4.5
Rivals of the Republic
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesRivals of the Republic Reviews
4.5
“I really enjoyed this book!
I recall seeing the synopsis online and caught the train into the city as none of my local bookstores stocked it, it was well worth the travel and I essentially inhaled the book within a week.
The book ticked a lot of boxes for me:
- an articulate heroine who spoke to me through the 2000+ year time gap
- wove a cast of real historical figures into a fictional story
- A mystery to solve
It also didn't fall into the traps and tropes I dislike about (particularly ancient) historical fiction, namely:
- a female protagonist who 'doesn't want to get married/have an arranged marriage'
- a condescending voice that hand holds the reader through the events and people of the past
- but also, doesn't go into an obscene and boring (even for people like me who have completed higher education surrounding the Ancient World) level of detail
There were times when the book could come across as a little cliche, however, not enough to deter me.
This is a great read for anyone who loves ancient historical fiction (which can be surprisingly hard to find, most historical fiction seems to be WWII related) or looking to get into the genre or the time period of the late Roman Republic .”
“Hortensia is the daughter of a renowned orator and lawyer. She has been taught by her father in his art and utilizes this skill to help defend a woman whose lying husband is slandering her name in an attempt to claim her dowry. After winning the case in dramatic fashion, Hortensia is called upon by the chief vestal to help clear the name of a young priestess who was recently found dead. The chief vestal does not believe the priestess took her life in shame after an impious love affair, and evidence suggests the temple’s sanctuary was illegally accessed –however, nothing is missing. A servant named Lucrio aids in Hortensia’s investigation, but he has his own agenda. He seeks revenge for the death of his family years earlier at the hands of a Roman soldier. As Hortensia and Lucrio begin to piece together the clues behind the vestal’s death, they quickly discover that the Republic itself may be in danger if the perpetrators are not identified in time.
This is a debut novel from Freisenbruch, originally self-published in 2014 as "Blood in the Tiber." The historical atmosphere is engrossing. Additionally, fantastic fictional characters stand alongside historical people (namely Crassus, Cicero, Julius Caesar, and Pompey). I relished the rich details in this story, like the creation of wills and the equipment of scribes.
Hortensia moves plausibly within the constraints of her time. Her mindset is slightly progressive but also historically accurate, and her strong voice immediately pulled me into the story. While the book is about solving a mystery, it’s also about Hortensia rising to new challenges and making a path for herself. This book transports readers to the streets of ancient Rome. It is an extremely satisfying blend of fact and fiction with plenty of surprises. Highly recommended.
Review posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/rivals-of-the-republic-the-blood-of-rome-book-1/”
“Hortensia is the daughter of a renowned orator and lawyer. She has been taught by her father in his art and utilizes this skill to help defend a woman whose lying husband is slandering her name in an attempt to claim her dowry. After winning the case in dramatic fashion, Hortensia is called upon by the chief vestal to help clear the name of a young priestess who was recently found dead. The chief vestal does not believe the priestess took her life in shame after an impious love affair, and evidence suggests the temple’s sanctuary was illegally accessed –however, nothing is missing. A servant named Lucrio aids in Hortensia’s investigation, but he has his own agenda. He seeks revenge for the death of his family years earlier at the hands of a Roman soldier. As Hortensia and Lucrio begin to piece together the clues behind the vestal’s death, they quickly discover that the Republic itself may be in danger if the perpetrators are not identified in time.
This is a debut novel from Freisenbruch, originally self-published in 2014 as "Blood in the Tiber." The historical atmosphere is engrossing. Additionally, fantastic fictional characters stand alongside historical people (namely Crassus, Cicero, Julius Caesar, and Pompey). I relished the rich details in this story, like the creation of wills and the equipment of scribes.
Hortensia moves plausibly within the constraints of her time. Her mindset is slightly progressive but also historically accurate, and her strong voice immediately pulled me into the story. While the book is about solving a mystery, it’s also about Hortensia rising to new challenges and making a path for herself. This book transports readers to the streets of ancient Rome. It is an extremely satisfying blend of fact and fiction with plenty of surprises. Highly recommended.
Review posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/rivals-of-the-republic-the-blood-of-rome-book-1/”
“3.5 stars from me!
First of all, thank you so much to Duckworth Overlook Publishers for sending me a copy of the first novel in the Blood Of Rome series in exchange for an honest review. Ancient Roman history has always been one of my favourite things to read about and when I heard that this novel focused on actual figureheads of Rome in 70 BC combined with some crime fiction elements, I jumped at the chance to read a review copy. Overall, I thought this was a fascinating insight into Rome in the days when gladiators were still thrown to the lions, conspiracy was rife, the fight for ultimate power over the city was a constant seesaw of favour, women did not have a strong voice and, for many citizens in the country, standards of living were brutal.
Annelise Freisenbruch sets us up with the most wonderful female protagonist - determined and independent Hortensia, daughter of a famed public speaker in Rome and not adverse to a bit of public speaking herself, despite the controversy it causes in the novel. The story is set with two deaths, a senator who appears to have committed suicide in his bathtub and a Vestal Virgin who appears to have drowned. The difference between this and many other tales in the crime fiction genre is that we immediately know who the villains of the piece are, but what the author does very skillfully is ever so slowly revealing to us the reasons behind why their dastardly plans.
Hortensia becomes quickly embroiled in an intricate plot focused on corruption, greed, desire and above all, power and with the help of a gladiator called Lucrio and the Chief Vestal Virgin Cornelia, begins to unravel the more sinister side of Rome, exposing the lengths some men will go to to get exactly what they want. However, Lucrio too has some huge secrets in his past and this all ties in very neatly so that he can help his mistress, prevent the murderer from striking again and wreak his much longed for revenge.
It is obvious from the very start of this novel that the author has carried out meticulous research on these characters of Rome and she certainly knows her stuff. The characters, especially Hortensia and our villains (which I won't spoil!) practically leap off the page with their vibrancy and I was certainly entranced by the complex plot but above all, the beautiful description of daily life in Ancient Rome. I think it's fair to say that there were some points of the narrative that were slower than others but generally this was a highly enjoyable read. I adored the scenes in the court where Hortensia finally gets to show what she is made of and yes, I even did a little "silent cheer," at her triumphs. If you're at all interested in Rome or enjoy historical fiction with a slight gritty edge I would say definitely give this book a shot.
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com”
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