Conrad B. (Phunter) reviewed on 3/13/2012 + 35 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

For anyone interested in reading this book and being put off by so many of the reviews I say: Stick with it the first 50-75 pages are slow going but once you get into it you will find it fascinating. I thought it was very well written and not dry as some claim. Schiff does a splendid job of sifting through all the various accounts to give a very reasonable and life-like picture of Cleopatra. For a woman in her position trying to juggle her role as queen of both the Egyptians and the Ptolemaic Greeks as well as a vassal to the squabbling Romans, she did remarkably well to last as long as she did. You feel her anguish and desperation as her world begins to implode all around her and her final thoughts were for the well-being of her children.
P.S. Octavian (Caesar Augustus) was a real weasel.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details