| Product Review |
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Kleopatra, by Karen Essex |
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| Pros |
• Well-told story
• Fills in gaps in Cleopatra's life
• Pokes fun at the Romans |
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| Cons |
• Accepts the most scandalous alternatives
• Harsh to the Romans
• Not reliably accurate |
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The Bottom Line -
It's only a story, but it's a good one.
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| Product Description |
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Story about the cleverness, diplomacy and linguistically gifted future ruler. |
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Fictional biography of the Macedonian queen of Egypt. |
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Takes Cleopatra from her mother's death to the carpet gift she gave to Caesar. |
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| Guide Review |
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Kleopatra, by Karen Essex
With two thousand years of prolific histories and fictional literature on the queen, including plays based on the youthful Cleopatra, by George Bernard Shaw, and on the mature queen, by William Shakespeare, it is almost inconceivable that there should be more to say. Yet each generation needs to retell the legends of its great heroes and heroines, interpreting them in light of new values and discoveries. It takes a gifted writer to suit the ancient story to modern sensibilities without making it appear revisionist. Although she actively revamps Cleopatra's reputation, Karen Essex does nothing more egregious to the historical douments than use them to tell a gripping story. |
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