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seanml's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The Julio-Claudian history is a very exciting one, so it isn’t surprising to find that this book, a textbook masquerading as a narrative, is so easily enjoyable despite its length. Of course, there are a large number of artistic liberties taken, but every time I looked up the historicity of something, I found it was much closer to truth than I initially would have thought. In the end, purely from a narrative perspective: Livia is diabolical, Tiberius is a vile bastard, and Caligula is a psychopathic megalomaniac. 8.5/10.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Sexism, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Homophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War