Review: Lily of the Nile (Cleopatra's Daughter #1) by Stephanie Dray

Selene, the daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony struggles with the complexity of her relationships with her parent's enemies, and her loyalty to her home and religion after she and her brothers are orphaned and held captive in Rome.

In the past, I've been known criticize books that are heavy handed with magic and mysticism, but in truth, I don't mind magic being used in the novels I read, I just want it to make sense and not come across as contrived just for the sake of it. In Lily of the Nile, although magic was frequently involved, I didn't mind it since it did not feel contrived. The plot did not rely too heavily on magic, but Selene's relationships and religion did, which is what this novel is all about.

I'm looking forward to completing this series and seeing how Selene uses her power and influence as a queen in a new land.

Review: Nefertit by Michelle Moran

This biographical novel of Nefertiti as told from her sister's point of view has a compelling plot with interesting characters, but at the same time, the most frustrating thing about it is that one of the main characters (Nefertiti herself) is so unlikable and also is supposed to be intelligent but frequently makes poor decisions.

Additionally, one of the downsides to writing in first person from a more minor character's point of view is the fact that we don't get to see much of the actual governing that Nefertiti did. Some of it is mentioned at the very end, almost as an afterthought, but it might have made her a bit more likable had we seen more of that, and less of her selfishness and petty, spiteful vindictiveness. You have to wonder why Mutny kept going back to her sister, and then you remember "because then the book wouldn't be about Nefertiti" and yet, that didn't really feel like it would be so terrible.

I also felt like this was set up perfectly for a sequel about Tut's reign and fall, and the succeeding Pharaohs, which has never happened. There was much talk about Horemheb, for example, but ultimately, he didn't play much of a role, so it would have been the perfect set up for a sequel, but I guess Moran only writes about famous women.

Overall, the subject matter and plot was fascinating enough to hold my interest but I definitely wouldn't rank this as the best Moran novel.

Review: The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

As the niece of the former Heretic Queen, Nefertari is hated by all of Egypt apart from a few allies, but they are powerful allies that include the Pharaoh, the High Priestess, and the Crown Prince, Ramesses the Great. Nerfertari has to prove that she is a valuable queen for him after spending a whole year being groomed for the position of Chief Wife.

Moran always knows how to craft an enjoyable story and this one is no exception. However, I did have some criticisms. The characters were a little one dimensional, they were either perfect or evil. I am finding this is typical for Moran's work though, and doesn't necessarily mean the protagonists aren't likable.

My main issue was the fact that the women in the story were portrayed as manipulative and influential of the Pharaohs, while the men were nearly their pawns. I understand that the influence of most women in history was through the men in their life, so this was the only way for them to hold power. But the degree to which they could manipulate the men, and the stupid men didn't even really seem to notice was a little unrealistic at times.

None of that means it wasn't enjoyable. There's lots of cultural detail that brought the setting to life, the pace moved along steadily with an eventful plot, and the writing was good. I particularly liked how much Moran incorporated the Ancient Egyptian religion into the story and the characters. So many historical novelists seem to make religion not much more than a passing thought to their character when writing about cultures which were generally deeply religious. The Heretic Queen really shows how important the Ancient Egyptian beliefs were to them, and how they lived by them.

Review: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Egypt and it's heirs are in the hands of Rome, the hands of their enemy Octavian. Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of Ancient Egypt is dead, along with her husband, Marc Antony. But they leave behind their children, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, and this is the story of what becomes of them after they have lost their family, their home, and everything they ever knew and loved.

I wondered how the life of Cleopatra's daughter after the fall of Alexandria could be eventful enough to fill a novel. All I really knew about Selene was that after her parent's deaths, she was taken to Rome where she live with Octavian's sister, her father's former wife, until she was married to Juba II of Numidia and became Queen of Mauretania. While the emotional turmoil of living with the "enemy" might be ripe for a novel, there's only so much that will fill. But Michelle Moran really knows how to weave an intriguing story. Both eventful and with great character development, Selene's story comes to life along side the time period she lived in. Several times I found myself reading passed the point I'd planned to stop for the night - I literally could not put it down. My only complaint is that the Afterward made me want to read a sequel novel!