Author: G. Lawrence
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: G. Lawrence
Book Release Date: 2025
Pages: 484
Source: Borrowed
Synopsis: Egypt, 58 BCE
Descendant of Alexander the Great and daughter of the reigning Pharaoh, the Ptolemy Princess Cleopatra grows up in a palace full of wonders, delights, and dangers.
As her father takes flight from Egypt as his throne is usurped, Cleopatra and her siblings are left behind to fend for themselves as their elder sister, Berenice, rises to power, and the new Pharaoh may not look kindly on others who carry Ptolemy blood, who might lay claim to the throne.
Through peril and politics will Cleopatra travel, growing in mind and body as her true fate unfolds before her, leading her to the throne of Egypt.
The Last Queen, Book one of The Chronicles of Cleopatra, is an imagining of the early life of Cleopatra VII by G. Lawrence.
My Review: Cleopatra VII is one of the world’s most famous queens. However, very little information is known about her. In the historical novel, The Last Queen, it reimagines Cleopatra’s early life before she became Queen. Cleopatra is the second eldest daughter of Ptolemy XII and a lesser wife. When the people of Alexandria turned on Ptolemy XII, he escaped from Egypt leaving his family behind. Cleopatra’s elder sister, Berenice takes the throne, Cleopatra must learn how to survive in the palace. She secretly plots against her sister to restore her father to his throne.
I have always been very fascinated with Cleopatra because of her cleverness and her flair for drama. I also loved the Cleopatra movie starring Elizabeth Taylor. I liked how this book portrays Cleopatra. She is not the seductress that Hollywood makes her out to be. Instead, she is a clever woman who must navigate political and courtly intrigue in order to survive. She loves Egypt and looks out for her country’s well-being. She cares about being a good ruler one day. Therefore, I found her to be a very complex and fascinating character. I can’t wait to see how her character grows in the series!
Overall, this book is about politics, ambition, and secrets. I thought all of the characters except for Berenice were very complex and well-developed. I think that there should have been more characterization of Berenice because I felt like I didn’t really know her. It did take me almost halfway through the book to become very interested in the novel. This was because the novel seemed to focus more on historical details rather than the plot itself. Therefore, the novel sometimes seemed very long-winded and could easily have been shortened. Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable read! I look forward to reading more books in the series! I recommend this book for fans of Margaret George, Colin Falconer, and Stephanie Dray!
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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