Review: Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran

Read a synopsis of Cleopatra’s Daughter here.

Review

Cleopatra’s Daughter
by Michelle Moran

Michelle Moran again works her magic bringing historical figures to life, this time within the realm of ancient Rome. Cleopatra’s Daughter is a completely thrilling novel, beginning at the deaths of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, and carrying us through the lives of their two surviving children, the twins Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. The book leaves readers constantly on the edge of their proverbial seats, as it is difficult to foresee what exactly Octavian (later Augustus) will do with the children of his smighted enemies once they reach Rome. When they do arrive in Rome, the children are put under the care of Octavian’s sweet sister Octavia, but trouble looms from every corner and one action after another occurs, each reminding the twins that while they remain in Rome, they are never far from danger or potential death at the hands of their captor Octavian. Though they live with Octavia in relative splendor, Octavian is ruthless and can have them killed off at his will at any moment, and the twins never forget this, nor do they forget the fact that Octavian was the one responsible for murdering their family back in Egypt.

I took Latin for three years in high school, and while I am a bit rusty on my noun declensions, I really appreciate the accurate usage of many Latin terms and the inclusion of aspects from typical Roman daily life, which I recalled from my studies (such as the sacrifice of the bulla at the toga virilis ceremony where a boy officially becomes a man and a citizen). Ancient Roman culture is so interesting, and the author won bonus points from me by using proper terminology, even down to the little things. For example, the “Ubi tu es Gaius, ego Gaia” phrasing at wedding ceremonies. It means “Where you are Gaius, I am Gaia,” and it was a common vow said at weddings to express that the new couple would now be joined together. I thought it was impressive how Michelle paid attention to these fine details, which all come together to project a very vivid portrayal of what Roman daily life must have been like. But if you are not versed in Latin, do not fret, the author includes a handy glossary of terms at the back of the book. And her usage of Latin is not so abundant that you will find yourself constantly needing to consult the glossary, in fact I felt she struck a perfect balance with interweaving the Latin words.

She also happened to include two terrific maps: “The Roman Empire in the Age of Augustus” and “Rome in the Age of Augustus,” the latter which gives the reader a true sense of how cluttered everything was in Rome at the time, and the former which helps coax the imagination in picturing the layout of Imperial Rome. I also loved the “Time Line” at the beginning of the book, which provides a brief history of the back story to all that has happened prior to the beginning of the novel. And, finally, something I always appreciate in an historical novel; the author also included an Historical Note at the end! I think an Afterword/Historical Note is so important in historical fiction because readers always close the book with one inevitable question on their minds: What from the novel is based on fact and what is made up for entertainment? I will almost always excuse an author’s having made use of his or her creative license, after all, it is historical fiction, but I think it is also important to explain any rewriting of history in a note at the end. Any changes to history that Michelle Moran made throughout the book, though there were only a few, make perfect sense when one reads the historical note at the end.

Cleopatra’s Daughter was written and intended as an adult fiction/young adult fiction crossover, so I don’t penalize the book at all for its being a lighter read than Moran’s debut novel, Nefertiti. After reading it, I would feel completely comfortable recommending this book to adults and young readers alike; in fact I plan on giving copies of Cleopatra’s Daughter as gifts to both my step-mom AND my teenage younger sister this holiday season. Cleopatra’s Daughter and Nefertiti both have renewed my interest in historical fiction set in ancient time periods. I am eager to read some more novels set in Imperial Rome; it is definitely a spot along the historical fiction time portal I plan on frequenting more often. I will also certainly be reading up on Cleopatra; if anyone has any good suggestions of hist-fic written on this enigmatic queen, be sure to let me know!

Check back soon for an interview with author Michelle Moran!