Two stars because the writing was absorbing.
If I had wanted to read about a princess in ancient Rome, I would have picked up a book that fucking took place in ancient Rome. I wanted Egypt! I wanted sandy deserts, Egyptian gods, Arabic and Aramaic, and an education on parts of history. Instead, noooo I got water water sailing my sisters hate me water I have a leopard oh Julius is cute look at Marc Antony. Like wtf. Over half the book takes place in ancient Rome, where the character is...not my idea of a princess in ancient Egypt. It apparently lines up with a specific part of her childhood, but was not what I wanted as a reader perusing ancient Egypt.
Cleopatra, as written in this novel, doesn't sound twelve. She had two brothers, both named Ptolemy, and two sisters, Bernice and Arsinoe. So the super evil sister, whose name escapes me, in the novel didn't exist in real life.

What's with the instalove? Why does she develop crushes on men who are so much older than her? I'm not saying it can't happen at all. But why, within the confines of this story? Was it because the author needed to hammer in as much well-known knowledge and figures as she could? Glass windows did exist in Rome, but they were not the glass windows of today. They were thin and barely transparent, not the translucent ones of today. Horseshoes did exist, as did the game of horseshoe throwing, but...not really. The book portrays them in a much more modern sense. Pet collars did exist the way they are portrayed here, but eh...just super rare and it's off-putting in this book. It doesn't make Cleopatra seem extravagant or wealthy. It makes me think "the author loves her cat and put her in a fictionalized version of ancient Egypt." Quick research indicates Cleopatra may well have owned a cat, but it was probably an African wildcat, not a leopard.

Why underline certain words rather than put them in italics? .

WHY was there Christian coding and an emphasis on Jesus? That didn't happen for fifty-eight more years! This was super out-of-place and preachy. Which, now that I think about it, was probably the author's intent. Why wasn't Bastet mentioned? Isis was mentioned a handful of times, and not in a thoroughly theological manner.

This...is not an interesting time in Cleopatra's life. Other Royal Diaries and My Name is America books have girls that are sometimes fourteen or fifteen, even seventeen. I feel like if this had been written with Cleopatra at fourteen, the author could have done more. She could have written a far more engaging and dynamic story while sticking to real history, but chose not to. She wrote this instead, and it's lazy writing. ( )

Fun cute middle school aged book. Fun historical fiction but likely won't read again. ( )

Such an excellent book. Well written, beautifully researched and well grounded in the times, relatable protagonist. A bit shocked at the realism occasionally observed, in terms of (especially royal) brutality. Good for adults or young adults who are ready for it. ( )

00011734

I loved this book when I was like 11, so much so that I still own it and intend to keep it forever, but did anyone ever notice just how creepy Mark Antony is?

Like, dang man, you're like almost thirty and she's literally half your age, and is going through puberty, so can you refrain from flashing her and drunk kissing her in the darkness? That's literally sexual harrassment, not romantic.

I know this is supposed to be like, pseudo-historical, but could they have made her a little bit older? Even 18 would have been better, so it isn't so pervy. Or since this is a book for children, they could have, idk not written that storyline?
Other than that, I loved this book and still read it sometimes just to feel nostalgic. ( )