When We Were Gods : A Novel of Cleopatra

Rating:
Summary: Great Historical Entertainment
Review: Who doesn't have preconceptions about the famous/infamous Cleopatra and her legendary beauty? Thanks to Elizabeth Taylor and Claudette Colbert before her, we have been swamped with images and myths about the woman and her men. Falconer has written a sumptuous (though I suspect less than totally accurate historically) tale of the woman who nearly brought Rome to its knees. Most fascinating to me was the less than reverent depiction of Mark Antony, and a glimpse inside the corridors of power in both Rome and Egypt at that time. The details are exquisite - from Antony and Cleopatra's first meeting to their sensual couplings, to the final drama which claimed their lives - Falconer conjures a world where one strong woman almost toppled an empire. A great summer/beach read, just don't take it too seriously as far as history goes.