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A review by paul_cornelius
Cleopatra, Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis, the Royal Egyptian, as Set Forth by His Own Hand by H. Rider Haggard, H. Rider Haggard
4.0
One of Haggard's earlier works, Cleopatra is downright sinister in its revelations about human greed, lust, and revenge. Love does not operate other than to fuel lust on the part of Harmachis, greed on the part of Cleopatra, and revenge on the part of Charmion, the frustrated would-be lover of Harmachis who drags Harmachis into destruction with her. Indeed, all are concerned with vengeance in this novel, even the gods and their priests. Never have I read such an ending to any of Haggard's books. He leaves us in Cleopatra without hope for this world or the next, the latter being even more terrible than the brief time spent across our Earthly lifespan.
Otherwise, the book is notable for Haggard's use of archaic language throughout. I'm not sure it's as successful as it could be--often veering into the inauthentic rather than verisimilitude. I have read instances where Haggard salts his characters' speech with archaic words and phrases, and it all works quite well. But it does so because it is sampled and mixed in among the vitality of his present day language. Here, in Cleopatra, its use has the feel of cobwebs sprayed into the set of a haunted castle on a movie set. It feels unreal; it is unreal. And we are left with a carpet of death but no feeling of remorse for anyone.
Otherwise, the book is notable for Haggard's use of archaic language throughout. I'm not sure it's as successful as it could be--often veering into the inauthentic rather than verisimilitude. I have read instances where Haggard salts his characters' speech with archaic words and phrases, and it all works quite well. But it does so because it is sampled and mixed in among the vitality of his present day language. Here, in Cleopatra, its use has the feel of cobwebs sprayed into the set of a haunted castle on a movie set. It feels unreal; it is unreal. And we are left with a carpet of death but no feeling of remorse for anyone.