Kleopatra
Pharaoh
Volume 1 & 2
By Karen Essex 

     What young girl hasn't pretended to be Kleopatra, Queen of the Nile, in the wonderful games of childhood? Kleopatra has influenced women for centuries-not just for her exotic beauty, but for her intelligence, loyalty, statesmanship, and ambition. Essex's rendition of the legendary Egyptian monarch's story begins when she is only three years old and progresses throughout her lifetime. When Kleopatra's father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, is exiled to Rome, the young princess accompanies him, leaving behind her childhood in preparation for ruling Egypt. When she returns, she is named co-regent with her father, who dies shortly thereafter. Since a woman could not rule alone, she is forced to marry her half-brother in order to maintain control over Egypt. She eventually raises an army with her cousin and lover, Archimedes. Essex recounts Kleopatra's tragic relationships with her sisters and other family members. This volume ends with the young queen in exile, waiting for Julius Caesar.

     Volume two chronicles her relationship with Caesar and the birth of Caesar's only son, then his betrayal by the Roman senate and Kleopatra's extreme danger at that point. There are the familiar historical characters, including Cicero, Cato, Marcus Brutus, and Octavian, Caesar's adopted son and the man who became the Emperor Agustus.

     She joins Caesar, aligning Egypt with Rome, but when he's murdered, Kleopatra plans an association with the charismatic Antony, whom she sees as the next Emperor. Kleopatra loves both men, viewing Caesar as a mentor and Antony as a soul mate. She bore three children by Mark Antony. Yet the love she has for these men never warps her vision in her long term, self-promoting plan for Egypt, making Essex's Kleopatra much more than just a seductress, as she is often portrayed.

     This two volume biographical novel is a stunning accomplishment. Essex's meticulous research is evident in every part of the story, yet it is as fresh as today's headlines and even though we know the final outcome, it is as exciting as the best suspense story.

     I've always read everything I could get my hands on about Kleopatra and her era, but I have never read a version that kept me glued to the page like this one by the very talented Karen Essex. I can't wait to read her version of the life of Alexander the Great!