Welcome to Litsy!

Themes: Interwoven Short Stories, Quirky Charcters, Journalism

This was a quirky, quick read - just what the doctor ordered. I enjoyed some of the characters‘ stories more than others, there was one I skipped after 3 pages because I knew my blood pressure was rising from the stress the character was facing 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 Overall though, a pick with an astrisk that it will not be everyone‘s cup of tea ☕️🧋🫖

A literary friend of Perilla's asks him to look into the death of her husband, though nobody, including the widow, seems particularly sorry he's dead. Meanwhile Corvinus's adopted daughter and her husband find a body which somebody had stabbed even though he was already dead of natural causes.

A nice twisty tale, made even more so by the fact that I kept getting Perilla and Marilla confused.

#coffeeandabook

A consul's wife asks Marcus Corvinus to look into the death of her uncle, whose death Alexander the Great has assured her in a seance was murder rather than an accident.

Very funny first few chapters lead into an intriguing historical mystery which made me wonder when certain names cropped up how it would gel with real events and which was told by a narrator with a consistently amusing “voice“.

November in Rome sucks.

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@ShyBookOwl

Follows the same formula as I Claudius—same framing, same dry prose—but without a Caligula to stir things up, the results are less satisfying.

My knowledge of Roman nobility was pretty much nonexistent until recently. So, regardless of the slog that this book kinda was, I am glad to say that I am a more learned man for having read it. The audiobook includes some short historical biographies after Claudius‘s death, which was an unexpected bonus!

A novella adding more nuance and depth to Cassia and Leonidas‘ relationship.

Plan to continue with the series as I‘m getting more invested. 4/5⭐️

First in series. The writing seemed a little simplistic, but overall it was an OK read. 3.75/5⭐️

The 2nd half of the book, is Caesar conquering more places in Europe and becoming the ruler of Rome. He then got stabbed by a group, like Brutus and Gaius. They got into power and made their own territories. Caesar's cousin, Octavius, who was revealed to be adopted by Caesar went to war with Brutus and Gaius and reclaimed Caesar's legacy. If you like books that are historical then this book is for you.

His various letters are illuminating, his Philippic against Antony is furious & damning, and his expositions on Duties & Old Age are still relevant today. The style in his written letters & essays may be more accessible to modern readers than his speeches, which can get long in the tooth. But stick with it. As a window into Ancient Rome & into the mind of the most celebrated orator of his time, his insight is still penetrating & meaningful.