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informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Babylonia by Costanza Casati is a third person multi-POV historical retelling of the life of Assyrian queen Sammuramat (referred to in the book by her Greek name, Semiramis) and her two husbands, Ones and Ninus. Semiramis has been raised by a step-father who has no real affection for her after her mother drowned. When she convinces Onnes, a powerful man in the Assyrian court, that her father has harmed her, she kick-starts her future to rise from poverty to the throne.
Costanza Casati recognizes the brutality often displayed by the Assyrian Empire but leaves most of it to the reader’s imagination. There are depictions of child murder and whippings but a lot of stuff (such as people being flayed alive and assault) happen off page. I was fine with that as I wasn't expecting something more grimdark when I picked this up, but if a reader is aware of the violent acts often committed when the Assyrian Empire was conquering other people, they might have different expectations for how much gore is shown and how in-depth it goes.
This has a slower pace and we spend a lot of time in the characters’ heads with subtle political movements keeping the story propelling forward. There's big secrets that have to be kept (such as Ninus and Onnes being half-brothers) and nobody is totally willing to give up power. Nisat, Ninus’ mother, is sort of playing chess with everyone else to keep her own position. I would have loved a POV chapter from her because I find dowager queens to be some of the most fascinating characters in political historicals and fantasies. They've seen a lot, they've done a lot, they're willing to play the long game to get what they want, and when you finally learn what they've been doing, there's an entire web they've designed that touches everything. Nisat definitely feels like she could have a network going to assist her and her son whenever necessary.
My favorite POV was Ribat’s, a slave who is working for Semiramis. Through Ribat, we see a lot of what goes on behind the golden veneer of the political world and how their wheeling and dealing can have negative consequences for the common folk. Ribat is very much attracted to Semiramis and would do anything for her, including keeping her secrets, and even sort of gets his wish when Semiramis gives him attention. Their story is not one of romance or of a lost love, but rather one of two people who aren't from the upper echelons of society finding something in each other.
Content warning for allusions of sexual assault, child abuse, and gore and depictions of child murder
I would recommend this to fans of political historicals and readers looking for a retelling of the Assyrian Empire
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Murder