Lily of the Nile

by Stephanie Dray Narrated by Kyla Garcia

Overview

The extraordinary daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony seeks to reclaim her birthright in the first novel of an epic historical fiction trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of America's First Daughter.

With both of her parents dead, Princess Selene and her two surviving brothers are left at the mercy of their captors, taken from Egypt and put on display as war trophies in Rome. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene struggles for survival in a court of intrigue. She can't hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends.

Faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother's dreams and succeed where she failed. But there's no telling what success will cost her in a treacherous political game where the only rule is win or die.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Dray deftly mixes magic and history in her debut, the first of a projected trilogy set in ancient Egypt. After Octavian defeats Cleopatra and her husband, Mark Antony, in battle, Octavian takes the Egyptian queen's three children--twins Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios and younger son Ptolemy Philadelphus--as spoils of war to Rome, where he makes them part of his family. While Helios rages against submitting to Octavian, Selene adopts a diplomatic path to ensure her survival and her brothers'. Selene discovers hidden powers within herself to fight for her Egyptian beliefs and proves an active, vibrant take-charge protagonist as she goes toe to toe with Octavian and staunchly defends her people. Readers will eagerly look forward to the next installment. (Jan.)

Library Journal

As Michelle Moran did in Cleopatra's Daughter, Dray chose to explore a lesser-known Egyptian royal in this, her first book in a trilogy about Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Antony and Cleopatra. The novel follows Selene's story from her parents' suicides, through the years that she and her brothers, Alexander and Philadelphus, were wards of Octavian, living in his sister's home until her betrothal to Juba II. Unlike Moran, who portrayed Selene as a fiery young girl who became an astute co-ruler of Mauretania with Juba, Dray has her Selene initially seem to be both more passive and victimized as a captive of Octavian, emperor of Rome. It isn't until she begins to manifest magical abilities of prophecy and healing through the goddess Isis that Selene's true character emerges, and she learns to manipulate people and situations to her benefit. Verdict Dray imbues her work with meticulously researched details of Roman life, historical figures, and political upheaval. Add magical realism and controversial goddess-worship, and you have a novel that will appeal to readers on many levels.—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage P.L., AK

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169782004
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	06/26/2018
Series:	Cleopatra's Daughter Trilogy , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

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