Review of Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

Saara El-Arifi's Cleopatra offers a picture of a feminist, cutthroat, passionate, dedicated woman who is a mother as well as a ruler; she is a lover and a deadly enemy; and her singular focus on Egypt and its future leads her in all ways.

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

My knowledge of Egypt is limited, but my interest was sparked by one of my favorite childhood reads, The Egypt Game.

In Saara El-Arifi's Cleopatra, the author tells from Cleopatra's point of view the story of the infamous, fabled, often maligned figure who ruled Egypt as Pharoah from 51 to 30 BC--and whose relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony have added to the reductive caricature of Cleopatra as a seductress.

The tone of the book is that of setting the record straight, illuminating Cleopatra's many facets, and bringing the reader into the titular subject's inner workings, fears, and complicated motivations.

Cleopatra often addresses the reader directly, hinting at future events, reviewing past occurrences, adding behind-the-scenes context that those around her are not privy to, and allowing emotions to creep out with us as though we are in her trusted inner circle. Like many of us who question historical accounts that feel whitewashed or wiped of women due to sexism, Cleopatra recognizes that those who come after her may seek to erase her influence and importance. She seems aware that this active editing of her life will in fact occur, and that her legacy will largely be reduced to the power of her beauty and seduction rather than her ruling, cutthroat decision-making, sacrifice, passion, and her powerful presence. (We later discover that she is writing omnisciently because a version of her perpetually exists; this is explained late in the book).

I most loved the details of life in Egypt and the ferocity with which this version of Cleopatra ruled her kingdom, loved her lovers, protected her children, and worked to establish as much strength and protection as possible for her country and people. Magical abilities are said to be passed down through Cleopatra's royal line--with a few notable exceptions, which feel terrifying and create opportunities for usurption of power. By the end of the book we learn more about these "abilities" and their role in the greater history of Cleopatra's family line and in Egypt.

I was all in for her passionate whirlwind of a romance and relationship with Caesar (and the partnership's political implications in the world), but by the time Mark Anthony came around, I felt like the romantic ground had been covered, so the power of the mutual obsession, while admirable for Cleopatra's round two, felt somewhat repetitive to me. (When I was listening to the audiobook, the Italian accents for certain characters at times felt almost caricature-like to me.)

I received an electronic prepublication edition of this title courtesy of NetGalley and Ballantine Books; and I received an audiobook version of Cleopatra thanks to Libro.fm and Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group.

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Saara El-Arifi is also the author of Faebound and The Final Strife.

For more retellings you might like, please check out these Bossy reviews.