Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
dark
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While not one of my favorite historical figures this fictional diary makes her even more relatable and has peaked my interest to learn more about the Queen of the Nile.
I read this book when I was in elementary school and subsequently fell in love with Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt. I was already fascinated with ancient history and Greek and Egyptian mythology- this just deepened my desire to learn more about the period.
This story follows the tale of Cleopatra in her early years, from 12 to 14. She is a young girl growing up in a dangerous time and place. Her father's rule is starting to crumble, and the Ptolemaic rule is coming to its eventual decline. It's interesting reading this book and seeing all of the struggles that Ptolemy and Cleopatra go through to try and secure their future when you know that Cleopatra was the last of the Ptolemaic rule. Cleopatra has to navigate her way through the dangerous streets of Alexandria, and the even more treacherous streets of her home, where her sisters ae vying for the throne in their father's absence. He is overseas in Rome trying to get money and an army to suppress uprisings in Egypt.
Cleopatra survives potential poisonings and eventually joins her father in Rome, where she learns more about the political games that surround her future. She is a sharp witted young girl who learns the language of the Romans and is able to understand when they are mocking her father, who relies on translators. Cleopatra faces a culture shock when she comes to Rome and is often comparing it to her idyllic Alexandria. There is a lot of information about the Romans and the city itself. I enjoyed her explorations and her determination to help her father against his countless enemies. She makes allies and enemies, and meets her future partners Marc Antony and Ceasar.
Overall, this is a great coming of age story about a fanstastic historical woman. The details may not be perfect, but its an historical fiction marketed to youth who want an interesting story and to learn some foundations about the time period and the people, not neccessarily a history report of specific situations. I really enjoyed this book, and now that I've written this, I really want to go back and read it for the fifth or sixth time.
This story follows the tale of Cleopatra in her early years, from 12 to 14. She is a young girl growing up in a dangerous time and place. Her father's rule is starting to crumble, and the Ptolemaic rule is coming to its eventual decline. It's interesting reading this book and seeing all of the struggles that Ptolemy and Cleopatra go through to try and secure their future when you know that Cleopatra was the last of the Ptolemaic rule. Cleopatra has to navigate her way through the dangerous streets of Alexandria, and the even more treacherous streets of her home, where her sisters ae vying for the throne in their father's absence. He is overseas in Rome trying to get money and an army to suppress uprisings in Egypt.
Cleopatra survives potential poisonings and eventually joins her father in Rome, where she learns more about the political games that surround her future. She is a sharp witted young girl who learns the language of the Romans and is able to understand when they are mocking her father, who relies on translators. Cleopatra faces a culture shock when she comes to Rome and is often comparing it to her idyllic Alexandria. There is a lot of information about the Romans and the city itself. I enjoyed her explorations and her determination to help her father against his countless enemies. She makes allies and enemies, and meets her future partners Marc Antony and Ceasar.
Overall, this is a great coming of age story about a fanstastic historical woman. The details may not be perfect, but its an historical fiction marketed to youth who want an interesting story and to learn some foundations about the time period and the people, not neccessarily a history report of specific situations. I really enjoyed this book, and now that I've written this, I really want to go back and read it for the fifth or sixth time.
4 stars
I finally finish this book after putting it on the side for like 8 or 9 years. And I really like it.
I finally finish this book after putting it on the side for like 8 or 9 years. And I really like it.
This book was a lot shorter and, honestly?, a lot more boring than I remember it being when I read it as a middle schooler. Not a whole lot actually happens in this book. The deaths of Cleopatra's two sisters happen off screen, they spend a lot of time in Rome and not much in Egypt, and 30yo Marc Antony is incredibly creepy and inappropriate toward 12yo Cleopatra!! This used to be one of my favorite of the series, because I love Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt so much, but I really think my nostalgia glasses have fallen away, rereading the series almost 10 years later as an adult.
Weird, weird book!!!!!! That book makes me sooooo glad I don't live in ancient Egyptian times!!!!! They were soo uncivilized and violent back then!!!!!! If you were royalty, you were NEVER safe!! This book is filled with poison (hidden in their drinks), murder, poisonous snakes (in their beds),and gore. No trust or love at ALL!!! You were either miserably poor or fearing for your lives constantly!! I would not recommend reading unless you have to!!!!
Well I didn't care for this book at all. The plot wasn't interesting which made the book rather boring. The history was bad and there is no exciting events.The majority of this book takes place in Rome not Egypt :( There is no character development and the plot moved along slowly. This book is not one I would recommend.
Interesting read. I liked the look at the early years of Cleopatra told in her own words. I know that author did a lot of research on this period and it is what she thought was happened with her. I haven't read a lot of things about Cleopatra and thought it was an interesting to see more about that time period. When you think of being a princess it makes you think a of life of ease and being spoiled and nice things happening, but not in that time or area does that really happen. Not only does she have to be on her toes all the time but in fear of her life also. A story told in an interesting manner with history mixed in.
I really am trying to not be so harsh. These are children's books after all and targeted for children. But the Harry Potter series and Percy Jackson series are also targeted for children and those two are some of the best series out there. Books targeted for younger audiences are honest to god some of the best out there in general. These books are often the reason why a lot of us get into reading in the first place. But jeez, some of these books in the Royal Diaries series are just bleh.
This second installment in the Royal Diaries series is just a complete miss. 1.5/5 and this is me trying to be generous and taking intended audience into consideration.
I know I adored this book when I first read it when I was a kid and I'm sure that others who read this as kids would echo this opinion. I remember asking my mom to get this book for me after I started getting really into Ancient Egypt and then Cleopatra. I remember liking this book and I can't fault younger me for liking it. It hit the marks of what I was looking for at the time: a book set in Ancient Egyptian times AND it was about Cleopatra. Yes! On the surface? It's no wonder why this became one of the more popular books in this series.
But now? Well, all I see is horrendous writing, equally horrendous characterization, and bad history. Again, I know this was intended for younger audiences and was meant to push kids to get interested in history and this woman (and all the other women featured in these books), but the story itself was boring and everything felt FORCED. Gregory struggled to tell this story, to write in Cleopatra's voice, and to find the balance between telling the history and telling a story. It's rather depressing, but I was more interested in Cleopatra's older sisters than I was interested in Gregory's Cleopatra.
This second installment in the Royal Diaries series is just a complete miss. 1.5/5 and this is me trying to be generous and taking intended audience into consideration.
I know I adored this book when I first read it when I was a kid and I'm sure that others who read this as kids would echo this opinion. I remember asking my mom to get this book for me after I started getting really into Ancient Egypt and then Cleopatra. I remember liking this book and I can't fault younger me for liking it. It hit the marks of what I was looking for at the time: a book set in Ancient Egyptian times AND it was about Cleopatra. Yes! On the surface? It's no wonder why this became one of the more popular books in this series.
But now? Well, all I see is horrendous writing, equally horrendous characterization, and bad history. Again, I know this was intended for younger audiences and was meant to push kids to get interested in history and this woman (and all the other women featured in these books), but the story itself was boring and everything felt FORCED. Gregory struggled to tell this story, to write in Cleopatra's voice, and to find the balance between telling the history and telling a story. It's rather depressing, but I was more interested in Cleopatra's older sisters than I was interested in Gregory's Cleopatra.