Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
Copy Courtesy of Stephanie Dray
Release Date: 1/4/2011
Cleopatra. That name brings many things to mind, but did you know she had a daughter (and 3 sons)? Her name was Selene and this is her re-imagined, and magic-ified story. Selene and 2 of her brothers are captured by Octavian, the architect of her father Marc Antony and her mother's downfall, and brought into his 'family.' She must navigate the treacherous politics of this Roman world she finds herself in.
History sticklers beware, there are obviously some changes to the story so put on your enjoying reading hat before you read.
It did hurt to read some of the beginning parts of this book because of the viewpoint from the loser of an empire (very realistic and vivid). The hatred of Octavian (he's a real prick) and the obsequiousness of Selene is hard to stomach, but her thought process and reactions make a lot of sense even as Selene's twin brother rebellion makes sense.
There isn't a lot of action per se. The plot is not fast paced (it does drag a little at times); it's more of an exploration of Selene's internal and external struggles with her religion, her legacy and of course her captured status. I enjoyed this journey, but it's not for everyone.
The ending really makes all of Selene's struggles and having to put up with Octavian worth it. It is a powerful setup for the next book, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
A quick reminder that Stephanie did an interview with me last weekend, so you should definitely go check that out as well.
Star Rating: 3.5/5.0
For an explanation of the Star Rating go here.
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10 comments: Jump to Comment Form
Great review. I love how you alway have such honest reviews. The cover of this book is great :)
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hi Sniffly Kitty. thanks for the review. i'm fascinated by anything Egyptian (fact or fiction) so i'll be on the lookout for Lily of the Nile.
@Nic I love this cover too ^.^
@aobibliophile definitely give it a try when it comes out ^.^
Nice review! I love this time period and have always been fascinated by Cleopatra. Plus I love historical fiction. From your review, I think this is definitely going on my to-read list! Plus, what a beautiful cover! Thanks for the review!
Thanks for all the information here. I didn't realize this was going to be a series. It's also good to know ahead of time that this isn't totally historically accurate.
@Small Review yep, it's a series! I kind of like non-historically accurate although I guess with my not being much of a history buff, most of the time I wouldn't be able to tell anyway heh~~
Okay, first of all, I just love the cover art. And second of all, I'm having a slight obsession with historical-fiction, lately. Added this book on my wishlist. Thanks for a nice review, too! :)
what is the reading age recommendation. I liked your review. I would have passed it over.
S
I would say this is 15-16+ the subject matter is very rough (and definitely gets more so in the second book). There isn't gratuitous violence, but the issues of slavery, rape, and pain I think would be tough to digest for someone younger although there are definitely sophisticated readers.
I think in general this book is aimed at adults though.
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