The makings of gripping historical fiction: a charismatic central character, intriguing supporting cast of an array of classes from aristocrats to servants, a love triangle, power struggles, and battling to expand an ancient empire all come together to ensnare readers into the captivating tale of Babylonia. All of this is wrapped up in the author's excellent lyrical prose. A story born in a seed of history from the short reign of the only female ruler of the ancient Assyrian empire, the authors imagination gifted us a creative tale of just what kind of events it would take to set the stage for this rule. Semiramis's story, from orphan upbringing to her assent to queen (regent) highlights not only a clever and complex main character but the interesting characters that she encounters along her path. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the story was that a eunuch and a slave were as pivotal to the story as kings. This is the type of tale that lovers of historical fiction especially ancient historical fiction can appreciate.
I had the pleasure of enjoying the audiobook and would like to acknowledge the wonderful narration of the story by Ayesha Antoine.
I received advanced access to this audiobook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, RBmedia) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.