Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Read: March 12, 2014
For 1,500 years she has been cruelly maligned by history. Labelled as corrupt, immoral and sexually depraved by the sixth-century historian Procopius in his notorious Secret History, the Byzantine Empress Theodora was condemned to be judged a degenerate harlot by posterity. Until now. Due to a conviction that its contents would only be understood by generations of the distant future, a manuscript that has remained unopened for a millennium and a half is about to set the record straight. It will unravel the deepest secrets of a captivating and charismatic courtesan, her unlikely romance with an Emperor, and her rise to power and influence that would outshine even Cleopatra. This historical novel traces the love affairs, travails, machinations, scandals and triumphs of a cast of real characters who inhabit an Empire at its glorious and fragile peak. It’s the tale of a dazzling civilization in its Golden Age; one which, despite plague, earthquakes and marauding Huns, would lay the foundation for modern Europe as we know it.
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| The Empress Theodora at the Colisseum by Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constan |
Cross comparison serves no real purpose so I apologize for any disappointment my refusal to acquiesce to expectation may cause. I will note, however, significant appreciation for Strickland's unique voice. Considering the subject matter, I was initially worried The Eagle and the Swan might feel much like Duffy or Thornton's novels and was happy to discover her singular view of the material.
Strickland's distinct emphasis on historic detail was intensely interesting though in retrospect I feel this attention to detail proved somewhat detrimental to the pace of the narrative. Don't misunderstand, I love books that are well-researched and the texture such factual notation brings to a title, but I wont deny there were moments where Strickland’s story seemed to peter out amid the wealth of information presents to her readers.
Though a bit modern for the period, I actually liked Strickland's Theodora. Historically speaking, I think the author took certain liberties with her personality, but feel the underlying concepts expressed through the character more than adequate compensation for the discrepancy. What can I say folks? I like books that make you think.
The tale of an oft overlooked woman in a time that is all but forgotten, I found The Eagle and the Swan an enjoyable and thought-provoking read that was well worth looking into.
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"The secret of a great performance is to use the stage to let something inside you out, something that burns to escape. My life," she said, "is not something that happens to me. It's what I cause to happen."
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Check out all the stops on Carol strickland's The eagle and the swan virtual book tour
