Cleopatra's story has been told hundreds of ways over thousands of years, yet none of them have really been from her point of view. But this book rectifies that. Instead of focusing on how she seduced Caesar and Marcus Antonius, and then how she died, this book paints a portrait of her as an intelligent woman, a loving mother, and a compassionate ruler. And since so much of what we know about Cleopatra is based on what historians who never met her told Plutarch, who was referenced by Shakespeare, who was read and performed by the masses, what El-Arifi writes in this book is just as likely to be true as anything else. It's captivating, it's thought-provoking, and it's a compelling story that doesn't end the way you think it might.
Also, I listened to the audiobook of this, and I must highly recommend it. It's read by Adjoa Andoh (best know to Bridgerton fans as the esteemed Lady Danbury) who does an AMAZING job of bringing an historic queen to life. The perfect narrator for this book.
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