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lucyisaname's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
colleen_corleone's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It's short, and I wish the romantic side-plot was either limited or removed.
Forced sexual encounters, even with someone you're attracted to, does not cure sexual trauma and fear of intimacy from past abuse. I wish women authors would stop including these things unnecessarily in their stories!
I thought the backstory of abuse was well-told and Tetisheri's characterization made sense, but getting over fear of sexual contact because another man forces himself on her (even if she likes him) is not it.
The main plot was engaging. I thought it was well-written and fun to go through the journey with Tetisheri.
Forced sexual encounters, even with someone you're attracted to, does not cure sexual trauma and fear of intimacy from past abuse. I wish women authors would stop including these things unnecessarily in their stories!
I thought the backstory of abuse was well-told and Tetisheri's characterization made sense, but getting over fear of sexual contact because another man forces himself on her (even if she likes him) is not it.
The main plot was engaging. I thought it was well-written and fun to go through the journey with Tetisheri.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Child death
shyalabeouf's review against another edition
Could not get into the story enough to continue reading. It is written well and I’d like to try again eventually to read it.
cocoleeney's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ptaradactyl's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
An interesting mystery that comes together from asking the right questions. An interesting world with complex characters. The start of a romance.
also, Apollodorus’s dad supposed to be Spartacus? Who was a real person and a real gladiator
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Violence
Minor: Rape
the_milof's review
3.0
Slow start, but pacing improved as I continued reading. I enjoyed the different setting, but wish there was a little glossary or footnotes so I wouldn't have to stop to look up terms I didn't know
rosannelortz's review
3.0
A young woman from ancient Alexandria, Tetisheri works in dealing luxuries and antiques with her merchant uncle. She also happens to be the lifelong friend of Cleopatra, a friend sorely needed in the dangerous world of Roman and Alexandrine politics. When Cleopatra asks Tetisheri to find some newly-minted currency that's gone missing, Tetisheri cannot refuse.
As the "eye" of the queen, Tetisheri teams up with hunky bodyguard Apollodorus to investigate Cleopatra's envious brother Ptolemy and the Roman officials in Julius Caesar's entourage. Her own frightening past resurfaces as she is forced to confront the cruel and disgusting man who used to be her husband. Interrogation, murder, and pirates are the order of the day as the queen's eye searches through Alexandria and beyond to accomplish Cleopatra's bidding.
A detective story set in the ancient world cannot help but lend itself to comparison with Lindsey Davis' Falco books, particularly since Tetisheri is in the auction business with her uncle just as Falco is with his father. In many respects, the comparison is an unfavorable one for Stabenow. While Davis' Falco books steep in history, they also sparkle with wit and create memorable characters that walk off the pages. The Death of an Eye struggled to accomplish all those tasks, and while I did feel generally enriched regarding the history of the period, I struggled to enjoy the characters or to follow all the loose historical threads brought in for the finale. In the end, Cleopatra's machinations, while evidence of her cleverness, ended up making Testisheri's whole quest feel pointless.
One oddity is that the book was strangely clean and simplistic throughout most of it but had a few jarring episodes of sex and obscene language. With those scenes removed, I think this book would fare well as a young adult novel.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
As the "eye" of the queen, Tetisheri teams up with hunky bodyguard Apollodorus to investigate Cleopatra's envious brother Ptolemy and the Roman officials in Julius Caesar's entourage. Her own frightening past resurfaces as she is forced to confront the cruel and disgusting man who used to be her husband. Interrogation, murder, and pirates are the order of the day as the queen's eye searches through Alexandria and beyond to accomplish Cleopatra's bidding.
A detective story set in the ancient world cannot help but lend itself to comparison with Lindsey Davis' Falco books, particularly since Tetisheri is in the auction business with her uncle just as Falco is with his father. In many respects, the comparison is an unfavorable one for Stabenow. While Davis' Falco books steep in history, they also sparkle with wit and create memorable characters that walk off the pages. The Death of an Eye struggled to accomplish all those tasks, and while I did feel generally enriched regarding the history of the period, I struggled to enjoy the characters or to follow all the loose historical threads brought in for the finale. In the end, Cleopatra's machinations, while evidence of her cleverness, ended up making Testisheri's whole quest feel pointless.
One oddity is that the book was strangely clean and simplistic throughout most of it but had a few jarring episodes of sex and obscene language. With those scenes removed, I think this book would fare well as a young adult novel.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
jklbookdragon's review
4.0
This is a solid new series that blends historical fiction and mystery, and does both well, with a bit of romance for good measure. It requires the reader to engage and pay attention, but it's definitely worth the effort!
tobyyy's review
4.0
3.75 stars
I enjoyed this one more for its historical details than the mystery, as I haven’t gotten to time travel to 47 BCE very often! The way that Stabanow created and elaborated upon her characters, the way they interacted, and then the ambiance with which she imbued the narrative were all very much enjoyed.
I enjoyed this one more for its historical details than the mystery, as I haven’t gotten to time travel to 47 BCE very often! The way that Stabanow created and elaborated upon her characters, the way they interacted, and then the ambiance with which she imbued the narrative were all very much enjoyed.
gasoline_allie's review
5.0
Historical mysteries are a somewhat new subgenre for me, and the setting of Alexandria during Cleopatra's reign was very new. I'm glad I branched out because I really enjoyed it.