter. Its very well done and I think I might have learned something about an era that I never really took much interest in.
Enjoy :)
This book held my attention from beginning to end. At the start of the book, there is a listing of all the "characters" and why they are important to the story. When I read that, I was thinking there were way too many people to keep track of and the book would be confusing. That was not the case. The author does a good job of telling the story and helping you remember who is who.
The story is told from the point of Selene - Cleopatra's daughter. Its very well done and I think I might have learned something about an era that I never really took much interest in.
Enjoy :)
Helpful Score: 3
Absolutately excellent. Well written Characters are very interesting but are not the total focus of the book, but rather are used to show the history, culture, government of Rome. Much better than her first book Nefertiti. Highly recommend.
Helpful Score: 2
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
The story of Cleopatra is a story that almost everyone knows â the story of what happened to her children after her death is one few know. Michelle Moran tells an instantly engrossing story that sucks you in to the world of Rome during the reign of Octavian. As Selene and Alexander try to navigate their way through this new world, full of intrigue and fear, the reader is treated to an experience of a lifetime.
Selene and Alexander are taken to Rome to live with Octavian's sister after Cleopatra and Mark Antony commit suicide. Here they are treated as members of the royal family but are always questioning what will happen to them. The twins are immersed into a completely different culture, and despite being very well educated, this world is very different from the life they left behind in Egypt. The nice thing about this, as a reader, is that coming into this book not knowing too much about daily life in Rome you get to explore it though their eyes and learn about the culture just as the kids would.
Knowing from the day they were taken to Rome that their 15th birthday would be an important life changing event, the age when marriages would be arranged for them, the children look toward this day with apprehension. Would they marry well, or would Octavian take out his conquest on them by arranging a terrible marriage? Would any harm come to them â as it could be a hazard to have children of Cleopatra and Mark Antony that could become a rallying point for those opposed to Octavian? Would they ever get to go back home and take the place they rightfully deserve? They would just have to wait and seeâ¦
Michelle Moran again creates a wonderful world that you cannot remove yourself from once you start reading â it will engrain itself in your mind and you will think about it even when you are not reading. The characters are very true to the historical way they are thought to be. Reading the descriptions of events that really took place it is so unbelievable that it really happened this way and is not just a creation of the author. These are some of the best stories! I really loved the character of Selene â she is just the right amount of trusting and reserved â she stays true to who she is, even in a very different culture. I also really loved the use of Latin and period appropriate vocabulary used. I have never studied Latin â but I have a good enough handle on Latin root words that I could easily discern what they were talking about (and if not, there is a glossary at the back of the book). It made the story that much more realistic â people were talking more of the way they would.
I can tell you that I really never saw the ending coming â and interestingly I had done some of my own research and never put the pieces together within the story. The ending has quite a full circle feel to it and is definitely worth the wait.
Michelle Moran receives my highest praise for this one and I can't wait for the next.
5 out of 5 of the biggest stars I can give!!!
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
The story of Cleopatra is a story that almost everyone knows â the story of what happened to her children after her death is one few know. Michelle Moran tells an instantly engrossing story that sucks you in to the world of Rome during the reign of Octavian. As Selene and Alexander try to navigate their way through this new world, full of intrigue and fear, the reader is treated to an experience of a lifetime.
Selene and Alexander are taken to Rome to live with Octavian's sister after Cleopatra and Mark Antony commit suicide. Here they are treated as members of the royal family but are always questioning what will happen to them. The twins are immersed into a completely different culture, and despite being very well educated, this world is very different from the life they left behind in Egypt. The nice thing about this, as a reader, is that coming into this book not knowing too much about daily life in Rome you get to explore it though their eyes and learn about the culture just as the kids would.
Knowing from the day they were taken to Rome that their 15th birthday would be an important life changing event, the age when marriages would be arranged for them, the children look toward this day with apprehension. Would they marry well, or would Octavian take out his conquest on them by arranging a terrible marriage? Would any harm come to them â as it could be a hazard to have children of Cleopatra and Mark Antony that could become a rallying point for those opposed to Octavian? Would they ever get to go back home and take the place they rightfully deserve? They would just have to wait and seeâ¦
Michelle Moran again creates a wonderful world that you cannot remove yourself from once you start reading â it will engrain itself in your mind and you will think about it even when you are not reading. The characters are very true to the historical way they are thought to be. Reading the descriptions of events that really took place it is so unbelievable that it really happened this way and is not just a creation of the author. These are some of the best stories! I really loved the character of Selene â she is just the right amount of trusting and reserved â she stays true to who she is, even in a very different culture. I also really loved the use of Latin and period appropriate vocabulary used. I have never studied Latin â but I have a good enough handle on Latin root words that I could easily discern what they were talking about (and if not, there is a glossary at the back of the book). It made the story that much more realistic â people were talking more of the way they would.
I can tell you that I really never saw the ending coming â and interestingly I had done some of my own research and never put the pieces together within the story. The ending has quite a full circle feel to it and is definitely worth the wait.
Michelle Moran receives my highest praise for this one and I can't wait for the next.
5 out of 5 of the biggest stars I can give!!!
Helpful Score: 2
Moran does an interesting write about Egypt, its capture by Octavian and growing up in a patrician Roman household. Life in Roman times is described through the eyes of Selene as she grows up in Rome. The tale makes one wonder who Kleopatra (spelling used according to her daughter), Octavian, Alexander and Selene really were. Selene cherishes her Egyptian heritage and trains to become an architect in spite of the stigma about women's roles in Roman society. When her twin brother, Alexander, is killed by the order of Augustus (Octavian) because of his potential threat to his reign, Selene is devastated. She knows who ordered the murder. However, her marriage to Juba, dictated by Augustus, is a happy choice for her. It's a good, good read although viewing Roman society through a child's eyes became tedious a
I enjoyed this book, only dislike was a sortof immature feel which I attributed to the age of the narrator. Look forward to reading more by this author. If you like Historical Fiction you will like this. Hint though, don't read the real people bits in the back, it will ruin a plot point - though it was a pretty easy one to figure out early on.
I loved this book and will love to read it again and again.
Well-written and entertaining historical imagining of the life of Kleopatra Serena, daughter of Marc Antony and Kleopatra, taken to Rome by Octavian after his defeat of her parents' army. Richly detailed.
Very interesting look at Rome at the time of Augustus Ceasar ? It is the story of Cleopatra 's and Marc Antony's children when they are sent to Rome after the death of their parents. But I thought the story was more for young adults. I did enjoy it.
