This was AMAZING!! I literally could not put this down because it was so captivating. It was incredibly well written, with character building that is so unforgettable. The story itself had me on the edge of my seat so many times, I just loved it. The maps inside were also so handy and well done. I literally ordered the finished copy as soon as I was done reading because I needed it.

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, but I look forward to reading and reviewing other books by this author in the future.

Semiramis is an orphan girl raised in a village in a far flung corner of the Assyrian empire. Adopted by a shepherd, but mistreated, she has decided by the time she becomes a young woman that she must leave lest she be forced into marriage. When the aftermath of a war between brothers vying for the throne brings a new governor to the village, she sees a way out, and eventually finds herself in the inner circle of the king himself. No one expects this common girl who married a governor to amount to much, but Semiramis hates being helpless most of all and is determined to fight for power, setting her eyes even higher.

After the stellar narrative that was Clytemnestra, I’ve eagerly been waiting for Casati’s next work, and I was very excited to be approved for an ARC!

<i>“Immortality doesn’t mean living forever. It means surviving even after your heart stops beating and your body is burned. It means living in myth, in stories.”</i>

The story of Semiramis is not one I’m familiar with and I knew little beyond that she was a Queen of Assyria. I generally prefer to have more context when reading historical fiction, but I decided to give this a go without doing any reading beforehand.

Babylonia depicted the rise of Semiramis from a common orphan girl to the only ruling queen of the Assyrian empire. The author brought the brutal but dazzling world of Ancient Assyria to life in rich detail, from the most beautiful of palaces to the bloodiest of battlefields, and I was instantly immersed in this world.

I don’t know how much of this was historically accurate (particularly the battle scenes) but it certainly made for very entertaining reading, if rather excessively violent at times. That said, Semiramis’ actual rise to power was lacking a lot of detail and most of the focus was on the dynamic between the three main characters – understandable, but a bit disappointing from a plot perspective because I was really hoping to see all the intrigue and political games play out on page.

The pacing was really where this book fell behind. It moved too slowly in the beginning and far too quickly in the final arc of the story. The narrative dragged horribly at times and I found myself skimming the pages at several points. This could have been more concise which would have maintained the momentum the initial arc built up and also allowed me as the reader to stay invested in the plot throughout. Babylonia was definitely a test of patience in this aspect.

The characters were remarkably well developed. Having 3 major POVs – for Semiramis, Onnes, and Ninus – allowed for all their arcs to unfold gradually, and despite none of them being particularly likeable, it’s hard not to sympathize with them and even root for each of them in an odd way. Semiramis in particular was excellently portrayed, clever, resilient, and ruthless, with the drive to go after what she wants, she really stood out as an MC. I didn’t particularly enjoy the love triangle, but it fit the story.

Much like the author’s previous book, I was wondering where she would choose to end this narrative and as it turned out, it ended at a very similar sort of place, with Semiramis taking the throne at the beginning of her reign over Assyria. That made sense considering this book was supposed to be all about her rise to power, however, I would have liked it if the story had covered a little more time, perhaps showing some of her great achievements.

While I didn’t enjoy Babylonia as much as Clytemnestra, this was a solid read and I really liked gaining the insight into a new era of history for me and learning a bit about the legendary Queen Semiramis. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write next. Highly recommended!

This is the story of the rise of Semiramis from an orphaned, abandoned child to regularly beaten by her adoptive father as a teen to queen of the Assyrian empire. Semiramis has always known she wants more from life than what her village will give her and after she is given a prophecy about herself that is both ambitious and dark she finds her way to the general's tent and into his bed as his new wife, bringing her to the seat of the empire.
This is one of those love triangles that manages to not be annoying, Semiramis is a very strong character as is her husband, the king himself vacillates between strong and weak extremes through out the story, keeping everything off balance. While I liked Clytemnestra better(to be fair I knew more about her to start with) this a really strong follow up.

Thank you NetGalley and HarpersCollins Canada for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The hammer shatters glass but forges steel. - Assyrian proverb

This novel was so juicy and captivating! Despite initially not knowing much about ancient Mesopotamia (823 BC Assyria, to be specific), the writing captured and illuminated the world so vividly that I almost feel as if I lived there.

Also, clearly 2025 is my year of feminism because I just keep getting BAMF FMC in every book, and this is no exception! Though life keeps dealing her hard blows and many twists of fate, Semiramis keep her head up, takes no prisoners (which I may or may not mean literally, but shh spoilers), and holds tight to the reins of her own life.

At no point could I predict what was going to happen next so I just had to grip tight on the edge of my seat and hold on for the ride. Trope highlights include: “who did this to you,” LGBTQ rep, and court politics. All in all, this is a chefs kiss of a historical fiction. Now I just need to get my hands on Clytemnestra, finally!

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, and I especially love when I find a book that brings to life a period of history I knew very little about. And that’s exactly what Costanza Casati does in Babylonia. The story hooked me from the start - you know you’re enjoying a book when every time you put it down you want to pick it back up again.

The book follows Semiramis as she rises from an abused orphan to the top of Assyrian society. I found Semiramis to be a very compelling character. She is fierce, fearless, and ambitious but also compassionate. As a reader I found myself cheering for her victories and mourning her losses along side her. The alternating perspectives also provide a lot of insight into the other characters, who impressed me with their depth and the intricate dynamics between them.

This is a story about power, love, madness, grief and it is done so so well.

I enjoyed Casati’s Clytemnestra, and it is clear Casati has a skill for writing strong, imperfect women from history and myth.

Casati does not shy away from the brutality of the Assyrian Empire, including the violence and trauma inflicted on and by the main characters – Semiramis, Onnes, and Ninus.

While primarily told from the perspective of Semiramis, a common woman and thief who rises to the position of Queen, Casati also weaves in the perspectives of royals and slaves, shedding light on the complex web of relationships that holds together and breaks apart empires.

The writing thoroughly captured me, and I appreciate Casati's balance between historical detail, character emotion, and good narrative pacing.

4.5 stars.

I look forward to Casati’s future work.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada, for the ARC.

this is an amazing book about being fearless and remaining true to yourself.

Fell in love with this book from the start could not put it down.

Oh my. What a wonderful, beautiful, tragic story!

Costanza Casati may just be my new favourite historical fiction author. Babylonia was a wonderful journey through ancient Assyrian history and culture. As a biblical scholar, I thoroughly enjoyed the foray into ancient history as it shed light onto biblical-era culture, way of life, and religion. For those who are not biblical scholars, do not fear; Babylonia has nothing to do with Israel or the Bible. Instead, it is an exploration of the brutally violent Assyrian culture.

Casati asks the question: What would life have been like for both the average and royal Assyrian person who is steeped in a culture that venerates violence?

The story tells the rise of ‎Shammuramat, the powerful Assyrian queen, from a rural and common orphan girl known as Semiramis. Without spoiling, I'll simply say that it contained sufficient intrigue, betrayal, and personal ambition to captivate me. Told primarily through the perspective of Semiramis, we also glimpse the brutality of what life was like as a woman within the Assyrian empire. Casati's writing style is gripping and beautiful while not losing the audience to too many details regarding the historical context. She brings Semiramis and Assyria vividly to life.

That said, the book is for adult audiences. It is deals with mature subject matter regarding war violence and PTSD related to war violence. There is a hint of incest, mildly graphic sexual behaviours, and prevalent drug use. I highly recommend Babylonia to all readers interested in ancient history, particularly the little-told role of women in ancient history. I am also looking forward to getting my hands on Casati's Clytemnestra.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

What a stunning and gorgeous read, wow. The writing in this was so incredibly evocative, and the background was clearly very well researched. I love how all of the characters are deeply flawed - and the world itself is incredibly beautiful - it makes for a poignant reading experience with lots of moral conflict. I feel like I learned a lot AND thought about the world a lot, all while falling in love with the characters!