Maybe a 3.5 
 Ancient Rome sucks through Egyptian eyes! Rome feels dull, dirty and pretty digusting when compared to the clean, exotic and organised Egypt. 
 It was for this reason and also because I didn't like Marcellus and unfortunately Selene did that I was going to return the book. But when I looked at the back where Moran usually keeps Historical notes and extra info (view spoiler)[and learnt that she doesn't end up with Marcellus (YAY!)but with Juba (WOOHOO!!) (hide spoiler)], then I decided to finish the book. 
 However I didn't feel that the there was a plot or that the story was going in a specific direction: Alexander and Selene go to the circus, they make some bets -not Selene she just draws-, sometimes shopping, later listening to poetry..It was just normal life nothing that stood out, which is a shame because the thing I liked with Moran's other books is that the Heroine wanted something and she worked hard to get it even when her life was turned upside down. Although I suppose I should keep in mind that Selene is a few thousand years after Nefertiti or her niece Nefertari (The Heretic Queen) and she did try to get out of her situation at first. 
 The only thing that really kept me from getting seriously bored was The Red Eagle (rebellion of slaves wanting to be freed) as this kept Octavian on his toes and Selene observant about the people around her and guessing whom The Red Eagle might be, it also kinda glued the book together. There were also a few exciting trials that allowed you to see how Romans treated slaves and how public trials worked back then. But the best bit was the last 100 pages or so, damn I cried...Moran knows how to write drama! And the ending EEEEEEP!!! :D 
 I will admit that though the majority of the book was bad, that ending *SIGH* if only the whole book had been like that...that ending has haunted my thoughts so much so that I've had to re-read those last pages again and didn't want it to end. I haven't yet read Historical Fiction about Rome but I think I now will if anyone can recommend me any books please. I found it interesting getting a close look at Octavian -a very dramatic, slightly annoying but interesting character- and Agrippa, who sounds familiar and Tiberius whom I seem to remember as a cruel ruler but not sure if that's correct, but apparently he truly loved his wife so I would like to know their story. But the character who I definitely want to know and read more about is Juba. *_*