Kleopatra

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Captivating!
Review: At last, someone has dared to re-imagine Kleopatra as she must surely have been! From the first entrancing paragraph, I was captivated by Karen Essex' fictional history of the young Kleopatra and her coming of age. With a strong sense of place, fine grasp of history, meticulous attention to detail, and wealth of psychological understanding, Ms. Essex paints a vivid picture of the young Kleopatra and her inexorable rise to power.

Obviously not content to accept the... image created by Hollywood and the popular imagination, Essex re-claims and restores the heroine: an undeniably brilliant,accomplished, politically astute and multi-faceted individual who possessed all the qualities required for leadership in one of the great powers of the ancient world and had the cunning and tenacity actually to possess the throne.

Essex does more than guide the reader back in history to give plausible explanations of certain events, she enriches and educates through her deep understanding of the culture--the pageantry and poliltics, the maladies and morals that informed the young Kleopatra's life.

An intriguing read! The sort off book I could hardly put down and couldn't bear to finish....and can't wait to complete with next summer's Book Two.

Rating:
Summary: Kleopatra
Review: Before I begin, let me say that I am not a reader of historical fiction. KLEOPATRA brings my lifetime total all the way up to two. That I finished it at all is miraculous, but that I enjoyed it immensely is testament to its brilliance. The pages of KLEOPATRA are as entertaining as the scenes of a well-directed movie; and for those of you who are fans of the film medium, the motion picture rights have already been snatched up by Warner Bros., with the author slated to write the screenplay.

In her book, Karen Essex breathes life into the ancient world at the dawn of the rise of the greatest Roman emperors, imbuing the peoples of that time with multidimensional personalities and all the frailties that go along with being human. Richly detailed images of Kleopatra's Alexandria and the decadent city of Rome are painted with a stunning word pallet. The author's decade of travel, research, and rewriting have paid off, forming a compact biography chockfull of history softened by a thread of romance deftly woven through the tale.

Although it is possible some readers may find themselves repelled by descriptions of atrocities committed against the citizens, Ms. Essex indulges in no gratuitous gore. The Rome of Julius Caesar was, after all, a fearsome and often barbaric place, not Hollywood's imagined Empire. Nor was the mortal Kleopatra akin to her most famous portrayer, Elizabeth Taylor. Far from the seductress depicted on the big screen, the Queen of Egypt was a savvy political power, shrewd strategist and cunning diplomat. At once highly intelligent and clear-sighted, she occasionally demonstrated the youthful naivete of her chronological years --- but quickly learned from her mistakes.

The author introduces us to Kleopatra at age three, already a precocious and observant child. We are at her side through her struggles with her beautiful half-sister/stepmother and her treacherous sister cum usurper of the crown. The gods smile upon the fetching young woman, the favorite of her father, King Ptolemy XII. Between her astute advisors and her personal visions, Kleopatra chooses the path that takes her into exile with the king, saving her from certain death at the hands of her own flesh and blood, and building alliances that ultimately benefit her reign and Egypt. As she grows and continues to master the many languages she spoke, she gains favor with the masses as ruler alongside her father and pours the foundation for her reputation of being a compassionate and fair queen. No previous account has doubted her courage, but her loyalty to her two lovers has often been cast in shadows, the blame for their downfall landing squarely on her head. Ms. Essex promises to explode that myth.

Unfortunately, this novel, the first of two volumes, ends just short of Kleopatra's initial encounter with Julius Caesar at age 22. As it ends, she is grappling with her 12-year-old brother/husband, King Ptolemy XIII, for control of the throne. Volume II, PHARAOH, isn't due to hit bookstores until a year from now. In the meantime, we can savor KLEOPATRA slowly, time and again, luxuriate in Ms. Essex's prose and impatiently await the release of the sequel. To be continued...

--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers ([e-mail])


Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Retelling of History . . .
Review: Essex's tale follows Kleopatra from the age of three until she reaches her early twenties. The novel is divided into four parts: Alexandria, Rome, The Two Lands of Egypt and Exile.

An epilogue serves as a teaser for the sequel, Pharaoh, and prevents the novel from ending with Kleopatra in exile. Essex also throws in some very helpful aids for the reader: Kleopatra's genealogy tree, a glossary and a timeline of Egyptian history.

The novel opens with a three-year-old Kleopatra attending the death-bed of her mother. Later Kleopatra finds herself in competition with her younger siblings as her oldest half-sister Thea seduces her grieving father, Auletes, into bed and marriage in order to become Queen. By the end of Part I, eleven-year-old Kleopatra, fearing an assassination from her siblings, convinces her father to take her with him to Rome to solicit troops to help with the civil unrest in Alexandria.

In the next section, Part II "Rome," Kleopatra and her father find themselves in exile when Thea seizes the throne in their absence and they are forced to remain with and rely on their Roman host, Pompey. But after a prolonged visit with no help from Pompey and political unrest within the city, Kleopatra and her father take refuge in Ephesus where Kleopatra enters into the "Mysteries" at the tender of age of thirteen, beginning her journey toward womanhood.

Part III "The Two Lands of Egypt," opens with the trial of Berenike, Kleopatra's younger sister, for murder. In this chapter, Kleopatra finally meets the handsome Marcus Antony, instrumental in their return to Alexandria and the palace. A sixteen year-old Kleopatra rules the kingdom as her ailing father becomes less and less able to govern. After the secret death of her father, Kleopatra sails for Thebes to install a new sacred bull at the temple of Amon-Ra where she discovers the other half of her future kingdom.

More political and familial turmoil await her in the final section of the book, "Exile." In this last part of the story Kleopatra discovers just how vulnerable she is, both politically and as a woman. After she is ousted by her child brother, she finds a close relationship with a kinsman who holds the key to her salvation and her throne.

In the epilogue a grown Kleopatra, now in her early twenties, finally meets Julius Caesar and sets about getting her kingdom back.

Finally a writer of historical fiction who is as gifted with the telling and as serious about the research as Ken Follett! Karen Essex not only breathes life into the dead legend of Kleopatra, but also into the place and time into which she was born, illuminating the major players on the world's stage. Readers will want to have the sequel, Pharaoh, on hand before finishing the book!

Rating:
Summary: Great Historical Fiction
Review: First, if one purchases this novel, purchase "Pharaoh, Volume II" along with it. Because you will want to continue your reading immediately after you complete this one. Everyone has heard the stories about Kleopatra and her life. Karen Essex takes those stories and writes them in a way that you feel you are there actually observing it. Kleopatra (spelled in the Greek version) was the most powerful woman in the world during her time. She put no limits on her life or ambitions. In a family (the Ptolemies) that merely used Egypt as a playground Kleopatra focused on its greatness.

Rating:
Summary: Ho hum...
Review: I had a hard time getting into this one. I almost gave up on it a couple of times within the first 100 pages. I did get more involved at that point, but I never was able to stay invested in the story line for any significant amount of time. Just when I was starting to enjoy a section, the author would lose me again. It could be that I am just not all that interested in ancient Egypt. Perhaps if I were, I might have cared more about these characters. Not bad, just not great.

Rating:
Summary: The Worst Book I Ever Read!
Review: I love ancient history and thought I would be entertained while learning about ancient Egypt. Wrong! The story was contrived and boring! Plus, it seemed as almost every other man had a "fat ... that wobbled as he walked out the door." I felt compelled to finish the book as I paid for it but I won't be buying the next two! Save your time and read about Kleopatra in the encyclopedia.

Rating:
Summary: Good history but could be better
Review: Kleopatra as a clever und highly intelligent Queen, who wanted to keep her country independent from the Roman Empire. The prose is beautiful and the well known story convincingly told. The historical trivia is entertaining and keeps to the well accepted facts. For the history and the research she deserves 5 stars.

However, from the point of a reader of historic novels, I feel somewhat disappointed. The reason I bought this book (and the sequel) was not to get a precise biography of the late Roman Republic. For this you might as well read good biographies, like that by Michael Grant. A historical novel should contain a bit more fiction, a bit more speculation, and a bit of controversy, which may not be approved by the history professor next door, but fits into the storyline or is expected by the reader. Somehow I got bored in the middle of the sequel, since I knew the history well and was not offered something "new" to keep me hooked. Minus 1 star.

Another point irritated me. You notice through most parts of the book, that it is written by a female American writer. The book is a women's book for a female audience. In both volumes you get just about a hint of sexuality at the beginning as a teaser, the violence is modest, the characters sometimes very politically correct. I accept the author's intention to describe Kleopatra in a different way than the wanton seducer of all men around her. This is historically correct and not my point. But Kleopatra was not a woman following Christian moral in a Hellenistic time half a century before the birth of Christ. For a book dealing with a time period of war, conquest, male dominance and brutality the setting is simply to sterile and clean to be convincing. And Kleopatra could be transferred directly to modern day America, where she could apply for an office in your local church or charity. I got the impression the author (or the publisher) did not want to alienate mainstream female book club members, therefore Kleopatra was described as any woman's best girl friend. I understand that, but it costs another star from a male reader.


Rating:
Summary: Facinating work
Review: The young Cleopatra shows her intelligence at an early age in spite of growing up in the decadent court of her pitiful father Ptolemy. Her half-brother hates her out of jealousy for her Machiavellian skills (is that an anachronism?) and with the help of her lover Archimedes she raises an army to help her attain the throne she desires. However, Kleopatra's obvious intelligence and abilities fail to keep her from exile as the Romans rule the world, but she plans to conquer Julius Caesar (see the next volume).

This is an incredible fictional biography that contains a fantastic look at Ancient Egypt and Rome using historical tidbits to tell the story of Cleopatra, the early years. The novel turns a legend into a person while concentrating on the heroine's adventures, political machinations, and the classical Greek culture that she wants to emulate. Fans of Ancient historical tales and Cleopatra will want to read this book, the upcoming sequel (the Caesar-Anthony years of her life) and Colin Falconer's WHEN WE WERE GODS as a companion piece. Ms. Essex capitalizes the H in historical as she provides a rich textured, fast-paced tale that should lead to the latest Egyptology boom.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Great Historical Fiction
Review: This is a fabulous read. Beautifully researched and
respectful of the audience.

Rating:
Summary: Just didn't work...
Review: When I discovered the existence of this novel, I was enthusiastic and intrigued. Unfortunately, my hopes were more or less dashed as I trundled my way through the 382 pages. KLEOPATRA focuses on the famous queen's early years - a period of time of which we have no record - and the intrigues that haunted and led to the demise of any semblance of a family (something she may have compensated for in adulthood). What I liked: 1). The spelling of Kleopatra/ Cleopatra with a "K"- it really does emphasize that Hellenistic connection; 2) Kleopatra's strength of character- Essex's general characterization is appropriate and it's easy to see what Kleopatra will become.
Although the novel is a noble attempt by Karen Essex, it just didn't work for me. The character of Berenike as an Amazon seemed a bit far-fetched. And although I loved Kleopatra's love interest (I won't give away his name!), I felt it was a bit far-fetched as well, almost as if Essex was pressured into a love story from the publisher or something. Kleopatra's Dionysian rites were also a little hard to believe, as was Mohama. There were also scenes of random sex that were a bit... unnecessary. Overall, although Kleopatra was a strong, believable character, she was in the minority. The novel as a sort of back-story to the Queen of Egypt didn't work as it was weighed down by the elements of fiction! At least the sequel is better. For fiction that works, check out The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George.