The Memoirs of Cleopatra
by Margaret George
reviewed by Nicholas Beatty

 

As the seventh Cleopatra of the Royal House of Ptolemy, Daughter of Isis and wife to both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, Cleopatra is more than merely a woman, she is the essence of beauty, ambition and power.

At nearly one thousand pages, Margaret George's novel, Memoirs of Cleopatra is more than merely a book, it is an epic journey straight to the heart of a woman shrouded in mystery. From the moment I opened the cover of this book, I was transported to the ancient city of Alexandria. I felt the heat of the Egyptian sun on my shoulders, I could smell the exotic fragrances drifting from the palace and I watched as Cleopatra's magnificent fleet glisten in the harbor. The book created the most amazing literary experience I have ever embarked upon. At a time in my life when I needed an escape from reality, The Memoirs of Cleopatra provided just that.

The book offers a first person glimpse into one of the greatest stories ever told. Throughout the book, you are right beside Cleopatra as she battles to hold onto her empire. You feel her heartache as Caesar dies, and you feel proud when her son is born.

We may never know the true story of Cleopatra. Many of the "facts" we now accept are merely rumors created by her enemies that have lived on throughout the centuries. Was she a seductress? Did she bathe in blood? How did she really die? Margaret George's meticulously researched book is considered a novel, but it offers a fresh look into the life of Cleopatra as it answers many questions.

From the moment I turned the last page of Memoirs of Cleopatra, I have and will always be a devoted reader of Margaret George's work.