Cleopatra
The captivating new retelling of the story of the legendary Egyptian queen. Meet the real woman behind the myth
Published on 14. May 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-1-78658-354-3 (ISBN)
Description
'Wonderful. A fresh and lively take on a well-known tale' The Times
'A sensuous tale, richly drawn' Daily Mail
THE UNMISSABLE NEW RETELLING OF THE LIFE OF ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST POWERFUL, ENTICING AND MISREPRESENTED FEMALE FIGURES - THE LEGENDARY QUEEN CLEOPATRA
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, sensuous 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!"
'A sensuous tale, richly drawn' Daily Mail
THE UNMISSABLE NEW RETELLING OF THE LIFE OF ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST POWERFUL, ENTICING AND MISREPRESENTED FEMALE FIGURES - THE LEGENDARY QUEEN CLEOPATRA
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, sensuous 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!"
Reviews / Votes
The Egyptian queen takes centre-stage; she's a richly drawn character, who's a wily operator in her court's deadly power struggle. There's pomp and splendour in Solomons' sensuous tale, which is lush with exquisite places, heady scents, gold and glory, but there's also the harsh reality of death and bloody betrayal, which is mitigated by the sustaining balm of female friendship. * Daily Mail * Simply gorgeous! The prose flows as smoothly as the waters of the Nile, rich in sensory detail. The unexpected addition of Servilia's perspective adds a deep pathos to the narrative. Natasha Solomons pulls back the layers of history to show us the true Cleopatra in all of her pride and glory. * Luna McNamara, author of Psyche & Eros * Vibrant and enthralling. A glorious retelling of one of the most misrepresented female figures in history. * Platinum * Wonderful . . . Solomons has a fine eye for the intersection between the politics of the state and of the bedroom. A fresh and lively take on a well-known tale. * The Times, 'best historical fiction books of 2025 so far' * Vivid and compelling . . . Cleopatra reveals herself as a complex young woman torn between her own desires, and her duty to protect Egypt at all costs. Her voice burns brightly in a thrilling, page-turning narrative . . . The price these women pay for love and sanctity in a world dominated by men resonates through the centuries to today. At heart, Cleopatra is about love in its purest form, and the lengths one might go to protect it. * Anya Bergman, international bestselling author of The Witches of Vardo * In Natasha Solomons' Cleopatra, the fabled Egyptian queen bursts into fierce and complex life. This is a novel steeped in violence and tension, with the beauty of the setting serving as an opulent contrast to the constant threat, building inexorably, inevitably, towards the bloody conclusion. The two women at the centre of the story, Cleopatra and Servilia, are brilliant dual narrators of a gripping tale. In Natasha's expert hands, this familiar story becomes richer, the twists and turns more complex and the character of Cleopatra more furious and compelling. * Caroline Lea, author of The Glass Woman and Love, Sex & Frankenstein * A dazzling tale writhing with tension like a desert snake. Conveying readers to Ancient Egypt and Rome, the story is painted with the beauty and detail of an Egyptian mural. * Rachel Louise Driscoll, author of Nephthys * A tour-de-force of a novel, as glorious and enthralling as its heroine, evoking Ancient Egypt and Rome in captivating, sensuous detail. This is a gorgeous historical novel, and a political thriller, and a proper page-turner too. A must-read. * Naomi Kelsey, author of THE BURNINGS * I wanted to express my absolute joy in reading Natasha's prose. I had no real idea about Cleopatra and the forces rained against her, and it was a thrilling journey discovering more about this powerful, deeply misunderstood woman. Natasha brings the ancient world vividly to life in all its brutal, bloody, power and glory. * Cathryn Kemp, author of A Poisoner's Tale * In Cleopatra Natasha Solomons breathes life into the myth, showing us a complex, courageous woman who drives this gripping story relentlessly onwards. * Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bonnier Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
245 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78658-354-3 (9781786583543)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Natasha Solomons is the author of seven internationally bestselling novels, including Mr Rosenblum's List, The Novel in the Viola, which was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club, and I, Mona Lisa. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages. She lives in Dorset with her family.