The Drowning King (Fall of Egypt #2) by Emily Holleman

[gilda_elise]

Ancient Egypt, 51 B.C. Sisters Arsinoe and Cleopatra face a devastating choice: to allow Rome's army to siphon power from their ailing father, or to take matters--and the dynasty--into their own hands.

It's the dawn of a new era for Egypt as Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy, are welcomed to the throne after their father's death. But joint rule breeds its own conflicts: can the Nile be shared? Long overlooked by his father in favor of the beguiling Cleopatra, Ptolemy is determined to prove his ability as both man and king-but, at eleven, he is no match for his elder sister, who's quick to assert her primacy throughout the land.

Their sister Arsinoe is torn between her siblings in one of history's greatest power struggles. As the palace echoes with rumors, scandals and betrayal, Arsinoe's love for her childhood friend Alexander deepens into a forbidden passion that could endanger both their lives. When Cleopatra is forced to flee a rebel uprising, Arsinoe decides she has no choice but to follow her sister into exile.

Yet while Cleopatra gathers an army to retake the crown, Arsinoe begins to doubt whether her sister is the champion Egypt needs. Faced with the choice of betraying her family or her country, Arsinoe will determine a kingdom's fate and the course of history.

Like its predecessor, this novel gives us a more personal look at the Ptolemies, and their last days. It was really interesting, their characters and motives, though there were quite a few times when I wanted to strangle Arsinoe. I realize that an author’s ideas about a historical figure can, and often does, differ from my own, so my reaction was something that was transitory, and didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the book.

I didn’t know much about the Ptolemies, but Holleman’s two books have piqued my interest, and I’m going to look into some nonfiction books about them.

A couple of minor quibbles. One, though I didn’t know much about the Ptolemies, I do know quite a bit about Alexander the Great, and know that they were not his descendants, so I was puzzled when twice in the book one of them name him as an ancestor. Was this supposed to be propaganda on their part, or did the Ptolemies actually believe this? The second problem I had with the book is its ending. Is there supposed to be a third novel? I certainly hope so, because I think there’s still a lot left of the Ptolemies’ story. And I’d love to read about it.

Turns out there’s going to be two more! Very much looking forward to reading them.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.


Published in 2017, it is not part of my Mount TBR challenge.

Comments

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I love it when novels stimulate an interest in history (that's what happened to me with the Shardlake novels) when academic lessons/lectures have failed to do so! This is yet another huge area in history about which I know absolutely nothing and I''m grateful to you for the mention.

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I've a deep interest in Caesar, but Cleopatra has always been something of a footnote for me. And most of my knowledge of Egypt centers more around Ahknaten, so it was quite interesting to learn more about the family that sort of brings the two together.

[kizzikat.livejournal.com]

It was put about that Ptolemy was Alexander's illegitimate half-brother - never mind that Philip would have been about 13 at the time he was conceived, and would have done so between being an Illyrian hostage and a Theban hostage. I don't if this originated with Ptolemy himself or the later Ptolemys.

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info! From what I've been able to find out, the rumor was either put out by the Ptolemys or by later writers. I'd never run across the rumor in my readings about Alexander, so I'm inclined to believe that that's all it was...rumor.

[fansee.livejournal.com]

Very interesting. I had an Egyptian era when I read a lot of fiction set in the ages of the Pharaohs, but it's been a lo-o-ong time now. I should give this series a try. FanSee

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I haven't read a huge amount about Egypt. I think the two that most quickly come to mind are Allen Drury's two. But I've really liked these books so far.