Showing posts with label nefertiti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nefertiti. Show all posts

Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel Review

Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel
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Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel ReviewCleopatra's Daughter tells the story of Cleopatra VII's children in the aftermath of the great queen's death. The viewpoint is that of the very likeable Cleopatra Selene, who, along with her twin brother Alexander Helios and younger brother Ptolemy, were the children of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony.
The orphaned children are hauled off to Rome and into the home of Octavia, where Selene's life becomes entwined with some of the great figures of Ancient Rome, including Octavian, his wife Livia, his daughter Julia, and the future emperor Tiberius. The children dwell in uncertainty, never knowing if they will be allowed to live, or what their future hopes might be - - and I don't want to give away too much of what happens. But, remember, all those around Octavian had reason to be cautious, if not actually fearful.
An enthralling aspect of the book is how the author has carefully portrayed not only Ancient Rome itself, but also what is known of the personalities of these famous Romans. We meet a willful young Julia and a sinister young Tiberius, and we know exactly who they are and what they will be like when they grow up.
Almost all of the action takes place in Rome, so the book may be of more interest to those wanting to read about Rome than those wanting to read about Egypt.
A brief timeline and list of characters at the beginning of the book and a glossary at the end help those who may need a refresher in who's who and what's what.
There is a fictional subplot about the search for the leader of an underground anti-slavery movement that I sometimes found to be distracting. I personally would have wished that the author had spent less time on him and on Selene's youth and continued on to Selene's adulthood, especially after her marriage (or is there a sequel planned?). However, younger readers especially may not care about that and may identify more with Selene growing up (this book is suitable for teens and adults), and I do admire the author for having the courage to introduce such serious themes as slavery and abandoned children.
Cleopatra Selene certainly lived an interesting life (not always in the best way) and must have been a fascinating and admirable person. Her life "after the book" is summarized in the Afterword.Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel Overview

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Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution Review

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution
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Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution ReviewI received an ARC of this book.
When I learned Michelle Moran was writing about the French Revolution I couldn't believe it. Ms. Moran loves the ancient world. I love her writing about the ancient world. Why would she leave something she's so good at to write about a different time period and country? I thought I was mistaken, but I learned my fears were true. The mistress of the ancient world was leaving Egypt behind and moving to France.
I loved Ms. Moran's writing, but would I enjoy a novel that took place in the turbulent world of the French Revolution?
This novel takes place before the French Revolution but the reader realizes very quickly that there is unrest in the country. People are angry. The country is poor. There is an unpopular foreign queen who wears lavish clothes and is isolated and out of touch with her subjects. Unrest is afoot and something has to give.
Madame Tussaud, or Marie, is a young woman who has a talent for sculpting wax figures. Along with her uncle she makes interesting exhibits that captures the public's attention. During an age when the masses were uneducated Marie was able to provide people with the latest information on political figures and she did it with a keen eye to detail.
The king and queen come to an exhibit and are impressed with her work. The king's sister, Princesse Élisabeth invites Marie to come to the palace to teach her how to sculpt. Marie is reluctant to leave her work, but she does. In doing so she learns a great deal about the monarchy. Perhaps she even grows a little sympathetic to their plight?
Tempers are boiling and soon chaos erupts in the form of the French Revolution. Ms. Moran does an excellent job of portraying the lawlessness and often times helplessness of the people during the revolution, and also the Reign of Terror.
Marie's world is constantly in a state of motion. We see those around her being killed senselessly. The world she has known is being turned upside down. Marie is given some grim tasks, yet through it all she remains strong. She is a fighter.
The details Ms. Moran is known for shine through in this novel just like her previous works. The reader is immersed in the time period without being overwhelmed by wordy passages found in many historical fiction novels.
There are a lot of characters in this novel, and there is a list of them in the front of the book along with a time line, historical notes and also a glossary for those who are unfamiliar with French(which is good because I failed it twice in high school).
So back to my original question: ...but would I enjoy a novel that took place in the turbulent world of the French Revolution? I would say the answer to that question is YES! I enjoyed Madame Tussaud and Ms. Moran's storytelling doesn't disappoint. It's time to put my faith in a very talented author and follow her on whatever journey she takes me.
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