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I, Julius Caesar: A Graphic History of an Extraordinary Destiny
Not yet published
Expected 11 Aug 26By a prize-winning journalist, a bold and immersive first-person retelling—in brilliantly compelling graphic history—of Roman ruler Julius Caesar’s epic, eventful life
Few people who have ever lived have made a bigger mark on history. And few have lived such an adventurous life. That destiny—of a sickly orphan boy who would climb to the top of the Roman Empire—belongs to Julius Caesar. And he himself relates it here, from cradle to grave.
Thanks to extraordinarily intensive research that made it possible to re-create every stage of Caesar’s life, this graphic history reads like an autobiography. In it, Julius Caesar shares, in his own words, his humiliations and his victories, his boldest moves and his moments of madness. How could he have defeated all his enemies and been assassinated by his friends? Although he was intransigent both on the battlefield and in the political arena, we see how he was capable of unexpected leniency and could be a bashful lover. Here is the flesh-and-blood human being, as told by the Julius behind the Caesar, the man behind the myth.
Prize-winning journalist and author Alfred de Montesquiou interviewed some of the world’s most eminent Julius Caesar specialists. Those 32 historians, many of whom specialize in a different period in Caesar’s life, made it possible for de Montesquiou to pull off a stupendous feat—to write this graphic history based exclusively on documented facts.
256 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 11, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book Review: I, Julius Caesar by Alfred de Montesquiou, illustrated by Névil
Apparently what the story of Julius Caesar has been missing all this time is the chance for him to narrate his own life in graphic novel form, and surprisingly, it works rather well. Presenting Caesar’s rise and fall as a first-person graphic autobiography is an appealing concept, especially for anyone who might find traditional historical prose intimidating or distant. I should note that my own familiarity with Caesar’s story previously extended little beyond William Shakespeare’s dramatized version and what a public school education typically covers, so I approached this as someone encountering the broader historical narrative more fully for the first time. The format makes major events of the late Roman Republic accessible and immediate, and it’s easy to see how this approach could invite people of many ages into historical subjects they might otherwise avoid. The artwork style feels particularly well suited to young adult and adult audiences, balancing clarity with enough sophistication to support the gravity of the subject.
What stands out most is the book’s commitment to portraying Caesar not only as a sequence of campaigns and political milestones, but as a person shaped by alliances, ambition, and self-presentation. Framing the narrative as Caesar’s own voice naturally emphasizes relationships and turning points, particularly his ties to Pompey and Crassus. This autobiographical angle underscores how reputation, loyalty, and rivalry defined Roman public life, which feels especially appropriate for a story about power and legacy.
At the same time, the autobiographical framing also raises expectations. When a historical work adopts a first-person perspective, one may hope to encounter the full texture of a life: uncertainty, private motivations, social context, and the contingencies behind success. Because of the graphic format’s necessary compression, some of that breadth feels abbreviated. Complex political dynamics and lesser-known episodes sometimes appear only briefly or not at all, which can make Caesar’s ascent feel more linear and inevitable than it was historically.
Overall, I, Julius Caesar succeeds in what it most clearly sets out to do: make a foundational historical life vivid, approachable, and narratively coherent through a contemporary medium. The division into 11 parts makes the story digestible and engaging, and it works well as an introduction and as an example of how biography can evolve beyond conventional text. Those seeking exhaustive historical depth may want to supplement it with prose history, but as a gateway into Caesar’s world, it is thoughtful and compelling.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Apparently what the story of Julius Caesar has been missing all this time is the chance for him to narrate his own life in graphic novel form, and surprisingly, it works rather well. Presenting Caesar’s rise and fall as a first-person graphic autobiography is an appealing concept, especially for anyone who might find traditional historical prose intimidating or distant. I should note that my own familiarity with Caesar’s story previously extended little beyond William Shakespeare’s dramatized version and what a public school education typically covers, so I approached this as someone encountering the broader historical narrative more fully for the first time. The format makes major events of the late Roman Republic accessible and immediate, and it’s easy to see how this approach could invite people of many ages into historical subjects they might otherwise avoid. The artwork style feels particularly well suited to young adult and adult audiences, balancing clarity with enough sophistication to support the gravity of the subject.
What stands out most is the book’s commitment to portraying Caesar not only as a sequence of campaigns and political milestones, but as a person shaped by alliances, ambition, and self-presentation. Framing the narrative as Caesar’s own voice naturally emphasizes relationships and turning points, particularly his ties to Pompey and Crassus. This autobiographical angle underscores how reputation, loyalty, and rivalry defined Roman public life, which feels especially appropriate for a story about power and legacy.
At the same time, the autobiographical framing also raises expectations. When a historical work adopts a first-person perspective, one may hope to encounter the full texture of a life: uncertainty, private motivations, social context, and the contingencies behind success. Because of the graphic format’s necessary compression, some of that breadth feels abbreviated. Complex political dynamics and lesser-known episodes sometimes appear only briefly or not at all, which can make Caesar’s ascent feel more linear and inevitable than it was historically.
Overall, I, Julius Caesar succeeds in what it most clearly sets out to do: make a foundational historical life vivid, approachable, and narratively coherent through a contemporary medium. The division into 11 parts makes the story digestible and engaging, and it works well as an introduction and as an example of how biography can evolve beyond conventional text. Those seeking exhaustive historical depth may want to supplement it with prose history, but as a gateway into Caesar’s world, it is thoughtful and compelling.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So, an old Julius is hosting a dinner party so he can talk about his life. It’s a nice framing device, allowing Julius to be as flattering to himself as possible, to ignore anything he isn’t proud of, and it almost works. You can even see, IC, why he wouldn’t go into details about … almost everything, because these are people who know him, who already know the scandals, the politics, the highs and lows of his life, so they’re just listening to their host talk about how amazing he is.
But as a story, it also leads to — what’s more superficial than superficial? — the most boring recitation of a handful of facts with neither character nor depth. People don’t like him? Why? His politics are controversial? Why? This person wants to kill him? Why? Why, why, why? There will never be an answer, never anything in the novel to explain … anything. It turns Julius into a windbag and Rome into the blandest city in the world. All the politics are just people being mean to poor Julius.
I try not to talk about my personal taste of a novel’s art overly much when reviewing graphic novels because … everyone has a different taste. I try to be objective about color, flow, character design, backgrounds and if panels were easy to read, especially in action scenes. The color palette used here is a little monotonous, and many characters share very common design elements which makes it hard for any one of them to stand out. There’s even a scene where someone comments that a a young Julius is fragile and effeminate …which is at odds with the doughy frat boy in the pictures.
I’m sorry but the art was a bit muddled for me. Everyone looked like everyone else. The backgrounds were nice, though, with attention to detail in how houses were laid out, what clothes were worn, how they ate, danced, or handled battles. But the character design really didn’t work for me.
Overall, as someone who loves Roman history of this time (I, Claudius by the BBC, watch it!), this is a solid, solid pass. It’s bland and tasteless, and just not fun to read. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
But as a story, it also leads to — what’s more superficial than superficial? — the most boring recitation of a handful of facts with neither character nor depth. People don’t like him? Why? His politics are controversial? Why? This person wants to kill him? Why? Why, why, why? There will never be an answer, never anything in the novel to explain … anything. It turns Julius into a windbag and Rome into the blandest city in the world. All the politics are just people being mean to poor Julius.
I try not to talk about my personal taste of a novel’s art overly much when reviewing graphic novels because … everyone has a different taste. I try to be objective about color, flow, character design, backgrounds and if panels were easy to read, especially in action scenes. The color palette used here is a little monotonous, and many characters share very common design elements which makes it hard for any one of them to stand out. There’s even a scene where someone comments that a a young Julius is fragile and effeminate …which is at odds with the doughy frat boy in the pictures.
I’m sorry but the art was a bit muddled for me. Everyone looked like everyone else. The backgrounds were nice, though, with attention to detail in how houses were laid out, what clothes were worn, how they ate, danced, or handled battles. But the character design really didn’t work for me.
Overall, as someone who loves Roman history of this time (I, Claudius by the BBC, watch it!), this is a solid, solid pass. It’s bland and tasteless, and just not fun to read. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advance readers copy of I, Julius Caesar.
This book is a such a good and approachable way to learn about Julius Caesar's life. The graphic novel is narrated by Caesar, progressing from his youth until his death. This story has many moving parts and don't slow down, but the author does a great job bringing the reader along. I appreciated that the author stayed true to historic terms and gave footnotes to explain their meaning to the reader. My main criticism for the book is the author sometimes doesn't let the artwork speak for itself, and narrates over areas that have clear imagery, which I found to take away from the illustrations a bit.
This book is a such a good and approachable way to learn about Julius Caesar's life. The graphic novel is narrated by Caesar, progressing from his youth until his death. This story has many moving parts and don't slow down, but the author does a great job bringing the reader along. I appreciated that the author stayed true to historic terms and gave footnotes to explain their meaning to the reader. My main criticism for the book is the author sometimes doesn't let the artwork speak for itself, and narrates over areas that have clear imagery, which I found to take away from the illustrations a bit.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Beware the Ides of March! Since today is my birthday and I happened to have a Julius Caesar-themed birthday party this year, I thought there was no better day to read this than today! I wish that I had loved it, but it was missing something. This is a good overview of Julius Caesar’s life, but I wish there was at once more exposition AND more of the images speaking for themselves. (Does that make sense? I would like those things at different times, to be clear!) Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
August 6, 2025
Es evidente que toda la historia de César no cabría en un solo tomo y menos si es un comic. Sin embargo faltan algunos eventos importantes de la vida de César como el juicio contra Dolabela o la conspiración de Catilina. Pienso que falta contexto sobre la política romana y los “personajes secundarios” o las personas más allegadas de César aparecen y desaparecen de forma un tanto confusa. No obstante, es un buen resumen de la vida del dictator.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2026
très sympa mais dommage qu'ils n'aient pas mentionné la théorie selon laquelle César et Vercingétorix auraient eu une liaison et que le V était un agent double depuis le début (aucune idée si la théorie se tient mais deux profs différents dans deux licences différentes m'en ont parlé donc je me dis qu'il doit y avoir des sources quand même)
Review of advance copy
Es una buena novela gráfica sobre la vida de Julio César, muy bien documentada y sin caer en una visión mitificada. Todo es correcto en ella, aunque, por una parte, le falta un poco de personalidad y alma; y, por otro, intenta abarcar toda la vida de César, lo que le obliga a no profundizar demasiado en nada.
January 16, 2026
Que ganas tenía de leerlo.
Algunas partes un poco liosas por todos los enemigos que va teniendo y las batalla que libra pero en general se entiende perfectamente y te hace tener una buena idea de la vida de Julio César, que era el objetivo de la lectura de este libro.
Algunas partes un poco liosas por todos los enemigos que va teniendo y las batalla que libra pero en general se entiende perfectamente y te hace tener una buena idea de la vida de Julio César, que era el objetivo de la lectura de este libro.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Ha sido increíble de leer. Julio César, el más grande de la historia, le seguiría al fin del mundo. Gran obra este libro.
Review of advance copy
Obra bien documentada respecto a otras de la misma naturaleza. El ritmo en ocasiones es tan rápido que echas en falta algunos episodios clave. Muy buen dibujo.
February 26, 2026
Super ameno y bien documentado, da gusto leer así
June 13, 2025
The only critic I have is that it's not detailed enough, I would have loved more details on war plans and more maps. otherwise it's an excellent book. I recommend
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews