A beautifully written book about the famous and historical Cleopatra. The author gives her detailed insight on the life of Cleopatra. The author did a great job researching and giving the reader a different perspective on her.


Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Yale University Press for this review copy, I received this review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I truly wanted to like this book, but for myself, the writing felt extremely dry. I understand of course, that with historical novels, that is sometimes a given, but I truly could not get into this book. I might have gone in with the wrong expectations and that could have skewed my reading experience, as i expected a retelling and this was more so a reference guide. More like a history textbook than anything. Aesthetically, the cover is beautiful and I really wanted to like it. Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of this book.

This book was enjoyable to me and interesting as I found myself absorbed in learning the new details about Cleopatra's life. She is one of the most mesmerizing figures in history and I always love to read about her in new and fresh ways. This book does just that! It is not a fact-heavy, overwhelming read in the least. I found it easy and enjoyable and I am sure that you will too!

This was middle of the road for me, partially because I don't think it offered much in the way of a feminist reconsideration of Cleopatra. Most of it is dedicated to a rehashing of the bare details we do know, which isn't enough. There is little addition beyond primary sources and though the writing is very strong, I felt this probably needed more depth for someone coming to it with a knowledge of Cleopatra already. Great for a new reader about her though.

How much do we think we know about the ruler known as Cleopatra? Nearly everything we know comes from the media and writers that come from a time when she was judged by her looks and how women were expected to behave like. Roman women weren’t permitted to own property or businesses and largely were expected to dote on their husbands and children. Misogyny was apparent in everything women did so when Cleopatra rose to power, she was a problem that needed to be dealt with. She should’ve been applying makeup and having drinks with her ladies rather than planning a revolt to get her husband/brother off the throne. She was an anomaly that the Romans could do without.

The writing from Francine Prose was fantastical. You could be forgiven for thinking that this was a piece of fiction. It is seamless, with many layers to peel back and discover. Prose brought the original fascination of a foreign queen back into my vision. The legend of the Egyptian Queen was my first taster of what would become a blatant interest in everything ancient Egypt. She was everything she shouldn’t be – strong, resilient, maternal, and a strategist.

Cleopatra has been done a huge disservice for so many years through so many portrayals. But let’s not forget the fact that she managed to rule for twenty years during a time when it was dangerous for a woman to do so. She was the last Queen under Ptolemy’s rule. This is a piece of information that seems lost in all the translations of her rule, especially that god-awful Elizabeth Taylor film and Shakespeare’s’ play. Her heritage is falsely reported as being of Egyptian descent – her line of rulers was of Greek/Macedonian lineage. The research that Prose had dedicated to the book is there for all to see. She has for the first time allowed us to see the true Cleopatra and not just the seductress that Hollywood would have us see.

You can tell that this is an important character in history from the way Prose writes. She reminded me of a busy bar person trying to juggle all the different drink orders, trying as she might not to drop any bottles. She gives the first truly accurate retelling of one of the most important female Queen of a time gone by. A story that has finally done her justice. She cared not only about her own family but those of the Egyptians and her country’s standing in the years to come. Did she play games with the men in her life? You bet, but it was never mindless.

Growing up I, like so many, was enthralled by the story of Cleopatra. Her power, cunning, political prowess, and even her passionate love affairs with two important Roman leaders (and eventual downfall) made her seem otherworldly, godlike. Or, at least, brought her to a level of fame most enjoyed by men. Yes, she did get bad press but that comes to all who are defeated and no longer in control of his/her own press. It is the way of things. History is written by the victor.

I really enjoyed this. No earth shattering revelations but a real sense of Cleopatra's ability to command men and situations. The backstory of her early years and the Ptolemaic kingdom before her was fascinating. What a murderous family! I'm not sure how I feel about about the various film critiques. It's alright, I suppose, but too easy to denigrate historical works and compare them unfavourably with the standards of today. That is unfair and does a disservice to all. We can do nothing to alter the past, all we can do is change what we do going forward. My view of the films mentioned would actually be more positive. Cleopatra and her myth is a story no one tires of which is why it is revisited time and again. What better tribute to a remarkable woman who continues to possess endless magnetism just as strong as it was thousands of years ago, when she lived?

I Liked the writing style, it made it very engaging for a non fiction book.

The first two thirds of the book were just okay. It’s mostly an overview of Cleopatra’s life from the little information we know. It’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t know much about her life but I’ve read biographies about her before so it was all info I knew already sadly. The last third was much better for me personally! It looked at the interpretations of Cleopatra in film and theater which was really interesting. It’s also where most of the author’s analysis of Cleopatra takes place.

It’s a nice concise look at Cleopatra, however it’s better for people who don’t have a lot of previous knowledge of her. I did enjoy how the author interpreted the exoticism/racism and misogyny that persists in how Cleopatra is portrayed. Prose fleshed out the Egyptian Queen to being more than a charming, plotting seductress and turned her into the intelligent and clever ruler that she was.

Also based on the description the book isn’t what I expected. The author reviews information and cites primary sources but she doesn’t add to the conversation or interpret the multitudes of conflicting information for the majority of the text.

Overall not a bad read but not great either. But again this is just my experience since I’m not new to Cleopatra’s life so I got bored at times. Nothing new added for me, so can’t really recommend if you’re in the same position. If you don’t know much about Cleopatra however, I think this would be a great introduction!

In 'Cleopatra', Francine Prose very successfully provides a new way of looking at the ancient Egyptian Queen. For over 2000 years Cleopatra has been sexualised and villainised by many (usually male) historians, artists, directors and producers. Prose's work is a refreshing, feminist and reflective piece of work, which critiques the racist, misogynistic way that Cleopatra's story has often been narrated in the past.

She gives a large biography of Cleopatra's life, using multiple sources and questioning the sources biases and own perceptions of her. As it gives a full time line of events and background information on the political context of the time, it is a great resource for people that know nothing about Cleopatra or the world of ancient Egypt and Rome. It is detailed but never confusing.

The final few chapters focus on specific, well known portrayals of Cleopatra in media, From Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, to Elizabeth Taylor's depiction in the 1963 film, Prose emphasises the problems with depicting Cleopatra in these manners in an informative and humerous way. This also makes it more relatable for the audience as we have reference points to look to. It is also helpful to be able to understand the implications of continued misrepresentations of Cleopatra today.

Overall this was an exellent book because Cleopatra is fleshed out and made real. She is far more nuanced than the static, portrayal we have been led to believe. She is not just a 'seductress' but a successful, powerful political leader in her own right, at a time when this was incredbily rare for women. I would particularly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about women, especially if they are interested in questioning the narrative of what we have been told about certain women for thousands of years.

Thank you to Netgalley and Yale University Press for the ARC.

I must admit when I started this book I expected something more like Madeline Miller’s book. An imaginary novel where Cleopatras was seen differently from the ruthless lascivious seductress. In truth, this is more a historical book, the author is very good in stating what is fact and what is fiction, but in the end you still get a completely new image of Cleopatras. She is shown as a very powerful woman, capable of leading a big country for 20 years and also a caring and thoughtful mother in a time when it was custom to kill siblings. I’m now obsessed with her figure and it kills me knowing we’ll never know her true story. It’s incredible how history written by men can be distorted not only for propaganda, but also because they were not accustomed to seeing powerful women. It their stories she ends up being almost magical, like a sort of evil Circe that can enchant men, only magic can explain why powerful men listen to her. I adored the insights the author gave about movies and books about Cleopatras, pointing out all the absurd things inserted just to maintain the seductress image. Of course she was not a saint, but she deserves to be respected for being a great woman.

Cleopatra is an awesome collection of all the different tales of Cleopatra's life. While covering the different eras of her life and all the different stories about her, this book still doesn't feel as if it's a textbook. The way this book reads is very much as if a friend is telling you about their favorite topic. If you're at all interested in Cleopatra and the factual history juxtaposed against the myths around her, this is a great book for you!

A transporting and immersive story that will suit enthral historical fiction readers. Poignant and moving, its unforgettable characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

In Cleopatra, Francine Prose provides a moderately detailed overview of the life of Cleopatra, leaning primarily on the writings of Plutarch to support her historical accounts. Later, Prose digs into portrayals of Cleopatra throughout history, often criticizing their exoticism and misrepresentation of the famous ancient queen.

I didn’t know much about Cleopatra going into this, so it was nice to get a general account of her life. Perhaps due to the lack of solid information on Cleopatra’s life — there appears to be more historical speculation than historical fact available — I ultimately didn’t feel like I learned quite enough to know or appreciate Cleopatra as a person. Rather, by the time Prose moved on fully to artistic reinterpretations of Cleopatra, I felt like I had simply learned the ways in which she was a chapter in two powerful Roman men’s lives. I think a lot of this has to do with Prose leaning so heavily on Plutarch, who the author even notes also framed Cleopatra simply as a chapter in Caesar and Mark Antony’s lives. Because of this, the large majority of the book mostly read like a book report, lacking the kind of critical feminist analysis that I hoped to find in this book.

The bulk of analysis instead lives in the last 20% of the book, centered primarily on the ways in which Cleopatra is represented and misrepresented in art. Prose points out the various ways in which she is exoticized and oversexualized, and even frames these choices in the context of their times. This was by far the more interesting part of the book since it did engage in a significant amount of critical analysis, and yet I do still wish it had gone farther. Because I didn’t feel like I was able to know Cleopatra the person well enough by the end of Prose’s overview of her history, I found it subsequently difficult to feel like I could parse out the real Cleopatra from Prose’s accounts of her misrepresentations on stage, in film, and in art. Instead, I felt like, even knowing nothing about Cleopatra’s life, I would have found these representations to be often shallow and too focused on Cleopatra as a sexual being than a full person, which really left me in the end wondering why I’d had to sit through the first 80% of the book just for these analyses.

I do think for readers interested in Cleopatra, Prose offers a successful introduction, however I still wish that her analysis had gone farther than it ultimately did.

Absolutely amazing read! Such a captivating read! Amazing cover art that was super eye catching would definitely recommend to all!

The fascination Cleopatra holds seems eternal and I was excited to read this new book.

As ever, no book can fully deal with a subject to everyone 's satisfaction, particularly such an important period of history. I found the book informative and interesting, but heavy-going in places.

Ultimately, and perhaps unfairly, I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied, as the book promised to answer questions that still feel barely touched upon.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

This was an extraordinary read. It brilliantly weaved the storyline of Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen, who was dubbed as the "Egyptian's shame" because of her renowned skill as a "seductress," when in fact women are capable of more than just being the embodiment of the "lustful temptations of men." This book submerged me on thr account that women are to be blamed for for the downfall of their greatest men warriors.

Reading this was a refreshing read. It gave me insight on Cleopatra and how much of a strategist she is. This, for me, stood out as debunking the biased narratives on her behalf, having painted her as nothing more than a whore who seduced Julius Caesar and Mark Antony as submissive.

Massive massive to Yale University Press and Netgalley for granting me this eARC!

A feminist retelling of the myths surrounding Cleopatra. I enjoyed this novel as it shone a new light on a story that I felt fairly familiar with but this brought a new perspective.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Book Synopsis:
The siren passionately in love with Mark Antony, the seductress who allegedly rolled out of a carpet she had herself smuggled in to see Caesar, Cleopatra is a figure shrouded in myth. Beyond the legends immortalized by Plutarch, Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, and others, there are no journals or letters written by Cleopatra herself. All we have to tell her story are words written by others. What has it meant for our understanding of Cleopatra to have had her story told by writers who had a political agenda, authors who distrusted her motives, and historians who believed she was a liar?

Francine Prose delves into ancient Greek and Roman literary sources, as well as modern representations of Cleopatra in art, theater, and film, to challenge past narratives driven by orientalism and misogyny and offer a new interpretation of Cleopatra’s history through the lens of our current era.

I love a good reinterpretation! This one was very interesting as I have never been very exposed to the literary sources cited. It was at times a bit of a slog (but is to be expected with some historical novels). I love the amount of imagination that goes into building out a story when we don't have one about the main character herself. Definitely worth picking up if you find Cleopatra's history interesting.

Cleopatra is one of the most enticing, fascinating historical figures. She's a powerful leader and a mystical seductress, and... that's generally the limit of what people think of when it comes to her, plus or minus a few snakes or pearls for drinking.

This book gives a fairly standard history, starting with the backstory of Alexander the Great and the historical events that led to Cleopatra's reign in Egypt. Prose uses historical records from Greeks, Romans, and others to tell the story and provide some commentary on what those events would have meant at the time. It also provides some feminist and modern interpretations of the events.

The most disappointing part is that the book poses a fascinating question: how have we come to our current ideas about Cleopatra, through both historical documents and modern portrayals? Although there are some interesting discussions of films and art about Cleopatra, it felt like it barely scraped the surface of that question. There are some examples of our current interpretation, but very little discussion on why that happened, steps forward, how public perception has changed over time, or any of that. Seeing as that is what the book seemed to promise, it was disappointing to be left still asking that question. It felt more like a master's thesis or something similar that wasn't fully developed after the original draft.

Overall, I thought learning more about the history of Cleopatra was enjoyable, and the quotes from historical documents were fascinating. Unfortunately, the book left me wanting a lot more than it gave me. It did spark more interest in the topic, so I will be looking into more books to answer the questions this one left me with.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy.

Some parts were banal, but that’s expected in an historical account. I learned a lot about the Ptolemaic dynasty. Cleopatra and the rest of her gigantic incestuous family ruled Egypt but are ethnically Macedonian Greek. Was told by Marquise that GRRM used this as the basis for brother-sister and uncle-niece marriages for House Targaryen.

It’s 2022. Can we please stop slut shaming Cleopatra? Incest, murder and war aside, she was the first in her family to actually speak the Egyptian tongue. The rest of her family were too proud to learn. Lovely to see a powerful woman hated just because she is a woman. I will not be here to discuss the terrible Elizabeth Taylor film.

I found this an interesting read although quite dry at times. It made some interesting points about the historical bias due to Cleopatra being female and the fact that history is written by men. I felt at times it could have gone deeper into some areas. The discussion around how she’s been portrayed on screen was also interesting,