CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER

CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER by Michelle Moran

From the back of the book:

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time.  Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony's rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt.  When their orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, only two - the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander - survive the journey.  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 deep within their own hearts.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra's Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this most tumultuous period in human history.  Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene must confront the same forces that destroyed her mother and struggle to meet a different fate.  A young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, Selene will capture your heart.

I had read the two previous books by Ms. Moran and enjoyed them.  This one was a good one too.  I don't think I had ever read anything about Selene and her brother Alexander before, so it was interesting to see how they were handled when they were taken from Egypt to Rome.  I would have thought their life would have been spent in captivity, but they were treated the same as members of Octavian's family.  But there was the ever-present threat of danger to them when they reached the age of 15, which was considered the age when childhood ended and adulthood began.

Ms. Moran is an author who definitely does her homework when researching a book.  I'm anxious to see what she has next in store for her readers.