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Sophia and Cassius
The first woman – wise, strong, determined and good-hearted. Sophia brought the art of writing to the world, desperately wishing to love and be loved. Unfortunately, to meet her perfect man, she had to wait... for death, three thousand years and rebirth as Julia Drusilla, the Roman princess. This work is not just a love story. In the new body, Sophia is chosen to lead the epic battle of the Good against the Evil.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published February 6, 2024
3 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 26, 2026
I wanted to like this book so much, but ultimately it ended up being so incredibly difficult to get through that I actually started to resent it. I honestly should have just DNF’ed it, but I kept hoping that maybe things would get better. Unfortunately, they didn’t.
First, some positives. The very beginning of Sophia and Adam and this take on the Biblical account was probably the strongest and best written part of the book. Part of why I felt so let down in the rest of it I think stems from the fact that it felt like there was so much potential in this section that just didn’t carry over.
I also found Julia Drusilla to be an interesting and strong-willed woman, which I appreciated. Her character was the best part of the rest of the book.
To give credit where it’s due, Canić must have done a lot of research on the Roman Empire during this time period and was clearly passionate about it. This does, however, lead into one of the issues I had because the book did, for me at least, get a bit too in the weeds with Roman politics and power players. I ended up having a fairly difficult time keeping track of everyone and everything and eventually just gave up. Maybe for more avid fans of Rome, this would go over better, but for me I ended up wishing there was more of a focus on the romance.
Speaking of the romance, I was highly disappointed in this respect. From the cover and the description, I thought that this would be a romance novel. It is not. For one, Julia Drusilla spends a considerable amount of time pining after her brother Caligula. I get it, incest was more of a thing back then, but for a modern audience it’s not going to sit as well. Then she’s married off to someone else, before finally ending up with Cassius, who is significantly older than her. Again, I know that that also wasn’t something frowned down upon back then, but again, he was guarding her when she was a child. Even so, I might have gotten over it, but once they do get together, there is no feeling between them, and their relationship is not a key focus of the book, even though they’re the titular couple.
Another issue I have that might just be a me-thing was the outrageous number of footnotes. While I appreciate how Canić includes some of them to help her audience understand references to places, people or mythological figures, her inclusion of numerous phrases and passages in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, leading to there being on average more footnotes than total pages in the book felt excessive. If I’m reading a work of fiction, I don’t want to have to be flipping back and forth, sometimes multiple times per page, to understand what’s going on. It got to the point where I just stopped looking at them because I was so tired of it.
Finally, the most egregious thing to me was that this book needed to be heavily edited. If I had actually bought this book as it stands with my own money, I would have been furious that I was getting an unpolished work. Now, in this case, I don’t blame Canić at all, and in fact am angry on her behalf that her writing is not being well-represented. As there is a translator listed some places, it is clear the book was not originally written in English, and from the grammatical errors made, it was not translated by a native English speaker. As someone who knows multiple languages and has done some translation work myself, I understand how difficult a task it can be. And maybe if this was just a self-published novel I would be more lenient about this. However, the publisher should have done better in this case. This book needed another translator to take a look at it, and then it needed some serious copy editing. The number of errors I ran into had to be in the dozens, if not hundreds, and some of them were not just related to translation mistakes, but even typos and sentences being repeated multiple times. It made it more difficult to read, and many times I was left without a clue as to what was actually being said. Again, this is not fair to Canić, and because of this, I really have no way to judge how much of the issues I have with the whole book are from this or from her skill as a writer.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
First, some positives. The very beginning of Sophia and Adam and this take on the Biblical account was probably the strongest and best written part of the book. Part of why I felt so let down in the rest of it I think stems from the fact that it felt like there was so much potential in this section that just didn’t carry over.
I also found Julia Drusilla to be an interesting and strong-willed woman, which I appreciated. Her character was the best part of the rest of the book.
To give credit where it’s due, Canić must have done a lot of research on the Roman Empire during this time period and was clearly passionate about it. This does, however, lead into one of the issues I had because the book did, for me at least, get a bit too in the weeds with Roman politics and power players. I ended up having a fairly difficult time keeping track of everyone and everything and eventually just gave up. Maybe for more avid fans of Rome, this would go over better, but for me I ended up wishing there was more of a focus on the romance.
Speaking of the romance, I was highly disappointed in this respect. From the cover and the description, I thought that this would be a romance novel. It is not. For one, Julia Drusilla spends a considerable amount of time pining after her brother Caligula. I get it, incest was more of a thing back then, but for a modern audience it’s not going to sit as well. Then she’s married off to someone else, before finally ending up with Cassius, who is significantly older than her. Again, I know that that also wasn’t something frowned down upon back then, but again, he was guarding her when she was a child. Even so, I might have gotten over it, but once they do get together, there is no feeling between them, and their relationship is not a key focus of the book, even though they’re the titular couple.
Another issue I have that might just be a me-thing was the outrageous number of footnotes. While I appreciate how Canić includes some of them to help her audience understand references to places, people or mythological figures, her inclusion of numerous phrases and passages in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, leading to there being on average more footnotes than total pages in the book felt excessive. If I’m reading a work of fiction, I don’t want to have to be flipping back and forth, sometimes multiple times per page, to understand what’s going on. It got to the point where I just stopped looking at them because I was so tired of it.
Finally, the most egregious thing to me was that this book needed to be heavily edited. If I had actually bought this book as it stands with my own money, I would have been furious that I was getting an unpolished work. Now, in this case, I don’t blame Canić at all, and in fact am angry on her behalf that her writing is not being well-represented. As there is a translator listed some places, it is clear the book was not originally written in English, and from the grammatical errors made, it was not translated by a native English speaker. As someone who knows multiple languages and has done some translation work myself, I understand how difficult a task it can be. And maybe if this was just a self-published novel I would be more lenient about this. However, the publisher should have done better in this case. This book needed another translator to take a look at it, and then it needed some serious copy editing. The number of errors I ran into had to be in the dozens, if not hundreds, and some of them were not just related to translation mistakes, but even typos and sentences being repeated multiple times. It made it more difficult to read, and many times I was left without a clue as to what was actually being said. Again, this is not fair to Canić, and because of this, I really have no way to judge how much of the issues I have with the whole book are from this or from her skill as a writer.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
January 15, 2026
2 ⭐️
I don’t know if this novel was translated or written in English, but the flow and writing style are inconsistent. The dialogue flips from modern English language (not quite slang), to more traditional proper English, to random Latin words and phrases that are not readily translated for the reader. The plot also did not flow, and stuttered throughout the entire book, making it very difficult to follow.
This story was also VERY religious, which was NOT apparent from the synopsis. If I had known, I would not have requested this book.
I’m sorry, I did not enjoy this at all, I’d recommend much heavier editing.
I don’t know if this novel was translated or written in English, but the flow and writing style are inconsistent. The dialogue flips from modern English language (not quite slang), to more traditional proper English, to random Latin words and phrases that are not readily translated for the reader. The plot also did not flow, and stuttered throughout the entire book, making it very difficult to follow.
This story was also VERY religious, which was NOT apparent from the synopsis. If I had known, I would not have requested this book.
I’m sorry, I did not enjoy this at all, I’d recommend much heavier editing.
December 16, 2025
Sophia and Cassius is an unforgettable tale of love, ambition, and power, where a woman’s journey stretches across lifetimes and every choice carries the weight of destiny.
In a literary market hungry for bold heroines and immersive worlds, Sophia and Cassius by Anna Canic stands out as a sophisticated blend of historical drama, mythic retelling, and feminist coming-of-age. Set mostly in Ancient Rome, where gods and mortals mingle, and every alliance is fraught with risk, the novel delivers an abundance of popular tropes while offering a fresh, contemporary sensibility.
At its heart is Sophia, our main character, who is both mythic and deeply human. As the first woman (yes, in a biblical sense) and a Roman noble, she is complex, flawed, and fiercely independent. Her journey from innocence to self-realization echoes the best of feminist fiction, and her romance with Cassius is charged with longing, tension, and the constant threat of political or divine interference. What makes Sophia’s story truly interesting is the way it transcends a single lifetime. The plot draws on mythic and spiritual traditions, mixing in reincarnation and the cyclical nature of existence. Sophia’s life in Rome is only one chapter in a much larger story, echoing her identity as the first woman and her connections to ancient myth. Her search for love, purpose, and agency is mirrored across lifetimes, giving her relationships, particularly with Cassius, a sense of inevitability and epic resonance.
This reincarnation theme allows the novel to explore questions of destiny versus free will, and the possibility that personal growth, redemption, and love can span multiple lives. For modern readers, it also resonates with contemporary interests in soulmates, spiritual journeys, and the enduring nature of identity and love. The author didn’t paint her characters in black and white, embracing moral ambiguity and the messy realities of ambition, loyalty, and desire, which keeps the story grounded even as it flirts with the mythic and metaphysical.
The writing is rich and immersive, bringing both Eden and Rome vividly to life. The pacing is thoughtful, letting readers sink into character psychology and philosophical reflections without ever losing the emotional core. While the sprawling cast and subplots demand attention, they’re rewarding and don’t take away from the main story.
Sophia and Cassius is ultimately an immersive historical romance novel for anyone who loves mythic retellings, strong women, and stories where love, agency, and personal destiny are intertwined. It feels entirely at home in today’s reading scene, and it leaves a lasting impression. Fans of Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint, and Kate Quinn will find this book appealing.
Tropes & Vibes
Reincarnation / Past Lives
Slow-Burn Romance
Forbidden Romance
Strong FMC
Court Intrigue
Mythological Retelling
Feminist Coming-of-Age
Epic Historical Setting
Fate vs. Free Will
January 22, 2026
I am DNFing this book for a few reasons I will list below.
I got about 25% of the way and ultimately this is not a book for me, among other issues. I could see on commercial sites, even though it is not listed on GoodReads, that there is a translator so that could potentially be an issue. The concept is interesting as I find the idea of reincarnation when it comes to romance fascinating and open to exploration, but the writing is where it falls flat for me. Unfortunately with the romance especially.
There are parallels between Adam and Caligula, but in both instances even though Sophia/Drusilla state that she loves them there is a lack of showing, only telling. It feels shallow. A lot of the writing feels shallow when it comes to the characters, for instance each character does not have their own distinct voice where if you got a piece of dialogue out of context you would not know who it was. They all just kind of feel the same aside for their circumstances except for small differences. Sophia loves to write and wants to be loved. Men are always yelling at her or angry around her. Her sisters are brats.
The rest feels like a first draft that once handed to an editor and given more polish could have become more cohesive. There are times in a conversation where in one sentence Drusilla goes from speaking softly, to weeping, to sighing, back to crying, each in one sentence. The lack of consistency in emotion in the characters is a symptom of the scattered emotions with in the writing that leave one feeling kind of unsettled and not fully engaged like you could be.
However as I was looking into reviews to see what other reviewers were thinking I noticed a disturbing trend of someone consistently harassing anyone who left a review that was less than 3* and did not praise the book. This was then stated to be someone on the author's professional team. I can not, in good conscience, continue to support a book whose author has a team who harasses reviewers who has opinions they disagree with. The point of the review system on Goodreads is to state their opinion and foster discussion among fellow readers. This refusal to understand what GoodReads is about ultimately is why I am refusing to continue what was a lackluster book. I don't normally DNF books, but at this point I can tell I am not a fan of the prose and I am most likely going to get an insulting comment anyway, so I might as well get this over with early.
Thank you to NetGalley and Histria Romance for the Arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I got about 25% of the way and ultimately this is not a book for me, among other issues. I could see on commercial sites, even though it is not listed on GoodReads, that there is a translator so that could potentially be an issue. The concept is interesting as I find the idea of reincarnation when it comes to romance fascinating and open to exploration, but the writing is where it falls flat for me. Unfortunately with the romance especially.
There are parallels between Adam and Caligula, but in both instances even though Sophia/Drusilla state that she loves them there is a lack of showing, only telling. It feels shallow. A lot of the writing feels shallow when it comes to the characters, for instance each character does not have their own distinct voice where if you got a piece of dialogue out of context you would not know who it was. They all just kind of feel the same aside for their circumstances except for small differences. Sophia loves to write and wants to be loved. Men are always yelling at her or angry around her. Her sisters are brats.
The rest feels like a first draft that once handed to an editor and given more polish could have become more cohesive. There are times in a conversation where in one sentence Drusilla goes from speaking softly, to weeping, to sighing, back to crying, each in one sentence. The lack of consistency in emotion in the characters is a symptom of the scattered emotions with in the writing that leave one feeling kind of unsettled and not fully engaged like you could be.
However as I was looking into reviews to see what other reviewers were thinking I noticed a disturbing trend of someone consistently harassing anyone who left a review that was less than 3* and did not praise the book. This was then stated to be someone on the author's professional team. I can not, in good conscience, continue to support a book whose author has a team who harasses reviewers who has opinions they disagree with. The point of the review system on Goodreads is to state their opinion and foster discussion among fellow readers. This refusal to understand what GoodReads is about ultimately is why I am refusing to continue what was a lackluster book. I don't normally DNF books, but at this point I can tell I am not a fan of the prose and I am most likely going to get an insulting comment anyway, so I might as well get this over with early.
Thank you to NetGalley and Histria Romance for the Arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 22, 2026
The writing is so bad wow. It reads like the draft before a first draft. I could not get Into this at all.
January 28, 2026
I have to admit, when I first saw the cover and read the synopsis, I was expecting a completely different book. The title and the cover suggest a historical romance set in the Roman Empire, and seeing both names highlighted led me to believe Cassius would play a major role in the narrative. Surprisingly, that’s not really the case. Cassius doesn’t feel as central to the story as the title implies, which left me somewhat confused about the decision to feature his name so prominently.
The beginning of the book was genuinely intriguing. It set the tone beautifully and immediately drew me in, making me excited to continue. As the story progressed, however, the reading experience became more challenging. Some scenes and conversations felt unnecessary, and at times the narrative wandered quite a bit, to the point where it lost focus and momentum.
I do appreciate the author’s attention to historical detail. The use of names, places, phrases, and references clearly reflects research and care for the setting. That said, the density of these references was sometimes overwhelming, and instead of enriching the story, they occasionally made me feel lost as a reader.
There is also an aspect of the book that made me feel uneasy. I understand that the story is set in the Roman Empire, and that many of the practices portrayed were considered normal at the time. However, Sophia’s romantic relationship with her brother, as well as the fact that she is very young when she marries a grown man (Cassius), was difficult for me to read. Even when framed within a historical context, these elements didn’t fully work for me as a modern reader. I personally feel this part of the story could have been handled differently, acknowledging historical accuracy while still being mindful of contemporary sensitivities.
Overall, Sophia and Cassius has a strong and intriguing foundation, particularly in its opening, but I do feel the rest of the book would have benefited from additional polishing. With a tighter focus and more refinement, the story has the potential to shine much more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Histria Books for the ARC.
The beginning of the book was genuinely intriguing. It set the tone beautifully and immediately drew me in, making me excited to continue. As the story progressed, however, the reading experience became more challenging. Some scenes and conversations felt unnecessary, and at times the narrative wandered quite a bit, to the point where it lost focus and momentum.
I do appreciate the author’s attention to historical detail. The use of names, places, phrases, and references clearly reflects research and care for the setting. That said, the density of these references was sometimes overwhelming, and instead of enriching the story, they occasionally made me feel lost as a reader.
There is also an aspect of the book that made me feel uneasy. I understand that the story is set in the Roman Empire, and that many of the practices portrayed were considered normal at the time. However, Sophia’s romantic relationship with her brother, as well as the fact that she is very young when she marries a grown man (Cassius), was difficult for me to read. Even when framed within a historical context, these elements didn’t fully work for me as a modern reader. I personally feel this part of the story could have been handled differently, acknowledging historical accuracy while still being mindful of contemporary sensitivities.
Overall, Sophia and Cassius has a strong and intriguing foundation, particularly in its opening, but I do feel the rest of the book would have benefited from additional polishing. With a tighter focus and more refinement, the story has the potential to shine much more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Histria Books for the ARC.
January 15, 2026
Sophia and Cassius is a romantic fantasy focusing on the first woman Sophia (Lilith) and her longing for love as well as her passion for writing. She eventually finds love with a warrior named Cassius, and the story moves on with the fall of empires across multiple millennia.
The story opens up explaining how Sophia was cast out of Eden and misrepresented by humans. Some liberties are taken here, so if changes to biblical characters is something that bothers you, that may be something to consider going into this.
I found the prose to be extremely juvenile. We are told everything and shown nothing in this story. It’s very clearly, “I did this. I said this. He said this back. I thought this.” The prose is so jarring and took me out of the story. There are no sweeping descriptions, no flowery language, no intricate scenes, no internal monologuing. It is so straightforward. This reads like a first draft trying to get all the information onto the page and truly lacks any depth to the characters, the world, or the plot. The writing also feels like it came from a place that did not understand the moral teachings within the bible, and has nothing to say about the stories or cautionary tales within its work.
Instead, this feels like Lilith fan fiction, trying to give her character more depth, represent her as someone misunderstood, and change the trajectory of her story and role within the bible. This could have been done fine if the prose was handled better, and we had more understanding into why Lilith was chosen to be the misunderstood villain of this book. Instead, it felt like she was just used as a vessel in a love story, and her original lore wasn’t put into any consideration.
Thank you NetGalley, Histria Books, and the author for the ARC!
The story opens up explaining how Sophia was cast out of Eden and misrepresented by humans. Some liberties are taken here, so if changes to biblical characters is something that bothers you, that may be something to consider going into this.
I found the prose to be extremely juvenile. We are told everything and shown nothing in this story. It’s very clearly, “I did this. I said this. He said this back. I thought this.” The prose is so jarring and took me out of the story. There are no sweeping descriptions, no flowery language, no intricate scenes, no internal monologuing. It is so straightforward. This reads like a first draft trying to get all the information onto the page and truly lacks any depth to the characters, the world, or the plot. The writing also feels like it came from a place that did not understand the moral teachings within the bible, and has nothing to say about the stories or cautionary tales within its work.
Instead, this feels like Lilith fan fiction, trying to give her character more depth, represent her as someone misunderstood, and change the trajectory of her story and role within the bible. This could have been done fine if the prose was handled better, and we had more understanding into why Lilith was chosen to be the misunderstood villain of this book. Instead, it felt like she was just used as a vessel in a love story, and her original lore wasn’t put into any consideration.
Thank you NetGalley, Histria Books, and the author for the ARC!
January 23, 2026
I really wanted to enjoy this, the Roman history mixed with romance, all of it together should have been a perfect match for me. But oh boy, was I wrong. There was so much confusion, and if you aren’t intimately familiar with names of Roman history, you’ll be lost. I know stories about Caligula and his family, how he came to be emperor or Rome and the conspiracies about his relationship with his sisters. But even knowing all of that, I felt lost a majority of the time and couldn’t finish it. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it, and I DNFed the book.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2026
Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!
3/5 stars
The premise of the book was amazing, and I really enjoyed the characters and the world, but the story for me fell flat, and I found myself unfortunately struggling to connect a bit. I think I am going to reread it and try again, because I really want to connect with the story, because everything else about the book is near perfect!
3/5 stars
The premise of the book was amazing, and I really enjoyed the characters and the world, but the story for me fell flat, and I found myself unfortunately struggling to connect a bit. I think I am going to reread it and try again, because I really want to connect with the story, because everything else about the book is near perfect!
December 21, 2025
Only a few pages in and highly disliked it. I get that it’s fictional, but you don’t touch the word of God even if you claim fiction.
This is gonna be a DNF because I can’t fathom reading any further
This is gonna be a DNF because I can’t fathom reading any further
January 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars
An ambitious, thoughtful story with rich themes of fate and reincarnation. The premise was interesting, but the pacing was slow and I never fully connected emotionally. Solid, but forgettable for me.
Thank you Netgalley and Histria books for this ARC
An ambitious, thoughtful story with rich themes of fate and reincarnation. The premise was interesting, but the pacing was slow and I never fully connected emotionally. Solid, but forgettable for me.
Thank you Netgalley and Histria books for this ARC
January 12, 2026
I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded great, and the prologue was excellent. I got 25% in, and that was a haul. I found the story disjointed and rambling. see that other readers really enjoyed it. Sadly, it's not for me.
January 8, 2026
premise is good and plotting is good throughout. at points its hard to connect to this one, but it works. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.
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