Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile MP3 CD – Unabridged, June 1, 2006

Cleopatra was something of a strange book because the plot was pretty lame - and yet my literature class ended up really liking it. The main strength of the book is not plot development or fantastic use of literary devices, but simply bringing the reader into the world of ancient Egypt and Rome - and introducing us to some of its main characters (good and bad). As such it was wonderful, and along the way we enjoyed getting to "know" a young Cleopatra as well!

One of the first Royal Diaries books I read when I was younger was Kristiana Gregory's "Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile". At the time, I was going through an Egyptian phase and absolutely loved the book...except for one important detail: Gregory's interpretation of Cleopatra. Rereading the series again several years later, I still agree with my younger self's observation.The pros are that the level of historical accuracy in the novel is very high. While there is no real evidence that supports that Cleopatra journeyed to Rome as a teenager, both the setting and the cultural depictions of Rome and Alexandria are spot on, and it is easy to imagine the characters living and breathing in this perfectly crafted environment. Even the royal family's worship of Greek gods and goddesses is accurate, as the Ptolemaic dynasty was Greek in origin. The plot itself is decent, and illuminates a pivotal time in Egyptian political history. The concessions made to the Romans depicted in "Cleopatra VII" would ultimately come full circle later in Cleopatra's life, sealing the fate of her country.All of these components are pulled off successfully, and had our heroine been just as engaging the book would unquestionably have gotten five stars from me. Sadly, she is not. This portrayal of Cleopatra lacks the charisma and strength that she possessed in reality. The intelligence is there, as Cleopatra reminds us several times, but she is lackluster. She talks extensively of having to be "queenly" and "noble" for her country, but we rarely see her as such. For the majority of the book she is a scared adolescent girl. This would have been forgivable given her circumstances, provided that any character development occurred. It never did. Instead we are stuck with Cleopatra complaining and fretting and talking about a maturity she supposedly has gained that the reader never gets to see. I had high expectations for such a mysterious and alluring figure in history, and unfortunately this take on her personality is simply not up to par with other books in the Royal Diaries series and with the rest of the book.That being said, "Cleopatra VII" is still a good read, but with a disappointing heroine. If you are looking for a book with a strong and interesting Cleopatra, keep on scrolling past this one. If you are a lover of the series, pick it up.

I bought this as a replacement for my original from childhood. My mom got me the first one I had from Scholastic when I was 11. I wasn’t a huge reader back then like my older sister, and my mother were (due to dyslexic insecurities). But this was one of the first books I got absolutely lost in, and couldn’t put down. I read this book maybe 100 times over and it never got old. I still love it enough to get this copy! I remember wanting more of the Royal Diaries series, because I loved the writing style. We couldn’t afford it. So now I’m forming my dream collection! Even tho’ I’m no longer a tween, I honestly can’t wait to read them all!!

This book is excellent! I found it as a kid in my school's library and fell in love with it. It's interesting and takes you back to Ancient Egypt.However, when I received the book after ordering it in "Like New" condition, I was incredibly disappointed to find a ton of scribbles throughout the book, as well as heavy damage to the cover. There was nothing "Like New" about it. There was even a small wad of gum in the middle of the book!I sent a complaint to Amazon and they sent me a brand spanking new copy free of charge! I opened the packaging and it was perfect! I carefully checked the inside and there was no scribbles, no gum, just crisp, clear print on clean pages! My younger cousin was thrilled to receive this as a birthday gift while her fifth grade class was studying Ancient Egypt!

I love it but they should look closer in the book in their pages for stains next time but i will take it.

This was 1 of a set of books I bought for my nieces. My mom grew up with these books and in her stead I ordered this entire set. These stories are all about women roll models and strong women through history. I would definitely recommend the stories. As for the condition…the book was not in the greatest condition. It had obviously been loved and most likely in a child’s library. All in all these are great stories and I would definitely recommend them!!!!

These books are wonderful ... The little one I purchased this for dislikes reading but is finally starting to enjoy it bc if these books ... Seller is awesome! I highly recommend

I loved this book. Cleopatra seemed more like a wise queen than a 12 year old princess, which was what she had to be. I had a hard time separating Cleopatra from someone modern in my head. She at one point goes to an arena with her friend Olympus almost like modern day friends would go to a basketball game. I thought since this was the oldest royal diaries book, she would seem older. I thought that say, Victoria's book seemed older. It wasn't really a bad thing, just not what I had expected. You worry for her at every turn in the story. She became very famous. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good, true, adventure story.

It arrived a little earlier than expected and in good conditions. I am very happy with the purchase.

１月３日から始まっている日記なのですが、その当日の朝にすでに、クレオパトラ７世、ナイルの王女は、姉に毒殺されかかっています。いきなりのピンチです。　とはいえ、シーザーやアントニウスとの間に子供をもうけた、女王クレオパトラなので、死なないのはわかっているのですが（興ざめでしょうか、こういうコメント）。　ちなみに、殺そうとした姉の方も、クレオパトラ（６世）ですが、この本ではもう一つの名前のTryphaenaが使われています。ちなみに、この姉妹の母はクレオパトラ（５世）Tryphaenaです。巻末に説明があります。　ストーリーはなかなか波瀾万丈ですし、クレオパトラの生活の様子も細かく書かれていて、古代エジプトやお姫様に興味のある人にはたまらないと思います。それに、日記のくせに時々、巻物をなくしたとかぬれてダメになったとか言って、面白くない時期をとばしてあるので、だれることがありません。　ただ、2,3日で読み終えるぐらいのスピードで読まないと、ストーリー展開がわからなくなります。結構、ついて行くのが大変です。　ちなみに著者Kristiana GregoryはKathryn Laskyと並んでこのシリーズの多くを書いていますが、Laskyより文章が難しめです。

I read this book in my teens and remembered loving it so much that it stuck with me for years. I am now 27 and decided to reread it, but needed to repurchase it since I have since moved countries and couldn't take books with me.I burned through it and throughly enjoyed it as much as I hoped I would. It's beautifully written and structured with historical notes that pay tribute to one of the most notable female figures of all time.The book itself is beautiful with gold tipped pages and distinctive cover art.Wonderful addition to any collection.

Bought at read with my daughter but really loved reading these when I was in Junior high so I thought that they would be worth the money to buy now that I have kids of my own.

Good products and fast delivery