Cleopatra's Daughter

A wonderful tale of the Roman Empire

In this third novel by author, Michelle Moran, the reader is swept from the pyramids of Egypt into the glory of Rome. Cleopatra's daughter, Selene, is the narrative voice of the novel as she journeys into the year 30 B.C. and the decadence of the Eternal City.

The novel is geared to appeal to a wider audience, which includes young adults. Thus most readers will find this novel a smooth, comfortable read. Nevertheless, it packs a mighty punch. The strength of this novel is not only found in its intricate details of architecture, art, sport, fashions, and politics of the time, but is also rich with court intrigues and brutalities of the Roman Empire when it was at its peak.

For lovers of historical fiction, Michelle Moran's books never disappoint, and this novel is no exception. Filled with grand details and numerous emotional scenes, the reader is immersed in the times, so accurately and confidently portrayed. A hgihly recommended read.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Even better than the last Michelle Moran

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.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

History IS Exciting

The combination of history with love and imagination brings the story of Cleopatra's children to life. Moran sets up scenes that make you feel as if you are standing in the crowds gathered to watch as Cleopatra's son and daughter enter Rome, not as royalty as would be their right but as Caesar's captives. Selene will capture your heart with her will to live, her gentleness and compassion, and hope for a life filled with love in a country where trust is a word to be taken lightly.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Unknown, Should be Known (I don't say what happens in book)

Cleopatra's daughter, Selene, is swept away from Egypt's blue-marbled sea to the triumphs of Rome. She faces grief, jealsouy, romance, mystery, and death. This is an astounding novel that potrays the beauty and disaster of pleasing the emperor of Rome. She fights to stay alive and not slip into the clutches of being pushed around. I have to say this book was almost everything I had wanted from it. The end seemed too predictable and like she was trying to get the end of the book over with. Otherwise this piece of historical fiction is highly reccomended. I also reccomend The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. If you do want to read The Memoirs of Cleopatra, read that first then Cleopatra's Daughter.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Loved this story! It captivated me!

Cleopatra's Daughter pulled me into another world during the time period right before Christ was born and held me there until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story reminds me a lot of Francince Rivers' series The Mark of the Lion, however, the focus and characters in Cleopatra's Daughter and the theme of the novel was totally different. The culture of the times was very different and yet also similar to the perversion in our society today. This was very realistically portrayed without being disgusting. I loved how the setting was so rich with detail that you truly do escape back in time while flipping the pages. I didn't want to stop reading and was up until midnight for the past four nights reading this wonderful portrayal of characters rarely mentioned in historical fiction (at least that I've heard of). If I had realized at first that the story was mostly told from a pre-adolescent's POV, I may not have been interested in the book, however, it captivated me to the end. There were no slow spots, no places where content dragged, and fantastic twists and turns along the way. I feel like I learned a little more about the time before Christ and even a bit more about the ruler, Tiberius Caesar, who reigned during the time of Christ. And it was also edgy enough to hold me until the end. Bravo!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

AMAZING BOOK!

If you are looking for a good book to read than this is the book for you. It is filled with amazing detail, romance, and just interesting facts about the great Cleopatra's children. Once i read the first page i could not put it down. It is so worth the money. BUY IT RIGHT NOW! BEST BOOK YOU WILL EVER READ!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I absolutely loved it!

The book was well written with amazing detail. I could not put it down.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

UNEVEN

I don't often get antsy in the middle of a book for death to.hurry up and happen, but with this one I used the "Go To" buttonto read the ending. I would have enjoyed a bit more scholarship.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great story

I really enjoyed this story. Would love to read more of Moran's other books.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very nice read

A page turner....

Great

I loved it

Perfect

This book is written perfectly with all the right elements. The characters are defenitely my favorite aspect with so many twists and emotions going on, It is hard not to be intrigued by this book

Definitely a must read!!!!

Love this book! It's written in a way that keeps you interested in the story even though it's history which bores me to death!

Lovely book.

Lovely book.

Historical Fiction Gem!

I am frustrated when writers of historical fiction take too many liberties with the facts they are dealing with.
This book is a marvelous exception. The author takes very little artistic liberties, any then they are only there to simplify things, not change the story for her own laziness. She is a brilliant researcher. My father and brother are obsessed with the Roman Empire, and so I have been exposed to the facts all of my life.
This book is great. It's a charming story. Not only does it capture this world that we are so fascinated with perfectly, it does so while keeping our interest and making us fall in love with characters that are not just characters but real people in history. Kleopatra and Marc Antony lived one of the greatest love stories of all time, and so why don't we ever stop to think about their children? Who live in the most glorious palace in he world, who study in the biggest library of the times, who are influenced by histories greatest minds? Selene and Alexander Ptolmey are the last two Descendants of Alexander the great and the children of the last Pharaoh of Egypt.that enough should make for a great book. But it's even better than that. Very good book, all around.

Enjoyed this book

Fun to read and pretty historical. This is a book for men and women.

Love it!!!!!!!

The best story I ever read!!!

Love

Loved this book!

LOVE Lovelt Y Lovely srory Lovely story

This little bit on Selene and her family was quite lovely. Though,at times, the drama seemed a bit unrealistic given the time period, it was still a lovely read nonetheless.