Began reading: 5.2.2017
Completed reading: 10.2.2017
Overall rating: 5 stars
Three royal sisters.
One powerful throne.
Abandoned by her beloved older sister Cleopatra and an indifferent father, Arsinoe, a young Egyptian princess, must fight for survival in the bloodthirsty royal court after her half-sister Berenice seizes power.
As Arsinoe struggles to establish herself in an uncertain new world, the usurper Berenice has her own demons to confront. Shadowed by the ever-present threat that their father and Cleopatra will return from exile, Berenice fights to hold the throne as the first queen of Egypt in a thousand years.
Cleopatra’s Shadows by Emily Holleman is a historical fiction novel that explores the lives of royalty in ancient Egypt. I fell in love with this book when I saw it on Book Depository, and I knew that I had to have it! Overall, the book was incredible! I was so addicted – I even had dreams about some of the characters. I hadn’t read much historical fiction in a while, so this was a great book to get back into that genre.
The story is told in two perspectives: Arsinoe – Cleopatra’s younger sister, who wakes to find that her parents and siblings have abandoned her as her older half-sister Berenice stages a coup and claims the throne; and Berenice – Ptolemy’s eldest daughter, born from her brother-sister parents, who believes that she is the best replacement for the throne. Both sisters face endless threats to their survival: Arsinoe has to learn to live in the royal court, knowing that Berenice could end her life at any time, while Berenice’s reign and life depends on her father’s return for the throne. Although they face different obstacles, the sisters learn from each other on how to avoid danger, as well as the importance of loyalty and justice. As the possibility of Ptolemy’s return grows, will these lessons be enough to stay alive and keep order in Egypt?
The book was really well-written, with a few spelling and grammatical errors. The pacing was on-point, as was the structure and use of literary techniques. My favourite was the use of dreams as foreshadowing life situations. For example, Arsinoe’s dream about the wolf and the foxes translating to the assassination of two soldiers loyal to her. I found a heap of great quotes throughout the novel that added depth to the situation. These include:
Her sister’s absences sucked the joy from the palace. Sometimes she wished that her own might have the same effect. But no one would notice if she vanished into air (p. 7).
While epics and plays pulsed with life, histories were for the dead (pp. 8-9).
…kindness was softness, and softness was death (p. 34).
‘You, my queen, are wise beyond your years.’
She disliked that particular compliment. Nothing in her life had convinced her that age brought much in the way of wisdom. Her father grew more a fool with each passing day, and her mother died a withered shadow of her former self, vulnerable and soft. Wisdom unchanged (p. 136).
‘I know you think it great fun to make a spectacle of yourself, to remind the people of the Piper’s forgotten daughter,’ he whispered. ‘And perhaps it is great fun for now: you are but a girl, and many things might be forgiven. But one day you’ll appear a true threat, Arsinoe, and on that day you’ll go too far’ (p. 151).
More quotes from the book can be found here.
I thought that the plot was really interesting and unique. I loved the idea of reading about coups and royal life through two different perspectives. We all know about Cleopatra, so it was creative to hear about her through two lesser-known princesses. Both perspectives were very intriguing, and they each had their own obstacles to overcome, which was insightful. Prior to this book, I knew very little about Arsinoe and even less about Berenice. I was glad to be able to see ancient Egypt through their eyes. I think Holleman did a fantastic job, and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
Another factor that I thought was creative was the uncertainty throughout the book, which made me suspicious of all characters. There was a lot of mystery surrounding who supported Berenice and who were traitors, which kept the narrative compelling. Furthermore, the plot twists in the conclusion made situations more dramatic. For example, how Arsinoe was rescued from the agora, as well as her reception when she returned to the palace, was unexpected. The mystery and unpredictable twists made the plot more interesting, which is always a good thing!
As I have mentioned, I loved having both perspectives in the novel, as they provided differing views of Berenice’s rule. Holleman did an excellent job with concluding the book from both sides, as they contrasted well. The ending was bittersweet, and toyed with my feels. *WARNING: SPOILER* I didn’t want Berenice to be executed believing that Arsinoe betrayed her, so I was relieved when she realised that Arsinoe stayed loyal to her. The conclusion provided closure, yet makes us want to know what happens next. Like I said, it was bittersweet and I loved it!
I really like books that have diverse characters, as it makes the book more realistic and it allows us to see how they react to particular situations. This novel definitely had its fair share of diverse characters, including Arsinoe and Berenice. The secondary characters added detail to the plot, as they had varying stances on issues including Arsinoe’s future, Berenice’s coup, marriage and rulers. The diversity in personalities meant that characters argued, were suspicious of each other, and were driven to extreme measures to have things go their way. Obviously, this made things more fascinating for readers, which is great.
The conclusion, as I said, provided closure; however, I did end up wondering what happened to Alexander, Aspasia and Hypatia following Arsinoe’s disappearance. Upon Ptolemy’s return, I wonder if the children fled with their families or if something more horrible happened? It sometimes irritates me when books don’t provide all the answers, but I’m hoping that this one will be answered in the next book.
Even before reading the book, I knew that I would like Arsinoe’s character. She was loyal, wise, clever and determined for such a young girl. What I didn’t expect was that I would also wind up liking Berenice. She was responsible and a badass:
‘The sun’s risen.’ Berenice shrugged. ‘Soon my maids will come to bathe and dress me for court, where I dictate how my lands are run. A word from me and my guards will arrest you. At night, I may keep the secrets of this marriage bed, but once dawn breaks, the world changes. If you lift a finger against me in the light of day, I will scream. And I promise, you don’t want to see what happens when I scream’ (p. 203).
Berenice was a formidable queen, but I really admired the way she tried to break from her father’s shadow, and to be a just ruler. She was loyal to her people, and she was never soft:
‘I haven’t come to taunt you, Berenice. I’ve come to offer you your last chance. Your father means to execute you. If you don’t leave, you will die.’
The truth – she could still recognise that. And she would have to cleave to it.
‘Then I will die. And I will die a queen. I’m no eunuch – my womanhood was not cut away. I will not be remembered as the Ptolemy who fled, who abandoned her subjects to the sword’ (p. 367).
I have so much respect for her, unlike Seleucus. He was so horrible to her! I felt so bad for Berenice, and I wanted to protect her. Even when she was being tormented, she stayed strong. I’m so happy that Seleucus got what he deserved in the end.
My favourite parts of the book include when Arsinoe and Berenice interacted with each other, and Berenice’s monologues. I loved the whole book, but these parts were the highlights. Firstly, I feared that Berenice would hate Arsinoe and try to kill her. But I liked that she trusted Arsinoe and cared for her, as well as defend her whenever Tryphaena wanted her dead. Arsinoe had Berenice’s back, and I loved that! Secondly, Berenice’s monologues were incredible. They radiated power and confidence. She sounded like a real ruler, which was great!
Recommendation time! If you like Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Stephanie Thornton, The Empress of Rome series by Kate Quinn, and the Numinous World series by Jo Graham, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Exodus: Gods and Kings, Cleopatra, Agora and Pompeii.
I will also be reviewing the rest of the Fall of Egypt series when the books become available. Keep an eye out for those!
Happy reading!
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