The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s revengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two– the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander–survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.
The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian's bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian’s watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals.
Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place–the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the times. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.
Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and most tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart. |
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 A wonderful historical Fiction that gave life to a name:Cleopatra |
| Review Date: November 29, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Sheila A. Dechantal, Brainerd, Minnesota |
Michelle Moran has written a book that has left me with that feeling I have when I know I have read something wonderful. Well written... I entered at the point that Cleopatra and Marc Anthony are taking their own lives in order to resist captivity and learn of their three children who are left in the enemies hands. Three children, I am ashamed to say, that I did not know existed until this book.
And from that point on I am feasting on pages filled with the adventures of Alexander and Selene... historical fiction at a very fine level. I am in awe of the twins voices... as they speak I had to remind myself again and again of their age. The voices to me seamed older but I forget how much faster children grew up then. While they were 11, they spoke as though they were 15 or 16...
Vivid characters - I appreciated the list of who they were in the front of the book and I used that a lot as I becasme used to so any new names coming in at once, Octavian (Emporer and keeper of the children once he conquered their home), Octavia, his sister - a gentle soul who I grew to like. And so many more from the handsome Marcellus, to the puzzling Julia who drove me nuts, then I felt bad for her, then I was mad again... and oh - you have to love the characters that make you FEEL.
I adored this book. This is the first of Michelle's work that I have read and I am ready for more. A fantastic read that I highly recommend to history lovers and historical fiction loves alike. |
My Favorite Michelle Moran
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| Review Date: July 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: ILizbeth, |
I was beyond lucky in being able to snag myself a galley of this novel. I had seen the website created for the book and watched the trailer - which was awesome, btw, and one of the better book trailers I've seen - and knew I wanted to get my hands on this puppy as soon as it came off the press. I had read on Michelle Moran's website that this book would be marketed to both adults and YA, and I was wondering how that would work, but Moran pulls it off seamlessly.
Because Selene, the narrator of the novel - and Cleopatra's Daughter - starts off so young, I think this book will have a wide appeal to young adult readers. I also think that the rich Roman history, the story of Queen Cleopatra and Marc Antony, and the politics of ancient Rome will appeal to adults.
The novel begins in Alexandria, with the death of Selene's famous parents. Their suicides mean that three young children are left behind, and these are the children Octavian takes with him to Rome. Selene, who has a twin brother name Alexander, narrates the tale and takes readers from the shores of Egypt to the dirty city of Rome, an empire still very much in the making.
I won't give the plot away except to say that there is a mystery which will definitely entertain younger readers, and it has to do with a slave rebellion. With Spartacus fresh in leaders' memories, Rome is on edge. An with the arrival of Marc Antony and Cleopatra's children in the city, a new level of tension is added.
Okay, so that is the longest review I've ever written for a book, but it's because it's really that good. I am now a dedicated fan of Michelle Moran. Bring on book 4! |
Fantastic Historical Read
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| Review Date: September 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Julie Peterson, Central PA |
I have been anxiously awaiting her latest novel CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER for quite awhile -- actually since my book club was fortunate enough to talk with her during one of our meetings last year. Not only did I love both of her prior historical fiction novels NEFERTITI and THE HERETIC QUEEN, but ancient Rome is absolutely my favorite place and time period as well.
I am happy to report that I was not disappointed with CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER. It definitely met my expectations (and they were set pretty high.) Ever since back in high school (where I took four years of Latin and watched I Claudius every Friday), I have been extremely interested in ancient Rome. I have read a few books about Rome throughout the years and I was addicted to the HBO series Rome, but I still want more! I don't think I will ever get tired of these historical figures and their antics!
I love the way that Ms. Moran decided to tell the story in this novel. She wrote the book in first person through the voice of Selena, the daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. The story begins when Mark Antony and Cleopatra take their own lives, and their remaining children -- Selena and her two brothers -- are taken away in chains from Egypt to Rome by their enemy Octavian. Selena was a wonderful young girl (and eventually a wonderful young woman) who seemed mature beyond her years. Of course, she grew up in the refined and cultured Egypt; and she spent a great deal of time being educated with adults. I thought the blend of Selena's maturity along with her naivete because of her age made this story and her insight extra-special. I especially loved Selena's reactions when she reached Rome -- that it wasn't anywhere near as sophisticated as Egypt!
I absolutely loved Selena and I truly appreciated her spunk! It was clear to her that she was living as a prisoner under Octavian's rule, and yet she still never forget her parents and her homeland. She wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind (at times to her detriment); however, she still had enough sense to know how to play the different characters against each other. In addition, I liked that Ms. Moran portrayed Selena as a young girl who was very bright and loved to study architecture. In this novel, Selena not only studied with a skilled teacher, but she also used her talent and knowledge about buildings to help design new structures.
Although Selena was a young girl and did make a few mistakes along the way, she still had many admirable traits. First and foremost, I loved how loyal she was to her family and friends. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that she was extremely generous and grateful to those who helped her. In many ways, CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER was a coming-of-age story about Selena, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her mature throughout this novel. I especially liked the ending and how Selena came to realize who and what she should value.
It probably goes without saying that I loved all of the historical information that was woven into this novel. I'm sure Ms. Moran embellished the lives of the main characters, but it seems to me that many of the characters in ancient Rome needed little help. Everything I've ever seen or read about the lives of the early Romans is filled with all the elements of a good story (or at least, a soap opera) -- love, adultery, affairs, mystery, murder, etc. Much of this novel brought back memories of things I had already known, but I was amazed by how many new things I learned about this ancient civilizations of Egypt and Rome. I can't believe how advanced these societies were and how little some things have changed over thousands of years.
Michelle Moran is without a doubt one of my very favorite authors. I will read anything and everything she writes -- guaranteed. I think she is a master of historical fiction, and I believe that there are few writers that capture my interest like she does. The amount of research she conducts for each of her books is absolutely amazing; and what's even more astounding is how many ideas and projects she has going at one time.
Of course, I highly recommend CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER, especially for book clubs. My group discussed NEFERTITI (along with a chat with Ms. Moran), and it was a wonderful meeting. I think that CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER would make for an equally interesting discussion. One thing that I found so special about this particular Ms. Moran novel is that it is geared towards both the adult as well as the YA audience. In fact, there are multiple reading guides for this novel - one for YA and one for adults. I can't wait until the girls in my mother-daughter book club are old enough to discuss (and appreciate) this novel! What I loved about both guides is that there was a great mix of historical questions about Rome and the culture as well as questions about the different characters and their actions.
Truth be told, I enjoyed CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER so much that I'm hoping for a sequel or a prequel! So many of the characters in this book were absolutely fascinating and could definitely provide enough material for their own story! |
A fascinating Roman holiday!
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| Review Date: November 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jody, Northwest Ohio |
I am a huge fan of the HBO series Rome: The Complete Series and, since I expected this book to be set in Egypt, meeting old friends and enemies was my first surprise. The masterful story-telling about a fascinating character was my second.
The story of Cleopatra's Daughter is deceptively simple. After the deaths of her famous parents, Selene and her two brothers are taken to Rome by Octavian to live with his sister Octavia. In Rome, where ending a day alive is a reason to celebrate, Selene proves she is her mother's daughter as she navigates the tricky maze of her new family's deadly ambitions to pursue her destiny. The pragmatism and situational nature of Roman morality are brilliantly illustrated here, as many children of different combinations of a handful of parents are brought up in the same household to jockey for power and influence.
This is the first of Ms. Moran's books I have read, but it won't be the last. The best historical novels contain characters we recognize with enough details we don't to make things interesting. As Ms. Moran points out and illustrates with quotations that could be from contemporary authors, issues we think of as modern, actually aren't. By the same token, life was much cheaper and the possibility of death was ever present for the Romans where the merest hint of ambition could lead to an unfortunate 'accident' engineered by Caesar. Ms. Moran does a very nice job of balancing aspects of the Roman character we share with its more barbaric aspects; for example, the matter of fact attitude toward the practice of leaving unwanted infants out in the open to die. The reader is present at the birth of Western civilization and gets to see how far it has come.
By virtue of exhaustive research, Ms. Moran makes the marble houses of the Palatine, the stench of the Subura, Octavian's wily bid to become Emperor, and the giggles of that Roman Valley Girl Julia come alive. Selene is a compelling heroine, with all the intelligence, charm and pride Kleopatra's daughter should have. This world is so rich with sights and smells, when I was forced to stop reading for reasons of nutrition and rest, it took a few minutes to reenter the 21st century. I have no higher praise for an historical novel.
Once you've finished the book, please Google Kleopatra Selene to find some fascinating information and images. |
Skillfully written page turner of a book
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| Review Date: November 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Penmouse, |
I don't write this often but Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel is one of the best books I've read this year. Authoress Michelle Moran has skillfully written a page turner that has interwoven a true whodunit mystery throughout the book. Along the way the reader learns about the lives of Selene and her brother Alexander after they are "imprisoned" in Octavian's household. Granted this is pure fiction, based on historical fact, but the writing is so skillful that you seem to be living in their time. Rome, and Roman life, comes alive as we learn about Cleopatra and Alexander.
Very highly recommend. |
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