Well, first I’d like to thank @netgalley for the ARC on this- after being blown away by Casati’s voice in Clytemnestra- I was pumped about her latest and greatest in the mythology realm.

It’s safe to say, Casati’s voice is pretty special in this space. Within a few sentences, I’m easily transported.

She’s able to weave drama so that I’m flipping the pages faster than I expected.

That being said… I did struggle with the love triangle. And usually, I don’t mind them! I couldn’t get over the ‘ick’ factor of it. I know things were “historically researched and inspired”, so it’s a retelling that educated us a bit, but it maybe not the exact version I wanted for escapism.

Putting that aspect aside, I love a rags-to- riches set up. And I’ll never exhaust of a strong AF FMC. And as long as Casati keeps writing them, I’ll read them.
It was just hard to fully enjoy the FMC’s power climb because of the romance. 🫣

3ish?/5 ⭐️

Wow. This is easily a 5 star read for me. There is nothing more exciting to me than to be so completely transported into a world that I feel as if I'm there next to the characters. Through Costanza Casati's writing, I could feel the sun on my skin and the sand and mud under my feet.

I would follow Semiramis into battle any day. I love that these characters of legend, who are hundreds of years old, feel as new and vibrant as an modern character. I love that they are all deeply flawed, but command your attention and empathy. I experienced their joy, and my heart broken alongside theirs.

This book is also incredibly well-researched, and I deeply appreciated the author's note and the glossary following the epilogue. I immediately looked up more about this time in history, and it was fascinating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

a solid sophomore novel!!!! i love her portrayal of greek mythology and exploring these characters in a new light is infinitely intriguing to me. from her prose to characterizations, i wasn’t bored for one second and found myself utterly entranced by this story! highly recommend

This is a fantastic follow up; I loved the author’s first (Clytemnestra) and this one did not disappoint.

I knew the story/myth of Semiramis and her ascent to power, but Casati does a fantastic job of fleshing it out and filling in the blanks, not to mention detailing Assyrian beliefs, politics, culture, and royal intrigue.

I read this over 4-5 days; at 401 pages it’s just long enough to feel satisfying, although I was sad to finish it. A++ will buy a physical copy when it’s available here.

This is so good, I will read anything Costanza Casati writes. I love female characters who are strong in distinctly feminine ways, who rise to power because they are women and not in spite of it. Babylonia examines a woman who uses her cunning and beauty to get what she wants, without judgment (and rather with some exultation). It's also richly descriptive and well researched (to the point where some details of the era's cruelty and warfare were a bit much for me).

Casati writes Semiramis as such a compelling figure, whose actions are rooted in her desire for safety - which she can only achieve through gaining power, which she can only gain through men's desire for her. The story is very character focused, with the plot being a bit on the slower side - honestly a little slower than I prefer, but I enjoyed reading about Semiramis so much that I didn't mind.

TW: animal cruelty [(lions are held captive and hunted for sport)

The way that Costanza weaves a story always pulls me in. The setting was so vivid I felt completely inside the world, I wanted to touch things because clearly they were right in front of me and the people right next to me. I wanted to feel Semiramis' dark hair.
The character work, especially Semiramis, is so strong I know them, I know her, I almost AM her. And The journey we go through is one of the most compelling I have gone through within the myth retelling genre. The tension build was masterful. And the end was nothing less that utterly satisfying.
I couldn't put it down.
5 stars

Costanza weaves pure poetry and it leaves me speechless. I’m such a huge fan especially after Clytemnestra. While this was complex story telling at its finest, it’s beautiful and breathtaking.

I didn't want this book to end - I could have spent forever in the vibrant, harsh world of ancient Assyria.

Semiramis quickly became one of my favorite heroines I've read this year. She is clever and brutal, beautiful and ruthless. She knows what she wants, and goes after it with a brazen ferocity that left me breathless.

Babylonia has action, intrigue, love, lust, and madness in spades. It gripped me from the outset and didn't let go, even as I reached the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Everything I want in a mythological retelling: complex characters, political intrigue, and thrilling conquests, all woven together with decadent prose. I really enjoyed the exploration of madness as PTSD. This group of characters is flawed, complicated, often savage. But chapter-by-chapter, we see how the ruthless Assyrian culture and expectations have shaped them.

I was lucky enough to get a kindle ARC but loved this so much that ordered a copy for my bookshelf. Costanza Casati’s storytelling is addictive, and I wait to see what she does next.

“She kills her lover on the altar of a foreign goddess.”

You know the book is going to be amazing when the first line leaves you wanting more. And it’s even better when the prologue leaves your mouth agape. A book with a nonstop hook is bound to be insane in the best way.

And that is exactly what Casati gives us.
Babylonia was and still is a ride.

I’ve always loved to highlight passages in my books, and this one takes the win for the amount of highlights! I swear I was highlighting every other page.

The story revolves around Semiramis. She was orphaned when she was just a baby. She’s taken in by the chief of her village. Unfortunately though, she is beaten, mistreated and bullied often by both her ‘father’ and village boys. Obviously at one point in the story she realizes she’s up for marriage. She has finally reached that age. Her options are marry someone from her village and stay in a place where she is miserable or do something better for herself. Luckily, her luck changes when the governor comes to her home. He takes an interest in her and ends up marrying her. You can imagine how fulfilling it is to go from being essentially a nobody to the wife of the governor. right? I mean sure, we’d like to think that but does that happen? you have to go and read this book!

This is my first time reading a book from Casati. And one of the main things I can say is oh my god, her writing is absolutely astounding. Casati has such a special way with words, and the way she puts them together. She weaves a story into your brain and heart. Everything flows beautifully and you end up wanting more and more from it. She is easily put up next to Miller in my book.

Casati’s characters are so unique and complex filled. She makes them so utterly real. She doesn’t just give us a character with relatable tropes and qualities, she gives us characters that are deep, flawed, powerful, vulnerable. We get multiple points of views through the book which i appreciate, because you’re able to be pulled into everyone’s minds and see them for who they are.

There are a lot of twists and turns, ups and downs though out the story but Casati keeps it 100% the whole time. She keeps the brutal reality of greek retelling woven into the story, with war, battle, violence, being a woman in a time where simply being that was not easy, but also showing how strong and resilient, and powerful one can be if you believe in it. The gradual climb in power and risks Semiramis takes are moving.
This novel was so complex and beautiful, and i’m looking forward to reading her debut novel.

I absolutely loved this. This is completely immersive and balances the perfect amount mystical otherness, while keeping the story grounded and characters relatable (albeit deeply, deeply flawed). The prose is beautiful and I can see why so many people consider Casati to be the successor of Renault and Miller. The complicated relationships are where this book really shines though - Casati took risks and they paid off.

The story focuses on Semiramis, her ambition, and the love triangle between her, Ninus, and Onnes. All three of them are complex, flawed, three-dimensional characters that you can't help but root for and that's what makes the story so compelling. The book focuses on love and desire but it is a tragedy, not a romance. And most importantly: the book includes my favourite brand of queer characters (codependent and a little messed up).

Costanza Casati has once again taken a woman in myth who has been historically demonised and has given her a voice. Highly, highly recommend this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the easiest 5 stars I've given a book in a while!