Book Description
This 13 week, interactive study looks at issues many women face today and reminds them of their inherent value as daughters of the one true King.
Mordecai's challenge to Esther, "Were you not born for such a time as this?" is repeated for all women throughout the ages, says Diana Hagee. Every woman has a divine destiny. But women cannot fulfill that goal unless they understand His biblical guidelines.
In this interactive workbook, Diana leads women through a self-examination of their lives and their goals from God's perspective, not the secular society's. Topics such as self-esteem, diligence, attitude, goal setting and stewardship encourage women to establish a strong foundation for growth while learning to see themselves in a new light.
Through scripture, thought-provoking questions and answers, prayers, practical advice and devotional ideas, women learn how valuable they are to God and how they can have an intimate relationship with Him while evaluating the standards that make them a daughter of the King.
Book Description
Mordecai's challenge to Esther, "Were you not born for such a time as this?" is repeated for all women throughout the ages, says Diana Hagee. Every woman has a divine destiny. But women cannot fulfill that goal unless they understand His biblical guidelines.
In this interactive workbook, Diana leads women through a self-examination of their lives and their goals from God's perspective, not the secular society's. They look at Scripture that shows how valuable they are to God and how they can have an intimate relationship with Him. And then they evaluate the standards that make them a daughter of the King: God's blueprint for their unique personality, for their sexuality, and for their relationships in the home and in the workplace.
Ideal for individual use as well as for a woman's Bible study or for a larger discipleship/mentoring group, the book includes instructor's notes and an appendix of suggestions on how to conduct this twelve-week course.
Customer Reviews:
Please read it.......2004-03-08
This is a good book that i think evey woman should read. Even if you are not christian, this book can change your life. It is very helpful and deals with almost every situation you can encounter in life. I really liked this book.
A blueprint for becoming a godly woman!.......2003-11-28
This book had a profound impact on my life. I was raised in a dysfunctional, ungodly home and didn't become a Christian until age 19, after making many bad choices. I've not had many female role models in my life but after reading this book I feel that I can consider Diana Hagee to be one. Through this book Mrs. Hagee basically takes you by the hand and shows you what it means to be a woman of God. The chapters are as follows:
1) The King's Daughter;
2) My Value in God's Eyes;
3) I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel;
4) The Holy Spirit and Me;
5) Dreams with a Happy Ending: Setting Goals;
6) Ten Commandments for Women in the Workplace;
7) Women and Courtship;
8) And God Said, "Let There Be Sex";
9) Ten Questions You're Afraid to Ask Your Gynecologist;
10) The Favor of God;
11) Hospitality--An Attitude of the Heart;
12) Beauty
Please don't look at the title or the chapters and think for a moment that this book holds nothing useful for you. You will not be sorry if you read it and apply its principles. Each chapter concludes with "Action Points", which are questions for you to answer based on the chapter, a short reading assignment from the book of Esther, and a prayer.
An awesome guide to becoming a woman of God.......2002-03-09
This book was exactly what I needed to assist me in my new life as a Chritian woman. Diana's prayers are outstanding. She gives a very realistic "how to" guide. This book is great for self motivation or would be great for any womans book/bible study.
An awesome guide to becoming a woman of God.......2002-03-09
This book was exactly what I needed to assist me in my new life as a Chritian woman. Diana's prayers are outstanding. She gives a very realistic "how to" guide. This book is great for self motivation or would be great for any womans book/bible study.
Average customer rating:
- Well written Adventure story
- Absolutely a great book...
- Fantastic read for young adult
- Dragon's Keep a keeper
- NOT BAD
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Dragon's Keep
Janet Lee Carey
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Dragons | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Royalty | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
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Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3)
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ASIN: 0152059261 |
Book Description
Far away on Wilde Island, Princess Rosalind is born with a dragon claw where her ring finger should be. To hide the secret, the Queen forces her to wear gloves at all times until a cure can be found, so Rosalind can fulfill the prophecy to restore the family to their rightful throne.
But Rosalind’s flaw cannot be separated from her fate. When she is carried off by the dragon, everything she thought she knew falls apart. The dragon sees beauty in her talon where her mother saw only shame, and Rosalind finally understands what her mother has truly denied her.
Carey has written a stunning portrayal of the complex relationship between a mother and daughter in a lyrical novel sure to thrill readers who love fantasy—and those who don’t.
Customer Reviews:
Well written Adventure story.......2007-08-26
A well written YA book. It was not dumbed down like some YA books are, the writing was smooth and kept the reader interested in the lead character.
The book tells a story of a princess, the 21st decendent of Queen Evaine, King Arthur's younger sister. The family was banished to the island when the Queen married a men that her father did not approve. The legend was that the 21st Queen will bring peace and honour back to the name of Pendragon.
Our heroine is the princess and only she and her mother know of her terrible secret. The poor girl has a Dragon's claw for her ring finger. Her mother keeps it hidden at all times under golden gloves, and goes to great lengths that the secret is never discovered. When the princess meets the female dragon, and later the dragon is killed, she is kidnapped by the dragon's mate to care for the pips (baby Dragons)
The dragon's see beauty where her mother only saw shame, and it is at the end of the story that the dragons give her the gift of Peace between Human and Dragon.
The adventures are exciting and the book should be recomended to any young Dragon Lover.
Absolutely a great book..........2007-07-18
We gave this book to our 13 year old daughter for her birthday this year. Her words when I asked how it was were, "The most awesome book ever!" This is coming from an avid reader... she breezed through this 302 page book in just three days. Right now she is reading the Bartimaeus Trilogy, but says she would like to read more by this author in the near future.
Fantastic read for young adult.......2007-07-18
In this young adult fantasy, Rosalind's fate was written in the stars, read by Merlin, some 600 years before she was born. Rosalind's ancestor, Evaine, was the younger sister of King Arthur. Evaine married an outlaw, was banished to Wilde Island, and erased from family history.
Three things are said of the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island; "She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave of her hand. And restore the glory of Wilde Island."
The way her mother sees it, with England in the midst of civil war Rosalind will marry Prince Henry, future king of England, thereby fulfilling all aspects of the prophecy. But what if Rosalind and Henry don't get along? Not that they've even heard from the Queen of England, though they assume she is aware of the prophecy. Then there's Rosalind's ring finger. It's a dragon's claw. So far she and her mother have hidden it behind golden gloves, but that won't work forever. They MUST find a cure soon--a cure that is hard to find when potential healers aren't told what the exact problem is.
When an envoy from England comes to Wilde Island, things start looking up a little, especially after they slay the dragon that has been harassing the Island forever. What should be one of the most triumphant moments in their history turns horrifying when the dragon's mate returns to punish the people, and takes a special interest in Rosalind. Before long, Rosalind's life will never be the same, and it doesn't look like the prophecy could ever be fulfilled.
There is so much more to this book! So many more levels and layers to the story! Rosalind may be a Princess with a dragon's claw in a faraway time and place, but her relationship with her mother is something you could see in anyone's life. Her desire to be normal and accepted are the same things every teenager experiences. So while the circumstances aren't something we experience everyday, the people in them, and their reactions to them, are completely realistic and relatable.
Armchair Interviews says: Part fairy tale, part mythology, part legend, all around fantastic!
Dragon's Keep a keeper.......2007-06-29
"What a great story. The ending is unexpected." I am quoting the words of one of my 5th grade students. He requested this book as his prize for reading 200 books this year. He could not stop talking about the story. Based on his response I would recommend this book for young adults.
NOT BAD.......2007-06-09
THIS IS A GOOD BOOK AND I READ IT IN TWO DAYS, BUT IT'S MORE OR LESS LIKE ROSALIND'S DIARY AND I FIND THOSE KINDS OF BOOKS DULL. THERE NOT MUCH ROMANCE IN THIS (IF YOU HAVE READ DRAGON LOVERS YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE NOT READ DRAGON LOVERS YET READ THIS BOOK FIRST THEN DRAGON LOVERS). THERE'S NOT MUCH EXCITEMENT UNTILL THE LAST THREE CHAPTERS AND THERE'S NO VILLAN UNTILL THE LAST FOUR. AND F.Y.I. THE DRAGON CUTS HIS EGGS FROM HIS MATES STOMACH THEN TAKES THEM HOME.
Product Description
This excellent volume includes biographies of more than twenty women of the Russian Imperial Family, from the daughters of Tsar Paul I to the present-day claimant to the Russian imperial throne.The Grand Duchesses is an unprecedented compilation of information regarding the Romanovs and Russia.
Average customer rating:
- Wonderful way to learn history!
- Awesome Book
- Love it!
- Anastasia Romanov
- Not that good
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Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, Russia, 1914 (The Royal Diaries)
Carolyn Meyer
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
European | Biographies | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Royalty | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Europe | Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
The Royal Diaries | Historical | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Popular Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Book Clubs | Specialty Stores | Books
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Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria-France, 1769 (The Royal Diaries)
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ASIN: 0439129087 |
Amazon.com
Anastasia is a carefree young duchess, daughter of Nicholas Alexandrovitch Romanov, tsar of all the Russias in 1914. While her father attends to the turbulent affairs of a vast and complex country, Anastasia's major concerns are how to get out of her detested schoolwork to play in the snow, go ice skating, or have picnics. She wears diamonds and rubies, and every morning her mother tells her which matching outfit she and her three sisters shall wear that day. Slowly a hint of future trouble enters her happy, pampered life. Anastasia's younger brother, the future tsar, is a hemophiliac--a "bleeder" who cannot stop bleeding if he is cut or bruised. Anastasia begins to learn that all is not well in the outside world, either. Not everyone in Russia worships her father as she does, and the Germans are about to declare war on Russia. Anastasia's world gradually deteriorates, as reported in her youthful, often playful journal.
As Russia entered World War I, hunger and poverty grew among the peasants, and the Romanov ruling family began to lose favor, culminating in their murders--including Anastasia's--by Bolshevik revolutionaries. This fictionalized diary of the mischievous youngest daughter's last four years gives a fascinating glimpse into a life of unlimited wealth--and the subsequent downward spiral. Historical notes, family trees, and photographs round out Carolyn Meyer's compelling contribution to the popular Royal Diaries series. (Ages 9 to 14) --Emilie Coulter
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful way to learn history!.......2007-09-28
We have really learned history from the Royal Diary series. It gives a wonderful time frame to set history in. It really helps you to remember what you need to know!
Awesome Book.......2006-11-28
I'm a fan of the Royal Diaries series, and this is the best of the books. I read this book over and over again. I liked the way that you could tell that the children, especially Anastasia and Alexei, grew up throughout the four years that the novel took place. I also liked the glimpse it gave of the lavish lifestyle that the Romanovs led, and I was extremely saddened to learn of their fate. I do not believe that Anna Anderson was really Anastasia. I think that Anastasia died along with her family that fateful day in July. But if you would like to read the Royal Diaries series, this is a great book to start off with.
Love it!.......2006-11-27
I liked this book A LOT Cos it showed Anastasia life befor she was killed.And Cannot understand why Anna Anderson Would Pretend to be Anastasia! (DNA says so) Sometimes the Plot would get a little boring but it always went back up to Good.I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Anastasia Romanov.......2006-07-04
This book gets only exciting at the end when the Romanovs get arrested. 'till then, Anastasia led a boring life. I do not recommend this book to anyone, and do not be fooled by the other reviewers, this book is definitely not good. ( But gets slightly better at the end)
Not that good.......2006-07-03
I do not think this book is as good as I thought it would be. It is a very boring diary and definitely the Marie Antoinette book is better.I do not like the book about Cleopatra much either.The book on Anastasia just talks about when she goes to picnics and other palaces and when she went on yatchs. Since I heard so many good reviews on this book, I thought on buying this book, but it turnes out it is'nt that good. I cannot believe people actually like this book even. Anastasia led a boring life and she recorded it in her boring diary.
Book Description
From acclaimed biographer Flora Fraser, a brilliant group biography of the six daughters of “Mad” King George III.
Fraser takes us into the heart of the British royal family during the tumultuous period of the American and French revolutions and beyond, illuminating the complicated lives of these exceptional women: Princess Royal, the eldest, constantly at odds with her mother; home-loving, family-minded Augusta; plump Elizabeth, a gifted amateur artist; Mary, the bland beauty of the family; Sophia, emotional and prone to take refuge in illness; and Amelia, “the most turbulent and tempestuous of all the Princesses.” Weaving together letters and historical accounts, Fraser re-creates their world in all its frustrations and excitements.
The six sisters, though handsome, accomplished and extremely well educated, were kept from marrying by George III, and Fraser describes how they remained subject to their father for many years, while he teetered on the brink of mental collapse. The King may have believed that his six daughters were happy to live celibately at Windsor, but secretly, as Fraser’s absorbing narrative of royal repression and sexual license shows, the sisters enjoyed startling freedom. Several of them, torn between love for their ailing father and longing for independence, forged their own scandalous and subversive lives within the castle walls. With a discerning eye for psychological detail and a keen feminist sensibility, Fraser delves into these clandestine love affairs, revealing the truth about Sophia’s illegitimate baby; examining Amelia's intimate correspondence with her soldier-lover; and investigating the eventual marriages of Princesses Royal, Elizabeth and Mary.
Never before has the historical searchlight been turned with such sympathy and acuity on George III and his family. With unparalleled access to royal and private family papers, Flora Fraser has created a revelatory portrait of six fascinating women and their place in history.
Customer Reviews:
Very Indept Biography.......2007-08-06
This was a very detailed and indept biography of the six daughters of George III. Charlotte, Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia they were not allowed to marry an unusual step at the time since most kings marry off their daughters for alliences George III decided not to marry his daughters off after witnessing one of his own sister's plight in marriage. Yet that didn't deter them from flirting, illegally marrying or in Sophia's case even giving birth to an illigmate child creating scandles of their own. It was interesting reading about their interests and charities and living with their parents through middle age. Two sisters did end up marrying after well into middle age. A very good bio.
Not bad but theres nothing really to tell..........2006-12-16
In my opinion this is one of those books that it is well researched,well organized and the story is pretty much well told.But at the end of the day i asked myself why i bought this book, because when i finished reading the book i realized that the lives of these ladies wasnt interesting at all.I mean the thing is that, basically, nothing happened to this ladies.They were completely separated from the outside world and they really didnt had that much to contribute or much to get involved with the world.The narrative is not bad because the author makes a great effort in trying to make the story interesting.The problem is that the story is boring and dull.The author also just takes too many pages to tell a story that doesnt need that many pages.I've could have done without a least 100 to a 150 pages.The only parts that were interesting were the ones that talked about the English etiquette in Court.I got to learn a lot about what's the etiquette when someone died and the proper order in which to enter a room or signed a document.Again good effort by the author but there's no story to tell
An interesting look at a much-neglected family.......2006-05-20
I have seen occasional references to the children of George III, apart from George IV and William IV, usually in biographies of Queen Victoria, but this is the first in-depth treatment that I have read of his daughters. They usually don't even rank a mention in the oft-told tale of the race to provide an heir to the throne after the death of Princess Charlotte (George IV's daughter) since, due to the rules of primogeniture and their father's reluctance to allow them to marry before middle age, they didn't even have a shot at it.
Continuing in the family tradition of writing absorbing biographies of figures in English history, Flora Fraser provides a sympathetic, if sometimes a bit too minutely detailed, picture of these six very different sisters: Charlotte, Princess Royal (known as Royal), always conscious of her rank and position, as she could hardly fail to be with such a nickname; Augusta, the family correspondent; Elizabeth, artistic and charitable; Mary, the beauty of the family, who survived all her siblings and lived well into Victoria's reign; Sophia, who "disgraced" herself by bearing an illegitimate son; and Amelia, the headstrong youngest child who was passionately in love with a man whom she could not marry. These are only thumbnail descriptions and do not do justice to Fraser's portrayal of the loving and occasionally acrimonious relationship that the princesses had with each other, their brothers, and their parents.
We often read about the political repercussions of George III's mental disability and the deterioration of the relationship between the Regent and his parents, but I found Fraser's description of the effect that it had on the Queen and their daughters to be particularly moving. However, three of them did find happiness in marriage, if not children, late in life, and with the others, were able to build satisfying lives around nieces and nephews, as well as artistic, intellectual and charitable pursuits. We can only speculate on what they might have done with their lives had more opportunities been open to them.
A Brilliant Job Bringing Together So Many Period Sources .......2006-03-17
After THE UNRULY QUEEN I was already an admirer of this author but now I am in awe of her. Knowing the mountain of original sources Fraser used I find her selections, editing and writing of the overall narrative simply wonderful. It is a very complicated landscape The Princesses lived in and yet the author has succeeded in not only turning up the volume on each Princess as an individual, but portrays the dynamics of that huge family within one of the most turbulent periods of modern history. Also, explanations of the manners and mores of the times are seamlessly interwoven, which in turn nicely contrasts public propriety with the daily private reality. I have a large George III library and this is a valuable addition to it.
Fascinating Social History of Royal Life.......2006-02-28
The six daughters of George III were well-educated and encouraged to pursue and develop their individual talents, thanks to their forward thinking mother, Queen Charlotte. This served them well because they led very sequestered lives within the royal family due to their father's social, emotional, and medical needs. It wasn't until middle age were they even allowed to consider marriage, and even then not all of them ever married. The story of these princesses - which involves illicit love, unrequited love, incest and abuse -is presented against the political and historical background of the times. The author writes with great detail and utilizes many of the surviving letters written by the sisters to illuminate a story not generally known.
The author writes with great detail and
Customer Reviews:
Great Book for Girls of All Ages!.......2007-10-03
I just absolutely love this book and other books by this author. I think I got it more for me than my baby girl. I love it so much that my husband and me are buying for all the little girls in our family this Christmas.
These books are just too cute.......2007-09-10
This is a cute story and a must have for a girl's collection. All of the "Do Princesses..." are really nice stories with good illustrations.
No pansy princess here!.......2007-05-17
My daughter is really into the princess craze. As a reluctant queen (I was a tomboy), I was excited to see this book, that emphasizes the beauty of all princesses (not just the ones in pretty dresses waiting to be kissed by the prince). I also recommend the Paperbag Princess if you like this book.
love it!.......2007-04-26
This book is super cute. I love the illustrations and the simple story. It's a celebration for all the princesses out there!
Refreshing Princess Book!!!!!!.......2007-01-04
After reading this to my daughter the first time I found it so refreshing after all of the "find your prince and live happily everafter" books. I worry about my 3 year old getting the wrong ideas about "prince charmings" and "happily everafters". This book does an excellent job of letting all little girls know that no matter what we like to do, how we look, or what we wear we are all princesses on the inside. Beautifully done!
Average customer rating:
- A Leap Into History...
- To be continued?
- Exciting Book!
- Cleopatra VII... =a GREAT book!!!
- Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C.
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Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. (The Royal Diaries)
Kristiana Gregory
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Ancient Civilizations | Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Royalty | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
The Royal Diaries | Historical | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0590819755 |
Amazon.com
The year is 57 B.C., and 12-year-old Cleopatra, Princess of the Nile, has a lot on her mind. Her father, the Pharaoh of Egypt, nearly died when a venomous adder meant for him attacked and killed his favorite servant. Now the Pharaoh has gone into hiding, hunted by his enemies, and the young princess has to keep her head--literally--as her power-hungry older sister Tryphaena threatens to grab her father's throne.
"I took the cup and raised it toward Tryphaena as if toasting her, but really I was watching the liquid, looking for oil floating on its surface, or powder sticking to the sides of the cup. If I suspected poison and tossed it into the pool, she would have her guards behead me on the spot. If it was indeed poison, one sip and I could die..."
In an elegantly written royal diary, Cleopatra VII has recorded every rich detail from this tumultuous time: her hairsbreadth escape by boat to Rome, where she and her father must plead for help; her struggle to absorb the overwhelming sights (and smells) of this new city and its "barbarian" ways; and her poise and quick thinking as she deals with the likes of General Pompey, Marc Antony, and the famous orator Cicero ("words fly from him like darts!").
Kristiana Gregory, a contributor to the excellent Dear America series, has done an admirable job ghostwriting for the princess, painting an engaging portrait of a resourceful, intelligent, compassionate young woman forged by the forces of her time. The book concludes with a helpful section of maps, portraits, a Pharaonic family tree, and 20 pages of illustrations. (Ages 8 to 12) --Paul Hughes
Book Description
Established Dear America author Kristiana Gregory kicks off the Royal Diaries with the captivating story of young Cleopatra's tumultuous life. Daughter of King Ptolemy Autletes, Pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra lives a life filled with opulence and mystery.
Customer Reviews:
A Leap Into History..........2007-08-04
From start to finish this book is a real joy! Delve into the thoughts of Cleopatra VII in this historically accurate account of her early teenage years. A good book for children and adults alike, you can watch your child become fascinated with the goings-on and intrigues of an age that is not written about enough. The Cleopatra we meet in the story is easy to sympathize with and relate to, as well as a character to admire. The book also paints a detailed picture of the setting and age and what it was like to be a princess in ancient Egypt.
I have read most of the Royal Diaries books aloud to my daughters (7, 9, 11), which always succeed to help enamour them with history. However, of the ones I have read, I find Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C. to be all of our's favorite.
Also, my children love the wonderful style of all the books: the hardbacks are a lovely gold, with a detailed color representation of the princess and gold-tipped pages. They make my children feel like royalty themselves!
Educational and entertaining, this is a wonderful choice for a gift or for your own enjoyment.
To be continued?.......2007-06-27
This is a charming, small book concerning a very short period of Cleopatra's life. It generally concords with what is known of Cleopatra. I am disappointed that it was not larger in scope.
Exciting Book!.......2007-04-30
This is a great book! (Much better than Elizabeth) It is like listening to a real person. This is my favorite book in the royal diary series that I have read so far. It is packed with action, adventure, emotion, sadness, happiness, and much more! I just finished reading this about an hour ago. It is wonderful. I really recommend it!
Cleopatra VII... =a GREAT book!!!.......2007-03-26
Cleopatra... is an awesome book about Cleopatra VII when she was 12-14 years old. The story begins when her father, King Ptolemy Alutes, begins losing support among the commoners. He leaves on a ship to go to the Romans for help, and Cleopatra figures that two Ptolmies are better than one, so Cleopatra sneaks aboard to caome. Her father knows no Latin, so she finds it hard to figure out how he will speak to Ceasar, so she ends up doing all the talking after Pompey and his men decide to get smart and insult them in Latin so (he thinks) they won't know what he's saying. Cleopatra has two sisters, Berenice, who is eight years older and very nice, and Tryphaena, who is as "mean and snappish as a crocodile." Whilist Cleopatra and her father are in Rome, Tryphaena takes over the throne and sends them a message that if they ever set foot in Egypt again, they will be beheaded. One night, the King's friends kill Tryphaena in the middle of the night, and afterwards are killed with flying swords be Berenice's guards. Then Berenice takes over. Meanwhile, Cleopatra and her father have finally won the Romans over, and when they return, the King orders Berenice to be put to death for pretending to be Queen. The epilouge is sad, but you can't change history. Overall one of the best books I have ever read, and if you're smart, you'll read it too.
Daughter of the Nile, Egypt, 57 B.C........2007-03-19
-"I could feel my insides shaking. Would this sister try to poison me? Yes, I believe so. As for my other older sister, Berenice-never! She and I adore each other even though I am eight years younger. I took the cup and raised it toward Tryphaena as if toasting her, but really I was watching the liquid, looking for oil floating on the surface, or powder sticking to the sides of the cup. If I suspected poison and tossed it into the pool, she would have her guards behead me on the spot. If it was indeed poison, one sip and I could die... My eyes closed as I took the first sip, as if savoring such and excellent taste, but really my thought was, O Isis, I am afraid... My stomach turned with nervousness, or was it from a fearsome death beginning in me?" Cleopatra was the third daughter of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra V Tryphaena. Cleopatra's mother died when Cleopatra was very young. When Cleopatra's father is awoken by a hissing sound in his room, he is frightened to see a black adder in the striking position, while his favorite slave jumps on the adder to save the pharaoh, his slave is bitten and killed, then the snake got away. The next day, one of his slaves brings him his food and the Pharaoh orders him to test it, and after his slave takes the first sip of wine he is writhing on the floor in pain. The Pharaoh decides to go into hiding so his guards can find the assassin and kill him. While the king is gone, Tryphaena, the Pharaohs oldest daughter, decided that she was going to be Pharaoh. While Cleopatra's father is gone, Cleopatra suspects her oldest sister for the assassination attempts. Then one night Tryphaena is drug out to the theater, and beheaded on the spot, the same fait was to her guards. The Pharaoh comes back to the palace and announced that he was going to go to Rome to get help to gain control over his people once and for all. When Cleopatra hears the news she decides to go with him so she can translate the Roman language into Egyptian. When they finally arrive in Rome, the royal family soon finds out that the Roman troops are in the northern part of the hemisphere and can't come back for about a half a year. When they finally come back to Rome, there is a huge hurricane out in the ocean, so Cleopatra and her father cannot make the journey home until the sea subsides. It isn't till two years later that Cleopatra and her father can return home. All the while, Berenice has taken the throne and has married six times, each one of her husbands hanged for not meeting her standards. I liked this book, because it had a very unusual story line and many "father killing daughter" scenes.
-One reason I liked this book because it has many funny parts in it, even when Cleopatra may not mean for it to be funny. For example, "I enjoy my father when his high spirits are from good news, not good wine." Another example, "I did not want to wipe off my fingers on the soiled tablecloth or in me hair (like two of the senators were doing)."
-Another reason I liked this book is because of all of the deaths that the family ordered on one another. An example is this, "For three days, there has been much celebrating. Tryphaena is dead... After we left Alexandria, his friends sneaked into the palace while Tryphaena slept, then killed her guards. Awakened by the commotion, she sat up in bed and screamed for help while putting on her slippers (an odd thing to do, in my opinion.) But men tied up her arms and carried her through the dark streets to the Gymnasion, where some of our wrestlers were waiting. One of them stood behind her, grabbed her around the neck, and then with his strong arms lifted her up until she had strangled. A slipper that had fallen from her foot was delivered to Father as proof."
-I liked this book because of all the letters that were written, you can tell who they are and what they are writing about. One example is "Olympus, friend, loyal companion, and student of medicine in Alexandria, to Princess Cleopatra in Rome, friend much missed: Good news, come home."
-I enjoyed reading this book because Cleopatra could understand different languages and a general didn't know that and insulted the Pharaoh while she was there. "As our meal began, Pompey walked over to our table, smiling broadly. When Father stood to greet him, Pompey clasped both his arms and began speaking rapidly in Latin. Father didn't understand one word, but I surely did. `King Auletes,' the general said, `so we finally meet, you gorilla face. Indeed you are a half-baked, a decrepit drunk with a nose like a plum. Did out trumpets wake you from your nap, you lazy dullard?' Dropping Fathers arms, he turned to where I reclined. `Ah, little child,' He smiled. Slowly I stood up and looked around me. The soldiers were grinning with pleasure at their leader's clever trick. I thought in my heart that I must be brave and strong, like Queen Ester and the Queen of Sheba who in their day spoke before the most powerful men on earth. `Sir,' I began in Latin, `I am Cleopatra, Princess of the Nile, third daughter of the King and Pharaoh of Egypt, the man you have so cruelly insulted.' At first, I was so nervous my voice trembled. The Latin words felt awkward on my tongue, but soon I was speaking with confidence, quite well, it seems, because the look on Pompey's face was one of shock. His soldiers' smiles dropped like dead flies. I began to relax." I really enjoyed this book and I think that many others will enjoy it as well.
D. Foster
Book Description
This is the tale of Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, who rules the spice lands and bows before the will of the Goddess.This is the tale of Solomon, the King of Israel and Judea, who built the golden temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem. Once he prayed that he might rule wisely.This is the tale of Solomon's wives, of his concubines .... and of his daughter Baalit, more beloved than any son. Here are their voices, their mysteries, and their deepest secrets. Here they sing their songs and weave their tapestries.As the queen's search for a true heir to her throne takes her to the court of the wisest man in the world, both she and the king learn how to value truth, love, and duty....and the king's daughter learns that not all the world is ruled by men.Wisdom's Daughter is a vivid and richly textured rendition of the biblical tale of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Told in a tapestry of voices that ring with authenticity, Wisdom's Daughter profoundly reveals the deep ties among women in a patriarchal world.
Customer Reviews:
A really good read!.......2007-01-24
This is a great story of what could have, may have or may not have happened when the Queen of Sheba visited the court of King Solomon. I found the novel filled with wisdom and strength from both the female and male characters. It's a fresh and intriguing view of a world long past, with ageless truths sprinkled throughout its pages. In short, I highly recommend this book.
Interesting angle.......2006-11-05
I didn't know a lot about the story of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba so I bought this book. The story is told from an interesting angle and I enjoyed it very much. India Edghill writes great characters who hold your interest. I recommend this book to anyone who likes biblical or historical fiction.
A new favorite!.......2006-09-01
I loved the prequel, Queenmaker, and I love this even more. The writing was rich, the characters multi-faceted, the story strong and complex. Any reader and lover of history longing for different version of "herstory" should read this. (Of course, one should always start with The Red Tent, if looking for stories of the Old Testament.) I loved it so much, I had to read it again!!
Sultry & Historical - Interesting perspective.......2006-08-01
When I say that this book is sultry it is simply because it truly seems to bring to life the steamyness of love in Solomon's palace, the animosities between his many wives from various religions and cultures, and his slow-burning romance with the Queen of Sheba.
The history seems to me to be plausible and accurate, and straight off the author lets us know the exact biblical text which sparks her tale so as not to delude the reader as to what is fact and what is fiction. There are many tidbits about the unsettled living between the followers of Yahweh and those who worshipped other gods and even goddesses. I also gained a new insight into the politics of royal marriages as diplomatic manuevers.
What I found enjoyable was that the tale was at different points told from the perspectives of different characters: Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, Solomon's daughter, various of his wives, friends and leaders in the royal household. This led to an interesting play of deceptions, misunderstandings, hidden information, etc. which kept the ultimate plot twists and ending somewhat obscured from view, though not completely unpredictible. Much of this is told from the female point of view, which is refreshing in a world that was so dominated by men.
I admit that I finished this in 2 days as a summer read and didn't want to put it down. It was certainly more than worth the under $6 price I paid for it off of a bargain rack. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction, and in particular religious and Christian historical fiction. Similar books I've read would include Diamant's "The Red Tent" and to a lesser extent Wangerin's "Paul."
Fantastic Read!.......2006-06-09
I've read a few books about Solomon and Sheba but this gave me a completely different view on the story - Sheba's point of view. I read this book cover to cover and only put it down once to go to bed! I fell into the pages and became part of the story and afterwards felt like I'd been on an adventure myself. Perfect for the vacation I read it on.
Customer Reviews:
Should have been "Lord Crowley's Novel".......2007-08-20
It's a gross presumption for me to scribble a few lines about a book that Mr. Crowley gave time and blood to write. But reading time is limited, and these reviews help point out what should be read and what perhaps left aside. Read "Little, Big" and others before this one. The idea underlying "Byron's Novel" is faulty, leaving us with the unavoidable outcome. The book should have been much better. How so?
Mr. Crowley's book is faulty on the first level because one cannot write a strong work as a ventriloquist. Nominally, this book is an imagined facsimile of a novel that Byron could have written. Mr. Crowley called himself a ventriloquist in this work, and we end up at a double or triple remove, too far to reach emotion, and thus bloodless. So must it be, always be, when we write as another and not ourselves, for we cannot reach our own heart when we create another's imaginary heart. Throughout the reading of the book, we long for the true authorial voice, but it never comes.
The book is faulty on the second level - the Ada level - as well. Granting that the author is ventriloquizing, we play along with his game, but he then digresses from that Byron-novel with imaginary Notes to it, supposedly by Byron's daughter, Ada. Yet this too is bloodless, an academic's comment that very slightly reveals the person underneath. From the Ada Notes, we learn nothing of Ada of any real import, nor do we feel what the real Ada could have felt - her rage at dying and its unfairness, her bone-wracking pain, and her (supposed) longing for the great and famous father she could never know and who apparently abandoned her. Approaching the book's end, I was hoping (praying) for blood-infusion, perhaps in the form of Ada herself writing the last chapter of an unfinished novel by Byron, and (inadvertently? consciously?) writing in her own longing, pain, and rage. Then would father and daughter, in this work of art, break through time, separation, and death, to a fusion of great souls. And then we, the reader of Crowley's book, would perhaps know Ada for the first time, and feel something.
The book is faulty on a third level - its second level of digression (!) -an epistolary fragment set in the present day, interspersed through the Byron-novel and Ada-notes. Perhaps authors love to imagine the effect of their works on the culture, academia, and the public - but the author with power to say great things, as Mr. Crowley has, cannot do so, at least in publication. Here, Crowley says that he needed to show the lost text being discovered and contemporary response. Why is this so? It is not so. It is a way for Crowley to perhaps daydream about what would happen if a lost Byron were found. It doesn't belong in this book, and detracts much from it, again being emotionally detached and (this time) with wholly uninteresting persons, even including its nominal parallels to the Bryon-Ada relationship.
What should this book have been? It should have been Mr. Crowley's book, not Byron's or anyone else's. If he wanted here to write a ripping yarn, as he said he did in interview, then he should have done so without academic mediation. He could have, and it could have been very good. I do not believe that such tales have slipped beyond our horizon, so that authors have to couch them as from a simpler time. We've not grown so advanced and modern to be unmoved by tales of incident. If the author wanted to explore Ada's point of view, then write her into the story. To sum up, I guess I want to say that Byron here is a disfiguring crutch for the author (whom I greatly admire) that Mr. Crowley should have thrown away, or hidden from us.
Admirable Achievement.......2007-07-30
The technique of a story within a story is not new. In fact, it goes back to Sanskrit literature. Shakespeare used it effectively. Gide's "The Counterfeiters" carried on the theme and, bringing it into the modern era, John Gardner used it in his "October Light" and Margaret Atwood in "The Blind Assassin."
I admire both Gardner and Atwood but, in both novels, I found the book within a book distracting.
In Crowley's hands we actually have three stories, each playing off against the others and it is an admirable achievement.
A collection of papers alleged to have belonged to Ada Lovelace, developer of the world's first computer program and estranged daughter of Lord Byron, is offered for sale. They include one page attributed to Byron and a number of others covered with strings of numerals. What is not known in the beginning is that Lovelace found and preserved the only novel ever written by her father--one which actually explains much which mystified her about their relationship. Though she was dying at the time, Ada encoded and annotated the novel, hoping it might be preserved for future generations.
Smith, whose relationship with her own father mirrors that of Ada and Byron, enlists his help in deciphering and authenticating the material. The collaboration brings them to a closer understanding of one another.
Great Idea.......2007-05-12
Great idea, that wore thin after a while. I loved the parts with the lovers communicating via email about the discoveries regarding the book. I loved the background of Byron's daughter's story. I didn't really get into the actual "novel" that much. Nice try though.
A Fine and Thoroughly Disappointing Novel.......2006-12-07
This novel is virtually devoid of the mystery and depth of meaning of Crowley's best novels, which I consider to be Little, Big and the Aegypt series.
Technically, it is a marvel, and the mock Byron novel is a rip-roaring read, and even the email exchanges among the principal contemporary characters are interesting; but the book as a whole is terribly predictable (the Byron novel itself being predictably unpredictable). Considering that the novel includes an account of intense literary sleuthing, there is no suspense or sense of discovery. From the beginning you know that the Byron novel has been found, so the sense of excitement the characters feel and express in their email exchanges is totally defused en route to the reader.
The book does explore the nature of self, but for Crowley in a very simplistic dualistic fashion (Byron (or rather his alter-ego in the novel-within-a-novel) in the end revealed as a split personality ); but essentially the book is about daughters coming to terms with absent, troubled fathers, which is admittedly a moving subject, and I suppose Crowley handles that aspect with subtlety and depth, so certain people will certainly find at least parts of the novel moving, but it's just too specific a subject to carry the weight of the entire novel, which in the end I considered little more than an academic display of technical virtuosity, an excercise in various voices.
An intriguing novel that elegantly intertwines mystery with history..........2006-06-24
After reading most of the reviews about Crowley's novel, it is clear to me that the greatest misconception that one can have about this story is that it was written to be a recreation of Lord Byron's lost novel and that alone. When in fact, the story Crowley tells within this book holds a much deeper resonance than that of just simply capturing a largely unknown piece of history and giving life to it. This story breathes with the diversity of a great many qualities, both historically and modernly significant; qualities like passion, strength, loss and deception. Crowley indulges his crafted words throughout this novel with both a sense of romanticism and of modernism. He weaves an intricate fantasy of what Byron's novel could have been while ingeniously informing the reader of Byron's history and staging its creation through the communication of modern characters. I thought this novel was nothing less than brilliant. Once you understand and appreciate the intricacy of significance that Crowley has created within this novel, you will name it brilliant as well.
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- The Last Brother: A Civil War Tale (Tale of Young Americans)
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- The Paper Bag Princess (Classic Munsch)
- The Rising Tide: A Novel of World War II
- The Road Map to Nowhere: Israel/Palestine Since 2003
- The Secret of the Old Clock/The Hidden Staircase/The Bungalow Mystery/The Mystery at Lilac Inn/The Secret of Shadow Ranch/The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Nancy Drew, Book 1-6)
- The Sight (Warriors: Power of Three, Book 1)
- The Silver Call
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
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