“Fletcher aims to place [Cleopatra] as one of history’s ‘key players’ and not so much Egyptian as Mediterranean, for she could trace her ancestry to Macedonia, and her life was dependent on the rise and fall of the Greeks … Much of the pleasure comes from her broad knowledge of the world in which her heroine lived, especially the religious rituals.” — Daily Telegraph (London)
“Egyptologist Fletcher has undoubtedly established the new standard in biographies. … Exceedingly well-written. … A comprehensive examination.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“[A] major myth-buster. … This robust portrait of one of history’s most famously misunderstood leaders shines a new spotlight on an old subject, proving once again that Cleopatra is ageless as well as timeless.” — Booklist
