The Memoirs of Cleopatra

It took me about a month, but another book closer to my goal for the year.

I have always wanted to read The Memoirs of Cleopatra, since high school long ago, but I always kept putting it off. I have only ever read one book of Margaret George’s, and I thought it was alright. I enjoyed it in general; it was an entertaining read, and I learned a lot about cultural collisions where they clearly do not want to be swayed by others, but will force themselves onto the opposing side in a way. It took longer than I would have liked to read, meaning normally when I read I can get a good amount of pages done, about 50+. In the last couple books I have struggled to focus on reading 20 pages. I do not know if this is the book, or if it is my new meds, but either way, I do not want to fault the book this time.

Everyone knows Cleopatra, the last official Pharaoh of Egypt before Caesar Augustus, formally known as Octavian, claimed the land for Rome. There have been many books and movies on her, especially depicting her relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. This was an interesting take on her life, beginning when she was a young girl and ending at her death by suicide because that is what you do in war in that time, you never give the enemy the satisfaction of completely owning you.

I enjoyed it in general; it was an entertaining read, and I learned a lot about cultural collisions where they clearly do not want to be swayed by others, but will force themselves onto the opposing side in a way. In a previous Margaret George book I read, there was a lot of passion in the main character’s voice, and the same went for this one. All her life, her focus was her country and leading it into prosperity and doing everything she could to get there. When she is in Rome and the Middle East, all she talks about is how much she misses Alexandria and how different, or the same it is. Caesar was definitely like this, but in a more militant style because that is all he knows. Antony was not so much; I think his childlike sense of wonder makes him more inclined to being an explorer, rather than a conqueror. Being who the two men were in terms of position, I would probably have sided with Olympos for those times when she was called out for her choice in men.

This is where I failed as a reader to read between the lines, and we can tell by my attempt to bring discussion into a review says that I probably liked this book.

I would read this again, fer sure. I liked that there was a consistent flow from one to another, and the writing was well done so that it was easy to immerse myself into that world and become attached to people. I think it will be interesting to read other books on the keys players of that whole situation so as to hear the different sides of it.

If you are interested in The Memoirs of Cleopatra, you will find it here.

9/10