The writing was good but not really my cup of tea. I think it was well done and I just had a hard time following the story, there were too many names/threads for me to follow and I often was confused about what was happening, this was most likely my fault as I’ve not read much about Rome.

DNF @ 13%

I usually love historical fiction, but unfortunately in this instance this book and I did not mesh. I found it too dense and info-dumpy, and the time jumps were jarring to me.

Entirely a case of a book just not being the right fit for me, and I would encourage those who love a deep-dive into the legal system of Rome to give this book a chance.

Not completely accurate, but again this is a work of fiction. If you have any interest in Julius Caesar and events during that time, you will really enjoy this book. You are brought into his world and see what made him the man he became. This was well written and the storyline will draw you in.

If you are an armchair traveler, a lover of history, or enjoy a deep dive into the cultural background of where you hope to go, you'll enjoy Posteguillo's book on Julius Caesar.

Key historical figures shape entire countries, and this book explores why Caesar made a lasting impact on a city, a country, and the Mediterranean region. I enjoyed the creative non-fiction, the descriptions, and the possibilities of what life may have been like around this towering man.

Well-researched and interesting.

I found that I was not interested in the detailed life of Julius Ceasar.

Things I liked about the book:
1. Short chapters
2. Lots of changes of scenery to make it more enjoyable
3. Strong Female Characters

What I didn't like:
1. It was too long!
2. Felt that most of the characters were flat.
3. The battle scenes were not interesting to me.


Thank you to Net Galley and to Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, for providing a copy of this novel for review.

The runaway international bestseller--part sweeping historical epic, part legal thriller--following the trial that shaped the life of the young Julius Caesar and gave root to an immortal legacy.

Every legend has a beginning.

Rome, 77 B.C. Senator Dolabella, known for using violence against anyone who opposes him, is going on trial for corruption and has already hired the best lawyers and even bought the jury. No man dares accept the role of prosecutor--until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of Rome, and defy the power of the elite class. This lawyer’s name is Caius Julius Caesar.

Masterfully combining exhaustive historical rigor with extraordinary narrative skills, Santiago Posteguillo shows us the man behind the myth of Caesar as never before, taking us to the dangerous streets of Rome where the Senate's henchmen lurk on every corner, submerging us in the thick of battle, and letting us live the great love story of Julius Caesar and his wife, Cornelia.

After Julius Caesar, the world was never the same. I Am Rome tells the tale of the early events that shaped this extraordinary man's fate--and changed the course of history itself.

My summary is based solely on the review. I love stories set in Rome during Caesar's reign. This novel tells the story of Caesar's love life and the man before he became well known.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was hoping this would be a little lighter on the history and heavier on the drama, but in any case it was very educational. While I wouldn't read it again, I can see that it is very well written and I know many people love this writing style.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I couldn't get into it. It was not in a writing style that I liked and I had a hard time following what was going on. It felt like reading a school textbook to me. Others may like the writing style. It just wasn't for me.

A historical novel set in the time of Caesar.
A time when your allies were more likely picked by how well you paid than what you stood for.
The power in government is bought and sold and if not , murder can be employed.

After years of trying to change the system, the power is beginning to shift... and now there is a trial to settle the dispute.

Enter Caesar. Raised by a fair thinking person, loyal to her country...he has become much like her.

and so a trial begins. There are battles , assassins, havoc until all is resolved.

i do recommend

thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC

“Recuérdalo siempre, hijo mío: Roma eres tú.”

When no Roman citizen is willing to prosecute the corrupt Senator Dolabella, Julius Caesar steps in. The Jury has been bribed and Dolabella's lawyer has inside information, but Caesar is determined to do what he feels is right and defend Rome. Spanning from his childhood to the trial where he is a young twenty-three years old, we follow Julius as he becomes the man we all know from the history books.

I did read the translated version of this, but I almost wish I had read the original. I always wonder if I am missing a little something with translations. With that said, this was kind of okay...but not my favorite. While this was an interesting and well researched take on the life of a young Caesar, I also found it very long and the time jumps to be slightly jarring. If ancient history is your thing, you might enjoy this.

I Am Rome
by Santiago Posteguillo

I loved this book! This is, of course, the story of Julius Caesar – but not the story of his great successes, which we have all heard before. This book begins with the struggles between Caesar's uncle, Gaius Marius, and the other populares, who wanted a more equal distribution of wealth to the people of Rome and its provinces, and the optimates, the old guard senators, anxious to preserve their power and wealth.

These struggles provide the backdrop throughout the book. The optimates will stop at nothing, including murder, to hold on to their privileges. They hate Marius for what he represents, but he is a legendary general in Rome – so they can't get rid of him. Marius takes a young Julius under his wing and gives him advice that will see his nephew through a lifetime.

But this book deals only with Julius from his childhood through his prosecution of the corrupt senator Dolabella, The trial could be a make or break situation for Julius. Will he win or lose? And will the outcome drive the rest of his life?

This is the first moment of his climb to the very top of Roman society. A fit ending place for this book. But I would hope that the author will continue the story that he has told so well.

I don’t think I had ever read about Caesar like this. I always knew about the commander, the ruler, the lover sides of him, but I forgot about the lawyer he was. His oratory skills were developed during those days of his life, and even though this was a historical fiction, it was meant to be told. This dude was not only “et tu, Brute?”

The book followed the trial of Dolabella, where Caesar was the prosecutor supporting Macedonians whose were bullied (and more) by Dolabella. The defense was trying to focus on Caesar’s background and his inexperience as a lawyer. However, as cunning as he was, Caesar was there to prove everyone wrong. While trial was explained, childhood and adolescence of Caesar were detailed between the scenes.

Of course this was not an official biography of Mr. I know it all but I have all these dudes stabbing me in my back, but it was a good view into his excellency’s early days and first marriage. I’m actually looking forward to read next installment.

Oof. I really was intrigued by this but could not get into it. I think if I had this physical copy, I would have an easier time reading because I think the format through my off. DEfinitely still read if you're interested!

This book was not for me, unfortunately. While there were some compelling scenes, like the battle with the Teutons, too much of it was political machinations. I didn’t feel like there was enough character development. And while there were some big conflicts, there weren’t enough of the little conflicts and stories to keep me turning the pages. I won’t be posting this review elsewhere.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a lot to digest. It took a while to get my bearings in what was going on but I kept reading because it was fascinating. This is one that I may need to read again to really enjoy all it has to offer.

In Rome, 77 B.C. Senator Dolabella is about to go on trial for his crimes. Twenty-three year old Julius Caesar is about to take on a case that threatens to end his career and his life. Why? Caesar is chosen over Cicero to prosecute the corrupt former Macedonian governor Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella, and it’s an impossible situation. Though clearly guilty of plunder and rape, Dolabella is a favorite of Roman dictator Sulla and a member of the optimates. The optimates are an exclusive group in the Roman Senate unwilling to concede power to anyone. Julius Caesar is a young upstart from a lower-level patrician family, therefore Dolabella is sure he has already won the case. The novel traces the history leading up to Dolabella’s trial in 77 B.C.E. and depicts the hidden grudges behind the efforts to ensure Caesar’s defeat.

I found this novel to be difficult to read due to the long conversation. The author shows shows us the hypocrisy of a society that embraced high ideals but accepted violence as part of the political process. The author writes cliffhangers in the book yet somehow it reminded me of a soap opera. The story is a reminder that, though more than 2,000 years separate us from ancient Rome, some conflicts haven’t changed. With that thought it makes me sad that it still continues on in present day. Was Caesar Rome?

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy!
If there is anything I've figured out since people started say "my roman empire is ..." is that my roman empire is NOT the actual roman empire. And that's not this book's fault. This book has so many characters and it jumps around a lot, sometimes in the same chapter, sometimes on the same page, and my brain started to shut down from it all. The parts where I could concentrate were great and I loved some of the dialogue and descriptions, but this book felt like a chore at times. Maybe if the roman empire was my cup of tea, I would have loved this more.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early advanced copy of the book. I am not so convinced that this was a book in a genre that I generally read.

This is a good historical read. There were times I was a little confused only because of the languages ,of writing at times it read like a history lesson which I found at the end I did learn alot more more Caesar. The author did a great job in his research thank you netgalley

There is a wealth of information in “I Am Rome”, which is interesting Yet, I felt it was definitely out of my league The fact that it read like a text book was a "turn off" while I endeavored to keep going. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.