Friday, June 9, 2017

Review: Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Title: Cleopatra's Moon
Author: Vicky Alvear Shecter
Publication: January 1st 2013 by Arthur A. Levine Books 

Genre: Historical Fiction ~ Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo

Rating: 4/5


PRINCESS OF EGYPT
Cleopatra Selene is the only daughter of the brilliant Queen Cleopatra of Egypt and General Marcus Antonius of Rome. She's grown up with jewels on her arms, servants at her feet, and all the pleasures of a palace at her command, and she wants only to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a great and powerful queen.

PRISONER OF ROME
Then the Roman ruler Octavianus, who has always wanted Egypt's wealth, launches a war that destroys all Selene has ever known. Taken to live in Octavianus's palace in Rome, she vows to defeat him and reclaim her kingdom at all costs. Yet even as she gathers support for her return, Selene finds herself torn between two young men and two different paths to power. Will love distract her from her goal-or help her achieve her true destiny?

Epic in scope and ravishing in detail, this novel reveals the incredible life of a girl long hidden in history: the remarkable Cleopatra Selene.


Novels set in ancient Egypt and ancient Rome are some of my favorites to read about (any book set in ancient times is absolutely my thing) so I was pretty hooked by this story. Cleopatra Selene isn't a person in history that I've seen many books about so I'm really happy I finally read this one. It was such a great story and I was so glad it had a happy ending.

I do have to admit that the start was a little slow. It took my a couple of chapters to really get into the story. But it wasn't long before I fell in love with it. I loved how the author wrote Cleopatra Selene and how great her character developement was. 

I also felt so bad for all the things she and her brothers went through after her parents (Cleopatra VII and Marcus Antonius) died and when they were taken to Rome to live in Octavianus's palace. Things definitely weren't easy for them. Cleopatra Selene is definitely a character I won't forget anytime soon. 

Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter is a book I would highly recommend for fans of historical fiction, especially for readers that love books set in the ancient world as much as I do. The story is really great, the writing is excellent and I would also recommend to read the author's note on the historical facts. It's so interesting! 


Check out my reviews of Vicky Alvear Shecter's other books:

A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii — 5 stars (Part one: The Son)



Vicky Alvear Shecter is the author of multiple books set in the ancient world, including the YA novels, CLEOPATRA'S MOON, based on the life of Cleopatra's only daughter, and CURSES AND SMOKE: A NOVEL OF POMPEII and the adult historical collaborations, A SONG OF WAR, A YEAR OF RAVENS, and A DAY OF FIRE. She has written a mid-grade series on mythology (ANUBIS SPEAKS, HADES SPEAKS, and THOR SPEAKS) as well as two award-winning biographies for kids. She a She is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta.
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4 comments:

  1. I've never heard of this book! It sounds fantastic though. I'm trying to read more historical fiction, and the ones that draw me in are always books set in the ancient world. Thanks for the review!

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    1. I'd also recommend this author's book Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii if you like books that are set in the ancient world. ^_^

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  2. Slow stars are okay as long as it does like this one :) Glad you enjoyed!!

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  3. I haven't read about this one before. I am so glad to hear that this one was really good and that it warmed up. I'm all about the character development, so seeing that come through well makes me happy. :)

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