Natasha Solomons: Cleopatra [2025]

'Wonderful. A fresh and lively take on a well-known tale' The Times
'Richly drawn . . . There's pomp and splendour in Solomons' sensuous tale, which is lush with exquisite places, heady scents, gold and glory, but also the harsh reality of death and bloody betrayal' Daily Mail

From the international bestselling author comes an unmissable new retelling of the life of one of the most captivating and misrepresented female figures in history.

Cleopatra, Egyptian Princess, grows up the favoured daughter of the Pharoah, hiding amongst the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria with her beloved slave Charmian, longing for the chance one day to write her own story.

Then when her father dies, willing that Cleopatra rule with her selfish brother Ptolemy, danger stirs. As the young Egyptian Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, he plots to destroy her and take the throne for himself.

But while Ptolemy has the power of Egypt behind him, Cleopatra has her wits. And when the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realises he could be the key to her salvation - though courting this powerful man could cost her everything.

Can Cleopatra save her life, her throne, her beloved Egypt and finally command her own history?

A powerful, unmissable new retelling, this is a captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal.

It's time to meet the real Cleopatra.

'Vibrant and enthralling. A glorious retelling of one of the most misrepresented female figures in history' Platinum magazine

'The fabled Egyptian queen bursts into fierce and complex life' Caroline Lea

'Vivid and compelling' Anya Bergman

'Shows us the true Cleopatra in all of her pride and glory' Luna McNamara

'As glorious and enthralling as its heroine' Naomi Kelsey

'A dazzling tale writhing with tension like a desert snake' Rachel Louise Driscol

'Thrilling. . . brings the ancient world vividly to life' Cathryn Kemp

'Solomons breathes life into the myth. Gripping' Elizabeth Lee

READER REVIEWS
***** "I was absolutely bewitched"
***** "This book was both intimate and refreshing, vivid. I felt both the sticky heat of Egypt, and the cool breeze of the Queen's apartments at night."
***** "10/10 a much needed exploration into one of the most infamous women in ancient history"
***** "It shows her not so much as the beautiful seductress we see in other stories but clever and young ruler, and later mother. I liked seeing her grow as a person and ruler, but what I enjoyed most was her relationship with her slave and companion, it added a vulnerable side to her character that we rarely see."
***** "Solomon's gift is to immerse you in an immediately believable world and to connect you with character from the start. I found myself constantly wanting to check details reading Cleopatra, fascinated by the woman coming alive before me."
***** "I raced through the final section, heart wrung for the women whose story is forgotten in the plays. Just brilliant!" , heart wrung for the women whose story is forgotten in the plays. Just brilliant!"