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: 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.