Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel

I found her writing a pleasant historical romance read. I read it from cover to cover and can't complain of boredom at any part of the book. She writes clearly as her characters become very real off the pages. I have loved Egyptian history since a child. I was privileged to have read Andrea Ashton's 'Cleopatra's Daughter' novel in the '70s and her story has always been a favorite of mine. I was...more

I found her writing a pleasant historical romance read. I read it from cover to cover and can't complain of boredom at any part of the book. She writes clearly as her characters become very real off the pages. I have loved Egyptian history since a child. I was privileged to have read Andrea Ashton's 'Cleopatra's Daughter' novel in the '70s and her story has always been a favorite of mine. I was drawn to compare the two books telling the same story. Personal comments of Moran (a bit heavy on establishing; 'hey! look at me! I kept close to historical data!'), stating she tried to be accurate is probably more fictitious than the reader should believe. Octavian did not favor any Egyptian or Numidian enough to let them live this close to him. Octavian/Augustus was more of a sociopath in his recorded historical profile. I believe the HBO series 'ROME' was best at depicting the ugly side of this man's life. Most probable is that he arranged the 19 year old prince to marry a 12 year old Roman/Egyptian and simply sent them away as Ashton wrote. Somehow, due to war activity or political reasons they were moved from Numidia to Mauretania. Ptolemy's death was written with impressive probability, especially since he disappears off the face of the earth in recorded history. As far as Selene's twin, Alexander; I doubt a 12 year old son of Anthony & Cleopatra did anything passive as this writer writes. Possibly if her were an opium addict he might, but I think he would be drawn to an Egyptian uprising and dying in battle than becoming passively gay. Moran's story is sweet and a pleasant read. She certainly makes Juba out to be some 'hottie with brains' and Selene a person to be noticed with her beauty and impressive talents.   hide

Historical fiction. Not as good as the Other Bolyn Girl, but still a great book!

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...more

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!   hide

Loved this book. Historical fiction that stayed pretty close to recorded events. I learned a lot (which I was probably supposed to learn in a history class somewhere...). This was a page turner for me.

It took a while for me to grasp all the namws and relationships. It was a good story and a painless exposure to some ancient history.

Enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. I highly recommend it.

couldn't put it down wanted to see what would happen. If you love history and romance this author is for you

Excellent story... I could not put it down until I finished.

This was the first book I read by Michelle Moran and one of the first books I ever cried to. It's not a sad book. I just really got into it. I love Roman and Egyptian history so her writings (based on the real stories) are really interesting to me. This is my favorite of her books still.