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raechsreads's review against another edition
4.0
After Rome is a book about how the people in England deal with the with drawl of the Romans from the lands. Great mixture of historical facts and fiction.
kaspersbooks's review
3.0
I was incredibly excited to read this novel for I love historical fiction but have yet to read anything related to Celtic Britain/5th century Britannia. The prologue was short but fulfilling with rich context of the time period. Then, I actually began reading the book. I simply thought it started off slow but would soon pick up. I was wrong though. I just finished and feel unfulfilled. Nothing happened. It felt as if there was no plot. From the description of the book I thought it would have turned out entirely different than how it truly was. I struggled to find the motivation to finish reading it. I only kept reading because 1. I don’t like leaving books unfinished 2. I kept waiting for something to happen. A lot of the action mentioned in the book wasn’t described at all, the raid of Viroconium Dinas and his crew becoming pirates than warriors all of it felt underdeveloped. I did not feel attached to any of the characters as I usually do. Some of the female characters, especially Quartilla, were overtly annoying. Saba was the only character I could get myself to like and she was only in a few chapters.
The premise behind the novel was interesting but severely lacking in the end.
The premise behind the novel was interesting but severely lacking in the end.
ashwise360's review
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cjrayl's review
3.0
I love this author, and her work has been outstanding, which is why I picked this book up to read.
Despite my rating of three stars, Llywelyn still manages to convey the land, the life, and historical aspects of the United Kingdom from its long ago past.
In this particular novel, she turns her historical eye towards the aftermath when Rome abandoned Celtic Britain. Initially, she devotes chapters to the individuals, the loss of support, the struggles that the populous goes through to try and maintain the status quo. The details are fascinating and one can track the slow social and cultural decline. Then the author begins to slide from excellence to rough draft. She makes a sudden twist into a brief look at the overwhelming Saxon invasion. There are jumps of years in the story, leaving problems unsolved and actions unknown. This book feels like (ends up reading like) a partial rough draft for a more in-depth novel. As for me, the most destressing part was the way she culminated one over riding aspect of this story, the story of a small man and a big, black stallion. I thought it was an unnecessary event and the mental image created really did not have much of a place in the overall story. That's just my feeling about it.
Do not let this review of this particular book put you off of this wonderful author.
Despite my rating of three stars, Llywelyn still manages to convey the land, the life, and historical aspects of the United Kingdom from its long ago past.
In this particular novel, she turns her historical eye towards the aftermath when Rome abandoned Celtic Britain. Initially, she devotes chapters to the individuals, the loss of support, the struggles that the populous goes through to try and maintain the status quo. The details are fascinating and one can track the slow social and cultural decline. Then the author begins to slide from excellence to rough draft. She makes a sudden twist into a brief look at the overwhelming Saxon invasion. There are jumps of years in the story, leaving problems unsolved and actions unknown. This book feels like (ends up reading like) a partial rough draft for a more in-depth novel. As for me, the most destressing part was the way she culminated one over riding aspect of this story, the story of a small man and a big, black stallion. I thought it was an unnecessary event and the mental image created really did not have much of a place in the overall story. That's just my feeling about it.
Do not let this review of this particular book put you off of this wonderful author.
oisin175's review
3.0
Not the best Llywelyn book I've read, but still pretty entertaining. Sometimes it's interesting to see how ordinary people might respond to a seismic shift in their way of life.
mimima's review
2.0
Llywelyn, who has written several books I've greatly enjoyed, addresses an interesting question. What happened in Britain when the Romans left? How did the people address living in a power vacuum? Unfortunately, she wrote a book with a big plot vacuum, so it isn't well answered. It is a question I will continue to contemplate, though.
strath's review against another edition
4.0
Though a nice enough read, [b:After Rome: A Novel of Celtic Britain|15729128|After Rome A Novel of Celtic Britain|Morgan Llywelyn|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341274336s/15729128.jpg|21407916]is not my favorite of her books.
After Rome takes place in the years following the Roman Legion's with withdrawal from Britain in 410 B.C.E and shows the dangers and decisions faced by the Romanized Britons left behind in a now crumbling and defenseless nation.
As the two main characters struggle to rebuild a semblance of life and safety they gather allies and try to stay alive against the elements and encroaching Anglo/Saxons.
I felt that Ms. Llewellyn phoned in this book. She gives a hint of great characters then left them incomplete leaving too many reader questions unanswered. As always, her research was good though, as a student of Dark Age Britain, I felt that even the disintegration was rushed and inexplicably compressed. She left me wanting more realized characters and a fuller painting of the life and times of a fascinating location and era. Her books of Irish heroes were a better effort.
After Rome takes place in the years following the Roman Legion's with withdrawal from Britain in 410 B.C.E and shows the dangers and decisions faced by the Romanized Britons left behind in a now crumbling and defenseless nation.
As the two main characters struggle to rebuild a semblance of life and safety they gather allies and try to stay alive against the elements and encroaching Anglo/Saxons.
I felt that Ms. Llewellyn phoned in this book. She gives a hint of great characters then left them incomplete leaving too many reader questions unanswered. As always, her research was good though, as a student of Dark Age Britain, I felt that even the disintegration was rushed and inexplicably compressed. She left me wanting more realized characters and a fuller painting of the life and times of a fascinating location and era. Her books of Irish heroes were a better effort.
annalisaely's review against another edition
2.0
Not a likable character among dozens. A bunch of drama kings and unchecked sexists, classists, ableists. Oh, wait, the ableism was checked. Not the sexism, though, 'cause that wouldn't be realistic. Ugh.
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