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little_red_dragon's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 25%.
Vampires and Cleopatra? Normally, I would have given it a chance, but it didn't hit me well. And paranormal historical fiction is SO not my thing.
Vampires and Cleopatra? Normally, I would have given it a chance, but it didn't hit me well. And paranormal historical fiction is SO not my thing.
tilted_back's review against another edition
2.0
As ridiculous as the title suggests. Even my love for Agrippa & Augustus couldn't overcome the absurdity.
ericawrites's review against another edition
Really wanted to like a book about vampire Cleopatra, especially a highly recommended one. However, couldn't get into it due to Cleopatra spending her immortal time on revenge (over a man!) and other structural issues. Life is too short to finish.
dria42's review against another edition
1.0
Not worth reading for either historical fiction fans or vampire novel fans. Odd, strangely boring mish-mash that still didn't seem to have any real action 20% of the way in. Didn't bother finishing.
gavreads's review against another edition
I tend to avoid the plethora of vampire novels on the shelves these days. I’ve had my moment indulging with vampires. Loving Queen of the Damned most of Anne Rice’s portrayals. Reading Poppy Z. Brite’s Lost Souls and Drawing Blood. Devouring most of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. And embracing the original (an arguably the best) incarnation in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. To name but a few.
So there has to be something special in order for me to embrace a new take on vampire mythology. And at first glance Cleopatra being a vampire could be mistaken for a gimmick. Especially seeing titles like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter are doing the rounds.
Queen of Kings tries to blend fantasy and history, aims for an mythological feel but also, oddly, an emotional grounding. This is quite a big ask for any writer and for a debut author, if they manage to get it right, it’s going to put them on the map.
So does Maria Dahvana Headley manage it? There is a reason it carries a quote from Neil Gaiman on the cover. She does, almost effortlessly. It’s quite astonishing when you read the historical note at the end (and I mean after you’ve read it. Don’t skip!) where some of the seams of fantasy and historically reported reality lie.
It’s not all perfect but we’ll get to imperfections shortly but for now let’s stick to history. Cleopatra was killed by an asp, wasn’t she? Not in Headley’s version of history. Headley’s twist seems quite natural (considering we are dealing with the myths of Egypt and Rome and elsewhere) especially Cleopatra turning to the goddess Sekhmet.
What was surprising is that I was expecting her to rise to power again in Egypt and basically being continually being bathed in blood. Though this isn’t what happened. Instead we see her as a loving and devoted mother and wife whose actions are underscored by the needs to protect or avenge her loved ones.
I really enjoyed the way that Headley plays with myth and history especially when she starts mixing different pantheons as her logic shows how Roman and Egyptian gods and their domains can be both exist and interact.
Though being a debut it’s accepted that they’ll come with imperfections. And for me it wasn’t to do with the story, or the characters, or problems with choices of what and where the important parts of the story should be. All that felt natural.
What makes it feel rough in places was the tightness of the storytelling and the tendency for chapters to constantly build to payoff even if that meant splitting up scenes that would have gone smoother without starting a new chapter.
I’d definitely say it’s better to be too lean than overly flabby but as this isn’t a thriller and doesn’t need to be constantly moving. I think Headly could have indulged herself and the reader a little bit more by lingering on minor descriptions, and in some places taking time to explain more. I do need go back and check when happened at point near the end that seemed to melt away forgotten or perhaps dealt with in a throw away line or two.
But those skills will, I’m sure, mature with future books. And as much as it does make for an occasional pause for clarity I’d much rather that than wading through pages of filler trying to make a story longer.
Headly is a very accomplished storyteller and myth maker who has marked out her own place in this years releases. One who I can see loosening up and indulging a little more whilst building on her storytelling strengths in future books.
Queen of Kings is my fantasy debut of the year so far.
So there has to be something special in order for me to embrace a new take on vampire mythology. And at first glance Cleopatra being a vampire could be mistaken for a gimmick. Especially seeing titles like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter are doing the rounds.
Queen of Kings tries to blend fantasy and history, aims for an mythological feel but also, oddly, an emotional grounding. This is quite a big ask for any writer and for a debut author, if they manage to get it right, it’s going to put them on the map.
So does Maria Dahvana Headley manage it? There is a reason it carries a quote from Neil Gaiman on the cover. She does, almost effortlessly. It’s quite astonishing when you read the historical note at the end (and I mean after you’ve read it. Don’t skip!) where some of the seams of fantasy and historically reported reality lie.
It’s not all perfect but we’ll get to imperfections shortly but for now let’s stick to history. Cleopatra was killed by an asp, wasn’t she? Not in Headley’s version of history. Headley’s twist seems quite natural (considering we are dealing with the myths of Egypt and Rome and elsewhere) especially Cleopatra turning to the goddess Sekhmet.
What was surprising is that I was expecting her to rise to power again in Egypt and basically being continually being bathed in blood. Though this isn’t what happened. Instead we see her as a loving and devoted mother and wife whose actions are underscored by the needs to protect or avenge her loved ones.
I really enjoyed the way that Headley plays with myth and history especially when she starts mixing different pantheons as her logic shows how Roman and Egyptian gods and their domains can be both exist and interact.
Though being a debut it’s accepted that they’ll come with imperfections. And for me it wasn’t to do with the story, or the characters, or problems with choices of what and where the important parts of the story should be. All that felt natural.
What makes it feel rough in places was the tightness of the storytelling and the tendency for chapters to constantly build to payoff even if that meant splitting up scenes that would have gone smoother without starting a new chapter.
I’d definitely say it’s better to be too lean than overly flabby but as this isn’t a thriller and doesn’t need to be constantly moving. I think Headly could have indulged herself and the reader a little bit more by lingering on minor descriptions, and in some places taking time to explain more. I do need go back and check when happened at point near the end that seemed to melt away forgotten or perhaps dealt with in a throw away line or two.
But those skills will, I’m sure, mature with future books. And as much as it does make for an occasional pause for clarity I’d much rather that than wading through pages of filler trying to make a story longer.
Headly is a very accomplished storyteller and myth maker who has marked out her own place in this years releases. One who I can see loosening up and indulging a little more whilst building on her storytelling strengths in future books.
Queen of Kings is my fantasy debut of the year so far.
bibliobethreads's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure what to make of this book when I first started it, however I have finished it really enjoying the story which is wrapped in mythology requiring the reader to suspend their disbelief just slightly! The story of Anthony and Cleopatra fascinates me, and most of the characters in this novel actually existed which I greatly appreciated.
nuffy375's review against another edition
3.0
I want to give this book more stars. It had so many ingredients that I love in Fiction: real lore from different cultures (that you don’t see very often) pulled together seamlessly into a story - I especially love a good Egtyptian tale - a unique spin on vampires, a vengeance story focused on heroes and villains (but who is the real villain here?)...
I spent the whole time wondering why I wasn’t getting more into the story; why I wasn’t engrossed in this tale of rich folklore.
Ultimately, I have decided the problem for me is that story devotes too much time to introspection. It’s a lot of characters contemplating what they did wrong or what’s going to happen or how they have found themselves here, etc. Cleopatra should have been a stronger presence than she is - she’s a lovesick sap who spends the whole book bemoaning Antony (and occasionally her children...who probably should have been a bigger concern, since they were actually alive during the events of the book). She spends the whole first half of the book as a broken record: “My dear Antony!! Woe! Woe!...What? A new supernatural power that’s really interesting?? But Antony!!!”
I didn’t dislike it necessarily, but I definitely wish it had been better. I think the writing style distanced me too much for true enjoyment on my part.
I spent the whole time wondering why I wasn’t getting more into the story; why I wasn’t engrossed in this tale of rich folklore.
Ultimately, I have decided the problem for me is that story devotes too much time to introspection. It’s a lot of characters contemplating what they did wrong or what’s going to happen or how they have found themselves here, etc. Cleopatra should have been a stronger presence than she is - she’s a lovesick sap who spends the whole book bemoaning Antony (and occasionally her children...who probably should have been a bigger concern, since they were actually alive during the events of the book). She spends the whole first half of the book as a broken record: “My dear Antony!! Woe! Woe!...What? A new supernatural power that’s really interesting?? But Antony!!!”
I didn’t dislike it necessarily, but I definitely wish it had been better. I think the writing style distanced me too much for true enjoyment on my part.
chikara67's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this,but hard as I tried I just couldn't push my way through it
namjooningihope5's review against another edition
4.0
So far I'm really into it, though it IS a bit creepy. It's like some twisted Twilight meets Animal Planet meets Egyptian story. I'm already half way done and I just started reading yesterday. COuldn't put it down. A real thriller here.