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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
A solid three stars. It would have been two, but for the sheer effort that has clearly gone in to make this accurate in both time and tone. This is a very well written book. The characters are brought to life with a deft touch and the immediacy of their troubles is testament to the authors skill. That said, somehow this book didn't appeal to me much personally. The format, letters, is perhaps not as conductive to immersion than other forms of writing. I found this quite tough to finish, and what might have been by length a single read lengthened into three days. It is perhaps also because of the inherent savagery of the story, and the fact that most people have an inkling of how things are going to end for these historical figures.
adventurous
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Poucos romances históricos conseguem unir, com tanto equilíbrio, rigor e imaginação. Augustus é uma obra surpreendentemente coesa, apesar de seu formato epistolar. A sucessão de cartas, diários e relatos diversos, assinados por personagens reais e fictícios, poderia tornar a leitura fragmentada, mas ocorre o oposto: cada voz acrescenta uma perspectiva, e juntas constroem uma narrativa rica, contínua e integrada, conduzindo o leitor pela vida política e íntima de Otávio Augusto com notável fluidez.
O maior mérito do livro está na construção da figura de Augusto a partir de múltiplos pontos de vista: cartas de aliados, inimigos, familiares, conselheiros e figuras periféricas. Essa diversidade enriquece a narrativa, oferecendo uma visão multifacetada do personagem central, desde sua juventude até o auge do poder. Cada autor tem estilo próprio — variações de tom, estrutura e vocabulário — que reflete sua personalidade, posição social e relação com os eventos narrados. Essa verossimilhança estilística confere realismo à obra e aprofunda a imersão, dando a impressão de que estamos diante de documentos autênticos, produzidos por vozes reais em tempos distintos.
Em determinado momento, o livro se torna repetitivo, especialmente quando o foco se afasta das decisões políticas e militares para abordar aspectos da vida pessoal de Augusto, sobretudo relacionados à sua filha. Ainda que essa mudança tenha valor narrativo e traga camadas interessantes à obra, o ritmo desacelera e a seção poderia ser mais enxuta. Mesmo assim, o conteúdo permanece relevante.
A leitura é mais proveitosa para quem conhece a história de Roma, mas isso não impede quem não domina o tema. Ao contrário, é uma oportunidade. Sugiro que, ao encontrar novos personagens ou eventos históricos, o leitor pesquise brevemente sobre eles, antes, durante ou após a leitura da carta correspondente, limitando-se ao contexto da data da carta para evitar saber de antemão o que acontecerá depois.
Como o autor constrói os personagens com base em pesquisa cuidadosa, conhecer o pano de fundo histórico e a personalidade real de cada figura torna a leitura mais rica, permitindo perceber o mérito literário e a fidelidade contextual com que são retratados. Ainda que o autor tome liberdades criativas, sua pesquisa é tão sólida que as passagens ficcionais se integram com naturalidade ao pano de fundo histórico, tornando mais gratificante acompanhar o esforço literário de recriação.
É um livro altamente recomendável para quem se interessa por história, personagens reais e narrativas que, sem abandonar o rigor histórico, recorrem ao charme da ficção para tornar a leitura envolvente. Ao unir literatura de qualidade com conhecimento histórico, a obra oferece uma experiência rica e prazerosa. O desfecho é especialmente satisfatório: convida à reflexão sobre a vida de Augusto, sua relevância para a consolidação de Roma como império e o modo como sua figura inaugura, e evidencia os limites, da idealização do imperador romano.
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A fascinating reconstruction of Rome and Augustus told entirely through fictional letters from friends, enemies, and acquaintances of the titular Emperor. As a history nerd, I loved the imagined insights into many of the figures we hear from (notably Julia, Nicolaus of Damascus, Horace, Ovid, Marcus Agrippa, and Maecenas), and the withholding of Augustus’ perspective until the very end was especially effective.
The history of Rome being such a difficult thing to construct (and often requires lots of interpretation and narrativizing), I was completely rapt by the narrative being constructed in such a challenging, unconventional, yet free-flowing and cohesive method. I was really taken aback with how emotionally resolute this ended up being, really tying up the ideas of ambition, the pursuance of virtue vs personal desire, and the perceived self vs the true self being at odds with each other. What really gets to me at the end is the acceptance of one’s mortality and the questioning of what gives one’s life meaning, which the book answers in a rather optimistic way. It is not the great feats that endure the test of the time, but the pursuit of love - of one another, of ideas and knowledge, and of one’s own purpose - that gives life meaning.
“I have come to believe that in the life of every man, late or soon, there is a moment when he knows beyond whatever else he might understand, and whether he can articulate the knowledge or not, the terrifying fact that he is alone, and separate, and that he can be no other than the poor thing that is himself.”
The history of Rome being such a difficult thing to construct (and often requires lots of interpretation and narrativizing), I was completely rapt by the narrative being constructed in such a challenging, unconventional, yet free-flowing and cohesive method. I was really taken aback with how emotionally resolute this ended up being, really tying up the ideas of ambition, the pursuance of virtue vs personal desire, and the perceived self vs the true self being at odds with each other. What really gets to me at the end is the acceptance of one’s mortality and the questioning of what gives one’s life meaning, which the book answers in a rather optimistic way. It is not the great feats that endure the test of the time, but the pursuit of love - of one another, of ideas and knowledge, and of one’s own purpose - that gives life meaning.
“I have come to believe that in the life of every man, late or soon, there is a moment when he knows beyond whatever else he might understand, and whether he can articulate the knowledge or not, the terrifying fact that he is alone, and separate, and that he can be no other than the poor thing that is himself.”
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes