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A review by emilypoche
Babylonia by Costanza Casati
adventurous
dark
fast-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
I chose this book as my January 2025 BOTM selection and am quite glad that I did. I chose it based off the fact that I really liked Casati’s debut title, Clytemnestra. This was a really strong follow up novel and had a lot of the same elements. I would make an early and strong recommendation for anyone who enjoyed that book that this is worth picking up.
Following the story of a woman who begins life as the adopted daughter of a shepherd and ends as the only solo ruler of Assyria, Babylonia is historical fiction that focuses on a woman or mythological figure that’s less well known. Semiramis, our main character, is very compelling. She’s driven, hungry, and at times very frustrated by the system she’s forced to participate in. At the same time she can be callous and self-serving. I think that in terms of her character there’s some relative complexity, as well as consistency throughout the novel.
Her life is framed by the two relationships that she has with Onnes, the general of a province and the half-brother of the king, and Ninus, the reigning king. Much of the book involves unpacking their tumultuous and enmeshed relationship. At times it is pretty confusing whether there’s an incest thing going on.
This book is very brutal. There are descriptions of a lot of ancient skirmishes and some of the code of Hammurabi style justice. There are descriptions of blood and conquest that were surprisingly detailed. The book is not euphemistic and is very upfront about the way that the Assyrians are very brutal and oriented around war and dominating their enemies.
For anyone who enjoys the ancient world historical fiction, if you don’t mind a relatively bloody text, this is a very solid choice. 4/5
Following the story of a woman who begins life as the adopted daughter of a shepherd and ends as the only solo ruler of Assyria, Babylonia is historical fiction that focuses on a woman or mythological figure that’s less well known. Semiramis, our main character, is very compelling. She’s driven, hungry, and at times very frustrated by the system she’s forced to participate in. At the same time she can be callous and self-serving. I think that in terms of her character there’s some relative complexity, as well as consistency throughout the novel.
Her life is framed by the two relationships that she has with Onnes, the general of a province and the half-brother of the king, and Ninus, the reigning king. Much of the book involves unpacking their tumultuous and enmeshed relationship. At times it is pretty confusing whether there’s an incest thing going on.
This book is very brutal. There are descriptions of a lot of ancient skirmishes and some of the code of Hammurabi style justice. There are descriptions of blood and conquest that were surprisingly detailed. The book is not euphemistic and is very upfront about the way that the Assyrians are very brutal and oriented around war and dominating their enemies.
For anyone who enjoys the ancient world historical fiction, if you don’t mind a relatively bloody text, this is a very solid choice. 4/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, and War