Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
on February 24, 2026
Published by Random House Genres: Historical Romance, Fiction / Biographical, Fiction / Historical / Ancient, Fiction / Women
Pages: 352 
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Source: NetGalley and the PublisherSaara El-Arifi’s Cleopatra is a fierce and unforgettable reimagining that finally gives this extraordinary woman the story she deserves. Too often reduced to the idea of a seductress, here Cleopatra shines as a brilliant strategist, a ruler who carried the weight of empire on her shoulders, and a mother who never stopped protecting her children. She was calculating, intelligent, and undeniably powerful, yet also human in ways history has tried to erase.
What I loved most was how this novel restores her agency. We see her not as a figure defined by the great men around her but as the force who shaped her own destiny. The voice throughout is commanding and intimate, pulling you into the mind of a woman who knew her worth and wielded it unapologetically.
The pacing occasionally stumbled with moments that dragged and others that surged forward, but that never dulled the impact of the story itself. Cleopatra’s presence was so vividly drawn that I could feel her brilliance in every scene.
This is a bold, moving retelling that refuses to let Cleopatra be diminished. She emerges here as the fierce leader she truly was, a woman ahead of her time, and one whose legacy continues to inspire.
🫶🏼 - Ali
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I received this book for free from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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