Mistress of Rome [Paperback]

Kate Quinn (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 6, 2010

An exciting debut: a vivid, richly imagined saga of ancient Rome from a masterful new voice in historical fiction

Thea is a slave girl from Judaea, passionate, musical, and guarded. Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea will become her mistress's rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator. His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life-that is quickly ended when a jealous Lepida tears them apart.

As Lepida goes on to wreak havoc in the life of a new husband and his family, Thea remakes herself as a polished singer for Rome's aristocrats. Unwittingly, she attracts another admirer in the charismatic Emperor of Rome. But Domitian's games have a darker side, and Thea finds herself fighting for both soul and sanity. Many have tried to destroy the Emperor: a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin. But in the end, the life of the brilliant and paranoid Domitian lies in the hands of one woman: the Emperor's mistress.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Quinn convincingly conjures the terrifying reign of Emperor Domitian in her solid debut that follows the travails of Thea, a slave girl and mistress to the emperor. While she is tormented by Domitian, she holds her secrets—a gladiator lover, a young son—close. When these facts are brought to Domitian's attention by Thea's jealous rival, Thea takes drastic actions to secure her family. Quinn's command of first-century Rome is matched only by her involvement with her characters; all of them, historical and invented, are compelling and realistic, and she explores their dark sides without crossing into gratuitousness. Readers will finish eager for a sequel, which is a good thing because Quinn has left the door wide open for a follow-up. This should make a splash among devotees of ancient Rome. (Apr.)
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Review

"...for sheer entertainment, drama, and page-turning storytelling, this tumultuous debut novel is well worth reading.
-Library Journal

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Product Details

• Paperback: 470 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (April 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425232476
• ISBN-13: 978-0425232477
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (142 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #592,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kate Quinn is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she first got hooked on ancient Rome while watching "I, Claudius" at the age of seven. She wrote her first book during her freshman year in college, retreating from a Boston winter into ancient Rome, and it was later published as "Mistress of Rome." A prequel followed, titled "Daughters of Rome," and then a sequel written while her husband was deployed to the Middle East.

"I realized that my Roman legionary hero in `Empress of the Seven Hills' was fighting in the same part of the world where my US Navy husband was deployed. Life imitating art, or art imitating life? I have no idea!"

Kate is currently working on her fourth novel, set in the Italian Renaissance. She also has succumbed to the blogging bug, and keeps a blog filled with trivia, pet peeves, and interesting facts about historical fiction. She and her husband now live in Maryland with a small black dog named Caesar, and her interests include opera, action movies, cooking, and the Boston Red Sox.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent High Imperial Fiction March 20, 2010

By Jennifer Black VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Kate Quinn pens an outstanding piece of historical Roman fiction with this outstanding novel. At times a historical romance and at others a first-century political thriller, "Mistress of Rome" is at its core a story of two parallel lives: Lepida Pollia, the spoiled daughter of an ascendant-aristocratic father and her slavegirl, Thea, one of the few survivors from the siege of the Jewish fortress at Masada.

Despite the two young women's differences in social standing, Thea is quickly vying with her mistress for the affections of the barbarian gladiator Arius, and infuriates the young patrician by her success with the fighter. Sold to appease Lepida's wrath, Thea embarks on a road that will take her down an even darker path than through the barracks of the arena, with the only key to her freedom lying in the hands of the emperor, Domitian. But Domitian has a dark side, and a woman from Thea's past envies her position at the emperor's side.

Clever weaving of historical fact, "facts" gleaned from ancient authorship, and original invention makes this a compelling read; historical inaccuracy is minimal and employed for story purposes rather than out of error. The Domitian-era setting was a refreshing one; this is one of the few high-imperial novels that I have come across.

Recommended for readers looking for character-driven plot and excellent development; the heroes and their supporting castmembers are endearing and sympathetic.

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars good but brutal... June 17, 2010

By retroredux VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I noticed many reviewers here on Amazon say that Mistress of Rome is a "fun" read. I wouldn't use the word fun. Gripping, yes, dramatic, yes, brutal and sad , yes. It's a good book but when you have a story where the two main characters are a 14 Year old slave (who is abused by her mistress and is forced to sleep with her master at 14) and the "hero" is a Gladiator who also has had a brutal life as a slave before being bought to become a gladiator-well, you are not going to get sunshine and rainbows. But you will get an honest portrayal of life in ancient Rome.
3.5 stars.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Mistress of Rome August 1, 2010

By Kyle

Format:Paperback

ISBN: 0425232476

Series: Not a series but the author is working on companion novels (a prequel and a sequel).

Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Romance

© April 2010, Berkeley Trade

Kate Quinn's Website

Rating: 5 stars

Available wherever books are sold!

This is the debut of, whom I foresee, to be the next New York Times Bestselling author: Kate Quinn. Mistress of Rome is a fast-paced, emotionally charged, sensual exploration of life in Ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Domitian. From the first page to the last the reader is instantly embroidered into a world of emotion, sensuality, and political intrigue.

The plot of this story centers around a slave girl, Thea, and her transgression through Roman life. Thea is last survivor of the siege of the Jewish fort of Masada in Israel. Lepida, Thea's mistress (owner), is one of those characters you love to hate. Lepida has a liking to three things: money, power, and men. Arius, is a gladiator (a very successful gladiator) who Lepida decides to target as her next play thing. One problem. Arius and Thea, fall in love. Lepida quickly finds out and sells Thea to a whore house, separating Thea and Arius.

Thea is pregnant and is to sold to a musician who trains her to sing and play the lyre. As her fame grows Thea catches the eye of the emperor. The emperor is intrigued by Athena, Thea's stage name, and deems her his mistress thus beginning her journey as The Mistress of Rome.

The characters in this book are so realistic. The whole way you feel their angst, their pain, and their lust. You grow to love them and some you grow to hate. In the first chapter of the book we find out that Thea cuts herself in order to escape the tragedy of her life through physical pain, every time she does it you want to be there with her to take the knife away and reassure her. When her and Arius get torn apart your heart aches for the separated lovers.

Speaking of lovers...Thea and Arius are amazingly compatible. Both were taken from their homeland to serve as slaves for the Roman empire. Both are damaged emotionally beyond all belief. Both are undeniably in love with the other. The best part of their romance was that it wasn't the run-of-the-mill romance. There were years when the two didn't even see, hear, speak of each other, they slept with other people, Thea sleeps with EMPEROR OF ROME, and yet still their love holds strong. Their romance is tragic, its believable, its heartbreaking, and its real. I was rooting for them all the way, even more than 2 millennia later.

The other two characters I have to mention are Lepida and Emperor Domitian. They will intrigue you, they'll make read over a page again for you to actually believe another human being would do/say what they just did. These two helped make this book one of my new favorites. Lepida and Domitian made Mistress of Rome a realistic possibility of Ancient Rome and not a unbelievable historical fantasy.

Kate Quinn wrote one of the best books I've read in a long time. I still find myself thinking about the characters and their lives now and then and I finished the book a month ago. An author that can compel readers to think about their book so long after wards is as amazing, if not more, than the book they wrote. Her characters were realistic, whether they be good or evil, they were real. Her plot was intriguing and gripping from page one to the final word. Her writing was flawless, with amazing descriptions of Ancient Rome you were transported to her world.

Who do I recommend this book to? Everyone. Even if your not a fan of historical romance you'll love this book. A warning though...it is graphic and there is adult content but its totally worth the read.