Cleopatra's Moon [Hardcover]

Vicky Alvear Shecter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2011

"The Luxe" meets the ancient world in the extraordinary story of Cleopatra's daughter.

Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony--the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies--until she reaches out to claim her own.

This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vicky Alvear Shecter is the author of two nonfiction books about the ancient world: ALEXANDER THE GREAT ROCKS THE WORLD, a VOYA Honor Pick for Nonfiction, and CLEOPATRA RULES!. A docent in the Ancient History department of the Carlos Museum of Art, she lives in Avondale Estates, Georgia.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From Cleopatra's Moon

As the priests and priestesses chated the final prayers, I wanted to jump and cheer and laugh. It was my family's proudest moment! I drank it all in—the masses cheering; the white-robed Priests of Serapis chanting over bowls of smoky incense; the long-haired Prietesses of Isis extending their thin arms to the sky; the sweet fragrance of flowers as countless petals swirled around us, floating through the air like tiny perfumed birds. It was so beautiful, almost magical. The Triumph of the Ptolemies! The greates moment of our lives.

But the gods would not stand for us to have such happiness for long. And so began the slow, excruciating process of our undoing.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (August 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545221307
• ISBN-13: 978-0545221306
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #412,166 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Vicky Alvear Shecter is the author of the young adult novel, CLEOPATRA'S MOON (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2011), based on the life of Cleopatra's only daughter. She is also the author of two award-winning biographies for kids on Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. She is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta. The LA TIMES calls CLEOPATRA'S MOON, "magical" and "impressive." PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY said it was "fascinating" and "highly memorable." The WALL STREET JOURNAL called it "absorbing."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cleopatra's Moon, September 30, 2011

By 

BCS - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cleopatra's Moon (Hardcover)

Cleopatra Selene is a force to be reckoned with, as were her mother, Cleopatra, and father, Marcus Antonius, yet who today knew she existed? Cleopatra Selene, as she prefers to be called,not only exists, she lives on every page of CLEOPATRA'S MOON, from her home in the palace in Alexandria, Egypt, to Rome where she and her brothers are taken by Octavianus after he conquered Egypt and her parents take their own lives. We follow her from 34 BCE to 25 BCE in her determination to return to and rule Egypt, to survive the threats on her and her brother's lives from Octavianus and Livia, and to serve and follow the Great Goddess, Isis. Who are her real friends..and enemies? Who truly loves her, Marcellus or Juba? Vicky Alvear Shecter's novel introduces us to a multifascited character as she steers Cleopatra Selene and us through the beauty of Alexandria to the rough-and-tumble, dirty, smelly Rome,full of intrigue and murder. Along the way, we meet historical figures, learn bits of the seven languages Cleopatra and her children spoke, see the customs of Alexandria and Rome, and live through the anxiety Cleopatra Selene feels, wishing we could help her. This is a MUST READ!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Walk the streets of Egypt and Rome!, August 15, 2011

By 

Elizabeth O. Dulemba "award-winning children'... - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cleopatra's Moon (Hardcover)

Vicky Alvear Shecter has shaped a world, an ancient world, vivid with sights and sounds and smells, to allow the reader to feel what it might have been like to live in ancient Egypt or Rome - a true treat. The multiple dieties and beliefs are so well woven into daily life, the reader gets a true sense of the morality of the times. And as Queen Cleopatra experiences her downfall, we are beside her, feeling the devastation and disappointment.

Through it all, we meet Cleopatra Selene - a young girl stuck in the middle of high politics who grows into a woman as capable as her mother. Brilliant, inquisitive and curious, she is a heroine for modern times as she struggles with the issues of free will and whether or not her destiny has already been decided by the gods.

Not only is this a great young adult read, adults will fall into the grand scape of the story as well. It would also make an excellent mother-daughter book club read as it deals with expectations and filling shoes (sandals!) that perhaps no longer fit a young heroine. Be prepared to fall into this sumptuous story that brings up so many interesting questions. GREAT read - five stars!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There ought to be a sequel!, October 13, 2011

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Bianca de Nevada "Kindling" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cleopatra's Moon (Hardcover)

I've always loved Michelle Moran's Cleopatra's Daughter but left me wondering whatever happened to Selene and Juba after.And this is it!I loved the twist of the love story, the love triangle and Selene's more daring portrayal though w/ a tinge of foolishness,after all, she's only a teenager.I really enjoyed it.Hoping for a sequel,but please keep Selene's dignity unlike some other version I recently read where Selene has turned out to be some desperate w###e.