Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
If you’re still missing HBO’s Rome or you’re a fan of Starz’s Spartacus, of if you’re a passionate historical fiction fan, you should definitely pay attention to Stephanie Dray’s historical novel Lily of the Nile.
With her parents dead, the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony is left at the mercy of her Roman captors. Heir to one empire and prisoner of another, Princess Selene must save her brothers and reclaim what is rightfully hers…
In the aftermath of Alexandria’s tragic fall, Princess Selene is taken from Egypt, the only home she’s ever known. Along with her two surviving brothers, she’s put on display as a war trophy in Rome. Selene’s captors mock her royalty and drag her through the streets in chains, but on the brink of death, the children are spared as a favor to the emperor’s sister, who takes them to live as hostages in the so-called lamentable embassy of royal orphans…
Trapped in a Roman court of intrigue that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, Selene can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her flesh. Nor can she stop the emperor from using her for his own political ends. Faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to honor her mother’s lost legacy. The magic of Egypt and Isis remain within her. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win or die?
Lily of the Nile reviews:
“Graceful history infused with subtle magic and veiled ancient mysteries…this is a different kind of book, and a true achievement.” –Vera Nazarian, two time Nebula Award nominated author of Lords of Rainbow
Dray deftly mixes magic & history in her debut, the first of a projected trilogy set in ancient Egypt. Selene proves a vibrant protagonist as she goes toe to toe with Octavian… eagerly look forward to the next installment. –Publisher’s Weekly
Selene’s struggle to understand her destiny is universal. Glimpses of the cult of Isis leave one wanting to know more…keeps you turning the pages until the end.
–Diana Paxson, bestselling author and collaborator on the Mists of Avalon series
With clear prose, careful research, vivid detail and a dash of magic, Stephanie Dray brings true life to one of Egypt’s most intriguing princesses. –Susan Fraser King, bestselling and award winning author of Queen Hereafter and Lady MacBeth
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