The Daughters of Palatine Hill by Phyllis T Smith
9781503952485
412 Pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Rome, Cleopatra, Women’s Fiction
After the brutal deaths of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Emperor Augustus brings their younger children to Rome. The two brothers die during an epidemic but, Cleopatra Selene survives. Julia, Augustus’ only child, is married while Augustus in ill in Spain. Cleopatra Selene then becomes a project for Augustus’ wife, Livia to become a proper Roman lady.
The story has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is told in the first-person point of view by the three women. It shows how men rule women’s lives. At first, I thought Julia was going to be a spoiled girl, but she grows into an independent strong woman. Livia loves Augustus with her body and soul. Cleopatra Selene fears for her life believing that just being around Augustus’ family would remind them of her mother Cleopatra. I really enjoyed reading the book from each perspective. You could feel the emotions of each woman as times goes by. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this book.
