OK, I'm only 1/3 of the way into my e-ARC so far, but I had to stop to say this:
Because I'd loved Emma Southon's earlier books (especially her AgrippiOK, I'm only 1/3 of the way into my e-ARC so far, but I had to stop to say this:
Because I'd loved Emma Southon's earlier books (especially her Agrippina bio), I knew I would probably enjoy this one (a history of Rome through its documented women). I was expecting it to be sharp and witty and full of fascinating info, which it has absolutely delivered on so far (1/3 of the way in)...
...but I did NOT expect one of the chapters (on Turia & her 41-year marriage) to actually, literally make me cry because it was so moving & so startlingly, unexpectedly romantic. Turia DEFINITELY deserves a historical biopic movie, novel, & TV series, & I am so glad I got an ARC of this book!
Now back to reading. :)
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And now that I've finished reading:
Honestly, just: preorder this book! If you love reading about history, buy it; if you're a fiction writer who finds inspiration in the past, buy it. It's absolutely packed with fascinating characters and huge amounts of drama as well as wonderful social and practical details. It's a fabulous mix of social and political history, as Southon tells the story of the Empire as a whole as seen through the lives of these particular women, who cover a wide range of backgrounds. It's a really compulsive read throughout, as well as hugely entertaining - and while Southon is always cheerfully opinionated, she also carefully shows her sources and leaves space for the reader to come to their own interpretations if they don't agree with her.
This is my favorite history book in quite a long time, and I look forward to getting my preordered paper copy, to cover it in sticky notes and re-read it in the future....more
I was lucky enough to get an e-ARC of this book, which was by far the most compelling, engrossing and immersive history book I've read since - coincidI was lucky enough to get an e-ARC of this book, which was by far the most compelling, engrossing and immersive history book I've read since - coincidentally - Emma Southon's biography of Agrippina (who directly followed Messalina in the chronological queue of notorious Roman Empresses). Before I started reading, I actually worried hat, having read that Agrippina biography just last year, I might find there was too much overlap - but as it turned out, I had nothing to fear.
Although Messalina and Agrippina moved in the same social circles (and Agrippina married Claudius after Messalina's execution), the Roman imperial court was so incredibly rife with intrigues, scandals, murders and other shocking incidents that the two biographies end up focusing mostly on different parts of their shared historical setting (as different events affected both women more or less urgently). Personally, I would strongly recommend reading both books to get an even richer sense of that complex and fascinating period.
Cargill-Martin draws a really rich portrait of life in Roman high society from the Augustine period through the end of Messalina's life, and I really devoured every detail, all of which were written beautifully. She also delves deeply into the historiography of Messalina's story as it has been told and re-told over the many centuries since Messalina's death as proof (repeated again and again in different European cultures and time periods, in plays and operas and novels and treatises) of the inherent "dangers" of unbridled female sexuality.
Of course, the true history of Messalina's life has been buried under centuries of varying interpretations and lost evidence, but Cargill-Martin does a persuasive job of sifting through all of those different stories and the evidence that does survive. She presents a plausible new look at the scandalous empress - certainly not as a nice or "good" person in any way (she engineered far too many brutal political murders for that interpretation!), but as a rational human being making decisions for reasons that made sense to her at the time (as opposed to the historic view of Messalina as a senseless nymphomaniac under full control of her out-of-control libido) - and I found her theory about the events surrounding Messalina's death to be very convincing.
Honestly, I just found it all intensely interesting, and all I want to do now is scoop up another good biography of one of the other figures at that court, because there were SO many different levels of maneuvering and politics going on at every level, and I feel like I've learned fascinating new things from both of the biographies I've read so far. I highly recommend this!
I devoured this book in less than 48 hours because it is sooooo deliciously, compulsively readable, vivid, and fascinating. The writing style is swearI devoured this book in less than 48 hours because it is sooooo deliciously, compulsively readable, vivid, and fascinating. The writing style is sweary and exuberant and full of enthusiasm and humor - but this book is also full of really sharp historical and cultural analysis, fascinating insights, and really thought-provoking theories. It made me want to read a hundred more history books by Emma Southon immediately! I hope she publishes so, SO many more....more
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