When I first heard of Cleopatra's Daughter, I was kind of disappointed because I felt that Cleopatra was so overdone. But Moran is very good at telling the story from a lesser known character. I honestly knew nothing about Cleopatra's children before this book as they are often forgotten.

If you enjoyed Moran's two other books, then you will enjoy this. I'll admit that the basic plot is similar in all of her books: a princess is denied her rank, overlooked or forgotten for whatever reason, has a horrible life, and then finds love. But it's an entertaining plot, so I'm not complaining. ( )

After her mother Cleopatra's downfall when Octavian conquers Egypt, ten-year-old Selene and her twin brother Alexander are taken prisoner to Rome. In the household of Octavian's sister, they come of age - never giving up hope of reclaiming their rightful place as rulers of Egypt. But along the way, they are caught up in the ambitions of Octavian and his family, Selene discovers a deep love of architecture that she fights to be allowed to nourish, and both twins hope for love in difficult circumstances.

I read this quite a while ago, but one thing the delay has made clear is that Moran's Cleopatra's Daughter really stays with you. I can still remember interesting tidbits from the story and how completely drawn into the lives of ancient Rome I became. I loved to read of Selene's intelligence and her competition with the young men at school, but also how simultaneously difficult and necessary it was to be friends with her romantic rival - one of the few companions allowed her.

It was sad but fascinating to read about the plight of slaves in ancient Rome - particularly the court cases that Selene ends up attending. The power of corruption, but also the hateful and terrifying powers of the mob are well-demonstrated. And Selene more than once must confront the fact that despite her favored position, she could soon be reduced to just such a position of slavery, if she does not make herself indispensable to the man she abhors more than any other.

I was completely immersed in the world of ancient Rome that Moran reveals from the marketplaces to the gladiatorial arena to Augustus' palace. She really made everything come alive in all its dirt and splendor - it's definitely a setting that sticks with you. And so do the characters. Selene in particular is wonderfully conflicted and complex - I loved how she truly applied herself to her schoolwork and how dedicated she was to her studies of architecture, but how she enjoyed being 'girly' and helping Julia with dress and makeup. Her mixture of submission and rebelliousness perfectly captured the way such an intelligent young woman would chafe under her restraints, but understand that she could not openly defy them.

A lovely portrait of a strong young woman and of ancient Rome. I can't wait to read more of Moran's historical novels!

Also at A Hoyden's Look at Literature. ( )

This was a wonderful story that started with the reign of Cleopatra and Marc Antony in Egypt and brought us to Rome under Octavian's rule. There was so much history within the pages of this book that I think it took me a little longer to read this one, as I wanted to let the information sink in rather than read through it so quickly that nothing stayed with me.

When the story begins, Cleopatra's kingdom in Alexandria, Egypt, is just being taken over by Octavian. We don't get to know Cleopatra too much as she quickly meets her demise early in the novel. After Octavian takes control of the Egyption kingdom, he decides to take Cleopatra and Marc Antony's children to Rome and raise them in a way that will benefit his future plans. Alexander and Selene are twins that were born to Cleopatra and this story is told from Selene's point of view.

When the children are ripped from the only life they've ever known, they consider themselves prisoners that will never be able to make their own decisions again. Octavian seems to be a ruthless ruler so they dread what may be awaiting them in Rome. When they do arrive they are quite surprised to find that Octavian's sister Octavia, plans on having them live with her. Lucky for them they find that Octavia is a very compassionate woman and treats them as well as if they were her own children. This does seem to spark a tinge of guilt between the twins because they know that their father, Marc Antony, was married to Octavia many years before but had left her to be with their mother Cleopatra. They can visually see the love that Octavia still felt for Marc Antony and can only respect her compassionate attitude that much more.

After the children are captured they are informed that they will be told who to marry when they turn fifteen years old. So not knowing what they should appreciate in life, they live their lives day to day. They find themselves with good, solid friendships and attend school on a regular basis. Selene is able to indulge in her love of art by becoming a student of a very well known architect and eventually is able to help with some major building projects and leave her mark on Rome.

During their time in Rome a rebel who calls himself the Red Eagle is against almost everything that Octavian is trying to accomplish. Whenever a judgment is passed down that would hurt the citizens of Rome, the Red Eagle would react in a way that was visible to all. Octavian knew the Red Eagle was hurting his political stance, so he would do anything to try to catch this rebel. Many events take place during the novel that make Selene think that the Red Eagle may be living right under their very own roof.

I really don't want to give too much of this novel away as it does have a touch of a mysterious element to it. I loved learning what daily life was like for the children of Rome and the feeling of the romance that gripped Selene's heart. I would love to read more about Selene's life after she married and started a new life. I am also very thankful to all of the helpful items that Michelle Moran included in this book. She included a glossary, a time line, a couple of maps of Rome, and a list of the characters that also described how everyone was related. These were very helpful tools and the book probably took me a little longer to read because I stopped and used these tools often. Historical fiction readers are going to love this book so if you are ready to indulge yourself into the Roman Empire I definitely recommend this novel. ( )

Michelle Moran’s books have helped revive my fascination for all that is ancient. The characters encountered in her books, such as in Nefertiti, the Heretic Queen and now, Cleopatra’s Daughter, are ones that many of us have read about before. Never though, have they been portrayed as incredibly interesting, intricate, deep and real as seen in Moran’s books.

Cleopatra’s Daughter grabbed my interest immediately. The thought of reading about Cleopatra’s children; their thoughts and emotions within the first pages and throughout, was exhilarating to say the least. I can’t think of a book that has yet to have transported me into ancient times with such vivid imagery as this one. The ancient world is not one that can be depicted with ease. Yet, Moran magnificently brings out the splendor, the glitter, the gold, the exquisite and the opulent-living in contrast with the coarse and crude, all at their origin.

I was amazed by the clash of class and refinement between the Greeks (and Egyptians, both in Alexandria) and the Romans of the times. The differences in not only customs, fashion, architecture, but especially in languages and education, left me in awe. Cleopatra stands out as the regal queen of knowledge meshed with beauty, glamour and class. She also strongly believed in equality between genders- allowing her daughter the same privileges as her sons. Culture and Education were most important to her and she made sure that Marc Anthony also was taught Greek and more; there where his Roman upbringing lacked.

But this was not only a story of awesome history and facts- Cleopatra’s Daughter mostly focuses on Selene and Alexander’s life after the death of their beloved parents. Forcibly brought back to Rome, these last surviving heirs of Alexander The Great, were expected to live as Romans within the palace of Augustus (Octavian), the man responsible for the dreadful fate of Cleopatra and Marc Anthony.

I loved learning about life in ancient Rome and how these teens (throughout the story they seemed so much older than their actual age) dealt with every obstacle and challenge they faced. So much is dealt with in this book. These royal twins faced with an unbelievable turn of fate were extremely close. I enjoyed that they could speak in a different language when secrecy was necessary; another of the benefits brought about by Cleopatra’s expectations of culture and education at its finest.

In this beautiful novel, we encounter many historical figures such as Octavia (Marc Anthony’s wife prior to Cleopatra- and also Augustus’s sister), a Numidian Prince, Augustus’ daughter, Julia, Marcellus, Octavia’s son, a beautiful Gaelic slave, Gallia, and the infamous architect Vitruvius, to name a few. Each has a superb role in this novel that unravels to perfection, culminating in an ending that will leave you breathless- Let me just say that the last fifty or so pages kept me glued with anxiety and endless tearing.

A story that absolutely needs to be read! Excellent!
Side Note: Moran provides a glossary of terms, list of names, a map of the time, as well as, an historical follow-up of the characters and their fate.

Cleopatra’s Daughter will appeal to readers of history, mystery, love, romance, intrigue, arts and culture, anthropology and so much more-without an ounce of drudgery- an incredibly easy-to read page turner. There’s something for everyone in this fabulous book. ( )

Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran

Michelle Moran is, pure and simple, an excellent author. Cleopatra's Daughter is historical fiction that brings the history to life. Wonderful writing and characterizations based on real history, I found this book both entertaining and educational. The book begins with the final days of C(K)leopatra's reign in Egypt, the taking of three of her children to Rome, the youngest dying en route.

From this point, the story centers mainly around the twins, Kleopatra and Alexander, growing up in the home of Octavia, sister to ruling Octavian in Rome, and what the future may or may not hold for them when they turn 15, the age of adulthood.

The characters are well-rounded and historical, they are fleshed out with research and interact entirely believably. Many terms are in Latin and Greek, mostly easy to guess but there is also a glossary for all these words in the back. This is the first novel by Michelle Moran I have read and I will certainly recommend her as an author deserving of being read!

There is so much history woven into this book, and the characters feel so real that I wish history were taught in this manner. I was surprised first of all by how much I did recall, but even more how much I did not know. I found the Historical Notes in the back of the book very illuminating. Though beautifully written, the book does not gloss over the very real dangers of the times, but at the same time the personalities of the main characters deal with growing, loving, everyday lives of the upper classes and slaves. I loved this book and recommend both author and "Cleopatra's Daughter". 5 stars definitely.
Thank you Michelle! ( )