Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
Book Description: Heiress of one empire and prisoner of another, it is up to the daughter of Cleopatra to save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers...
To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene's parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win-or die?
About the Author: Stephanie graduated from Smith, a small women's college in Massachusetts where-to the consternation of her devoted professors-she was unable to master Latin. However, her concentration in Middle Eastern Studies gave her a deeper understanding of the consequences of Egypt's ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has-to the consternation of her devoted husband-collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.
Here's What I Think: From the description I was really excited about this new perspective on the story of The Golden Age. I was thrilled to figure out as I read it that it would not just be a moment in time but it covered a large part of Seleste's life. The characters are so vivid and well constructed you can actually get the notion that you are there in the room, almost even inside Seleste's head. I will say that the book has a lot of historical fact, so if you are not into history, specifically that of Egypt, you may find that the store slows at some points. However, I think it was an engaging read that I read in just three sittings! I thoroughly enjoyed the voice of the book as well as the description and detail, that was interesting and not long-winded as books that are very descriptive can be.
Disclaimer: Although I did receive a copy of this book for review purposed, I was in no other way compensated to publish this review.
