Ashley Boozer
November 26, 2002
Honors 141
Channeling Cleopatra by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
I. Complete Bibliographical Reference
Scarborough, Elizabeth Ann. Channeling Cleopatra. New York,
NY: Penguin Putnam Inc., 2002.
II. Brief Biographical Sketch
Very little information is currently available on Elizabeth Scarborough,
however, she was born in Port Townsend Oregon in 1947, and still
lives there today. She has also received the Nebula book award for
science fiction writers for her novel Healer's War.
III. Brief Account of Historical/Cultural Background of the Work
Scarborough wrote this book fairly recently, in 2000-2001, at the
time that DNA fingerprinting and genetic/stem cell research was
picking up and becoming the topic of much debate in popular culture.
She also draws heavily on the archaeological research that is currently
being conducted in Alexandria, another topic of modern interests.
Because her book is aimed at young adult (most likely female) readers,
her main character, Leda Hubbard, is an example of a thoroughly
modern woman, being both intelligent and strong.
IV. The Principal Sources Used
Though Scarborough does not formally cite any works that she referenced
in writing her book, she does draw from Shakespeare in the prologue
to illustrate Cleopatra's death scene. She also uses current information
about the city of Alexandria and its archaeological findings.
V. Brief Plot Summary
The book opens up with a flashback to Cleopatra's death, complete
with snakebite and all, then flashes forward to the present where
we are introduced to the main character, Leda Hubbard, a forensic
scientist working for the government. A friend, Chimera, asks Leda
to come to Alexandria to work on a dig sponsored by a company named
Nucore. The harbor in Alexandria has been completely drained, revealing
important parts of Cleopatra's palace. The company, led by Chimera,
found a way to incorporate the genetic and cellular memory of a
dead person using their DNA, into a living person. In essence, two
people would inhabit one body. Leda's job is to find out where famous
people in antiquity, especially Cleopatra, are buried in Alexandria
so the company's rich clients can buy the cellular memory of the
person they wish to coexist with. However, once Leda is able to
find a canopic jar containing some remains of Cleopatra's lungs,
problems arise when the wrong people try to get their hands on the
technology. In he end however, it is Leda herself that ends up being
"blended" with Cleopatra.
VI. Evaluation of Historical/Cultural Accuracy
This book does not focus too much on the life of Cleopatra, and
what little history is incorporated is greatly stretched. In the
beginning, at Cleopatra's death scene, she first begs with Octavian
to be buried in death with Marc Antony. A cobra, rather than an
asp, she uses to kill herself. However, the book does stay true
to the family genealogy.
VII. Characterization of the Portrait of Cleopatra
In this book, Cleopatra is portrayed as being a very intelligent
and very alluring woman. The woman who wants to obtain Cleopatra's
DNA wants to use it so that she can spice up her sex life. However,
later on in the book, we find that the "real" Cleopatra
is more interested in learning and is in fact very intelligent.
VIII. Representative Passage
"I was the embodiment of Isis, and as such, I learned a trick
or two that allowed me to foil the plots of my enemies. Allow me
to guide us both." (Page213)
IX. Overall Evaluation as Work of History
The book really did not contain any historical relevance at all.
What little bits of history were added into the plot were changed
in order to fit the plot.
X. Overall Evaluation as a Work of Art/Literature
This book was not all that entertaining, and it tried too hard to
be a modern day Indiana Jones book. The characters were not well
developed and the dialogue was not well written. The subject matter
was very far fetched and unbelievable and did not interest me all
that much, as I am not a big fan of science fiction or DNA fingerprinting.