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A review by rebeccajsanders
Augustus by John Williams
4.0
An unusual novel, Augustus slowly unravels the mystery of Augustus's character through glimpses of it by others, in moments ordinary and extraordinary.
There are many points of view from Augustus's friends and enemies alike, starting with letters regarding his rise to power. One immediately sees how he is very unlike Marcus Antonius, who starts in an excellent position after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Antonius lacks the temperament to hold on to power, and Octavius slowly accrues it for himself.
After his victory at Actium, we see more of the intimate moments of Augustus among his family and friends. The highlight here is Julia, Augustus's daughter, as we follow her through her marriages and her self-discovery. Her story often feels more intimate than that of Augustus, whose point of view is concealed until the end of the novel. The novel heavily hints at the parallels between her state of being and that of Rome itself; but I won't delve into that subject further here. I have no compunction about spoiling historical events, but getting to know the personalities of Augustus is an intimate experience.
The highlight of the novel must be the very long letter written by Augustus at the end. This is Augustus's soliloquy, in which his journey at last comes to an end. It's utterly brilliant and would be worth the price of admission even without the rest of the novel backing it.
Brilliantly written, highly quotable, and historically accurate with a unique interpretation of motivations and feelings and private experiences that aren't encapsulated in the history books. Recommended highly.
There are many points of view from Augustus's friends and enemies alike, starting with letters regarding his rise to power. One immediately sees how he is very unlike Marcus Antonius, who starts in an excellent position after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Antonius lacks the temperament to hold on to power, and Octavius slowly accrues it for himself.
After his victory at Actium, we see more of the intimate moments of Augustus among his family and friends. The highlight here is Julia, Augustus's daughter, as we follow her through her marriages and her self-discovery. Her story often feels more intimate than that of Augustus, whose point of view is concealed until the end of the novel. The novel heavily hints at the parallels between her state of being and that of Rome itself; but I won't delve into that subject further here. I have no compunction about spoiling historical events, but getting to know the personalities of Augustus is an intimate experience.
The highlight of the novel must be the very long letter written by Augustus at the end. This is Augustus's soliloquy, in which his journey at last comes to an end. It's utterly brilliant and would be worth the price of admission even without the rest of the novel backing it.
Brilliantly written, highly quotable, and historically accurate with a unique interpretation of motivations and feelings and private experiences that aren't encapsulated in the history books. Recommended highly.