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joecaratenuto's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
applescruff1981's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and Death of parent
suzemo's review against another edition
3.0
Margaret George's latest(er?) books tend to be a miss for me, and this one was better. Not amazing, but a lot better. I felt like it moved a little too slowly, and I would have far preferred a giant door-stop of a single book than the two smaller halves, but author's gotta eat, I suppose.
In the plus column:
George's writing itself is pretty easy to read and snack on, and her writing continues to be accessible and enjoyable.
I majored in classical civ for a while, and it's nice to see Nero not treated as an amazing monster (which I don't think he was), even though he could have been. It's definitely a historical [i]fiction[/i], but I don't think George is getting to crazy with it, and it's a nice take on a usually salaciously over-done personality
Additional viewpoints other than Nero's, though really, I want a crazy historical fiction book about Locusta now.
Negatives?
I mentioned it was slow, it is.
I don't like the use of the first person with Nero as much, at least not for the early part of his life. I just can't be bothered to get invested in brilliant little prodigy minds
The additional viewpoints that pop up at random and do not add much to the story, I want to like them, and they're a good idea, just not well executed.
That said, this book is far, far better (imo) than Helen or Mary of Magdelene, which I did not like. The audio narrator was really good, which helped a lot (except for the obnoxious pronunciation of Augusta/Augustus, anyway).
In the plus column:
George's writing itself is pretty easy to read and snack on, and her writing continues to be accessible and enjoyable.
I majored in classical civ for a while, and it's nice to see Nero not treated as an amazing monster (which I don't think he was), even though he could have been. It's definitely a historical [i]fiction[/i], but I don't think George is getting to crazy with it, and it's a nice take on a usually salaciously over-done personality
Additional viewpoints other than Nero's, though really, I want a crazy historical fiction book about Locusta now.
Negatives?
I mentioned it was slow, it is.
I don't like the use of the first person with Nero as much, at least not for the early part of his life. I just can't be bothered to get invested in brilliant little prodigy minds
The additional viewpoints that pop up at random and do not add much to the story, I want to like them, and they're a good idea, just not well executed.
That said, this book is far, far better (imo) than Helen or Mary of Magdelene, which I did not like. The audio narrator was really good, which helped a lot (except for the obnoxious pronunciation of Augusta/Augustus, anyway).
venpyre's review against another edition
4.0
I can't speak for the historical accuracy of this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed the prose. May pick up the sequel someday.
dlrcope's review against another edition
4.0
Impeccably well researched and well written. Deserves five stars, except the characters are so dark! I couldn’t love them and was not drawn to read more, which I think is an essential requirement for that fifth star. Despite the quality of the work, finishing the book required some effort.
desiree_mcl's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to this on audio. While I like the narrator, his voice is very pleasant, for some reason anything he's reading just goes in one ear and out the other. Hardly anything sticks in my brain.
As for the book, I did enjoy it. I know very little about Nero, so it was nice to read an historical fiction about him. And I'm interested in reading some history books about him.
However, my main issue with this book was that Nero seemed more modern in his thoughts. Now-a-days childhood and making sure children have a childhood and thinking/saying "I'm still a child" is common place. Back in Nero's time, I'm not sure how prevalent that was, that may be a wrong assumption on my part, but having adult responsibilities at a much earlier age happened a lot more than it does now and, I think, was more of the norm of that time. So I didn't believe that he would have had that thought process, as often as he did.
As for the book, I did enjoy it. I know very little about Nero, so it was nice to read an historical fiction about him. And I'm interested in reading some history books about him.
However, my main issue with this book was that Nero seemed more modern in his thoughts. Now-a-days childhood and making sure children have a childhood and thinking/saying "I'm still a child" is common place. Back in Nero's time, I'm not sure how prevalent that was, that may be a wrong assumption on my part, but having adult responsibilities at a much earlier age happened a lot more than it does now and, I think, was more of the norm of that time. So I didn't believe that he would have had that thought process, as often as he did.
lreay89's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bookfever's review
The Confessions of Young Nero is a book that I should've loved. Historical fiction set in ancient Rome is one of my favorite settings. I can't get enough of it. But when I'm reading a book and don't want to pick it up for three whole days, I know something is up. So around 30% of the book I decided to give up on it and not continue reading anymore. I just didn't like the story and I didn't want to waste more time on a book I wasn't enjoying anymore.
I felt kind of bad for not continuing with reading the book. I love reading about ancient Rome so much and I've always been intrigued by Nero because I don't think I've ever read a book about him before, whether it's fiction or nonfiction. The start of the book wasn't even that bad. I actually really enjoyed the first 50 pages and was looking forward to where the story would go next but then it started going downhill very fast.
I started having issues with how the story told in the first person. It just didn't feel right to me. The book started with Nero being a little kid but the way he would think and speak was more like an adult would. I do have to say that I never like it when a big part of a story is devoted to when the main character in question is a child. It's just not something I enjoy reading about. But it was all still pretty weird.
I only know the basics about Nero but it was pretty clear the author tried to rewrite the history about him. I don't think there's anything wrong with that exactly because authors are allowed to write their take on a historical figure but I guess I wish she had done things differently, especially with the writing, which was kind of bland. Also, the attraction Nero had toward his mother and the things he may or may not have done with her, no matter if these things happened or not (though a lot was implied in the book) was just something I didn't want to read about.
Another thing I didn't like was how the powerful women of the time were being portrayed. They were all basically murdereresses that didn't do anything more than poison the people around them for their own personal gain. And Nero was portrayed in a better light. I mean, sure that stuff did happen in those times but I think at this point in history we can maybe not judge women in history the way old male historians have done for ages, especially with a book written by a woman. But that's just my personal take on it.
I felt kind of bad for not continuing with reading the book. I love reading about ancient Rome so much and I've always been intrigued by Nero because I don't think I've ever read a book about him before, whether it's fiction or nonfiction. The start of the book wasn't even that bad. I actually really enjoyed the first 50 pages and was looking forward to where the story would go next but then it started going downhill very fast.
I started having issues with how the story told in the first person. It just didn't feel right to me. The book started with Nero being a little kid but the way he would think and speak was more like an adult would. I do have to say that I never like it when a big part of a story is devoted to when the main character in question is a child. It's just not something I enjoy reading about. But it was all still pretty weird.
I only know the basics about Nero but it was pretty clear the author tried to rewrite the history about him. I don't think there's anything wrong with that exactly because authors are allowed to write their take on a historical figure but I guess I wish she had done things differently, especially with the writing, which was kind of bland. Also, the attraction Nero had toward his mother and the things he may or may not have done with her, no matter if these things happened or not (though a lot was implied in the book) was just something I didn't want to read about.
Another thing I didn't like was how the powerful women of the time were being portrayed. They were all basically murdereresses that didn't do anything more than poison the people around them for their own personal gain. And Nero was portrayed in a better light. I mean, sure that stuff did happen in those times but I think at this point in history we can maybe not judge women in history the way old male historians have done for ages, especially with a book written by a woman. But that's just my personal take on it.
gilmoreguide's review against another edition
4.0
Who hasn’t heard some version of the phrase “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”? It’s long been the standard epitaph for any ruler so decadent and foolish that they were more interested in entertaining and enriching themselves than running a country. Hhhhmmm. Current similarities aside, Margaret George decides to investigate the life of Emperor Nero to see what, if any, of this historical reference is true. Her novel The Confessions of Young Nero is an in-depth look at the Roman boy who, through the convoluted lines of family and his mother’s ambition became, at sixteen, the youngest emperor in Rome’s history.
Thanks to the constant infighting in Roman politics Nero’s early life was spent with his aunt’s family. His father was dead and his mother, Agrippina was banished from Rome by her brother, Caligula. Only after Caligula’s murder does his mother return and then things get spicy. First she married a much older, wealthy man and once he re-established them in Roman society she had him murdered because money was not goal, power was. She then married the new emperor, her uncle Claudius, and soon enough he was dead and her son was on the throne.
The bulk of The Confessions of Young Nero is spent from the years 41AD to 64AD, Nero’s formative years to just past the midpoint of his reign. During that time George carefully fleshes out a Nero who shifts from a gentle child with a love of the arts and an appreciation for beauty to a young adult who must deal with the weight of unfettered power. Slowly, she shows how corrupting power without guidance can be. Nero had no father or any male figure to model himself on and his mother’s influence was of power at any cost.
The rest of this review is available at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://wp.me/p2B7gG-2cW
Thanks to the constant infighting in Roman politics Nero’s early life was spent with his aunt’s family. His father was dead and his mother, Agrippina was banished from Rome by her brother, Caligula. Only after Caligula’s murder does his mother return and then things get spicy. First she married a much older, wealthy man and once he re-established them in Roman society she had him murdered because money was not goal, power was. She then married the new emperor, her uncle Claudius, and soon enough he was dead and her son was on the throne.
The bulk of The Confessions of Young Nero is spent from the years 41AD to 64AD, Nero’s formative years to just past the midpoint of his reign. During that time George carefully fleshes out a Nero who shifts from a gentle child with a love of the arts and an appreciation for beauty to a young adult who must deal with the weight of unfettered power. Slowly, she shows how corrupting power without guidance can be. Nero had no father or any male figure to model himself on and his mother’s influence was of power at any cost.
The rest of this review is available at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://wp.me/p2B7gG-2cW