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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still more addictive than crack cocaine, July 14, 2005
This novel is a continuation of the "Rome" series of books, of which this novel is the second. The first was "the First Man in Rome". Again, and with feeling, this is the best series I have ever read in my entire life! The words compulsive and fascinating are simply too flat and characterless to do justice to this series. If I was ever stranded on a desert island with only one thing to read for the rest of my life it would be this series of novels, they are that good.
This novel continues where the first left off and covers the decline of Gaius Marius, both in power and in faculty, and the meteoric rise of Sulla to the heights of power, and the titanic struggles that these erstwhile comrades ignited in the Roman world as their relationship slowly shifted from allies to enemies as each began to seek his own self-aggrandizement at the expense of the other. This is a fabulous book, and I found Sulla every bit as interesting as I did Marius, particularly since he was a more complex person with his difficult and impoverished youth, his cunning such a youth created, his difficulty with interpersonal relationships, his homosexuality, and the way he had to absolutely sublimate all of this in his quest for power.....and yet at the end, despite his more unconventional beginnings than Marius and his personal traits and habits (despised by most Roman senators), he is the far more conservative of the pair. Marius is born of rural and conservative roots but becomes a demogogue and populist, while the homosexual party-animal Sulla evolves into a rabid conservative along the lines of a Pat Buchanan. It's a lot of fun!
One of my very real epiphanies in reading this was how similar the politics of Rome were to our politics today. I think anyone reading this will be similarly struck and it is not hard to envision dropping the Roman senate down in Washington and not seeing any real change in our daily lives. The headlines would all be the same, the debates as sharp, the slandering and pandering, the demonizations, and the partisanship and bickering would go on without the slightest flicker of disruption!
I first read these books about seven years ago, and then read them all over again last year when the last installment came out. After I finished reading them the second time I nearly started over again at the beginning for a third go round, but decided instead to go and read other works relating to Rome and some works of the ancients themselves, including Caesar and Cicero.
These novels cover the period of Rome from about 110 BC to roughly 40 BC, a period of great change and upheaval for the republic that eventually led to the empire (sounds a bit like the star wars series, doesn't it? I think George cribbed a lot of notes from Roman history). This is a grand book, with characters that seem more alive and more real, than many flesh and blood people we deal with in our daily lives. The character development McCullough achieves is nothing short of mind-bending and indeed may make you a pickier reader in the future. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book, and the entire series, to any reader. It is difficult to pick a favorite out of the series, and I don't think I could, but I really, really enjoyed this first novel as much as any of them.
One cautionary note, since some of my friends are ancient history buffs, is that while the known "facts" in McCullough's series are extremely accurate and she did an incredible amount of research for these books (will someone give her an honorary doctorate please?), people's personalities and their daily lives between the big, recorded facts of history are not as well established. I love McCullough's impression and interpretation and I think few could gainsay her much in her works. Her Caesar and Sulla though may get more favorable treatment from her than other commentators and novelists might elect to award. That, however is one of the greatest things about these books: after the compulsive reading is over comes the compulsive conversations, the debating with friends about this or that, and the further exploration of one of the most facinating periods in history.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A top-notch effort from the author of the best book series, January 25, 2000
"The Grass Crown" is a wonderful novel. It describes the events after Gaius Marius' sixth consulship in 100 BC: his political eclipse and the hunt for the seventh consulship promised to him by the prophetess Martha. Standing in his way are his failing health, disturbed mental state, and, of course, Sulla. "The First Man in Rome" and "Caesar's Women" are slightly better novels that "The Grass Crown", but "The Grass Crown" is better than "Caesar". In order to get a complete picture of what Sulla is like and how he came to be what he is, I think it is vital to read "The First Man in Rome" first. "The Grass Crown" does not have spectacular character development. For example, more needs to be said about Cornelia Scipionis and Mamercus, especially the latter because he becomes important later on. Pompey Starbo and Young Marius require more attention because they are too one-dimensional. The most engaging story involves Marcus Livius Drusus, who had gone through a transformation in "The First Man in Rome". In "The First Man in Rome", I did not sympathize with Drusus but in "The Grass Crown" I grew to like him and care about what happens to him. Livia Drusa's story is also quite compelling, but I wish that the author would provide a better characterization for Cato Salonianus. His presence is not at all memorable and his love for Livia Drusa is hard to believe and appreciate because there seems to be no source for it. I thoroughly enjoyed Servilia and Caepio. While in "The First Man in Rome" Caepio was pitiful; he becomes completely loathsome in "The Grass Crown". Servilia is an interesting character and the book provides a great background for her behavior in later books, especially "Caesar's Women". Other characters that I enjoyed are Aurelia (fascinating as always), Cicero (his military career is described with gritty realism and hilarity), Publius Rutilius Rufus (his letters are one of the best written sections in the novel), and Gaius Marius (he is not perfect and at times deranged but it is hard not to root for him). The best part of the book involves Sulla and his son, Young Sulla. The story of their journey East and Young Sulla subsequent death and its devastating effects on Sulla is the most poignant of the four books of "Masters of Rome" series that I have read: "The First Man in Rome", "The Grass Crown", "Caesar's Women" and "Caesar". My biggest grievance about this novel is that the last hundred pages, which are the most interesting, are not enough to provide adequate attention to the subject of Marius' and Sulla's power struggle. Everything led up to this moment but instead of savoring it, the author quickly blows over the events. Marius' madness has been hinted at in "The First Man in Rome" but in "The Grass Crown" he just goes mad without any elaboration or focus on the process of his going mad. It would only be fair if the last hundred pages can be spread over 200 pages, at least. Final note on errors: In "Caesar's Women" and "Caesar", they are prevalent throughout these novels and are extremely annoying. They are present in "The Grass Crown" but not to such an alarming extent. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a great book, be it historical or otherwise. But PLEASE READ "THE FIRST MAN IN ROME" FIRST.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
another fabulous peek into Rome, June 19, 2002
This sequel continues the story of Marius, one of the greatest generals that Rome had ever known, and his student and rival, Sulla. Julius Caesar is also a child prodigy in it and the familiar cast of characters from the first volume are back as well. As far as new characters go, there are the brutal "oriental" despot Mithradates, Ciciero, and the ambitious Pompey family. They are all believable and very interesting as well as embodiments of possible roman futures in a way that most history books do not explore. The characters also evolve, which adds a depth that makes it all the more believable. It is about a very sad era in Rome, with the republican institutions in precipitous decline as powerful generals rise, whose troops are more loyal to them than to the Roman Republic. The descent into barbarism is horrific and brilliantly delineated by McCullough, who has done a superb job of historical research. Just as Marius' star is waning - and his decline from the great and far-thinking man he was makes for depressing reading - so Sulla's time has arrived. I do not know of a better way to live in a different era than historical novels. This series is so masterly, so fascinating in detail, and so fast-moving in plot and action that it is one of the best that I have ever read. Warmly recommended.
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