Cleopatra VII is one of the most known historical figures of all time. Her love story with Marc Antony, was also considered to be one of the most well-known throughout the world. But what most of us didn't know was that their love had produced three children: Alexander, Cleopatra Selene, and Ptolemy.

The book begins at 31BC, when Octavian defeats Marc Antony's forces at the Battle of Actium. We all know what happens, Marc Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide to avoid being taken as prisoner by Octavian and their three children were taken to Rome by Octavian.

The rest of the novel chronicles the early life of Cleopatra Selene, and is told in her point of view, as she experiences and sees Rome. How Alexandria is so much different to Rome, how she fears for her life, as she awaits Octavian's orders to marry her off to a senator, and basic, everyday life in Rome with her friends.

Thoughts - This novel is well-researched as I read about numerous rituals, gods, and "events" happening in Ancient Rome and Egypt. I am fascinated by how the author fed me these information - it's as if I was living in those times as well. And I would never have known all about those rituals, gods, and events, had it not for me 1) reading the book and 2) researching them as well.
This book also chronicles a glossary at the back, so if you get lost in the wonder that is Ancient Rome and Egypt, head on to the glossary and you'll have something to guide your way. Although not everything is explained or described in the glossary, if you're a curious reader like myself, you'll spend hours traipsing around Wikipedia, searching for the characters, events, and terms!Some of the buildings described in the novel may not be standing anymore [ie the Library of Alexandria], it's definitely fun to imagine them! There's even a map at the front part of the book to let you imagine how Rome looked like way back then. And also plots Europe and the other cities in there. Excellent.

Although the book may become boring at some parts, the mystery of the Red Eagle will be sure to rouse you a bit. But for those of you who are looking for an action-packed novel, well, there's definitely not a lot in this book, so don't expect too much. However, I found myself wondering what would happen next to the characters so I'm guilty of looking through the next few pages [oh all right, even right through to the last chapters], trying to get a sneak peek of what might happen next!

Overall, the book was an honest and pretty accurate description of daily life in Ancient Rome. How much simpler the times were then, and how various forces eventually shaped the characters of Tiberius [who will eventually become the Roman Emperor when Jesus was crucified], Selene, Julia, Marcellus, Juba, and Agrippa. I feel these characters were well-developed and felt very "alive", although Selene's stubbornness has got me annoyed most of the time. But hey, feeling annoyed at a character definitely means the book got to you, right?

The author went all ou to try and give a very visual representation and feeling to the readers that they are indeed in that time, that place. Exquisite attention to the details too! Very informational for readers like me. This book made me want to get on a plane and explore Alexandria and Rome, and see some of the structures that were still standing!

So, on to the rating & information:
Published: 2009
Publisher: Crown
Final Rating: 4.5/5
Read it if: You're looking for something historical to read and want to learn more about Ancient Egypt!

Many, many thanks to Michelle Moran for providing a copy of the book!

I'm LOVING this book. Seriously. It opened my eyes up to the world of Ancient Egypt like it never had.
Granted, I'd always been biased to British history and literary figures but this book has blown me away.
Though it does have it's ups and downs [more of which I'll post when I've finished reading the book, I'm about 1/3 there], I constantly have to google and research to create a visual interpretation of what Michelle Moran was saying in the book.

So, hence, for myself [and any others who might be interested in Ancient Egypt], I created a virtual tour and guide of the times as based from the book of Michelle Moran. Well, mostly I did it to avoid having to google everything again, so I'll just post everything I come up here and credit as necessary. And basically I just want the readers of my blog to appreciate the same things I did whilst I was reading the book!

No spoilers below! But if I do slip, let me know in the comments so I could update this post!

First up, who are these characters from the Hellenistic Egypt times? Well, there's Kleopatra Selene. As per the book, she is the only daughter of Marc Antony and Kleopatra VII.

[Photo on the left from http://www.bible-history.com/] The book is told from her point of view [hence the title "Cleopatra's Daughter". No, it's not about the famous Cleopatra VII talking about her daughter] She was only 11 when her mother and father committed suicide when their empire was falling against Octavian's forces. [Previous sentence is not a spoiler because everyone pretty much knows that they killed themselves -- its part of Ancient History!]

She has a twin brother, Alexander Helios, whom I can't find a decent portraiture on the internet right now, who is more level-headed and is an excellent horseman like his father.

She also has a younger brother, Ptolemy Philadelphius, described to look a lot like Marc Antony [now, I really have to look for photos of Marc Antony!!! Is he that much of a looker? Really?? I couldn't imagine although the bust pieces of him from the museums kinda look interesting -- he's got wavy [or curly] blonde hair, doesn't he?]

Anyways, the book was initially set in Alexandria, where Selene was recounting how lovely the place was. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was located there: The Lighthouse of Alexandria, to which Selene has drawn many wonderful views of the city [painting by Salvador Dali on right].

 Alexandria is on the top of Egypt, it is also known for their sea ports and was the capital of Egypt. Alexander the Great had founded this city when he conquered Egypt!

This city is also known for the Library of Alexandria, it was also stated in the book that it's filled with thousands of scrolls and Selene and Alexander loved to read through them. The book also describes the mausoleum of Antony and Kleopatra, and I would've loved to see the mausoleum as well as the Library of Alexandria and the Lighthouse, but unfortunately, they're all destroyed now :( Well, who would've thought it would survive after 2000 years [except for the pyramids of course]

My, my, who would've ever thought that people in those days would ever think that their works and legacy would still live 2000 or more years on?? Hopefully I would love to make at least a tiny bit of impact to the world as much as they did.

I left out my notes at home so I'll create a virtual tour part II when I come up with more interesting bits and bobs. I'm at the part where Kleopatra and Alexander are already seeing the sights and structures of Rome, so the next part would probably be longer than this!

Hope you enjoyed :) I'd already included Alexandria as one of my places to visit in my goal to see the world!

It's the 16th in Manila, and nearly the 16th in the West Coast of the US so it's time to announce the winner for my giveaway.

Using a random line picker from http://mytexttools.com/Random-Line-Picker.html

The winner of Cleopatra's Daughter is:

I will send you an email later tonight when I get home. Congratulations! :)

This is my first giveaway ever, and I'm so excited about the prize. :)

The lovely Michelle Moran has been kind enough to offer an autographed, hardbound copy of Cleopatra's Daughter, coming out in the US in August 15th, 2009.

Synopsis from her website:

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, but only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters:

Octavia: the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra
Livia: Octavian’s bitter and jealous wife
Marcellus: Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir-apparent
Tiberius: Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power
Juba: Octavian’s ever-watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place —the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the time. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of Imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of history, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.

Contest Details
- open to international readers.
- book will be shipped by author Michelle Moran from the US to the winner :)
- contest will end on September 14th, 2009, 10AM Eastern Standard Time
- winner will be announced on September 15th, to coincide with the book's release in the US
- entries will be assigned a random number and I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner

To enter:
+1 entry if you leave a comment in this post with your email address in it.
+1 entry if you become a follower of my blog
+1 entry if you were a previous follower of my blog
+2 entries if you post this giveaway on your blog.

Good luck everyone! :)