I have absolutely no idea how to review this book.

I'm going to have to sit with it for a while. It was.... I don't know. Like I said, I don't know how to review it.

I can tell you what it's about ...

It's a mythological retelling about a female ruler in 9th century Assyria named Semiramis. (A legendary queen likely based on Queen-Regent Sammu-Ramat.)

She starts life the abandoned daughter of a murdered father and a mother who killed herself after murdering the father. She's adopted by a severely abusive man but -- through strategic moves, lies, and machinations -- eventually finds herself queen of Assyria.

It's.... a story. I just don't know how to tell you what kind of story. Ha. It's a good one, and you need not be familiar with the original myth to appreciate it. But it's.... dark and sad in places. But it showcases Semiramis' strength, intelligence, and will throughout.

It's a great story for anyone who loves reading about powerful women who will do anything to make their way in the world. (Think Game of Thrones' Cersei but a lot less cruel and deviant.)

That's the best I can do right now. It's just a lot to digest (in a good way).

First of all, I would like to thank the publisher and Netggaley for the eARC provided for me!

Without any influence I can say, that this book is wonderful. I was always fond of ancient countries and retellings of stories about them. My favorites were mainly Greek retellings, that's how I found the work of Constanza Casati. Her story about Clytemnestra was already a good start but I have to say that I can see her progress as an author in Babylonia. It's also great to see someone step away from the Greeks and seek out an other civilisation, which is rarely mentioned when it comes to retellings.
The story of Semiramis has EVERYTHING a reader might need from this genre: love, betrayal, a great insight into the characters' soul, beautifully depicted culture and history. I could barely stop listening to the audiobook provided for me. The characters each were very human, they had their own motives, weaknesses, desires and they felt so real they almost stepped out of the book.
The narrator did an outstanding job too, the audiobook is entertaining and engaging.
I will definitely keep Casati in my mind, waiting for her next books. She is going places!

[4+] Just when I swore I was done with re-tellings - along comes the dazzling "Babylonia!" I was captivated by Semirana's story. Casati masterfully brings to life her rise to the throne, drawing on historical records from 800s BC Assyria. The audio was beautifully read by Ayesha Antoine.

a little slow but I think that's just kind of how this style of story goes. i went in blind and really enjoyed my time but... at 3x speed 😅

the characters are incredibly realistic and somehow feel down to earth despite being such powerful figures. the longing was INTENSE and I was really hoping we were going to be able to wrap this up with a power throuple, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. shame history didn't work out that way, lol.

another weird history nitpick, but I needed a little more world building despite everything? i just didn't know much about Assyria/the time period going in and constantly felt a little behind the ball on the "who's who" every time an international incident happened

i am obsessed with this narrator tbh, she was incredible, and I feel like this is a hell of a text to make as immersive as she did. I'll be checking out more of her work for sure

i feel like I've been saying check triggers a lot lately but WOOF you are gonna wanna check triggers on this one babes!!!

Costanza Casati is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors. Clytemnestra was a masterpiece and Babylonia is on the exact same level.

I have one issue with this books, I wish the story continued all the way through Semiramis’s death. Honestly I could have read about her entire life and enjoyed every second of it.

If you like strong female characters, political intrigue, historical fiction, mythological retelling, lyrical prose, this is the book for you.

I can’t wait to see what the author’s next project is!!!

First 5 star of 2025!!! HUGE thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for the ALC!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

"Lonely souls rarely find each other, but when they do, they aren’t meant to part."

I wasn't too inclined towards reading Costanza Casati's debut novel, Clytemnestra because:
A. I'm SICK of Greek mythology
B. Celebrated authors like Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint were misses for me
However, ancient Mesopotamia immediately caught my attention. Fun fact about me: I'm a huge ancient history nerd and I think ancient Mesopotamia is criminally underrated. Oh, this was brilliant. Babylonia is an exquisitely crafted historical epic that reimagines the life of Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian empire. I'd never heard of Semiramis before reading this so the story felt like a breath of fresh air.

I always appreciate it when extensive research is put into writing historical fiction and the way Casati breathes life into Assyria is nothing short of incredible. This is one of the most immersive settings I've ever had the joy of experiencing. It's made even better by the impeccable prose. Casati's prose is knife-sharp and resplendent. Although there are no supernatural elements, fantasy readers will love this because of the political intrigue (that's done better than most fantasy novels, imo) and a compelling cast of morally gray characters. The narrator, Ayesha Antoine, did a fabulous job at bringing the characters to life!

I loved reading about Semiramis' rise to power. If you love ambitious female MCs, this one's for you. Ambition, wanting more than what's given, and what power means to those who don't have it and the lengths they go to obtain it are the major themes of the book. There's not a single dull moment in this book. The messy relationships between the characters were the highlight of the book for me. Don't go into it expecting a romance, though. The relationship between Semiramis, Onnes, and Ninus is definitely not healthy and ends in tragedy.

The author's note was quite enlightening. I loved her decision to include a slave's perspective into the story. It added depth and authenticity to it. Casati also blends into the narrative the epics and poetry of Assyria and draws parallels to the Epic of Gilgamesh. With kings and queens, slaves and spymasters, priests and soldiers, Casati has painted a vivid picture of ancient Mesopotamia that I'll never forget.

Babylonia" by Constanza Casati is a richly detailed historical novel that takes readers back to the ancient world. Initially, I found it challenging to immerse myself in the story, as the narrative took some time to pick up pace. However, once the plot started to unfold, the book became an entertaining read.

However because so many characters were involved in the active telling of the story, some of them felt a bit "flat" and lacked the depth needed to form a strong connection with the reader. As a result, it was sometimes difficult to fully engage with their individual journeys and emotions.

Despite these challenges, "Babylonia" offers a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era and showcases Casati's dedication to historical accuracy. The book's strength lies in its vivid descriptions and Casati's dededication to adhere to history while giving herself the liberty to go beyond what is known. Additionally, the feminist take was refreshing and shows us, once again, that strong women have always existed.

For those interested in Assyrian history, "Babylonia" will prove an engaging story.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and a strong FMC, this is an enjoyable audiobook! The story held my attention for the duration. I liked the author’s writing style- using short simple sentences to tell a compelling story. I found it a bit challenging to keep the character’s name straight in my head.

Rating: 3:5 stars

A captivating tale of Semiramis, a powerful and ambitious orphan who rises from obscurity to imperial heights. With complex relationships, immersive world-building, and a satisfying narrative, this book is a must-read for historical fiction and mythology fans. While it didn't quite surpass Casati's "Clytemnestra", it's a compelling and emotional ride that will leave you breathless.

In Babylonia, Costanza Casati tells an epic tale of love and betrayal, set in the violent grandure of the Assyrian empire. Casati takes the myth of Semiramis, combining it with the fragments that are known about the historical Shammuramat, and from these two stories she creates her own tale of the eventual queen of Assyria. Semiramis is nothing. Abandoned at birth she is adopted by a shepherd who mistreats her. She knows that the only thing anyone expects of her is that she will dutifully marry and fade into obscurity. So she takes her fate into her own hands, recognising that power can be claimed by those who are not born to it.

I really enjoyed that the novel is told from the perspective of multiple characters. We see from the perspective of Semiramis, as well as king Ninus, and Ribat who is a slave that longs to be a scribe. The shifting perspective allows us to become aware of things that we wouldn't otherwise, and it adds depth to the relationship between Ninus and Semiramis's husband Onnes, which we would lack if we were always viewing it from the perspective of Semiramis.

The love and betrayal that hangs over Semiramis, Onnes, and Ninus is perhaps the most enduring theme in the novel. It is a very character driven story, and these three are at the heart of it. There isn't one lover and one betrayal. The three of them love and hurt each other over and over again, and it is this that is their undoing. As a reader you know where the novel will end up, and perhaps if you know of the myth you have an idea of how we are going to get there, but it makes the resolution no less tragic.

I hadn't read any of Costanza Casati's books before I picked up Babylonia, though I have since discovered that this is her second novel. If Babylonia is anything to go by, she has become an author who I will instantly read. I know that many people are getting tired of retellings and myths, but I encourage you to give this one a try. Firstly, Mesopotamia has hardly received any attention when it comes to retellings and so still feels very fresh and interesting, and secondly, this book is so well written I think it is possible to enjoy the story being told, irrespective of its historical and mythical origin.

I am so glad that I read this, and what a good way to start a new year.

This was a great book! I am not typically a fan of historical fiction, but I wasn’t tricked given it was about Greek mythology. I like the story, and how it shows the strength of women. It was a well written book, I like the audiobook in the voice of the narrator.


Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I was a huge fan of Casati's [book:Clytemnestra|61361681], and this has that same slower paced build up and similar world building style that I enjoyed so much. The author took great care to ensure that the historical aspects of the real people and events in the book were portrayed to the best of her ability and that her characters felt real. Her writing is descriptive and doesn't hold back when we get to the battle scenes. In her author's note she explains her research and where she took liberties with this retelling.

Much like in Clytemnestra, we get another strong willed female lead in Semiramis who makes her own way in the male dominated world she lives in and captivates the men around her to establish her own future and power. We get to see Semiramis rise from a mistreated orphan to the ruler of an empire. She had goals and ambitions, and she wasn't afraid to go after them.

This book is full of political posturing, the court reminded me of King's Landing from Game of Thrones where everyone has their own goals and will stab their neighbor in the back to get what they want. There is war, love, death, betrayal, guilt, and so much more going on but the author does a great job stringing everything together.

I really enjoyed this but I wasn't as drawn into this book as I was Clytemnestra. I enjoyed the narration and felt the narrator did a great job telling the story. If you enjoy mythology and retellings this is well written and well researched.

Thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia & Costanza Casati for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4 stars.
Genre(s): historical fiction, historical retelling.

Overall impression: I was hooked from the opening line: "She kills her lover on the altar of a foreign goddess." It really set the tone of the novel - which felt like a celebration of women and their power. Two notable female characters were Nisat, the King's mother that spent years gaining the trust of the council members and held significant political sway, and Semiramis who started life in poverty but rose to become the only Queen of the Assyrian empire. The narration, writing style and plot were all really well done. I haven't read a book from this time period before but the language was modernised and really easy to follow. The only thing I struggled with was connecting with the characters - they didn't feel real somehow. Maybe because I struggled to understand how they really felt or what motivated certain actions. But given it's a historical retelling from thousands of years ago, I imagine no one truly knows how people thought back then. Despite this, I'm really looking forward to reading Costanza's other novel Clytemnestra which I have the Page & Wick special edition of!

Tropes:
➵ Historical retelling
➵ Greek mythology
➵ Gods and goddesses
➵ Prophecies
➵ Strong female characters
➵ Feminist undertones
➵ Rags to riches
➵ Royalty romance
➵ Love triangle
➵ Opposites attract
➵ She fights in the war
➵ Battles, violence & brutality
➵ Vicious court politics
➵ Secrets, lies & betrayal
➵ Death of core characters

⤷ Plot:
Babylonia is a historical retelling of Semiramis' ascent from poverty to the throne. It was packed with historical events including wars, political marriages, council meetings and other daily events that happened in the Assyrian Empire from around 823 BCE onwards. Despite the history-overload, it didn't feel like you were reading a textbook. You could picture the characters going about their everyday lives and see the world the author created.

I spoiled the plot for myself by looking up Semiramis on Wikipedia...and it matched pretty well. I would recommend not doing what I did and go into the story blind because there are a few 'twists' that you might not see coming and that were pretty exciting!

I also really like that Costanza made the book multiple POV and included the perspectives of the king, commander and servants. We were able to glimpse the world through the eyes of people who had vastly different experiences with it.

⤷ Characters:
I've already raved about my two favourite characters Semiramis and Nisat. They were both cut-throat in fighting for their place in society and it was inspiring. However, Sasi the spymaster and Ribat the slave that taught Costanza to read were other interesting characters. Sasi honestly reminded me of Littlefinger from Game of Thrones and I pictured him as this the entire time. I wasn't quite sure who he was loyal to but like everyone else - he was just trying to survive in any way he could. Ribat was an endearing character for most of the story. He represented so many people from that time period, so it was interesting to see how he lived and fought for his freedom.

⤷ World-building:
The world-building was really well done overall. Semiramis' mud home and village, Onnes' palace halls, rooms and gardens, and the city of Babylon were all described in a lot of detail and I could picture them easily. The only thing I couldn't picture was the outside of the palaces. I saw on Costanza's Instagram that these palaces actually look like pyramids with hanging gardens, which I wasn't expecting at all! I don't remember them being described in the book but they are gorgeous.

⤷ Writing:
Although lyrical, Costanza adapted her dialogue and storytelling to the modern day. It made picturing the scenes and world really easy because I wasn't jarred out of the story with a bunch of words that I didn't know the definition of. There were a couple of times when I read some of the scenes and I thought "why are you doing that?" or "that seems out of character", so maybe a bit more time could have been spent exploring what motivates some of the main characters.

⤷ Everything else:
The audiobook eARC I received was narrated by Ayesha Antoine. I listened on 1.25x speed and this pacing was perfect for me - not too slow/fast and still really clear and engaging. Ayesha's voice really suited the story and kept me hooked even during some of the more tedious scenes. Her voice really suited the characters and I never felt like I was jarred out of the story because one of the voices sounded off.

I actually think I enjoyed this book more as an audiobook than as a print book. I was able to look up pictures of the buildings, people and places online whilst listening and got swept up in the world of the Assyrian Empire. I actually progressed through the book a lot quicker than I was expecting because it flowed so well.

Well… I didn’t like that. I expected something much cleverer than a Queen who rose to power by sheer sex appeal. Why is it that every man she’s around seems to be in love with her or at least wants to claim her body? It almost wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t all so incestuous on top of it. I very nearly DNF’ed at 80% because I realized that I wasn’t enjoying the story at all, but decided to push through and finish anyway for ARC-reviewing purposes.

The plot was problematic, the characters were unlikable, but worst of all in my opinion, it was written in third person present tense, which is my least favorite. The language was so vague that it felt like everything important was happening off-page. There were some really beautiful lines of prose mixed in, but instead of filling out the imagery, it only served to further mute the details of what was happening.

I normally really like this genre, but this one just didn’t work for me.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook ALC. I sincerely hope this book reaches readers who love it, but this time that wasn’t me.

Set in ancient Assyria, this novel follows an orphan girl from a tragic childhood to the height of power. Semiramis must sacrifice much to make this journey, but she is definitely up to the challenge.

"Babylonia" includes lots of court intrigue, back-stabbing, politics, manipulation, and affairs of the heart. It touches on warfare, mental health, homosexuality, and patricide. None of the characters are all good or all bad, and most are unlikeable, but the story carried me along and I had to find out what happened next.

I recently listened to Casati's "Clytemnestra," which is also about a woman fighting for power. Unlike that one, I didn't feel as much heartbreak for this main character, Semiramis. Instead of being manipulated by others, she more or less made her bed and had to sleep in it. Similarly to "Clytemnestra," however, this one ends before I thought it would. Not a bad ending, just not the whole story I expected. That does leave some to my imagination.

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Ayesha Antoine, whose timing and inflections were spot on.

Contains applicable violence, no foul language, minimal sexual content.

Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ahhhhh! This was so incredibly well crafted. The storytelling (as always) is lush and gripping. I was so invested in each character’s storyline and I consumed it in one sitting.

Babylonia by Costanza Casati tells the story of a ninth century queen of Assyria. It is historical fiction that blends what is known of Semiramis and myth into a gorgeously written novel. The characters are deep and complex and that is important for what is a character driven story. Semiramis is abandoned by her mother on the riverbank as she drowns herself in the river, and she is then taken in by a shepard and raised as his daughter. He beats her and Semiramis knows if she is to have any kind of life for herself she must take control of her story. She meets the new governor, Onnes, and convinces him to marry her and they leave her hometown. Semiramis convinces Onnes to train her as a warrior - and he does. She knows she will need to know how to fight. This is a story of love, loyalty, betrayal and ultimately, a story of power. A beautifully written well told story by Costanza Casati. Thank you to #NETGALLEY and RB Media for my advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Babylonia is a fascinating mythology retelling set in 9th century Assyria, focusing on the Assyrian empire’s only female ruler, Semiramis. From her humble beginnings as a common girl adopted by a shepherd after her mother’s death, Semiramis’s journey is full of challenges—battles, politics, and the raw power of the Assyrian empire.

What I loved most is how strong and determined Semiramis is. She’s proof that you shouldn’t send a man to do a woman’s job! Her character shines as she navigates a male dominated world with ambition and resilience. The way the book weaves history and myth is impressive, though it might get confusing if you’re not familiar with mythology.

If you’re into ancient history and love stories about powerful women carving out their own legacy, this one’s for you. It’s captivating, intense, and a true deep dive into the world of Assyria.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc❤️

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the book, it just didn't speak to me for some reason. It is the rags to riches story of a wise and kind (mostly) woman who uses her beauty and brains to rise from orphan to queen. My favorite part was that she had a pet leopard! I actually preferred the parts about the slave who became a scribe more than anything else. This has lots of great reviews, so I'm definitely alone here, but this felt more like a slog to get through rather than a great retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Costanza Casati, and Recorded Books for my copy of this audiobook

I loved this author's debut novel, Clytemnestra. It was a favorite of mine. This one, her second novel, is just as good. I will be looking for more by this author.

I listened to the audio while reading. The narrator was magnificent. She makes you feel the story in your bones. In your heart. Every twist of a sword. Every knife wound. Every heartbreak. It was done beautifully.

A woman of low means, Semiramis, has lived with a man and his son all of her life. She was an infant when her mother killed her father and then drowned herself. Leaving Semiramis to whatever fate came her way. It is said that her mother was a very beautiful woman.

Semiramis has been abused and treated horrifically by the man who raised her. She endured it all until she just could not take it any longer. She knew that one day he would kill her. She left with the governor of Assyria, Onnes, to become his bride. To hopefully have a much better and safer life.

The timeframe of this book is the ninth century BC. Ultimately Semiramis rises to become the ruler of an empire. She married the king after the governor, who was the king's brother, killed himself. Together the king, Ninus and queen, Semiramis, could have done such great things. But alone Semiramis did. Ninus died after a great battle leaving her alone to bear his son. She was queen for five years. Until her son became of age to take over.

There are a few characters in this book. Some likable and some to detest greatly. This book was so good. So lyrical in places. There was war. Lots of bloody scenes. There was love. Some hatred also. Two brothers. One king and one governor. One woman who loved them both. Or one king who loved them both. Both his brother and his brother's wife.

It was filled with so much. I can't imagine topping it but I do look forward to this author's next book.
Do not miss the Author's Note at the end. It tells a lot. I had no idea. This story is based on truths. It's a great one about the strength of a woman who was born poor and rose to greatness.

Thank you #NetGalley, #SourcebooksLandmark, #RBmediaRecordedBooks, for this ARC.

Five big stars.