Cleopatra’s Daughter, by Michelle Moran

Michelle Moran writes so evocatively about the women of ancient Egypt and Rome, that they come alive and are unforgettable. Her novels are genuinely gripping, and though she dramatizes select periods, she sticks to the historical facts. Recounting the early years of Princess Cleopatra Selene II, the story begins with the banishment of Selene and her brother to Rome after their mother’s death. Spied on, threatened, and ostracised, they had adapt to Roman life. But Selene’s saving graces were her intelligence, iron will and compassion, and only she survived. Contrary to convention, she was educated as an architect and married King Juba II of Numidia, establishing a great dynasty in Mauretania.

All one can say is: More please, Michelle Moran.

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