Book of The Month discussion

From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, as Casati reimagines the rise to power of the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis.

When kings fall, queens rise.

Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield. A female ruler, once an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire - certainly no one in Ancient Assyria would bend to her command willingly. Semiramis was a woman who knew if she wanted power, she would have to claim it.

There are whispers of her fame in Mesopotamian myth- Semiramis was a queen, an ambitious warrior, a commander whose reputation reaches the majestic proportions of Alexander the Great. Historical record, on the other hand, falls eerily quiet.

In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. The world Casati expertly builds is rich with dazzling detail and will transport her readers to the heat of the Assyrian Empire and a world long gone.

Book 1 / 19%

this was a slow start for me but the story is really going now

(view spoiler)[ wow, that was brutal
the hand cutting - I like that it started with her possibly losing her hand to her manipulating it so she got both revenge and out of the city. But is the new kingdom going to be all she thought it would be?

and Ninus - will he accept her? (hide spoiler)]

Book 2 / 41%

this is much more lyrical and beautiful to read now
(view spoiler)[ and I'm loving all the POV. It really shows how brutal but also what a tight rope working within the palace is. It's tough, the juggle all the different realms that everyone can exploit or hurt you with

I love that she went to Ninus wit her wish to keep her husband safe. She is showing him how much they both care for Onnes and that she wants him to come back - not that she is plying for power or going to sleep with that gross Prince who told her she was a pretty whore

I also love her leopard! How cool is that?

and Ribat. He's sweet but I worry - I think he will keep her safe but will he or will he let something slip in order to "keep her safe" when really he's revealing her secrets. He would be willing to sacrifice some that she may not be willing to - he would to save her

I don't know this story so I don't know how this all turns out
but I loved this last section (hide spoiler)]

Book 3 / 58%

(view spoiler)[ oh that battle was brutal. Interesting that there still seems to be something growing between her and Ninus.
and is Onnes losing it. I know she helps him sleep but this battle seems to be unmooring him and he is doing what his greatest fear was - madness.

it's amazing how good Semiramis is at pushing and pulling her power around in the kingdom. now she has the respect of the king and possibly his army and generals. that will go far when she gets back

I'm so glad Ribat saved her from that Prince. when he pointed out what she could have lost if he'd won - it was shocking the control that one move could do.
interesting to see how this princess fairs at this castle now that she has been gone. and how the queen will take Semiramis's feats on the battlefield (hide spoiler)]

Book 4 / 81%

(view spoiler)[ wow, Onnes death was so sad but he was definitely losing it. He kept the secret of the murder for too long - I think he was going to crack. I'd wished she could be enough

but WOW! Her affair with the king
and the mother constantly trying to kill her or get her exiled. Is she now higher than the mother? the ACTUAL Queen??

I love that she saved Ribat too! I can see him being a scribe and telling many tales of her - but I bet he wasn't allowed

wow, she has really worked her way through this castle. I'm shocked (hide spoiler)]

Do/did you like it more than Clytemnestra? I was disappointed with that one.

Amy wrote: "Do/did you like it more than Clytemnestra? I was disappointed with that one."

I did like Clytemnestra! I don't know many of these stories so they are all new and interesting to me!

this one was definitely more of an adventure of a tale - with more fighting and more kingdom power plays.

and done

(view spoiler)[ wow, I love that it ended there
she fought and even tried to save him
so sad that Ribat held back the medicine. It could have helped, it could have not, but he chose to hold it back.

I love that both of them threatened Ilu. He'd been sitting in the wings for so long hoping to gain more power. I loved his daughter too.

Ugh, this one was so good! (hide spoiler)]

I'm so glad to see that you liked this one, Trisha.

Amy, I loved Clytemnestra but I tend to love mythology. Do you generally like mythology? What was it that you didn't like about it, if you remember? I don't when you read it, but I know for myself I'm lucky to remember something I just finished! lol

Book 1

(view spoiler)[I agree that it started slow AND there were a lot of characters! But the Prologue drew me in right away so I felt like there was going to be a good storyline for sure. Loving Greek mythology doesn't hurt either. lol (hide spoiler)]

Book 2

(view spoiler)[I'm with you, I just have such a distrust of people and I don't trust Ribat. Maybe he's a little too nice? Not sure but I guess we'll see.

I'm pretty sure she's too smart to sleep with the creepy Prince!! What a thing to say to a woman. And her lion...I love that too. It reminded me of Circe and Odysseus's men when they went to her home and it was surrounded by animals.

And, yes, her writing is just beautiful. It's what really drew me in to her first book I read and made me know I'd read more of her historical fiction books. I think she's amazing. (hide spoiler)]

Book 3

(view spoiler)[She was the Assyrian Empire's ONLY female ruler so she obviously was just seriously intelligent! I think how quickly she learned to rule a kingdom just was easy for her to grasp.

I don't skip battle scenes and this one was definitely brutal. It brought it to life in the most disturbing way. I sometimes feel like those days people were even more brutal than today, but not so sure that's really accurate. I actually like how intense it was. Maybe I'm sick? lol

I feel like this section especially illustrates the empowerment of women (Semiramis) and her strength as a female and ruler. Decisions having to be made and quickly isn't an easy feat! (hide spoiler)]

Book 4

(view spoiler)[I think all of the madness etc. that Onnes was going through was definitely a foreshadowing of what was to come. I had a feeling his death was imminent and wasn't surprised by it. Although, it was still sad.

I know that she was the ONLY female ruler of the Assyrian Empire so very possibly was higher than the queen. I guess because I know what a powerful and historically famous Queen she became I haven't been surprised by all that's happened so far. (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[I think Ribat's holding back on something that might've been helpful just speaks to his character. I never fully trusted him, so maybe it was his character I didn't trust. I guess I was upset with his decision but not surprised.

Ilu definitely got what he deserved but not all that he should've gotten...aka his comeuppance. He wasn't a principled man and I didn't like him at all.

This book had me crying! It really hit me in places and it ran the gamut of my emotions. I almost gave it 5 stars but I'm sticking to being tougher in 2025 and only giving the best of the best (in my humble opinion) 5 stars. I liked Clytemnestra better even though this book has SLIGHTLY better ratings. As of this rating a 4.24 vs. 4.28. Maybe because I read Clytemnestra and I was on vacation and relaxed it played into how much I liked it. lol But I honestly loved both. (hide spoiler)]

Yay so glad you loved it too!