Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Cleopatra's Daughter tells the story of Cleopatra VII's children in the aftermath of their parent's death. Their father's greatest rival, Octavian Caesar doesn't kill them as they fear though. He takes the twins, Alexender and Selene, and young Ptolemy to Rome with him where he parades his prisoners in his Triumphant.

Even though they are prisoners, they are not treated as such. They are homed with Octavia, Octavian's sister, where they are educated, clothed and fed. They spend much of their time with Octavian's heir Marcella, and his daughter, Julia. Octavia has promised the children that he will marry them off in a good marriage when they are of age, which is fifteen.

Seline spends much of her time drawing and working with Octavian's architect with the grand hopes that she can help rebuild Alexandria when she and Alexander are returned to Egypt as the true rulers. Alexander spends much of his time gambling.

But when they are about to meet their fifteenth birthday, not all dreams and hopes flourish as they hope. Even though there is a rebellion on the rise, the Red Eagle, who abhors slavery, the drama of Marc Antony and Cleopatra's twins will still unfold.

Cleopatra's Daughter is historical fiction at its best. I learned much about Egyptian and Roman ways of life from that time period. The way that the twins, prisoners at that, adapt to their new lands and surroundings without going loco is amazing, and lends truth to how well bred and educated they were. I truly enjoyed Cleopatra's daughter, and it's told in such a way, I believe my young teenage daughter will too.