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A review by mguynes
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
5.0
If you are a fan of Ancient Roman history and enjoy historical fiction, this book is for you. It brings to life the lives of Cleopatra's children.
Things I liked:
- I like Moran's writing style. I was invested into the story immediately.
- Great historical background. I had a very limited background in Roman history (knowing only what I learned from Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and Julius Caesar). I learned a lot from this book.
- I like that Selene ends up with Juba in the end. At first I didn't like Juba, but after learning how he was taking care of Selene and Alexander changed my mind. He was in love with Selene even while she was desperate about Marcellus.
- I was genuinely shocked that Juba was the Red Eagle. I wasn't expecting that at all, and that made me have more respect for him.
- The ending is the best part of the book because it is action packed and fast paced.
Things I didn't like:
- Livia is a horrible person! She is spiteful, jealous, and violent.
- Alexander's and Julia's relationships came out of nowhere. There wasn't any real indication that Marcellus reciprocated feelings for Julia until it was found out that they had an affair. Alexander's feelings for Lucius just popped out of nowhere as well. I wish there would have been more foreshadowing for these relationships instead of just blindsiding the readers. However, I grew to like Lucius and Alexander together.
- The fact that Alexander hides important information from his twin sister, but instead confides in Lucius. Alexander is supposed to have Selene's back!
- Alexander's death is so awful!
- I really liked Marcellus in the beginning, but after he starts sleeping with Julia, everything changes. He is no longer kind and compassionate, but greedy and self-centered.
Things I learned while reading/researching:
- I didn't know that Cleopatra had children, much less with both Antony and Julius Caesar. I also did not know that two of her children were twins- Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. I also was unaware that her son Alexander was named after Alexander the Great.
- The area now known as France, was known as Gaul.
Things I liked:
- I like Moran's writing style. I was invested into the story immediately.
- Great historical background. I had a very limited background in Roman history (knowing only what I learned from Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra and Julius Caesar). I learned a lot from this book.
- I like that Selene ends up with Juba in the end. At first I didn't like Juba, but after learning how he was taking care of Selene and Alexander changed my mind. He was in love with Selene even while she was desperate about Marcellus.
- I was genuinely shocked that Juba was the Red Eagle. I wasn't expecting that at all, and that made me have more respect for him.
- The ending is the best part of the book because it is action packed and fast paced.
Things I didn't like:
- Livia is a horrible person! She is spiteful, jealous, and violent.
- Alexander's and Julia's relationships came out of nowhere. There wasn't any real indication that Marcellus reciprocated feelings for Julia until it was found out that they had an affair. Alexander's feelings for Lucius just popped out of nowhere as well. I wish there would have been more foreshadowing for these relationships instead of just blindsiding the readers. However, I grew to like Lucius and Alexander together.
- The fact that Alexander hides important information from his twin sister, but instead confides in Lucius. Alexander is supposed to have Selene's back!
- Alexander's death is so awful!
- I really liked Marcellus in the beginning, but after he starts sleeping with Julia, everything changes. He is no longer kind and compassionate, but greedy and self-centered.
Things I learned while reading/researching:
- I didn't know that Cleopatra had children, much less with both Antony and Julius Caesar. I also did not know that two of her children were twins- Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. I also was unaware that her son Alexander was named after Alexander the Great.
- The area now known as France, was known as Gaul.