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From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, painting the brutal and captivating empire of gods and men, and the one queen destined to rule them all.
A common woman. The governor she married. The king who loved them both.
Babylonia across the centuries has become the embodiment of lust, excess, and dissolute power that ruled Ancient Assyria. In this world you had to kill to be king. Or, in the case of Semiramis, an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire:
Queen.
Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy. But when she meets a young representative of the new Assyrian king, a prophecy unfolds before her, one that puts her in the center of a brutal world and in the hearts of two men - one who happens to be king.
Now a risen lady in a court of vipers, Semiramis becomes caught in the politics and viciousness of ancient Assyria. Instead of bartering with fate, Semiramis trains in war and diplomacy. And with each move, she rises in rank, embroiled in a game of power, desire, love, and betrayal, until she can ascend to the only position that will ever keep her safe.
In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her.
Ribat believes that “The gods bestow different gifts on different people.” What gifts do you think Semiramis, Ninus and Onnes possess? What gifts do you think you have?
What @Patricia_Williams wrote is the same conclusion I came to. We all have positive attributes and attributes we struggle with, yet we all have equal worth. In this country, which is all I have experienced, we tend to elevate athletes, performers, and other celebrities to hero status. Yet, if lo...
-Lana_Maskus
Ninus quotes his father: “A woman’s love and a man’s duty…There comes a point in our lives when every one of us must choose. And there is only one right choice to make.” Which characters choose love over duty? Do they make the right choice?
I felt that Ninus placed love over duty in his love for his mother even though they had a somewhat adversarial relationship, his love on Onnes, and his love for Semiramis. At first I thought he was weak, but I saw his strength by the end of the novel.
-Lana_Maskus
Semiramis tries to rescue the area’s governor, but the man is impaled. When the square is empty, she cleans the blood from the body. Why do you suppose she takes this action? How do you think this scene set the stage for the rest of the novel?
For me it demonstrated that although she lived a brutal time she still had a moral core. She could not do anything to prevent his death or ease his suffering, but she could help him through his death.
-Lana_Maskus
What audience would you recommend Babylonia to? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
I think I answered this question in my answer to what I thought of Babylonia overall.
-Lana_Maskus
Ninus thinks, “Desire is a strange thing. What makes us want one person over another?” Do you think Onnes, Ninus and Semiramis exhibit desire, and if so, what do you think makes them want one person over another? How would you answer his question?
If I could answer this question I could make millions.
-Lana_Maskus
Semiramis’s successes are minimized from childhood. Are there any characters who truly see her accomplishments? Why do you believe women’s contributions have generally been undervalued throughout history? Has this changed over time, in your opinion?
Women, especially common women, were seen as baby bearers and subservient to men in ancient times. This was reinforced in Judeo-Christian doctrine. I think when women had to come out of their homes to work the farms, in factories in order to maintain economies while men fought in wars, their soci...
-Lana_Maskus
Semiramis asks Ribat, “What do you do when you want something you know you can’t have?” He says he thinks of the consequences that will ensue. What did you think of this advice? Why do you suppose it didn’t help Semiramis? What advice would you give her?
I thought Ribat's advice was excellent. But Semiramis' emotional makeup was such that she couldn't follow it. Desire for power was her overriding personality trait.
-Lana_Maskus
Onnes, Ninus & Semiramis play “truth or dare” and ask what each fears; Onnes responds “madness,” while Semiramis replies “helplessness.” How were their characters illuminated by their answers, and how did this play out in the rest of the novel?
I agree with @Linda_Monaco . Both Semiramis were fearful of what they experienced in childhood
-Lana_Maskus
Sasi tells Semiramis that he believes she loved Onnes, “But do you think that in our world, love can ever be a strength?” How would you answer him? Do any of the characters truly experience love, in your opinion?
True love of one's fellow human beings, no matter how despicable they are, if they are not known to you, if they have wronged you is probably the most difficult, but purest love there is behind, if you are a Christian, love of God.
-Lana_Maskus
While Babylonia is based on ancient histories very little is truly known about Semiramis’s life and reign. What do you think of the way the author filled in the gaps, and how she depicted her heroine and those around her?
Because so little is known about Semiramis, this gave author to flesh her out into just about way the author saw fit without compromising fact.
-Lana_Maskus
In an exchange between Semiramis and Nisat, Nisat states she finds that “the less people have been given in life, the more eager they are to prove themselves.” Does Nisat’s statement hold true? Which characters are trying to prove themselves and to whom?
Yes and no. I know individuals for whom adversity in their childhood drove them to achieve their dreams and sometimes to be overachievers. And I know individuals whose childhoods were something they could not rise above even with the support of others. In Babylonia, there several who strove might...
-Lana_Maskus
The author writes, “Can we grasp the instant when our fate turns? Or can we understand it only later, once the moment grows into a memory?” What do you think? Do you have a moment when your fate turned, and did you know it at the time?
@Sonya_M Your "story" and mine are almost parallel. Was it fate or was it simply decisions I had based on where I was in life at the time and/or the information I had on which to base those decisions? I'm inclined to think for me, it was the latter. But that is not to say that it couldn't be fate...
-Lana_Maskus
Did anyone find it puzzling that there was never a return to Semiramis' village?
I didn't find it puzzling. She left a place where she was treated poorly and lived in a palace. Why go back?
-Vicky_Sargent
Which minor character intrigued you the most, and why?
I enjoyed Sasi - he was funny and I wasn't quite sure where his loyalties were at times.
-Vicky_Sargent
Had you heard of Semiramis before reading Babylonia? What did you learn about the time period from the novel?
I knew nothing of Semiramis before reading this book. This depiction certainly showed the places and time to be dangerous and difficult. I also learned about the governmental structure of the area.
-Vicky_Sargent
Nisat tells Ninus, “People usually believe that wisdom and knowledge can be learned...It is strength that can be learned. One has understanding or one doesn’t.” What do you think she means by this statement? Do you agree with her assessment?
Indeed, Kim! Which is why I appreciate these historical novels that reveal how much power and influence women wielded behind the thrones, because it's a fact that many women used the power available to them in their spheres to influence the men around them. Would we call that "soft power" in poli...
-Peggy_Kurkowski
When questioned, Sasi says he believes that fate “always leads us where we are meant to be.” What do you think of this statement? Do you agree? How much control do the characters have over their fates?
To say that fate leads us to where we are meant to be implies that we have no control over our fates. This is, to me, the same as the Christian doctrine of predestination promoted by some theologians; i.e. that God foreordains all that will happen, including the salvation of some and not others. ...
-Lana_Maskus
Semiramis tells Sasi that an ally’s greatest quality is loyalty, but he disagrees, saying it’s honesty instead. What did you think of his reply? With which character would you agree and why?
Definitely agree with Sasi, and definitely do not agree with Semiramis, especially given the current political partisanship in our country. When politicians demand unwavering loyalty over truth and threaten and take revenge against those who speak and act with honesty, our democracy is in dire st...
-Lana_Maskus
Overall, what did you think of Babylonia? (no spoilers, please!)
I really liked parts of it, but would have preferred less gore and violent details. I will really have to think about how I'd rate this one.
-Rebecca_R
What were Semiramis true feelings for Onnes and Ninus? I was left wondering were there true feelings or just lust? As I questioned if she truly loved anyone
You know, Semiramis was very young when she met Onnes. She probably did fall for not only his ability to rescue her, but his strength and certainty as well. (Reminds me of my first marriage, LOL.)
-kim.kovacs
If you read the author’s previous novel, Clytemnestra, how did the two compare?
I have not read Clytemnestra, but will be doing so. The only comparable book to Babylonia that I have read is Ariadne by Jennifer Saint. I did find Babylonia to be a more engaging story. Perhaps that is because Semiramis was a "warrior" who did not allow others to manipulate her, but instead cont...
-Lana_Maskus
Is there a quote or scene in Babylonia that stood out for you? Why do you suppose it resonated?
Laura, Great quote. I do think desire is fascinating. Not just for relationships, but for physical things. In my opinion, there seems to be greater appreciation if the attainment is delayed or there was an effort in obtaining in the desire.
-Dee_Driscole
About the Babylonia by Costanza Casati Discussion category
Please join us in our book club discussion of Babylonia by Costanza Casati.
-nick
What are your reading this week? (12-12-2024)
I finished Babylonia, by Costanza Casati yesterday for the upcoming BookBrowse discussion. I thought it was much stronger than her previous book, Clytemnestra , and I'm looking forward to having a chance to talk about it with others. Next up is Let's Call Her Barbie, also for a BookBrowse discuss...
-kim.kovacs
Which authors should we interview?
I just finished Babylonia for the BookBrowse discussion (it was excellent, BTW). I'd love to hear more from the author, Costanza Casati, for starters, how she stumbled on this historical figure & what made her want to write about her.
-kim.kovacs
"Casati chronicles the ruthless rise of Assyrian queen Semiramis in this masterful saga...No matter how much cruelty Semiramis dispenses, Casati never loses sight of what drives her heroine to achieve a status where she need not obey anyone else. Admirers of Robert Graves's Claudius novels will be riveted." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Casati renders the ancient world Semiramis inhabits in vivid detail, bringing in the perspective of a slave in her household, and together, the pair illustrates the influence even the most unlikely actors can have on history. Casati's compelling second outing portraying the Assyrian empire's only queen is another triumph." ―Booklist
"Mesmerizingly intricate…Captivating and historically insightful...A resonant page turner." ―BookPage
"There is an entrancing quality to Costanza Casati's writing that transports us to other worlds and past times, then holds us there―willingly enmeshed in story―until the final page is turned. Reading Babylonia is like reading an enchantment on the page, in which the unfathomable heroines of legend and history become living people, who suffer, bleed, dare, and love; they carve out their space in our hearts, and in our shared humanity." ―Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily
"A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale with a deft weaving of myth and history. Emotionally rich and lyrically genius, Babylonia cements Costanza Casati as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction, bringing an incomparable vibrance to the genre. An incredible novel." ―Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen
"Babylonia was, in short, a vicious delight. With the resplendent prose that truly distinguishes her work, Casati plunges us into an untapped age of antiquity. In doing so, she also draws us into a world of intrigue, beauty, and necessary ruthlessness in the name of power. Readers will revel in the tale of the enigmatic Semiramis from its first page to its last. This is a story richly rendered and utterly captivating." ―Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author
This information about Babylonia was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Costanza Casati was born in Texas and grew up in a village in Northern Italy, where she studied Ancient Greek, and Ancient Greek literature, under one of the country's most rigorous academic programmes. She is a graduate of the prestigious Warwick Writing MA in the UK, and has worked as a screenwriter and journalist. Her debut novel, Clytemnestra, was a Saturday Times bestseller and shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award. Babylonia, set in the fierce world of the Assyrian Empire, is her second novel.
Name Pronunciation
Costanza Casati: koh-STAN-zuh kuh-ZAH-tee
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