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ewd09's review against another edition
4.0
I love Steven Saylor's telling of Rome's beginnings. It's amazing to think that such an advanced society existed so long ago... I mean, we've all been through history class, but I think that I would have really paid attention had I had a teacher as gripping as Steven Saylor. The story follows the Pinarius family through 1,000 years of Roma's triumph and tragedy ; from the beginning of a settlement to the assassination of Julius Caesar. While it's a historical fiction-type work, it's incredibly accurate in the big details. I can't wait to read the follow-up, Empire, which is sitting on my shelf now!!
cwu's review against another edition
3.0
Fun, interesting book if you like to see how a city changes over time in a narrative format. The book is in the style of Rutherford, although not quite as rich or well written. Still enjoyable.
zephyrsilver's review against another edition
First off, I didn't finish this book. I only got to about two-hundred pages before I put it away. I might go back to it, but I'm not sure.
The concept is really cool; it's a story about the city, Rome, told through the people who lived there, particularly following two families. Each chapter is a new set of people, a new time.
Some of it was really cool. One thing I liked was how you could see the stories becoming mythology. How events in a previous chapter were turned into these elaborate stories in the next chapter. The stories were rather normal when they took place, but as they were passed down, generation to generation, they got more elaborate and eventually turned into the Roman mythology we know today. So that was cool.
Unfortunately, I was bored. I never got attached to any of the characters. Some of the ones I did like I only knew for about twenty of thirty pages. Then really uninteresting characters had eighty to one hundred pages. But they were impossible to get attached to. They were all so flat.
Also, I know this is historically accurate, but the misogyny was so painful. I kept having to put the book down because I was so pissed. I know that's the way it was back then, but it still definitely made it hard for me to read, seeing as most of the male characters were misogynistic pigs, and most of the female characters were one-dimensional, boring characters.
This does a great job with de-Romanticizing history and making ancient Rome feel real. But it was just so boring and difficult to read. I love historical fiction, but I just couldn't do it with this one.
The concept is really cool; it's a story about the city, Rome, told through the people who lived there, particularly following two families. Each chapter is a new set of people, a new time.
Some of it was really cool. One thing I liked was how you could see the stories becoming mythology. How events in a previous chapter were turned into these elaborate stories in the next chapter. The stories were rather normal when they took place, but as they were passed down, generation to generation, they got more elaborate and eventually turned into the Roman mythology we know today. So that was cool.
Unfortunately, I was bored. I never got attached to any of the characters. Some of the ones I did like I only knew for about twenty of thirty pages. Then really uninteresting characters had eighty to one hundred pages. But they were impossible to get attached to. They were all so flat.
Also, I know this is historically accurate, but the misogyny was so painful. I kept having to put the book down because I was so pissed. I know that's the way it was back then, but it still definitely made it hard for me to read, seeing as most of the male characters were misogynistic pigs, and most of the female characters were one-dimensional, boring characters.
This does a great job with de-Romanticizing history and making ancient Rome feel real. But it was just so boring and difficult to read. I love historical fiction, but I just couldn't do it with this one.
margaretann84's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting take weaving the history of fictional characters in with many famous figures from Ancient Rome to the days of Augustus. While the descriptions were interesting, especially how the city and its beliefs evolved over time, many of the actual stories were slightly dull and dry. I'm not sure whether I'll read the next book; while I'm a little curious how the main family adapts to the empire, I don't know if I want to wade through another 550 pages to find out.
It's rated 3 on here for the historical content (I'd recommend it to people who enjoy ancient history, particularly that of Rome), but for me it's really more of a 3.5
It's rated 3 on here for the historical content (I'd recommend it to people who enjoy ancient history, particularly that of Rome), but for me it's really more of a 3.5
audreyapproved's review against another edition
5.0
An epic story that traces the major history of Rome through the subsequent descendants of one family, in particular those in the family that are in the position of a certain tailsman (it's a stone that is shaped like a penis hah). I particularly like how characters of subsequent chapters sometimes show up in previous chapters. Good mix of old, young, male, female. A really enjoyable read, and one I've re-read a few times at this point.
poisonouspixie22's review against another edition
Way, way too sad for me. The writing is great, but the different stories were just too much for me.
sarahjjs's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really great foray into Roman history. Every source I looked into while reading the book confirmed that the author has stayed accurate to what is known about ancient Rome.
Every chapter deals with a separate origin myth, political or architectural event. Most of the characters were real people (although a lot of sources now debate the existence of these historical characters). This book has really given me a good reference point and now I can investigate certain points of interest in greater detail.
Every chapter deals with a separate origin myth, political or architectural event. Most of the characters were real people (although a lot of sources now debate the existence of these historical characters). This book has really given me a good reference point and now I can investigate certain points of interest in greater detail.
unabridgedchick's review against another edition
4.0
Dense but engrossing historical novel set in Rome. The ancient era isn't my favorite but Saylor is clearly a historian who knows his stuff, and the novel is packed with details. This is the kind of book that makes me want to tour Rome -- I know I'd see everything with a new eye.