Mistress of Rome is written from the third person omniscient point of view. This greatly enhances the quality of the book – as the reader can see into the minds of numerous characters. If used incorrectly, this point of view could limit the suspense by giving away the characters’ intentions, but the author cleverly ends chapters and uses perfect word choice in order not to spoil anything. Kate Quinn’s first novel Mistress of Rome was inspired by her mother’s bedtime stories about Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. She became exceedingly interested in this subject, and following her mother’s footsteps as a historian, Kate studied history in University, were she began to write Mistress of Rome.
The main character in Mistress of Rome is Thea, a Jewish girl who is handed over from slave master to slave master until she ends up in Rome serving Lepida Pollia. A few years pass of Lepida’s wicked rule over Thea. During this period, Thea’s only solace is her love – the wild gladiator – Arius the Barbarian. Lepida finds out about their affair, and as she enjoys wrecking others lives, she sells Thea to a whorehouse in the coastal city of Brundisium. Thea is heartbroken and loses her sense of direction for a few months. Her life plunges into an even steeper downward spiral as she discovers she is pregnant and will have to abandon her child. To Thea’s relief, luck is on her side and a music lover notices her talent and takes ownership of her. Thea gives birth to Arius’s son, who she is unable to get it touch with. Years pass and her music career flourishes. Meanwhile Lepida busies herself with becoming the most prominent woman in Rome, and intends to do anything it takes to catch the eye of the emperor. Thea does so first, however, and the intense hatred between the two grows and grows as they become more involved in each other’s business than they could ever have thought possible.
The tone of Mistress of Rome is very sophisticated – as it is not a book meant for teenagers, but rather for adults. It is written to entertain and is wildly successful in doing so. The theme of Thea’s helplessness is repeated throughout the book, as she continues to serve under harsh rulers and is constantly stripped of what brings her joy. Kate Quinn manages however, to keep a rather light tone throughout the book; whenever the characters lose all hope, she surprises the reader with yet another twist.
Mistress of Rome is set in the fiery, dangerous Ancient Rome where one mistake can lead to being caught in the web of murder and destruction. I recommend this book to any lover of history and romance, and if one does not feel specifically drawn to either category- I’d recommend it to them anyways! It is beautifully written and highly addictive. Mistress of Rome is an amazing book and definitely worth every minute spent reading it.
Mistress of Rome is set in the fiery, dangerous Ancient Rome where one mistake can lead to being caught in the web of murder and destruction. I recommend this book to any lover of history and romance, and if one does not feel specifically drawn to either category- I’d recommend it to them anyways! It is beautifully written and highly addictive. Mistress of Rome is an amazing book and definitely worth every minute spent reading it.
