Mistress of Rome (Empress of Rome)

items i purchased were fine, but searching for the items i want now is more difficult so i have to resort to ebay or google search and am forced to purchase at other sites instead of the store. i would suggest you fine tune your search capabilities.

A great historical romp, slaves, gladiators, and Emperors, living day to day with the threat of death. Wars, rebellion, and madness leaves a trail of blood and tears. When insanity works under the guise of divinity, no one is safe. Few liberties are taken, but for the most part, history is honored. Characters with complexity grab the reader and makes him care, a worthy novel to capture the imagination.

Great book, fascinating look at the Year of the Four Emperors of Rome. The author weaves a great tale that begins and ends with intriguing characters and interesting plot developments. And you learn a lot about history as well.

I chose this book because it had good reviews and many five stars. I now am more careful after this getting this book and will read a bit more of the editorial content. But it looked interesting and I need another book to get free shipping.

First of all, the reason I wrote this is to let a purchaser know there is physical violence committed upon the main heroine by the emperor. Also this is a story that includes a gladiator and what goes on in the ring. I skipped a lot of pages. It may have been part of the times, as well as the lot of a slave girl, but knowing about it doesn't mean you want to read so much about it.

In addition, the author uses both first person and third person voices for the different characters. This took some getting used to. It made the story jumpy initially, and I almost put it down.

Some readers are ok with using modern language in a novel about Rome, but I don't think they used "Jeez".

Other than occassional language lapses, what redeemed this book to me was the excellent feel of time and place. The clothes and settings were like you were there. This author knows her stuff. That's why I kept reading.

I give this a 3.5. I don't think it needed all of the graphic parts, in fact it would have been better to leave some of them out. I agree with some parts of the reviews, this is good book in its own way, which is why I may buy the next one, I will check it out more closely.

Maybe publishers think this is what female readers want these days, but not me.

Actually, I haven't really gotten into the book as of yet - too much overtime work but I'm looking forward to major downtime so that I can read the series at one 'go'. Books in GREAT shape at a fantastic $$$ THANKS the store for providing such a HUGE volume of choices to buy from ;-)

This book is very readable and I enjoyed it immensely. It read a little like Spartacus, a little like Gladiator, and yet it is its own story. I also found myself researching the emperors just to find out what the history really is. That to me is the mark of a good historical novel - it makes me curious about what did happen. However, I couldn't give it 4 stars. The language is very modern in places, which was disconcerting. Granted, the Romans had an impact on our modern language and customs, but it is jarring to hear modern slang used in Ancient Rome.

.....
IF YOU HAVE READ ANYTHING ABOUT CLEOPATRA DO NOT READ THIS BOOK.

SOMEHOW CLEOPATRA FREQUENTS WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE BOOK (THEA) WHICH ISN'T HISTORICALLY ACCURATE BECAUSE SHE STAYED IN EGYPT AFTER THE FIRST CAESAR DIED... SHE WASN'T ALIVE DURING 88 AD... WHICH IS WHEN THEA INTERACTS WITH HER...
THE LOVE STORY OF THEA AND ARIUS IS CUTE... FOR THE FIRST 20 PAGES AND THEN A TORNADO OF SHIT HAPPENS AND ITS NOT WRITTEN WELL ITS ACTUALLY GARBAGE.
I WENT OUT OF MY WAY TO WRITE THIS GARBAGE REVIEW BECAUSE I MADE THE MISTAKE OF READING THE FIRST 70 PAGES THINKING THIS WAS INTERESTING AND ...
IT WAS NOT.
ALSO THERE'S A BUNCH OF TERMS THAT AREN'T HISTORICALLY ACCURATE LIKE "PIMP" OR SCHOOL BEING DURING AUGUST THROUGH MAY AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE BEING SUMMER..
ITS JUST HARD TO READ A BOOK THAT IS JUST NOT ACCURATE IN ANY WAY
AND IM A HIGH SCHOOLER OKAY - ITS NOT LIKE IM SOME SCHOLAR.....

Mistress of Rome was an exciting book that I could not put down (after an initial slow start) and that I heartily recommend to folks who enjoy historical fiction. The end is satisfying. I enjoyed the characters immensely and will read it again in the future!

The story line was ok. The language was too modern for a novel taking place in Ancient Rome, for example,"toldja" really?
Can't recommend it. Lots of violence and sex, not explicit, but too much fooling around. I was not I pressed.

The book cacme in earlier than the projected date, so I was happy. I opened the box and the book looked good as new even though it was a used copy. I also enjoyed the book very much, if anyone else is looking for a time period fiction that will keep you engaged from start to finish, I highly recommend this read!

I usually like historical romance books, so I picked this up. I've recently read a book called "The Heretic Queen" by Michelle Moran which I really liked.

Unfortunately I had trouble getting into the story simply because of the harshness of the world created by the author. Then the characters in the book only seemed to get more depraved. However the writing style was good and the story was historically accurate.

Disclaimer: This book was acquired from Barnes and Noble for Nook at full price. This is an honest review for which I am receiving no compensation of any kind. All opinions are fully my own.

~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review

My Review:
Sarah suggested I read this series, and as usual, she was right. This first book of the series starts out with a couple that you cheer for even when they do awful things to get by. They have been dealt such lousy hands in this game, it just doesn't seem fair that every time they get to a point where things might get better, things get much worse.

The author uses changing points of view throughout the series and this allows her to introduce you to her characters so much more intimately as the story goes on. You get to see what they think and feel from their point of view and peek inside their heads and hearts. So many times these characters think or feel one way, but do something very different for someone else's safety. Or in the case of certain characters, you get to listen to them plot someone else's downfall or death. This gives so much more depth to the book. Ms. Quinn certainly plots evil deeds well. Of course, this was a brutal and bloody period in history. It wasn't enough to ruin someone's reputation or embarrass them publicly. These people would ruin their whole family's name and fortune so that no one in the family could carry on their business and would possibly have to move away or go into seclusion or commit suicide. Ms. Quinn has picked a wonderful part of the world and history to place her characters in.

The characters are carefully intertwined with real historical characters and events. And the author has done her homework well enough that her fictitious characters blend in seamlessly. At the back of the book, there is a section that tells you which characters are real historical figures and which are her fictional characters.

With Sarah's full blessing, I strongly recommend this series, at least this first book in the series to anyone who likes a real feel of history in their historical novels. Mistress of Rome will give you a feel for the whole series of four books. So, give it a try and see if it's a good fit for your bookshelf!

OMG!!!! This book tugged at my heartstrings.

This book is soo amazing and I enjoyed every single moment I spent reading this book. Mistress of Rome is told through the perspective of multiple characters and how their lives and choices intervene with one another. Those lives it specifically affects is Thea, a Jewish slave girl and Arius, a gladiator. This wonderful and heartbreaking story shows how Thea and Arius fall in love only to be torn apart by her wicked, idiotic, jealous stricken mistress Lepida. Let me tell you I don't think I have read about a more evil character in my life, but I absolutely hated Lepida.

I fell in love with Thea and Arius' story as they lost all hope of ever being happy or free. As soon as something good came into their lives, it was stripped away and they were put into even worse circumstances than before. I have never any characters despair as much I felt it for these characters among the other characters in this book. The way Kate Quinn wrote this book was so great and well put together as it related to a lot of history and actual people. I beyond enjoyed this book, I absolutely loved it. This book is definitely a must read. I cannot wait to read about other characters from this book. One being Vix, because man you have got to love that kid and his smart mouth.

Have you ever read a tragically beautiful story that made you want to sigh at the end? Even though historians will know the general outcome of a story because of their knowledge of history, Quinn still makes it compelling to read. I'd thought the only compelling author of fiction set in Ancient Rome was Francine Rivers. Quinn is just as good, but without the inspirational twist you'll get in Rivers's books. At the same time, while bloody and realistic, I didn't feel like Quinn went over the top in sensuality or brutality. Most of the story was subtle in regards to Quinn's description of Roman depravity and none of it felt titillating to me. I found that facet of this mainstream novel refreshing.

The cool thing about this story is by sheer accident I read the second book in the series first, but the first book in the series actually takes place after the second book. Then from the description of the third book, it follows the first book. Not to confuse you, but if you like to read things in the order that they historically occurred, then I would read the second book first (Daughters of Rome) followed by the first book (Mistress of Rome) and end with the third book, which I have yet to read. But it's on my must-read list.

If you've read The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers, you'll want to get a copy of this book. While the stories are different, the setting and themes are similar. The main heroine is a Jewish slave girl who escaped the Masada massacre, and the main hero is a gladiator. The author uses other characters' points of view as well. But there weren't so many that it became confusing. The pace of the novel excited me in an edge-of-your-seat manner. I had a hard time putting it down, but I have a full-time job, so when I wasn't working, or exhausted, I picked up this book to read. I am now a fan of Kate Quin and will be reading more of her books in the future. If you love Roman history, you'll want to read this book.

Quite an interesting story in the begining turned into a made up nonsense. Why make Domitian such a monster when it's already said he had been much slandered? When Titus himself wanted to marry him to Julia? Why give the main characters such a disgusting son who (plus to all his other sins) wants to become a soldier of the country who enslaved his parents? And looking up the next books I saw the author will get Antinous in this mess? Just horrible. So many weak characters and such a clear division into the good and the bad and lots and lots of made up stories it's hard to even believe. What started like a historical novel turned into a novel for women who don't really care for history.

I had not previously read any books by this author and although I love historical fiction, had not read much about the Roman empire. This book had me wanting more. I read through it quickly and learned a lot about Roman culture. The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the animal killings in the arena. The author described these killings in more detail than the sex scenes. I am sensitive about animals, and if you are too, I would urge caution reading this one. I skipped paragraphs because of this. However, it didn't diminish the overall book for me. I bought the second right away and am now on the third. I can't wait to see how the series concludes. Definitely books I would read again.

I saw the description blurb---Spartacus for girls. Of course I had to pick it up as I just loved the series Spartacus Blood & Sands. This book read like a mish mash of Spartacus, Rome and the Gladiator. The story itself was interesting, but the narrator was unsuccessful in conveying the tone of the period. Given the entitlement, revelry and brutality of the period, the actual writing didn’t appear authentic to me. Words like “giggle” just don’t seem appropriate for the time period. The actual plot of the story was enjoyable, but the modern day language made this historical fiction diminished the quality of the work.
The main character Thea, reminded me of Naevia from Spartacus, with a touch of Kore. The character Arius, reminded me of Crixus, with a touch of Spartacus. They were victims of the republic and one couldn’t help but root for them to gain their freedom. Lepida Pollia, Thea’s owner was a good mix of Illythia and Lucretia, and thus I couldn’t wait for her to get her comeuppance.

The stories featuring the gladiators battles were not as brutal as I was expecting, nor where they memorable. The behind machinations for power and prestige, plus vengeance for wrong doing, gave this book the flavor associated with the Roman Empire drama. I love that time period because good didn’t triumph often. One had to be resourceful and adaptable, and make the proper alliances to elevate their position. Very dramatic stuff if you like characters with depth.
I think Senator Marcus was the unsung hero in this book and he was my favorite character. He was advanced for his time and he lost a lot for the love of his country. I enjoyed his journey the most.
I would recommend this book for someone who wants a lighter version of Spartacus and didn’t care for the “Spartacus Speak” as I call it. This book would make a good TV mini-series.

**Special Thanks to Tantor Media for the audiobook given in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a real guilty pleasure! The story isn't particularly well-written, and some of the plotlines are downright ridiculous, but it is great fun to read. Author Kate Quinn tells the tale of Thea, a lowly body servant who slowly rises up in Roman society to become the unwilling long-term mistress of the deranged Emperor Domitian. Along the way, she makes powerful friends and frightening enemies, whose paths conveniently cross and intertwine throughout the book. The author admits in a note at the end of the book that she took considerable liberties with historical fact and bent many established truths to suit her story's needs. She had fun with it - and so should readers. There certainly is no pretense that the book is based on fact; it merely borrows a time period and the morals associated with it as the background for a fast-paced, action packed story. Quinn populates her version of 81AD Rome with virtuous slaves and despicable masters, hardscrabble gladiators and intellectual senators, boisterous soldiers and children wise beyond their years. She offers us lily-white good guys and truly evil bad guys - lots of cliché, but it all works, and the characters are rendered deeply enough that the reader cares about what happens to them. The same is true for the plotline - Quinn manages to weave her highly improbable story together in a way that makes you not care that it is totally "out there." She throws in plenty of drama for good measure: there are parts of the book that are downright stomach-turning. Depictions of gladiatorial matches and spectator mass killings are rife and quite graphic (sometimes a tad too graphic for my taste). One of the characters - a scheming, social-climbing, sociopath of a woman - is so dastardly and cruel that I daresay she is the most evil fictional figure I've read about in a very long time. The book's ending is a little rushed, slightly ridiculous, and works a little too hard to pull all the strings together, but somehow it didn't really matter to me in the end. I still liked the story, despite being acutely aware of how preposterous it was. It's a great casual read - fun storytelling. Mistress of Rome capitalizes on the rampant bloodlust and sexual politics the Ancient Romans are renowned for. As long as you don't try to take this convoluted tale seriously, it will captivate you.

***I gave the book 3 stars - it's certainly no masterpiece, but very enjoyable nonetheless.

My original review for this book can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm [...].

My Thoughts: This was one of those 'Oooo, pretty cover' kind of books that I picked up at the library. I was hankering for a historical fiction read and ancient Rome seemed like a great place to read about especially since Brad and I took a trip to Rome four years ago (which we LOVED!!!).

This was Kate Quinn's debut novel and I have to say that I was pretty impressed. She weaves a fictional story around historical facts (Masada massacre, Emperor Domitian and other characters) creating an interesting and vibrant story.

Her descriptions of clothing, architecture and culture of the time are so vivid it's easy to picture what life was like back in first century Rome. But be warned, this isn't a book for the faint of heart. Her descriptions of gladiatorial fights, brutal activities that passed for 'entertainment' back then, animal abuse and other atrocities inflicted on people of the time are just as vivid!! If you don't have a strong stomach for blood and cruelty you may want to skim over several parts.

I'd categorize this book as a 'good indulgent summer read'. It's got suspense, intrigue, a bit of politics and romance as well as deception, backstabbing (sometimes literally) and the beauty of first century Rome. This book has a good pace, kept me interested and towards the end was hard to put down. There were a lot of characters but they were described clearly so that I could keep track of them throughout the book (plus there was a handy reference at the back of the book).

The book was told from the various points of view of several of the main characters. At times this could be a little confusing causing me to have to skip back several pages to remember which character was 'talking'. I also had a bit of a beef with the character of Lepida. She was very one dimensional and was portrayed as the clichéd 'spoiled little rich girl who everyone hates but always gets her way'. The woman had absolutely no redeeming qualities ... not a one. It would have been nice to make her a little more believable and realistic by showing another, softer side to her.

My main issue with this book had to do with some of the language used. I'm not talking about dropping 'F-bombs' or other cursing. I'm talking about using language that is too modern for the era the book was written. Several times throughout the book a boy named Vix used terms that I could imagine a 13 year old boy using today. For example, at one point Vix yells "Better hope your luck changes, Lady Lepida," he shouted. "Or you're screwed, screwed, screwed!". Another time he yelled "Jeez!". Now, I admit that I wasn't walking around in 91 A.D. nor do I have a degree in Roman history but I'm pretty sure that people of that era didn't say "you're screwed". It just didn't mesh with the time and that kind of thing bothers me. There were other colloquial sayings that were thrown in here and there throughout the book that gave me the same feeling.

Another issue that kept popping up in my head as I read was Arius' track record as a Gladiator extraordinaire. I realize that Arius was 'da man' in that he was one heck of a Gladiator. But his track record for wins (we're talking 8 years of winning in gladiatorial fights that always ended in the death of all but one gladiator) was too unbelievable. In all those years, in all those fights, with all those skilled gladiators, he was never killed? Even when pitted against 6 men at once? Too farfetched for this reader.

Overall, this was a good escapist read for the weekend. If you're looking for a book to lose yourself in for awhile filled with the beauty that is Rome give this a try.

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Thea, slave to the horribly vain and devilish Lipidia, is at a crossroads. The love of her life "Arius the Barbarian" is the most famed gladiator in all of Rome. Even as she dies a little every time she sees him in the ring, Lipidia rivals for his attentions and brings their affair to a halting stop when her jealousy gets the better of her.

As Thea struggles to remake herself, Arius mourns the loss of his lover. Can the Gods be generous and bring them together once again before he meets his eventual fate in the ring?

"Misstress of Rome" has a dubious start. Into the second chapter I was tempted to put it down because of all the gore. It was seemingly neverending, and I tend to have a tender tummy when it comes to things like that.

However, I stubbornly ploughed on and was rewarded for my efforts. About four chapters in I was hooked. Quinn has managed to create amazing characters and if you can get past the blood and guts and really see her amazing characters for what they are you are in for a real treat. I became numb to the gore scenes eventually, pressing on to find out what would happen to my beloved Thea and Arius and the detestible Lipidia.

I loved to hate Lipidia. Even though she ended up being one of the main antagonists of the story, she was probably my favorite character. Not because of her depth, but because she was so shallow and couldn't see past her raging jealousy and her own vain ambition. I find that this kind of character is extrememly hard to create outside of your imagination. I applaud Quinn on this feat.

While lacking in some historical accuracy, "Mistress of Rome" was a colorful and moving love story that my next book will more than likely have a hard time holding a candle to.

Great read!

While this book is fiction, certain characters in the book were real historical figures. However, the book is mainly about the life to Thea, a Jewish slave at first serving Lepida Pollio. Lepida Pollio is a spoiled girl who loves the gladiatorial games and thinks everyone is beneath her, especially Thea, so it is no surprise that when Thea won the affection of the Barbarian (a gladiator), Lepida sold Thea to a brothel outside of Rome, thus separating Thea from her beloved.

However, not only did Thea live on and gave birth to the Barbarian's son, years later she also caught the eye of the emperor Domitian. At the same time, Lepida had married a senator, but she has her eyes set on the Emperor, and cannot believe once again that Thea has taken what she wanted. Lepida sets out once again to destroy Thea.

I actually came across this book while looking for some historical fiction to read and was rather disappointed to find that this was fiction, but I decided to give it a go since it was already in my kindle. At first, I wasn't really impressed, the switch between first person and third person pov was jarring, not to mention the use of both first person pov with Thea and Lepida, so it was hard to change track from thinking like Thea and then to Lepida. However, other than the problems with the pov, this book turned out to be more than I expected. The characters are unexpectedly real, with their worries, jealousies, honor, pride, hatred. It was nice to see how Ms. Quinn tied together all the characters in the end, like weaving the threads of fate where all of their webs cross together.

None of the characters are forgettable, each with special traits to recommend him or her. I felt especially touched by Thea's story, when she tasted love and happiness, only to have those things taken away by her jealous and spoiled mistress. Same for Arius the Barbarian, one who had no desire to fight in the gladiatorial games and only did it because he had no choice. There is then Paulinus, who hated Lepida his stepmother but could not stay away until the end. Marcus Norbanus, the wily old senator who waited years to divorce Lepida, a loose woman who probably slept with half the population of Rome. The story also came together very well, although the passing of the years was a bit confusing at first.

Overall, a great debut. I can't wait to read more works by Ms. Quinn, especially if they're also fictions of this period.

This book can empirically claim its place alongside the magna -grand scale productions such as Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Caesar, Samson and Delilah...you see where I'm going with this- The Big Screen. I was completely enraptured. Paramount are you reading this?

I don't think I've ever read a book where the story manages to clench my insides and get to that part of my gut where just a tad more would be enough to... and then stops- to just about where I've had as much as I can take. Mistress of Rome takes you there. Kate Quinn knows exactly how much we can handle-right upto that very point where you must exhale, to then weave the story into bliss.

In this grand novel, the crude is mirrored and diminished by the grand and triumphant splendour of love and tenderness. That being said, Mistress of Rome is also about power, vice, history, raw times and treachery. There's struggle with moral issues, psychological afflictions and disturbances, scheming ascensions, spectacular gladiator triumphs- and yes, along with it all, as expected in decadent and barbaric Rome, alot of gore, as well. Too much to handle? No, everything is given in just the right dose and is not focal to the magnitude of the story itself. Quinn is spectacular at her craft.

The story is told through the perspective of important characters - principally, Thea, the unattainably invincible Jewish slave (gentleness and sorrow behind a stony facade- I loved her!); the harsh and brutally scheming Lepida (I'm still disgusted...), and Julia, the vestal virgin (my soul cried out for her...). I know that the shifting character perspective is not a favourite with many- but for me, I believe that this actually enhanced the plot, helping to render an excellent story. I loved getting into their heads. Quinn did an all-around amazing job with this superb novel.

And so what about gladiators? In this book you'll meet Arius-an indestructible powerhouse who bows down to no one-not even the Emperor. The 'Barbarian', they called him- He lives up magnificently to the legend rather than the name. As for the Emperor, who delighted in taunting in his sick pathetic and torturing ways, well, let's just say that all those worthy of time spent serving him for pleasure and for vice, would ultimately reach their time for vengeance...

Ahhh, there is so much to this novel that I just cannot do it justice with one simple review. If you love all that is of the ancient world- you need to read this. Mistress of Rome gets as crudely descriptive (though in good taste- yes in this novel it's possible!) as you'd imagine; while being as tender as you'd dream it could be- all that and more.

One word: Colossal

I had mixed feelings about this book: on one hand, I did like the story; on the other, there were a lot of characters that were so hateful that I had a hard time getting into part of it. Even our heroes are a bit difficult to like, when it comes down to it.

To me, the most hateful character is Lepida - there is just nothing good about that girl from start to finish. She's petty, jealous, abusive, and torments everyone around her for no reason other than she feels like it. And because she is so incredibly awful, it's hard to feel any sympathy for her when anything bad happens to her.

The Emperor is not much better, but at least he runs his empire well. Between him and Lepida, poor Thea barely ever gets a moments peace. I also had a very difficult time with the fact that so many of our characters are slaves - I haven't read anything with slaves in it for so long that I had somewhat forgotten how sensitive I am to that topic. It makes the treatment of Thea and Arius so much harder to read, knowing there's nothing they can do about it.

That all being said, I am curious about the other books in this series, which so far consists of one prequel and a soon to be published sequel. With Lepida likely not being in the other books, I think it'll be much easier for me to read and enjoy.

I did read the book pretty quickly, once I got through the first few chapters. They were a bit difficult for me, not sure why, so if you have the same problem I would encourage you to keep reading. It's an enjoyable book by the end, so it's worth your time.

As a reader who has just finished reading this book, I for one look forward eagerly to the sequel hinted at at the end of the book. This is a gripping, enjoyable read but I for one cannot call it 'fun' as other reviewers have done. What permeates the prose throughout is a gritty, no-nonsense, realistic view of Ancient Rome in all of its depravity and cruelty, which makes this reader for one wonder if human nature under the veneer of modern civiisation has really changed.

What first strikes the reader is the initial youth of the main characters, thrown into a brutal adult world well before their time. Thea is a Jewish slave girl of 14 who has had more than her fair share of hard knocks. She was one of a handful of survivors from the famed assault on Masada where the besieged Jews committed mass suicide rather than be captured; her deep emotional scars from this traumatic event sees her routinely cut herself in a ritualistic blood letting. She initially is the property of the spoiled, selfish and spiteful Roman girl Lepida Pollia (also 14) and seems destined to spend her wretched life being bullied and brow beaten by her shrewish young mistress - but a chance meeting with an up and coming young gladiator, the Briton Arius, spawns a deep love that will span their lifetime. Lepida, meanwhile, marries the decent and highly respectable senator Marcus Norbanus who is many years her senior, with an eye to her advancement on the social scale. Norbanus (initially!) has no idea of his young wife's true character or the eventual strife she will bring him.

When the jealous Lepida discovers their relationship and in a fit of pique sells Thea to a brothel, the relationship seems to come to an end. But Thea is a survivor and fortune sees her sold yet again, this time to a kindly owner who recognises and fosters her musical talent. Reborn as Athena, singer and lyre player, Thea becomes a fashionable and highly sought after celebrity in high Roman society and takes the fancy of the Emperor Domitian. But being the imperial mistress to the dangerous, volatile and unpredictable Domitian is fraught with danger and Thea very quickly realises the hellish existance she must now endure. As she treads an eggshell cracking existance through the snakepit of the Roman court, Domitian imagines enemies and intrigues on every side and no-one is safe - little realising that through his cruelty and his vices the greatest threat to his life is now the woman everyone calls the Mistress of Rome.

What stood out for this reader especially in this book, apart from the horrendous spectacles of the arena which Ms Quinn describes in harrowing depth, is the claustrophobic atmosphere of the imperial circle she so vividly portrays. Her prose is sharp and detailed and I guarantee any reader will not be bored as this book certainly commands the attention. It is, however, not for the squeamish or the politically correct and this reader for one certainly had a distinct feeling of disquiet that such inhumanity towards both animals and humans could exist or even be so encouraged as it once was. Arius the gladiator personifies the deep hatred so many of the powerless slave underclass must have had towards their masters - despite his loathing of the arena and all it stands for, his own savage survivor's instinct and lethal skill sees him become an adored celebrity, feted and admired. Read this book and enjoy it for what it is - a savage, gripping treatise on a (thankfully!) vanished but not forgotten bloody era.

Gladiators, Politics and conspiracy/scheming. Altogether a fantastic read, told from the perspectives of five key characters, though far more certainly a story giving a clearer view of what being a woman - slave or free - in ancient Rome was very likely akin to.
The main characters are a Gladiator, a slave woman, a royalbirth woman, a soldier who would become the Emperor's right hand and in a surprising understated role the niece of the Emperor. Amongst the main characters, others that play into every fiber of the plotting and playing are Senators, a Senator's daughter, two interesting Slave owners, a slave's son and even the Empress herself.
The conspiracy behind the main vein of the tale kept me riveted, so much so that once I began reading I didn't put it down again for 6 hours until I had gone from cover to cover. The author's style of writing was wonderfully descriptive, yet in parts that could have been far too intense told in too much depth, she skillfully took the emotions and senses down a slightly smoother and almost understated path.
Anyone versed in Roman history can tell you how shrewd and positively reprehensible society and its highest-esteemed members often were, however, this is the same tale told from a very different angle. Certainly recommended to any and all who could appreciate and enjoy a historical slant laced with romance (at times a bit graphic), danger, action and the interesting twist of hearing narrative recount from multiple sources.

I love Showtime's Spartacus and was looking for a romance book set in this time. Imagine my delight at finding this book in the library. This book was just what I was looking for. The story was filled with intrigue and tension. Some of the brutal scenes I needed to skip through but I do that with the TV show too. I felt the author did a great job with her research and if it was not perfect, big deal the story was good. The love story was very beautiful and the obstacles in the hero and heroine's way seemed insurmountable. I read all types of fiction and non fiction and this book was so entertaining, that I was sorry when it ended. I actually read it a second time because I loved it so much. I can't wait for her latest book. I hope she continues to put out books of this caliber. So many of my favorite authors "jumped the shark" so I am constantly on the lookout for new ones. If only there were more hours in the day for reading.

While I ended up thoroughly enjoying this book it did take a bit of effort for me to get past some of Thea's dark tendencies. Once I understood more about her character, however, she began to emerge as a true heroine. In the end I was so engaged by Thea I began wishing Quinn had shared more of her background with us, but even without that it was easy to understand her motivations. And it was quite refreshing for Quinn to set her novel in a period of Roman history not readily explored in novels: most will take place leading up to and during the reign of Augustus. Domitian and his fascinating Empress deserve an entire story of their own, but Quinn included them very well into her novel making it quite the political thriller. And while most of know of the emperor's ugly end, I enjoyed the author's take and how she made her characters a part of that history. The love story between Thea and Arius the Barbarian take a bit of a backseat, but it is an ever-present though unobtrusive part of the novel that I think many readers will enjoy.

Quinn tells a very good story, my only wish could be for a bit more dialog at times and a little more background on some of the characters, though is there no lack of wonderful tension and drama. When I finally finished this book, I thought to myself how I would enjoy another one written by Quinn and to my excitement, she will be releasing a second title in April also taking place in Rome concerning the lives of two women. I eagerly await this second novel and can readily recommend Mistress of Rome to any reader - I think it has appeal for a variety of interests.

Mistress of Rome, by Kate Quinn

I picked up this book when it first came into the library a few months ago. From the very first page, I was hooked. I mean really, have you ever pictured a historical character "cutting"? But that's exactly how this book started out. I set it aside, promising myself that I'd check it out when I had a nice long vacation to sit and savor it.
It was totally worth the wait. It's so hard to find fiction set in the Roman Empire that isn't a mystery, and I don't much care for mysteries, so I avoid those books. But this is straight historical fiction. And it rocks out loud. Mistress of Rome is a glorious, beautiful, nasty, vicious, utterly brilliant soap opera of a novel. It perfectly captures the savagery and elegance of the Roman Empire under the Caesars, in the time of the Flavian dynasty (at the end of the first century AD). I was a Classics major in college, so I was familiar with the setting of the book. I fell into it at once and loved it.
An interesting thing I need to mention: the author uses a technique that I gradually became aware of, and it was completely brilliant, once I figured it out. The parts of the text that are told from a man's point of view are in the third person, but the parts that are told from a woman's point of view are set in the first person. This brings the women's voices into sharp focus, and gives their story an intimacy that isn't as obvious in the men's story. It's a fascinating technique (to another writer, anyways), and it was a brilliant stylistic choice. It gives the female characters a much more personal voice, which is fitting, because it is the female characters, Thea the slave girl and Lepida Pollia the vicious scheming mistress, that really drive the story forward. I loved every single moment of this book. In the author's note at the end of the book, she virtually promised us a sequel, and I cannot wait.

The story is good, if a little predictable, but after about 25% of book the typos start . A lot of them. Which really should not be the case in a book that costs almost $8. Typos like spaces in the mi ddle of wo rds. And
suddenly a line of types ends in the middle and starts on next lined. Both of these happen frequently enough in last 75% to be distracting and annoying.

As a theologian, first-century historian, and voracious reader, novels seldom cross my desk. But there was something compelling about this title. I bought it and tossed it for a later time, which came several months later. So I started reading, expecting to be finished after a chapter, but I found such great story lines even from the first, and such historical accuracy (through which is weaved a most enticing tale), that I honestly could neither put it down nor see forward to its end. If you know your Roman history and how the Nazorean (proto-Christian) Jewish movement that so affected it (by the end of the first century AD), you will enjoy this book all the more; most of your favorite historical characters of that time are in there, including reference to a couple of my favorites - Titus Flavius Clemens and Flavia Domitilla. Kate says she always wanted to write about Gladiators, and with this first book on the subject she has set the stage what I hope will be a prequel and at least a sequel. Dr. Jackson Snyder, Netzari Yahad Movement [...].

As a lover of historical novels and this particular era, I was eager to read this novel and I haven't been disappointed. I can't put it down! I find it very engaging and refreshingly original. It is easy to pander to the "Gladiator" and "Cleopatra"-esque stereotypes. However, this novel manages to create a gritty, seemingly realistic picture of life in Rome and some very interesting characters. Every one of the main characters has both positive and negative traits - no one person is wholly good/happy/evil. They all have elements of a plethora of emotions and I have found myself rooting for them and feeling bad for them, all at the same time.

It does have some brutal realism, but doesn't get overly gory or sexual. It stays true to the plot. Overall, a well thought out and excellently written novel.