One of my favorite things about historical fiction is the research spiral that follows. Egyptian history and the Roman world are two eras I could fall down a rabbit hole in forever…think pharaohs, ancient Egyptian gods, vicious politics, and the women who lived alongside Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. It’s the women’s stories that always intrigue me most. So much has been written about the men. I want to know about the women who shaped everything alongside them….

Which is what drew me to this one. Cleopatra is a retelling from Queen Cleopatra’s own perspective, narrated from the afterlife, as if she’s finally getting to correct the record. A woman who ruled Egypt for over two decades, who captured the hearts of both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, and yet history has too often reduced her to a viper, a seductress. This book asks: what if she was just… a woman with a full life? (And yes, I had completely forgotten about the 30-year age gap between her and Caesar. That detail alone sent me spiraling.)

There’s even a touch of magic woven in, and a plot twist at the end I did not see coming.

I’m giving this 4 stars. The pacing is good, but I wished for more depth in the romantic relationships. Still, if this era is even remotely on your radar, I’d absolutely recommend it.