The Immigrant Queen

by Peter Taylor-Gooby

"Hated as a foreigner, despised as a woman, I became First Lady of Athens"

Aspasia falls passionately in love with Pericles, the leading statesman of Fifth Century Athens. Artists, writers and thinkers frequent her salon. She hides her past as a sex-worker, trafficked to the city, and becomes Pericles’ lover. Her writings attract the attention of Socrates, and she becomes the only woman to join his circle. She is known throughout the city for her beauty and wit and strives to become recognised as an intellectual alongside men.

Pericles’ enemies attack him through Aspasia and charge her with blasphemy. As a foreigner she faces execution, but her impassioned address to the jury shames the city and saves her. Pericles is spellbound, they marry, and she becomes First Lady of Athens.

Sparta besieges the city; plague breaks out and she must write teh speech that will save Pericles' political career.

The Immigrant Queen tells the true story of how Aspasia rose to become the First Lady of Athens and triumphed against all the odds.

Genres: Historical Fiction

310 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2024

About the author

In my day job I'm an academic but I believe that you can only truly understand the issues that matter through your feelings, your imagination and your compassion. That's why I write novels.
My latest “The Immigrant Queen” is about Aspasia, the only woman member of Socrates’ circle, passionate lover of Pericles and author of his speeches, the model for Athene on the Parthenon and the most striking woman in Athens. Then history forgot her.
My earlier novels are "The Baby Auction" and “A Kinder City”, love stories set in a fantasy world where the only rule is the law of the market; "Ardent Justice", a cop fighting for the rights of homeless people in a city dominated by high finance; and "Blood Ties", a father who must struggle against people-traffickers and corrupt politicians to save his bi-polar daughter..
I’ve worked on adventure playgrounds, in a social security office and as a teacher. I love walking, cycling, writing and talking to my children.

Reviews

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it but I guess I am more of a medieval times type reader. It was a good blend of facts and historical fiction and the story did flow well. Would recommend for those that enjoy this time period. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[J. Else · Rating 4 out of 5]

Athens, 5th Century BCE. Limander serves as a bard for Lady Aspasia, a woman of education who engages in rhetorical debates with the likes of Socrates and is in love with a politician named Pericles. At one of Aspasia’s parties, Limander meets a young man of high standing and falls in love. But the young noble named Alcis thinks Limander is a visitor to the city, not a slave. Meanwhile, tensions in the city rise to a boiling point. When Aspasia is accused of blasphemy, she must face a jury of men who seem intent on her execution.

I expected Aspasia to be a main part of the narration. However, it’s told entirely through Limander’s perspective, which I enjoyed, as well as his enduring love story. However, because of this choice, Aspasia doesn’t feel fully developed. Is it plausible for a wealthy owner to find occasion to share personal feelings and struggles with their slave? For me, a more accurate plot summary would help temper reader expectations: Limander is not even mentioned in the book blurbs I’ve come across. This novel tells the story of Aspasia from, although sympathetic, a male point of view. In this sense, regretfully, the book disappoints.

The formatting is atypical, particularly with dialogue. Often, the dialogue tags are either left out or in a separate paragraph. While a bit confusing on who’s speaking, the book is otherwise well-written and intriguing. Through Limander’s eyes, readers get a glimpse of the dark back alleys of Athens, the living conditions for slaves and their treatment, the work to keep a wealthy household running, and some Assembly meetings. The worldly details and the mindsets of characters are well-crafted and were elements I delighted in. Review originally posted via the Historical Novels Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely pass by an opportunity to read a female-centred retelling or historical fiction, so when I heard about The Immigrant Queen featuring Aspasia, I knew I had to read it.

Athens clearly comes across as a city of contradictions: it is widely regarded as "the cradle of democracy" thanks to the fact that citizens could vote on public matters in the Assembly, yet "citizens" were a very limited category made up exclusively of free men - a minority of the city's inhabitants. Women and foreigners had virtually no rights, and slavery was widely accepted.

"Of course. I understand the rules for women in Athens: always keep your eyes cast down, as if ashamed", her voice strengthened as she spoke, "always you must walk behind, as if you needed guidance; always be veiled, as if you carried the plague; never have an opinion, as if you were a child."

In this context, Aspasia is a truly fascinating figure: a foreigner with a past as a sex-worker who became the only woman in Socrates's circle, debating with the wisest men of the time and composing dialogues much like Plato's (which were sadly lost). She also became the lover-then-wife of Pericles, the city's most formidable statesman at the time, frequently counselling him on political strategy. She was ambitious, highly intelligent and capable - and mostly erased from history.

"The goddess offered Achilles the choice: a short life but glorious, remembered in song and story, or to plough the fields in a forgotten kingdom and grow old by the fire. He chose glory. Why should a woman not choose glory too? Not to be remembered for the man who chose her and the children she bore but for the deeds she did."

I appreciated the fact that Aspasia's story was told through the eyes of her slave, Limander, who is an educated bard taken captive when the Athenian army attacked his hometown. Limander is a keen observer with access to rooms others wouldn't normally be allowed in, who reports back on the conversations that are had behind closed doors. He is favoured by his mistress, yet he is keenly aware of the living conditions of his fellow slaves and the inhumanity of it all, highlighting the contrast between the way Athenians think of themselves and how they behave towards all those groups they consider to be inferior. The relationships he builds with the other slaves in Aspasia's household are deep and meaningful, their solidarity built out of necessity and the desire to keep hold of their humanity.

In Limander's outings in the city on errands for Aspasia or secretly meeting his noble-born lover, we readers are offered a snapshot of what life in Athens must have looked like, amid great cultural ferment in theatres, politics and philosophy, and devastating social inequalities and iniquities. It is clear the author did an amazing amount of research to fully recreate the atmosphere and make ancient Athens come alive (despite a couple of anachronisms in dialogue, which I hope will be fixed in the final version of the text - such as a character saying "OK"), and it really shines through.

What I was perhaps less taken with was the character of Aspasia herself. As the story is told from Limander's POV, we are never privy to her innermost thoughts and feelings, only to what she chooses to share with those around her. Despite some powerful quotes on the role of women in society, Aspasia is still predominantly portrayed in connection with Pericles and her relationship with him. For instance, there is only one scene by my count in which she converses with Socrates by herself, sharing with him passages of the dialogue she is writing on outlanders and citizens. This honestly disappointed me and felt like a missed opportunity to tell a woman's story without having her portrayed only in relation to the famous man in her life. I did appreciate the scenes in which Pericles counsels with Aspasia on his political strategy, and that was precisely what I would have liked to see more of.

"They remember so many great men - Aegeus, Theseus, Solon, Draco, Cleisthenes, Themistocles, Aeschylus, Miltiades and all the others. Why should they not one day remember a woman?"

Overall though this was an engaging read, and I was interested in seeing the parallelisms that could be drawn between populist rhetoric in the past and nowadays - perhaps with a bit of sadness that not much seems to have changed at all.

I received an e-arc of this book as part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

For more reviews, visit Book for Thought.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a huge historical fiction reader, but over the last few years, I've become fascinated by more and more of these retellings and this book was no exception.

I'd obviously come across Socrates and Pericles in other novels, but only in passing and so to read a book solely centered around this era was totally new and refreshing.

As always with this genre, it does take me a little while to really get stuck into - and I don't think that's necessarily the book or writing that's at fault, it's just the nature of my preferences with reading - because after only a few chapters, I was completely immersed within this world.

The writing was beautifully descriptive and it was easy to really visualise the scenes as well as create a clear image in my head of the people, places, sights and sounds.

The storyline flowed well with the historical facts cleverly woven into the narrative and this helped us to easily connect to the characters and really become immersed in their lives.

This was the first time I'd read from this particular era and was really intrigued by some of the themes involved here which again have strong relevance to the world that we live in now.

A really enjoyable and immersive read and one that has spurred me on to read more from this author and genre.

[Helen Haythornthwaite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love historical fiction so this book was right up my street! It follows the story of Aspasia who is known as the First Lady of Athens after becoming romantically involved with Pericles who was the leader in Athens from about 461BC.

The story is told from a fictional character’s point of view - that of Limander who is a slave and Aspasia’s bard. All levels of society were included but that of the slaves and nobles took centre stage.

I really enjoyed this trip back in time to how the different levels of society lived their lives, how they fought their wars, how decisions were made in the running of the country and how the slaves we’re treated.

Add to that, discussions in which Socrates plays a part, the plight of Mytilene amidst finding love in Ancient Greece and you have one incredible story! A book I would definitely recommend if you like historical fiction or would like to find out what life used to be like.

Peter has done a fabulous job of giving us an insight into Aspasia’s life after his extensive research into this time in history!

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've been bitten by the need for a good historical fiction novel, so I jumped at the chance to read The Immigrant Queen.

Taylor-Gooby takes us on a rich tapestry of life journey lived by the First Lady of Athens, Aspasia. Her story is narrated by her slave and bard Limander.

We're taken on a fascinating trip back in time to Athens in the 5th century BC and with the author's rich descriptions, I could see the story unfold in its full glory as it emerged from amidst the pages.

Captivating, compelling and powerful.

[EmmsBookShelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Immigrant Queen is a novel centred on Aspasia, partner of Athenian statesman Pericles.

Overall, this book was well written and I enjoyed how it was clearly well researched. It worked to authentically integrate different personalities from the ancient world who existed and played an active part in the Greek world at the time. I liked the references to ancient literature too.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite what I expected in regards to its narration. From the blurb, I was expecting the book to be from the perspective of Aspasia herself, however it is told from the perspective of one of her slaves Limander. It made Aspasia an unreachable character to me. I’m not sure if it is because of this, that I found it hard to connect with Limander. I found that while he shrewdly observed those around him in detail, his own feelings and inner thoughts were often absent.

Overall, I’d rate this book at 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 here). I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are all my own.

[Judi Moore]

The ‘immigrant queen’ of Peter Gooby-Taylor’s most recent book of historical fiction is Aspasia, lover of Pericles of Athens. Not a lot is known about Aspasia – although she is one of the few women living in Athens at this time (about 450 BCE) that we know anything about at all. Democracy in classical Athens was only for male citizens of the city.
So Aspasia is fruitful ground for the writer of historical fiction. And Taylor-Gooby has given his imagination its head. Even through the many centuries which separate her from us, it is pretty clear Aspasia hated being told what to do. She was the female member of Socrates’ salon, which for a time met at her place. She went out about town when most women stayed home. And there are suggestions in the scant information that is known about her that she made her way as a hetaira when she first came to Athens. She was not a local and not a man: a difficult row to hoe if you were a bright, educated and ambitious woman.
The story is told through the eyes of Limander, a bard from Mytilene, captured as a slave by Pericles during his brutal crushing of an uprising by that city-state. This was a recurring theme of Athenian history over many years. Greece did not yet exist. What we think of as Greece was a collection of city-states, sometimes allied, sometimes warring. Athens was the most powerful and the most organised (except, perhaps, for Sparta). Athens had territorial ambitions, which she realised upon any excuse. As a result, Athens was crammed with slaves. Despite the Athenians pride in their ‘democracy’, outlanders were mistrusted, and slaves usually treated as little better than animals. The author shows us this society very clearly.
What a dichotomy the Athenians lived with! Classical Greece had this huge slave population, but it also had salons where professional philosophers, writers, artists, playwrights and historians competed for fame and patronage. One wonders how there were enough citizens to support all this! But it has gone down in history as a golden era, and here it is on the page in a manner that the modern reader can easily assimilate (unlike the primary sources Gooby-Taylor has used, which can be heavy going: I know I’ve tried a couple.)
The author cleverly entwines what is known of Aspasia, the rebuilding of the Parthenon on the Acropolis, the politics of the Assembly, the later career of Pericles and how life was for the various classes of residents in these important years in the life of one of the most exciting cities in the world. For this he has drawn on Thucydides, Herodotus, Plutarch, Aristophanes, Plato, Xenophon and Aeschines, as well as giving Limander free translations of poems from the Iliad and the Homeric Hymns to sing. At the end of the book is a list of pertinent dates, which is helpful.
The result is a very engaging and readable tale of the final over-reach of Pericles (now past his prime) when he persuades the Assembly to send Athens’ troops to attack yet another city-state, Megara, and Sparta (uh-oh!) mobilises in Megara’s support.
When the author approached me for this review of his book (published in November 2024) I was, coincidentally, reading about Athens, and classical Greece. Then intruded onto my consciousness another, 2022 published, novel which deals with the same protagonists but ascribes to them quite different characters, and brings them together in quite a different way. The same sources have obviously informed both books – and to see the different spin each author puts on the few facts available is fascinating in itself. 'The Immigrant Queen' is the shorter of the two books, and unless you are a completist (which would *not* be a waste of your time) this is the one to go for.
Amused by the synchronicity that has attached itself to my reading of this book, I also had a look at Shakespeare’s Pericles, which deals only with the man’s early life. And just to show you that synchronicity can strike anywhere, this week ‘Pericles’ was the answer to a question on University Challenge. I got it right [preens].
The author is a British Professor of Social Policy, concentrating on risk, uncertainty, inequality and social justice – the very sorts of issues which he also investigates in his fiction, as with this latest book.
Truth, we are being told all the time these days, is over-rated. But what a glorious imagining this is, of the great and good, and not so good; the gods and goddesses, and statues made to honour them; and the fatal flaws that afflict powerful people, no matter what age they live in.
If you enjoy books set in the ancient world by authors like Madeline Miller, Jennifer Saint, Mary Renault and Robert Graves, I think you will enjoy this book.

[Linnea Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Immigrant Queen by Peter Taylor-Gooby provides a glimpse into one of the foremost Greek women, Aspasia, mentioned by historians and philosophers in fifth-century Athens. Born in Melitus, she moved to Athens and became a courtesan, then the wife of Pericles, a foremost general and statesman in the era. The story is told from the first-person perspective of an educated bard, Limander, who was recently captured during a Greek assault on his city and sold as a slave to Aspasia.

Limander slowly wins the trust of his mistress, Aspasia, who has him sing epic poems at functions attended by Greek philosophers and politicians. He soon learns that the newly formed democracy only applies to a minority of Athenian male citizens whereas the rights of outsiders (immigrants), women, and slaves are relegated to inferior roles in a caste system. He witnesses the growing attraction between Aspasia and Pericles and her influence on the statesman to treat her as an equal in a society where women have few legal rights. She converses with philosophers such as Socrates. At one of the functions held by Aspasia, Limander meets and falls in love with a nobleman from a disgraced family. Both he and Aspasia face challenges and possibly deadly consequences as a result of their forbidden relationships with people of higher status.

Author Taylor-Gooby has masterfully written a story that resonates with powerful themes that are relevant today. The story centers around Limander, a slave whom Greeks view as not having a soul. He is an engaging witness to the exploits of Aspasia and the social injustices in a newly formed democracy. He tramps through the various areas of the city from the extravagant dwellings of the aristocrats, into the crammed makeshift dwellings of outsiders, and to a hidden cavern where Ananke, the goddess of necessity, is worshipped.

One of the most poignant scenes is when Limander saves Pericles from drowning after a shipwreck. Pericles asks why a slave would save him, a general who had destroyed his city. Limander answers, “Because I am also a man, my Lord. Prometheus brought the fire from heaven for both of us…I would have done it for anyone, a general or another slave.” In essence, men and women of all classes share a common humanity and deserve to be treated with dignity.

I highly recommend The Immigrant Queen to anyone interested in ancient historical fiction with powerful themes of political corruption, social inequity, and redemption that are relevant to modern times. The characters from all levels of the caste system in the story are well-developed and engaging, their stories weaving together to show how humanity binds us together despite our social class.

[cosylittlereadingcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel brings alive the story of Aspasia, the consort of the great Ancient Greek politician, Pericles. The fact that Aspasia’s name lives on today is really quite against all odds, because she lived in a time, when even the most noble women had little influence and were not allowed any public status. And Aspasia wasn’t even a noble woman: she was a foreigner in Athens, a high class courtesan who fell in love with Pericles. Her position as a lover should have meant that her name died with her but she was so much more than a lover: she was extremely intelligent, an esteemed rhetoric and had an inner strength that meant her name is firmly written in the scrolls of history. Not only did she help write some of Pericles’ speeches, she herself also regularly conversed with Socrates; the only woman to join his circle.

In the book, she compares her life to that of Achilles: “Why should a woman not choose glory too? Not to be remembered for the man who chose her and the children she bore but for the deeds she did.” She wanted to change Athens and the way women and outlanders (foreigners living in Athens) were treated and she was not afraid to fight the battles this involved. She was regularly subject to attacks given her background but she stood her ground and believed in herself.

Her story is told through the eyes of her imagined bard, Limander, in the book. Through Limander, not only do we get to glimpse into Aspasia’s life but also that of outlanders and slaves and we get a true feel for what life was like in Athens in those last few years of its Golden Era.

As with any period, it is impossible to include everything in a novel but as soon as I finished this book, I wanted more and to me that is a sign of a good book - wanting to learn more of that era, that person, that country, whatever it may be. I love the knowledge, which is imparted in books and the thirst for more they can give!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is historical fiction based on the life of Aspasia, who becomes the lover of the statesman Pericles. It is told from the perspective of Limander, a bard who was captured in a Greek attack and made a slave. I thought it did a good job of representing Athens in the 5th century BC. This was the time of Protagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, and Plato. It was the time of the great sculptor and architect Pheidias.

As I mentioned, it is told from the point of view of a slave. Limander is sexually interested in a young man - a cousin of Pericles. Because Limander is a slave and Alcis is from a high-ranking family, the novel indicates that a relationship between them would be improper. I don’t know if this is actually the case, since it was accepted that the Greeks could have sexual relationships with their male slaves. Limander and Alcis seem to be inventions for the purpose of the story. I never got the impression that the two of them were in love, just in lust.

With regard to Aspasia, very little is known about her. The author has developed a realistic story to include what is known about her, although a few details are omitted. Of course, due to lack of knowledge of her, much is added to the story. We don’t really know if she was a sex-worker, since the mentions of her are by men and references to her as one could have been attempts after-the-fact to denigrate her. She was very well educated and interacted with famous philosophers of her day. She was the concubine of Pericles.

I liked the all the history that was included in the story: rule in Athens, the treatment of women and slaves, descriptions of life in the city, preparing for war, plague, etc. I appreciated the historical background and timeline given at the end. I received a copy of this book for free via LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

[Keith Currie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel about Aspasia, the foreign born lover of Pericles, the most powerful man in the Athenian democracy. She bore him a son, entertained the wisest men of Athens in her house, including the philosopher Socrates, was probably a high class courtesan; she scandalised conservative Athenian society by kissing the married Pericles on the mouth when he left her house, was put on trial for immorality, and was acquitted only when Pericles broke down in tears as he defended her in court.

Great material here for an amazing novel. But that's not what we get. The author turns the story of Aspasia and her household into a parallel for modern racist and anti-immigrant attitudes. Aspasia is given credit for Pericles' best ideas and Socrates' most original philosophy, but is limited by the narrow parochialism and prejudice of the Athenian masses. Pericles himself is a malleable wimp, as prejudiced as the next bigot, but open to his lover's seductive wiles. (As it happens, no modern novelist appears able to draw a convincing Pericles. They are all terrible. And he is one of the most important leaders in the development of democracy anywhere and at any period.)

The author also commits a crime which finally made me lose patience in this book. While broadly speaking his book is factually accurate, he conflates the events of fifty years into about four or five. He admits in his essay at the end that this is done deliberately, but I can see no necessity for this happening, and it leads the reader on a most misleading trail.

The historical Aspasia is a most interesting if shadowy figure; this Aspasia, no.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part historical fact and part historical fiction this book revolves around the lives of Aspasia and her lover and eventual husband, Pericles of Athens in the 5th Century BC. Told from the perspective of Aspasia’s slave, a well educated bard, Limander who she comes to trust and who can move freely around the city. Clearly well researched this is a compelling and fascinating tale in ancient history.

Briefly, Aspasia is not from Athens, she was trafficked and became a courtesan but as an educated woman Aspasia loves to write. After meeting and falling in love with statesman Pericles her salons become renowned attracting the leading thinkers and artists of the day including Socrates and she becomes the only woman in his circle. After her marriage she is instrumental in her husband’s rapid rise and Pericles attains the position of commander of the Athenian army and, as war beckons, responsibility for the defence of Athens against Sparta. However, when plague descends on the city, the lives and hopes of both start to crumble!

This is an evocative story of early Athens and how, although now seen as the birthplace of democracy, it was in fact anything but that. Political corruption was rife and social equity was pretty much non existent. Aspasia is portrayed as a strong woman, a feminist who fought for women’s rights, but also a women who loved her husband and did everything she could to further his career. A captivating and very powerful story.

[Lee Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to shy away from historical fiction, but in recent years, I've become captivated by the genre's ability to breathe new life into the past. Like many others I've discovered, this book has further fueled my fascination with these compelling retellings.

I had encountered Socrates and Pericles in other novels, but only briefly, so reading a book entirely focused on this era was completely new and refreshing.

As with many in this genre, it takes me some time to become fully engaged. I don't attribute this to any fault in the book or the writing itself; rather, it is a reflection of my personal reading. However, after just a few chapters, I found myself completely immersed in the created by the author.

The writing was beautifully descriptive and evocative.

The storyline flowed seamlessly, and the historical facts skillfully woven the narrative. This allowed us to easily connect with the characters and become deeply immersed in their lives.

This was the first time I'd read from this particular era, and I was really intrigued by some of the themes involved, which again have strong relevance to the world that we live in now.

It was a really enjoyable and immersive read, and it has spurred me on to read more by this author and genre.

[Sarah Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been enjoying historical fiction a lot recently and this fit the bill nicely, although it went a bit further back in history than the others. The Immigrant Queen is a wonderful story of classical Greece, complete with bards, lavish feasts (that made me stop a few times and grab what I had on hand to replicate the meal like hummus and olives), complex social structures, and recognizable stories and figures such as references to the Odyssey, Sappho, Pericles, and Sophocles. Told from the perspective of a bard, the language was beautiful but understandable and I was drawn into the world from the first page. It was refreshing to focus on a powerful woman who, despite the limitations placed upon her by both her gender and status as an outsider in class-focused Athens, made a huge impact with her wit and understanding the world around her.
The end of the book also included a factual background with more information about Aspasia and a timeline of events relevant to the story, which helps contextualize the story and gives me a good starting point for any rabbit holes I might (definitely) want to follow.

[Gwynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captured by Athenians and sold into slavery, the Bard Limander is bought by the enigmatic Lady Aspasia. The Lady is unlike the other noble ladies of Athens, a self-made woman and outlander. She fights against the expectations of submission and obedience that society thrusts upon her to earn a place beside her love, Pericles. Together she hopes that they can rule the city and bring a better life to women and outlanders alike. However, Athens resists change and deals harshly with those that dare to fight for it.

This was an incredible book start to finish. Once I started reading I just couldn't stop. Limander gives a sympathetic, but nuanced idea of his mistress as a woman who is both bold and weary of the harm that may come to her and her people. I found myself loving her and wishing that there would be happy end for all the characters despite knowing the history. The story is well written. The language is well chosen and has a lyrical style that fits the classical era the story takes place in. Be warned though, like many of the classics there is a lot of tragedy to be found in the story, but a lot of hope as well. I loved it.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading books that take people who have been mostly erased from history and give their stories new life, and Taylor-Gooby did an excellent job of bringing ancient Athens and it’s inhabitants, especially Aspasia to life. The story is told through the eyes of Limander, a bard turned slave. I loved getting immersed in the daily life and less common parts of life back then, and I was quickly heavily invested in Aspasia’s story. I admit, I’d never heard much about Aspasia before this book, although it was easy to recognize the names of some of the men surrounding her (Socrates, Pericles). Everything truly does come to life around you, immersing you in a beautiful blend of history and fiction. It’s clear a lot of research went into this book, and fans of realistic historical fiction are sure to love this!

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite type of historical novels are ones that I can completely immerse myself in the time period. This allows me to learn and increase my perspective. The Immigrant Queen does just that. It’s a wonderful trip back to the Golden Age of Ancient Greece. Your protagonist “guide” for this time travel is a slave/musician who belongs to Aspasia. Aspasia is a rare woman in Ancient Greece, with influence and vision. She joins herself with Pericles, the leading statesman of Athens, to try and bring about her vision. Along the way, you will be amazed at how many of the issues this historical exemplar of democracy, Athens, must engage with, and how similar they are to present-day issues.
This fine work will entertain and educate. I recommend it strongly!

[Dove Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of ancient history, historical fiction, and mythology, this book was right up my alley and I give it a solid 5 stars.

The plot, writing, character development, and themes in this book were done very well with an excellent story told that I devoured. The tales of humanity threaded through politics, social inequality, and gender. I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy historical fiction, political intrigue, redemption themes, and social and class system defiance.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Ashley Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley & Troubador Publishing for providing a digital copy to review*

I love learning about women in the ancient world and didn’t know much about Aspasia. While this is historical fiction reading this book felt like I was back at uni.

I studied Ancient History and read A LOT of books on the subject and this book felt like a secondary source. Especially as Aspasia’s story is told through this fictional slave which kind of works as there is very little about her and most of it is just gossip and negative propaganda. One of the things I learned at uni is that the ancient writers didn’t much care for facts, their goal was to tell a story.

Because of this, I found reading this a bit dull, and the story felt like it dragged on for ages. Having it told from the perspective of a slave is interesting, especially as we don’t know much if not any of their lived experiences and it is linked with Aspasia’s story as she is not originally from Athens so she is seen as ‘other’.

Despite this, the book manages to convey just how complex and interesting Aspasia’s life is and I definitely want to do more research into her.

[Alfred Nobile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good historical fiction novel. Based largely on fact with a dollop of superior quality fiction thrown in. I think lovers of ancient Greek historical fiction will enjoy this.