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rebeccatc's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book in Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series, following The First Man in Rome. It covers the period from 99 -86 B.C. Since I know very little about the history of ancient Rome I learned a great deal from this detailed account which is largely a story of political intrigue, civil war and upheaval. I also found it to be very suspenseful and proved that truth can be stranger than fiction. The central characters are Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Gaius Marius, both of whom were featured in The Grass Crown. This book also introduces Julius Caesar as a child. As someone who reads pretty quickly this was a rare book that took me a full month to read, so it is not an easy undertaking to get through it, but it is definitely worth the time and energy for anyone who is interested in history. I look forward to reading the entire series.
splineguy's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating continuation of Colleen McCullough's Master's of Rome series. This is the second book in the series of seven and it covers the Civil/Social war under the eventual leadership of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. It deals largely with the rise of Sulla to leadership both in military campaigns as well as policital power. It finishes with the fall of Gauis Marius, the third founder of Rome, as his mind fails following two strokes and he takes over Rome in a blood bath, killing anyone in Rome who once stood against him. It is his final goal before dying to subdue the rising star of Gauis Julius Caesar, which he supposedly does so by placing him in the role of a lifelong priesthood. The tale ends there, but we all know that Julius Caesar is not out for good and is destined to become the greatest man Rome has ever or will ever see.
I continue to enjoy this series and am continually fascinated by how developed society was even thousands of years ago. The struggles of society not all that different than today, only without the western influence of Christianity.
I continue to enjoy this series and am continually fascinated by how developed society was even thousands of years ago. The struggles of society not all that different than today, only without the western influence of Christianity.
ksull95's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Colleen McCullough has such a way of bringing history to life. The Grass Crown, the second book in her Masters of Rome series, picks up where The First Man in Rome leaves off, continuing to follow the careers of Gaius Marius, still pursuing that unprecedented 7th consulship, and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, desperately seeking a reputation of his own beyond that of Gaius Marius' right-hand man. McCullough also introduces King Mithradates VI Eupator of Pontus and King Tigranes II (the Great) of Armenia and the beginnings of their conflict with the Roman Republic. As detailed and in-depth as McCullough's handling of these events is, I never found myself bored or skimming through passages. On to Fortune's Favorites!
ladyvictoria's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jennyn52779's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
albon's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, and Toxic friendship
corrompido's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this one, now that I have a better idea of how to follow the names, some of the characters and even how the government worked it's much easier to follow. The pacing of this story was a bit uneven, but it was still a lot of fun through most of the story.