I think Gleanings is a perfect compilation of short stories set in a world that is really enriched by it! We see too little of the diversity of the Scythe world in the trilogy, it was nice seeing it expanded!

My favourite story was probably the one about Carson Lusk because I had totally forgotten who he would become and the details of the Mars plot so it was very interesting to read.

On the contrary, I hated the Antarctica short story and had to skim. Very very weird vibes and I didn't like the chase.

A lot of the others were very good, some a bit more confounding. But it overall added much details to the world of Shusterman and I am excited to see even more in the prequel trilogy coming this year!

4,5 stars

What a powerful telling of Cleopatra's story! Though I know this was not supposed to be the point of the story, I found her relationships with Cesar and then Antony (as well as with her handmaiden) to be the most poignant. I cannot believe it's even made me like Cesar.

I was already very familiar with the story of Cleopatra, having done my BA thesis on her and Antony's love. I have read the primary Roman sources, the secondary literature, and I think Saara El-Arifi did a great job taking these documents and telling the story from the pharoh's point of view. But I also found the part of Actium (and the conflict with Octavian) to be a bit lacking, though I also know that the sources are partly to blame for that. I don't know how possible it would have been to flesh out this part without straying further from the historical sources.

The epilogue and ending also left me feeling a bit doubtful. I am not so sure that it was the right direction to go with the story and it left me feeling frustrated. It makes sense with the narrative choices the author has made but still.

As for the audiobook, Adjoa Andoh is a fabulous narrator and was the perfect choice to voice Cleopatra. She did a fabulous job

This was cute! I preferred it to "first time caller". I found Jackson and Delilah more endearing.