Reviews

Cleopatra Dismounts by Geoff Hargreaves, Carmen Boullosa

alia's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

trejondunkley's review against another edition

Go to review page

The first chapter was electrifying, then the next was a long Lost of cleopatras gripes against Antony and I just got bored. Maybe I’ll try again one day. 

lisa_setepenre's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

This was going so well! For the first 120 or so pages, I was enthralled by Boullosa's writing and her vision of Cleopatra and then came the chapter (? Section?) called 'The Queen Dismounts With A Single Leap' – the largest chapter and presented as Cleopatra's true final words – and I just... got bored? Found it nonsensical, too fantastical and verging on irritating? Lacking all the magic and power that the previous sections had?

Maybe it was deliberate choice to represent the dying Cleopatra's mindframe, but it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I felt let down by it, to be honest, expecting something on a par with the first half of the book to produce a powerful ending to Cleopatra's life and Cleopatra Dismounts.

Additionally, I felt that the idea Cleopatra's downfall and the deaths of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony was blamed on her being "weak" enough to fall in love, to be addicted to be part of a couple, was a poor choice.

So, yes: I loved the first half or so of Cleopatra Dismounts, but found the conclusion disappointing and a letdown after such a powerful beginning.

vegancleopatra's review

Go to review page

2.0

The summary on GR is atrocious but I can't help but read something relatively based on Cleopatra.
More...