The Mistress of Rome

Can you tell yet that the books I like have a theme (hint, hint: ancient history)? Anywhoo...

The Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn is a novel of ancient Rome during the last of the Flavian Dyansty. The current emperor, Domitian, is quickly going insane becoming increasingly paranoid and taking his insanity out on any poor woman who shares his bed. Though Domitian plays a fairly central role in this novel it is mostly a novel of the women (both fictional and real) of Imperial Rome.

I love a good villain, Sue Sylvester from Glee and Batman's Joker come to mind (though they are different types of villains); but what makes a villain is how believable their evil-ness is. It has been a long time since I have read a book where I have hated the villain so much that I want to reach through the pages and off her myself.

The book was well-researched as I remember reading about some of Domitian and Trajan's more, er, memorable qualities in Suetonius' Twelve Caesars (historical account of the first twelve emperors of Rome) and there are remarks as to certain past events of Imperial Rome, as well.

The best kind of novel is one that incorporates true characters and true events-and this is that kind of novel. The book is the first in a series on Imperial Rome.