Pharaoh

Kleopatra #2

by Karen Essex

Following on from Kleopatra , the glittering epic of Egypt's queen continues as she allies herself with Anthony and begins a love story that immortalizes her as one of history's greatest political players and most tragic heroines.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Egypt, Historical, Egyptian Literature, Royalty, Romance

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

I'm the author of RUN, DARLING, KLEOPATRA, PHARAOH, LEONARDO'S SWANS, STEALING ATHENA, DRACULA IN LOVE, AND BETTIE PAGE: LIFE OF A PINUP LEGEND--All featuring iconic women—powerful women that seduced the world. I am an active screenwriter and an award-winning journalist, dividing my time between Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Europe, where I soak in the atmosphere while writing historical fiction.

Follow me on Substack; History. Sex. Power. https://karenessex.substack.com/subsc...

Or join our chat group on Goodreads, Ask Karen Essex. http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/5...
I love hearing from you, Gentle Readers.

Reviews

[Natasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pharaoh follows two storylines, from when Kleopatra is in exile and in Kleopatra’s final reign as she tries to restore her relationship with Antony. I thought the characters were very complex. The only thing I did not like about Pharaoh was that I thought the ending was a little rushed.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is like a blander, more sexualized version of Memoirs of Cleopatra, but really it barely compares at all because Margaret George did such an excellent job with what is known of Cleopatra. If anything this reads more like a historical fiction version of Cleopatra: A Life, which is to say it added sex and more description to a bland tale.

The book reads extremely dry and subsequently none of the characters came alive for me. Call me crazy but I think major players on the historical stage such as Caesar and Cleopatra should be felt strongly in an HF. Perhaps Essex felt as though making Caesar talk in third person so often was impactful enough. Right. And K/Cleopatra comes across as nowhere near the powerful, intelligent woman she should have. There are pages of her waxing poetic about her child while she specifically states she does not even know the signs of pregnancy. Really? 1) How does she not know? She is certainly old enough, especially in those days. 2) Then why the hell are you not finding out first before going on and on about how this child is going to rule the world? This is just not a woman who spoke eight languages and won over two of the most powerful men in the historical world.

A very disappointing read for a major Cleopatra lover such as myself. If you have no strong knowledge or opinions on Cleopatra, Caesar or Antony you may enjoy it more.

[Sarah Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen highlights that winners write and rewrite history. This portrayal of Kleopatra is stunning because it highlights her cunning, intelligence, and loyalty over her description of a seductress. We love strong independent women 🙌

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pharaoh picks up where Kleopatra left off. The story follows Kleopatra's exile to her death. Kleopatra realizes that she must befriend the Romans in order to regain her throne and arranges a meeting with Julius Caesar. The two form an alliance to help strengthen ties between Egypt and Rome. The novel shows Kleopatra not as a great seducer to two powerful Roman men, but also a strong and capable ruler.

I loved Kleopatra’s portrayal in this novel. She sacrifices love for her duty as a queen. She is confident and ambitious. She dreams of a Graeco-Roman alliance with Alexandria as its capital. While Kleopatra has many loves in her life, her true love is Antony. Her relationship with Antony was very moving. In the last year of her reign, she tries to save Antony from his depression and tries to restore their relationship from their earlier days. While they do not have the passion from when they first begin their relationship, it is clear that they love each other deeply and relis on the other. Thus, their relationship was tragic and the reader wishes that things had ended up differently.

Overall, this novel is about a couple trying to renew their relationship amidst their imminent doom. Pharaoh follows two storylines, from when Kleopatra is in exile and in Kleopatra’s final reign as she tries to restore her relationship with Antony. I thought the characters were very complex. The only thing I did not like about Pharaoh was that I thought the ending was a little rushed. Still, the story was very similar to Margaret George's Memoirs of Cleopatra, and I thought the novel came close to understand Kleopatra’s thoughts and motives. Pharaoh shows Kleopatra as an adept female ruler and has won the love of her subjects. Karen Essex’s duology of the infamous pharaoh is a series that shouldn’t be missed by fans of Kleopatra.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these two books and ater reading both I am very sad that I'm finished. The author really took the second book to another level by really expressing how men back then were completley off set by a woman in power. Most weren't accepting and showed how unfairley keleoparta was judged from citizens of different countrys'(manly rome) without making up their own minds for themselves. In the authors coda Karen explains that after kleopatra died Octavian would have all the accounts that even slightly made antony and kleopatra look favorable, were immediately destroyed, and only his accounts of what happened were allowed. Which says something. In the last sentence of the book it says "...Rome deigned to fear two people; one was hannibal , the other was a woman."

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to "Kleopatra" (greek way of spelling it) was the best of the two books. Telling the story of her life with Ceasar and then with the love of her life...Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony) made the book much more interesting than the first one which dealt with her childhood. Lots of great historical facts...so you learn lots. Every one knows the ending to Cleopatra and Antony but the last fifty pages is particulary poignant, written so well you can't put it down....until the asp has slithered away.

[CS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleopatra’s image in world history is very ambivalent. It embraces all the paradoxes of a female nature- alluring seductress, pharaoh( or just the single ruler) and just a person driven by thirst for knowledge in arts, mathematics, literature, warfare.

I am very delighted to confess in rereading these books over and over throughout years and always discovering new detail to it. Was real Cleopatra just as fascinating? I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Egyptian queen but particularly to young women(from 16-30). It may sound extremely funny, nevertheless, I found these books so inspiring and I related to Cleopatra when I had quarrels with peers XD XD

The author succeeded in delivering all this sides of one of the most prominent women in ancient world very accurately(any facts were hardly changed or distorted) , at the same time not deceiving the reader( just like many authors mistakenly do) in depicting the extraordinary character. The same fate awaited one of Cleopatra-many shown her shallowly. She was either a nymphoniac who held the power by fate or almost a masculine figure who just used her sexuality for manipulation. First Book Cleopatra is about her childhood and early youth, and second book’s title speaks for itself Pharaoh-Cleopatra’s final acquisition of power and establishing her personality in politics.

Karen Essex in her two Cleopatra and Pharaoh, shown Egyptian queen with all her insecurities and flaws and the hard way not only dealing with them, but with the dangerous surrounding-her siblings absolutely hating her for being her father’s favourite, her father’s venomous entourage, with ups and downs of the fate, with constant ostracise of the Egyptians, with slippery foreign politics with the superpower of those times Rome. The language is simple but sensual at the same time which perfectly corresponds with the plot and inner conflict of Cleopatra. Her outspoken womanhood is conflicting with her desire of power and responsibilities laid on her. I thank author for depicting Cleopatra as a mere human, so that anyone, particularly women, can relate to her.

The description of contemporary Rome, Egypt, It’s traditions and rituals, especially for those who are interested how the wold looked like before monotheistic religions swallowed the world-you will be surprised but it will remind you of 21st century West with hedonism, self-indulgence and tolerance to many phenomena like homosexuality. What I liked the most is the description is juicy but not overwhelming, for example, it does not dwell on disturbing moments that occasionally spices the book like rape and violence.

Overall, if you are wiling to get familiar with Cleopatra, this is the best series of two books , I can recommend!

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read much about Kleopatra yet and this one was very in-depth and had a lot of information of her exile to death. She was one of the most powerful woman and is still talked about today. This is one of those novels that I feel I could read a second or third time and pick up more information I may have missed the first time. Following two storylines, we read about Kleopatra's final reign and her strive to restore her relationship with Antony and her time in exile. Kleopatra knew how to use her looks and body for power even though she did have one true love. Knowing she has to align herself with the Roman's, her and Julius Caesar form an alliance to strengthen Rome and Egypt. She knows as Queen she must put that role over love and sacrifice for her people as she dreams of Alexandra becoming the capital. Pharaoh shows us how she won over her people as a female ruler and yet she was doing all she could to win over her true love, Antony but things can never be as they were. I also enjoyed the authors coda at the end, these always bring a little more to the story. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite. I will need to read the first one to learn about Kleopatra's earlier years.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glad I read this during Women’s History Month. I have always seen Kleopatra (Cleopatra is how many learned it) as a strong and indomitable woman in history.

In Book II, Karen Essex once again immerses us in the ancient world. Kleopatra rises to become the most powerful woman in the known world. Some would say she uses sex as a political bargaining chip, sharing her bed with two of the most powerful men.

As you read this story and the history, you can’t help but wonder what truly motivated her. Was she a cold, ruthless queen set on conquering or driven blindly by love? With rich and vivid details, this will intrigue you as well as captivate you at every turn of the page.

Kleopatra was not just a queen. She was a lover, a wife, a mother, a strategist, a commander, a stateswoman, and a Pharaoh.


•Fun Fact: Kleopatra VII is considered the last active Hellenistic pharaoh—she was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty to hold the title of “Pharaoh.”

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @karenessex for the gifted book.

[Katherine Van Halst · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this duology. It's obviously super well-researched, and I found the details incredibly fascinating. The author saw a history that was re-written by the victors, (in this case Octavian over Antony and Kleopatra) decided not to blindly follow that narrative, and to do that reconstruction before it was cool. On the other hand, she still saw the story through a patriarchal lense that I eventually found tiresome. One of the things we know about the notorious Egyptian queen is that she had something akin to a religious hold over her people, that her power was almost tangible during the best years of her rule. We saw little of her power, and while the story was told from her perspective, every single thought and action was framed by her relationship to men. Her father, Caesar, Antony-- she made her own decisions but they were made in the service of these men. Maybe that's how Kleopatra really was, I don't claim to be an expert, but if you are already taking the creative license of fiction, I think the heroine deserves more.
I love good historical fiction that is a) not wholly focused on western countries and b) not set in the WWI/WWII era. These books are a break from the norm that might be a breath of fresh air for readers who like historical fiction, with plenty of war, romance, and grandeur.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for Women’s History Month. There are two timelines: 1920s Virginia and 2022 New York. This is fiction, but both timelines have elements of factual events which is quite unsettling.

The subject is forced sterilization in BOTH timelines.

Each timeline has its own point of view and let me tell you these women will leave a lasting impression.

The 1920s timeline has Carrie Buck who is in a prison of sorts for the mentally inferior.

The 2022 timeline has Jessa Gidney, a lawyer who is representing a woman being detained in an ICE facility.

Jessa finds more than she bargained for during her routine meeting. She also learns that she has family connection to what is happening to Carrie Buck.

This book has both legal issues and family drama in the timelines. It would make an excellent book club read.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed my time spent with Kleopatra and her fascinating life as told in both books. This one features her adulthood and her rise to power along with her passionate relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She is such an intriguing historical figure during a male dominated era and I liked the way the author brought so much life and humanity to her story highlighting the positivity in her reign. If you enjoy historical fiction blended with well-researched facts you will enjoy these books and I hope you get a chance to read them.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Kleopatra’s early years I was interested to
see how her experiences would affect her later years. She took her role very seriously and weighed not only her and her children’s future but that of her people and country. The way she thought years in the future and used her assets to her advantage was noteworthy. It was well researched and I liked seeing Octavian’s perspective at times as well. As someone who didn’t know much about Kleopatra’s life and influence I think this was a good introduction to it.

[Alyssa Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely did not like this book as much as the first one. It was interesting to watch as she threaded all the historical events together using Kleo's life, but it just did not catch me like the first one did. I am not sure what it was. It was still good, with wonderful insight on what Kleo's life was probably like, but it just wasn't as good to me as the first book, which I highly recommend!

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a good book, but not quite as good as the first. While it does a great job showing just how much history is written by the victors, there was also too much emphasis here on showing Cleopatra's sex life, and just telling, rather than showing, the work she put in as a government and military leader.

[Dawnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 and picks up after Kleopatra. I really liked both books, and I learned so many things. I never really knew much about the story of this Egyptian Queen. I'm glad I read this, I found it really interesting. It was a great read for women's history month.


Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY

[Christy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word review: Fascinating! It’s also powerful and suspenseful. I’ve always known of Kleopatra but had never known much about her until reading this series. This book was as compelling as the first one and both have been enlightening. I can only imagine the incredible amount of research that had to be done to share her story.

[Jessica Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in this story was so good, I went online and bought the second. The story was painted so clearly, you could see the characters and setting in your mind as you read it. I love how Karen Essex tried to stay as true to fact as possible throughout the two book series.

[Shadoshard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't as fond of this volume as I was of the previous. It was a bit on the dry side for me, though it was still well researched and covered Kleopatra's family line well to serve as a background as to explain the hows and whys of her reign.

[Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me so long to finish. We all know how Kleopatra’s story ends and I just didn’t want to read about it. I loved the Author’s coda at the end. I have always found Kleopatra fascinating, she was so intelligent and ahead of her time.

[Chas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't finish. It is a moving story, I tired of the length of it vs. the feeling that there was way more fiction in it than history. The latter comment is my feeling only, not born of other better knowledge.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Really liked it, but did not love it as much as the first part, as that one felt more personal.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fine, if nothing in particular stood out for me. I don't entirely buy the Evil Octavian and Virtuous Antony line, but the author's choice was fine.

[Cruror Iudex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ode mi dusa

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for making me cry. Loved the ending.
Also, you can tell how much detail Karen Essex has put into this book (and its predecessor; Cleopatra). She really makes the characters feel alive, it's beautifully written and well put in the way the book shows another perspective to Cleoptatras reign - a perspective that favors her.

[Josiane Claremont · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! Finally done! I have to say, I am VERY disappointed in the outcome of this book. I expected something more interesting, more action-y. But, most of the stuff was mainly just political, and just VERY very boring stuff going on in Rome. I had to FORCE myself to finish reading the book, since I have to return it tomorrow.

At first, the book was epic awesomeness. I was impassioned, and excited to read it. Imagine the horror I felt when I realized that all that was going to happen next was just boring old politics in Rome! I understand that it is important for the development of the story later on, but it just felt too DRAGGY.

I hated it, until the end. At the end, I just felt very, very...nothing. Just nothing. I had read skipped ahead to the end a while ago, cuz I just wanted something to motivate me into reading the end. Instead, I eventually ended up having to read an entire 5 CHAPTERS to finish it!

A word of warning: if you decide to read this book, you'd better be able to endure politics.

[Vicki Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the previous book in the series, , since I'm more interested in Caesar and Antony than Kleo herself. The Romans (and Rome) don't come off very well in either book, but that's to be expected since that would have been how she saw things. Octavian, in particular, is portrayed as really devious and untrustworthy.

[Christy English · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last of Karen Essex's novels that I have, until she finishes her new one. In spite of that fact, I am going to begin it. Next year will be here before I know it, and her new book will be ready. I simply can't wait any longer to begin this one. So here goes...I am curious to hear Gaius Julius Caesar's voice in this novel...as well as see Kleopatra again. Happy reading...

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book about Kleopatra, Volume II of the two books, was just as fascinating as the first book, Kleopatra, and am so glad to have finished it!! Anyone interested in Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, Julius Caesar, etc..will definitely want to read this book!! I look forward to reading her other books sometime in the near future!!

[Антония Димитрова · Rating 3 out of 5]

Погледнах на Клеопатра по различен начин. Начина, по който се държи с Марк Антоний, е показно за силна любов и отдаденост. И двамата са се обичали много силно. Клеопатра е наистина последния силен фараон на Египет.