Margaret George is always very thorough with her history while managing to tell a compelling story. This novel accomplishes the goal of the author which is to make Nero seem more human. Can't wait for the 2nd installment!

Who hasn’t heard some version of the phrase “Nero fiddled while Rome burned”? It’s long been the standard epitaph for any ruler so decadent and foolish that they were more interested in entertaining and enriching themselves than running a country. Hhhhmmm. Current similarities aside, Margaret George decides to investigate the life of Emperor Nero to see what, if any, of this historical reference is true. Her novel The Confessions of Young Nero is an in-depth look at the Roman boy who, through the convoluted lines of family and his mother’s ambition became, at sixteen, the youngest emperor in Rome’s history.

Thanks to the constant infighting in Roman politics Nero’s early life was spent with his aunt’s family. His father was dead and his mother, Agrippina was banished from Rome by her brother, Caligula. Only after Caligula’s murder does his mother return and then things get spicy. First she married a much older, wealthy man and once he re-established them in Roman society she had him murdered because money was not goal, power was. She then married the new emperor, her uncle Claudius, and soon enough he was dead and her son was on the throne.

The bulk of The Confessions of Young Nero is spent from the years 41AD to 64AD, Nero’s formative years to just past the midpoint of his reign. During that time George carefully fleshes out a Nero who shifts from a gentle child with a love of the arts and an appreciation for beauty to a young adult who must deal with the weight of unfettered power. Slowly, she shows how corrupting power without guidance can be. Nero had no father or any male figure to model himself on and his mother’s influence was of power at any cost.

There are two ways to write about ancient history. One is a dry statement of facts—wars won, lost, dates and times. Boring and not something most people want to read. The other is solely for entertainment—focusing on the most outlandish aspects of the times. This is easy to do when writing about Rome because it was a society that played fast and loose with ethics and morals. Namely, a fondness for intermarrying and adoption to secure and enhance families’ power and wealth and the rampant use of poison to eliminate enemies. But while it is entertaining (because trashy reading is a fun break sometimes) it’s not satisfying. George strikes the perfect balance between education and entertainment in The Confessions of Young Nero by using the limited historical documents to ferret out the reality behind the tabloid news.

It would be easy to portray Nero as a vain aesthete who had no interest in running the empire, but the reality is that he was simply a different sort of politician. War and conquering were of less interest than peace and prosperity. Romans lived through dominance of the world around them but Nero was more inclined to the Greek view of society with a focus on the arts. He had no interest in watching humans or animals being torn to pieces in the Colosseum, he wanted festivals and chariot races instead. That George is able to build upon the facts with imagination and recreate a world long gone is what makes The Confessions of Young Nero such fascinating reading.

The Confessions of Young Nero is chock-full of drama, secrets, power-hungry people and manipulation. It’s a story about a boy who grew up to be one of Rome’s most notorious and powerful Emperor. This is a fascinating fictional retelling of Nero’s young life and his rise to power. Before he was known as a compulsive and corrupt Emperor who persecuted the early Christian church.

This book is classified as historical fiction but Margaret George was able to cleverly combined historical details and events about Nero and some really compelling fictional point of view which gave readers a somewhat sympathetic view of Nero.

I especially enjoyed the painstaking details that the author did to show the Roman way of life. Rome in all its glory and debauchery is always fascinating to read about. She went beyond that to explore the attitudes and the lifestyles of that era in history and I feel that she was able to capture that.

As for Nero…he is both a product and a victim of his time. He was groomed by his family especially his mother to become the most powerful man in Rome. He saw his family manipulate and lie just to get and hold on to power. This had a profound effect on him later on in life.

Fans of historical fiction and Roman history would definitely appreciate this book. It’s hefty and quite detailed but it’s worth the read.

Margaret George is a big name in the world of historical fiction, and The Confessions of Young Nero only seems to cement that notion. I have read two of her previous works - Helen of Troy and The Autobiography of Henry VII - and greatly enjoyed both, so I had high hopes for this new release.

Many of Ancient Rome's illustrious and notorious emperor's are often portrayed in books and film, some focusing mainly on fact, but most focusing on the juicy bits that make for great entertainment. George combines both of these ideas by creating a detailed life of the Roman Emperor Nero, a man with many interesting stories to tell. She takes a unique, introspective eye to the life of Nero, fashioning an informative and engaging tale.

George writes with a lyrical quality that brings Rome to life and engaged me in the setting. I think she did a great job capturing the qualities of Romans and emphasizing the virtues and qualities that they valued, as well as those that they didn't, such as the Greek influences that Nero loved. Her descriptions of the setting and people in it are wonderfully vivid and allowed for every scene to play out before my eyes.

This book is a bit slow to start, but once it gets going, it is hard to put down again. The story begins with Nero as a young child, and although this initially provided an interesting perspective, it did drag on just a bit too long. Once the story progressed and Nero began to age and experience more events, the story really picked up and introduced a wide array of fascinating characters, from Nero's conniving mother to his close circle of friends that he goes carousing with in the night.

The only other downside I had while reading this book was that I just felt like there was a little bit of George's usual magic missing from this book. It was still an exceptional book, but that extra magical quality of hers that I have found in her other work just wasn't quite there - it was a little lifeless, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what was different.

Overall, I am giving The Confessions of Young Nero four stars! If you are a fan of historical fiction, or juts want to read a good story, then I highly recommend this one!

While I have a strong love of historical fiction, I often lean towards books set in World War II. But when I discovered that Margaret George was releasing a book about Ancient Rome, I was eager to get my hands on it. In middle school, I fell in love with Greek and Roman mythology, which is probably why I was drawn to visit Rome, Florence and Pisa in my traveling youth. Having done so, it was very easy to picture the scenery that Ms. George depicted in this story, particularly the Roman Forum. The ruins are glorious. Imagine what they looked like in Nero’s time!

Historical fiction often feels to me like walking a long, meandering path. You enjoy the scenery, get a bit lost in the surroundings, and spend a great deal of time in a state of contemplation. I found this all to be true in this case. The book is a lengthy one – as it should be – and though there is some drama, it is a not a quick, action-packed read. Its purpose, after all, is to familiarize us with the life of Nero, and as the author states in the acknowledgments, to perhaps shine a different light on a ruler who has often been demonized.

Truthfully, I couldn’t have told you much about anything on the topic of Nero prior to reading this, and I wasn’t aware history had painted him in such a negative light. However, Ms. George certainly depicted him differently, more as a man who loved art and country, who was born into a life that he did not choose, who accepted the power and responsibility that was thrust upon him, and tried to do his best with it, a man who was only human, wanting companionship, love and understanding, like the rest of us.

History can be very complicated and it’s easy to get lost in the details. It can also be rather dry. Ms. George does a brilliant job of making this part of history accessible and interesting. However, I sometimes had a hard time with the way Nero was depicted. It often felt as if he was coming off as weak when I don’t think that was the intent. After I read the acknowledgments, it occurred to me that perhaps in her attempt to remove the stain of previous representations, she over scrubbed a bit. It felt a bit like sitting next to someone who is wearing a lovely perfume, but entirely too much of it.

I’m glad to have read it because I feel like I learned a great deal, and chances are, I will pick up the next volume to complete the story. But it isn’t necessarily a book that I’ll be screaming from the rooftops about.

Like most of you (I’m assuming), I really only think of one thing when I hear about Nero: the emperor who fiddled madly while Rome burned down around him. Well, Margaret George, one of historical fiction’s great writers, has set her sights on the infamous Roman emperor in an attempt to (at least partially) clear his name.

The novel (the first of two planned for Emperor Nero) focuses mainly on Nero’s childhood and early years as emperor. Born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, and nephew to the then-emperor Caligula (yes, that Caligula), who had his sister (Nero’s mother) banished from the country as a potential threat to his rule. Nero gets his first taste of Roman imperial politics at the tender age of three, when Caligula tries to drown him in a lake. Surviving the attempt, the young Nero’s situation is barely improved with the return of his mother after Caligula’s death, as her machinations, and those of the current rulers of the Roman empire, promise more pain and betrayal for the boy.

After ascending the throne at age sixteen, Nero pledges to himself to be a different style of emperor than his uncle, Caligula, or any of his scheming relatives waiting in the wings. An artist and musician at heart, he attempts to seek his own path as the most powerful man in the world.

George uses historical sources to bring accuracy and realism to her work, and this book is no exception. While artistic license must be taken (especially with Nero, whose achievements were largely posthumously suppressed from the historical record), Margaret George takes pain to ensure that her book cleaves as closely as possible to verifiable truth (and you know how I love a fictional book with a bibliography). Ultimately, this book is about family, and how the cutthroat and brutal dynamics of the Roman elite can sully even the most optimistic dreamer.

Any lover of history or historical fiction will find a lot to love in this book. Margaret George is the queen of historical fiction for good reason. The book is engagingly written and suspenseful, and George’s characterization of the young emperor is complex and compelling. In all, this is a highly readable book about a man who exists today as a caricature of himself.

An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Confessions of a Young Nero will be available for purchase on March 7th, 2017.

This was a very detailed story about the first years of Emporer Nero. Margaret George gives Nero a personality. You love him or hate him at different times in his life. She tells a tale of him that is different from what we are used to hearing. I really enjoyed this story. I laughed and cried . I received this ebook from Netgalley and Berkeley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I am the first to admit that I hated history in school. It was one of my most disliked classes. Nothing about history appealed to me or stayed in my mind for very long. Now, though I have discovered a new love - historical fiction. It fleshes out history for me and makes it interesting. Some historical fiction is better than others and Confessions of a Young Nero is definitely a good one!

I knew nothing at all of Nero when I started this book so this was all new to me. The intricacies of the Roman Empire are woven effortlessly through this novel. When we first meet Nero, his uncle Caligula is trying to drown him! We watch as Nero’s mother, Agrippina, does everything within her power to get her young son to be Emperor. Then we watch the young emperor as he slowly comes into his own and understands the power that he holds.

The life and society of the times are so fascinating. The need for tasters because everyone is going around poisoning one another. The ease and matter of factness in which you dispose of someone who is in your way. The arts and athletics that permeate the culture.

Nero comes off as being very human. He did good with his power and he did bad. I alternated between sympathy for him and irritation at his excesses.

I really enjoyed this book! i feel like this was a well researched book, it really brought Nero to life. The author explains at the end that there was too much to put into one book and I look forward to seeing what happens next, since the book ends with Rome burning.

I received an ARC copy of this book.

Readers of this blog are well-aware of my love for author Margaret George, so it should come as no surprise that I'm ending my reviewing hiatus just to share my love for her latest novel, The Confessions of Young Nero.

Ms. George is the author who drew me into the Historical Fiction genre when I picked up Mary, Queen of Scots and the Isles years ago and she continues to slay me with her amazing writing and fascinating historical characters. I love the way she chooses figures from history that are maligned or controversial. George now tackles Ancient Rome and the early life of the legendary Emperor Nero. From being nearly drowned by his uncle, Caligula, to his volatile relationship with his mother Agrippina, his marriage to Poppaea, Rome's battle with Queen Boudicca, his meeting with the Apostle Paul, and the burning of Rome, readers are swept back into history and given a front row seat.

Beyond Nero's political dealings, George delves into Nero's personal side as well. His love of the arts and music, and his inner turmoil of being an Emperor and the nefarious things he had to do along the way. George paints Nero as a flawed man, but one that knows he is flawed.

I look forward to George continuing Nero's story in her next novel, which she is currently working on now. I remember hearing somewhere that she is also thinking of writing a book on Queen Boudicca and I sincerely hope that she does. I wanted to hear more about Boudicca's battle with Rome.

I highly recommend you checking out The Confessions of Young Nero, it's a fascinating look at a real, yet flawed, Emperor Nero! May I note as well, the hardcover copy is absolutely gorgeous and has a deckle edge, which I love!

Rating: 4 Stars

THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO is a story not only steeped in history, but infused with the emotion, desires, secrets, and drama. Margaret George has crafted a wonderfully authentic tale that instantly transports her readers into Rome during the time when Nero is growing up and will eventually become Emperor. What truly grabbed me about this book is the character of Nero and how human he was able to come across. George gave this formidable man a backstory filled with all the reasons why he became who he did. We are given a glimpse into the author’s Nero. Also, it is not just Nero that we are able to meet. With an eloquence and impeccable attention to historic detail, all of the characters in this book came alive. It is a gift for an author to be able to take a well known figure in history and re-invent him (or her) for their own purposes. George did just that. Without a doubt, THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO is historical fiction at its best.

Happy Publication Day Margaret George!

What makes The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George work is the fact that it is about a young boy caught up in intrigues and machinations from his very birth. The first person narrative through his eyes initially sets up a sympathetic character. What also makes this book work is the detail with which the ancient Roman world is described. Never take historical fiction for being history, but let yourself indulge in this story that completely submerges you in its world.

Read my complete review & listen to Margaret George speak about Emperor Nero at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/03/the-confessions-of-young-nero.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Some Emperors' names and deeds stand out in the centuries and histories since their time in power passed. There are the "good" Emperors like Augustus, Trajan, Justinian (etc.) that have lasted the test of time, and there were their counterparts: the criminal despots, the insane tyrants, the deluded would-be kings like Caligula, Domitian, and of course, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, rechistened Nero, famous for playing his violin while Rome burned. With her newest novel The Confessions of Young Nero, veteran historical fiction author Margaret George launches a new duology; intended to closely recount the life of one of Rome's most contentious figures from his inauspicious beginning to his inglorious end. In just this first book, George demonstrates why her books are consistently bestsellers and makes old territory feel fresh and original.

Margaret George books are rigorous, researched, and verbose. Her descriptive style lends toward creating a very visual narrative, (and the occasional infodump) but the main storyline can feel somewhat slow-moving at times, dragged down by setting up all the various pieces and players in the political landscape. The Confessions of Young Nero is a big book and takes time to delve into the plot -- spanning decades, there's a lot of ground and pertinent history to cover. Nero may have only lived thirty years (not all of which are even subject to this book's plot) but his years were full and make for plenty of plot fodder. Despite the large scope, this is a detailed, methodical, researched history of Nero's early childhood and the first ten years of his reign as Emperor. The book presents a recognizable but more humane version of the final ruler in the Julio-Claudian dynasty and how his life and rule might have looked.

With such vast knowledge of the tangled political situation and of the history of Rome, Margaret George is able to render an alternate version of the one-note villain Nero is remembered to be. He's not an innocent by any means, but he was a product of his blood-soaked, power-hungry time. The author creates a plausible reasons and explanations for how and what shaped him in his pivotal years. Using that knowledge and clever plotting, The Confessions of Young Nero depicts several believable iterations of Nero at various stages in life, as politics and family begin to exert their power and influence. First Lucius is shown as a smart, troubled young artist-type, an off-beat product of his proud family, then developed into a quick political student able to take risks to secure his position, and finally showing him as Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the unqualified but cunning young Emperor at the close of the novel. It's a big evolution but it's handled smoothly and with reason over the hundreds of pages that make up the novel.

The Confessions of Young Nero manages to put a fresh spin on an old, well-known story. Painting a more balanced view of Nero while firmly establishing the time and culture surrounding him, this first novel in Margaret George's planned series is a solid beginning.

Longer review to come later today on my blog. Even though the attention to detail is immense, George's writing style is compulsively readable and keeps you turning the pages. I struggled with the narrative style, though, the looking backward aspect. I don't think it's reasonable to expect a 4 year old to remember as much detail as Nero did and it made his voice sound older. So that distracted me. I also felt some distance from the characters but overall I enjoyed learning about a historical figure I didn't know much about previously. I'll look forward to the conclusion in part 2!

4/5

My first ever Netgalley (ish) review! Big thanks to Putnam for involving me in this.

This book = THE ME I’M TRYNA BE IN 2017.

If you follow my reviews, like, at all, then you know as a rule I never pick good books out for myself. I consistently pick up YA contemporaries and silly fantasy when I know I almost never enjoy them. Genres I actually like – classics, middle grade adventure, historical fiction – well, I rarely give them the time of day, my friends. And true to form, I didn’t pick this one – Putnam did. Honestly, I probably never would have picked this book up. BUT THE ONLY REASON FOR THAT IS MY OWN STUPIDITY.

I love historical fiction. It’s one of my favorite genres (even if it’s one of my least read), probably because it disappoints me most infrequently. No, but seriously – it combines two of my favorite-est things: history and books. (Fun fact, I almost majored in history before I remembered who I am as a person!) I was thrilled to pick this book up. Especially an ARC because I love to feel superior and reading books before they come out feels like being part of an elite club. Sue me!

On a sidenote, anyone who has read my review of A Gathering of Shadows (slash a bajillion other YA books) knows how I feel about the strong, cruel, misunderstood cultural elite who just wants to be luuuuurved. But I pretty much forgot that was even a trope (and one I can’t stand, at that!) while I was reading this book. YA authors trying to create the next Will Herondale: TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE. (Well, not actually. “You’re not like other girls” would sound pretty strange coming out of Nero’s mouth. I actually take it all back – Nero is more of an illustration of how dumb that trope is. BUT AT LEAST THIS BOOK IS GOOD, OK?)

This. Book. Is. Wild. Craaaaazy stuff goes down. Uncomfortable stuff, even. Okay, VERY uncomfortable stuff. But the insane amount of research the author put into this makes the whole thing feel natural. When historical fiction is done right – and I mean REALLY right – you’ll get no complaints from me. Zero. Zip. Nada. Nero could have ridden an elephant into British court while juggling tomatoes and counting backwards in Mandarin, and I’d be like, “Wow! I had no idea the world was so connected back then :)”

Anyway. I didn’t know anything about Nero beyond his name and the fact that he was adopted (yeah, I took a ton of high school history classes, what of it?) and that SUCKS. (Not just because my total ignorance could have led to the aforementioned reaction.) This story is so bananas and wild and fun and should be taught more. The reason I love history (and historical fiction) is that it is filled with some of the greatest stories of all time. Human history, IMHO, is the greatest story ever told. SO MAKE HISTORY AS COOL AS IT ACTUALLY IS, HIGH SCHOOLS. (Sorry I said IMHO like it’s too hard to type “in my honest opinion.” Won’t happen again. Experiment failed, back to the drawing board, etc etc.)

Sorry about that. As I write this, it’s a Friday, I haven’t gotten more than 4 hours of sleep since last weekend, and I’m a bit loopy. Also I’m eating straight frosting with a spoon so that can’t be helping.

This book wasn’t perfect, though. The perspective of this book could be a tad off-putting, as Nero is a very young child as the book begins…and it’s not exactly a Room-style look into the head of a toddler. It’s a testament to the research and the world George built (except not really? Except yeah?) that this is only a small stumble.

Plus, I’m not used to reading books like this, and it could feel…unwieldy. It’s pretty long and I’ve been really busy of late (if you couldn’t tell by the fact that I’m 7 books behind on my reading challenge – super cool! Love it! Huge fan of that!). I didn’t always love the writing style, either. On the very first page, I was like, AM I MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE?!

Happily, though, the answer to that existential crisis/wordless scream in the abyss/question was no. Reading this book really felt like taking a step closer to ancient Rome, if not stepping within it. Dunno if I’ll be able to check out another Margaret George book anytime soon, but this experience definitely inspired me to pick up historical fiction more often. Such a fabulous genre.

Bottom line: I know this is way out of the comfort zone/reading habits of most of you lovely people, but if you’re into history, Rome, or trying out new things, I encourage you all to pick this one up!

PS: If you pick up this book, read the afterword. This is coming from someone who never reads introductions, included critical essays, acknowledgments, endnotes…hell, sometimes I skip footnotes. But Margaret George is a goddamn machine.

Nearly everyone knows who Nero is on some basic level. When I asked my mother about him (someone who has never studied Ancient Roman history), all she knew about him was that he was the Emperor who let Rome burn. Before reading this novel, that was the extent of my knowledge of Nero as well. Now I can say, I know a little bit more.

Margaret George does a fantastic job at humanizing the man known as Nero. By beginning the narration at such a young age, the book opens when Nero — then known as Lucius — is only four years old, she is able to pick out moments that defined his character and shaped him into the man that the world knew and feared. He does not begin as a devious little child, but someone who loves the arts and yearns for someone to love.


Not only does George sculpt a new image for Nero that few know, she also paints the Rome that he lived in so vividly. From chariot races to the conniving and backstabbing political world that Nero finds himself in, George’s Ancient Rome does not shy away from the truth. The addition of what the real Rome looked like is why George’s historical fiction novels, this one in particular, puts her far above other historical fiction writers.

However, on a more personal level, I found myself constantly questioning the text (which is why the rating is not as high as my review would suggest). Because of the nature of the subject matter and the detailed facts that George is able to weave into the story, I flipped back and forth between enjoying the novel and thinking “did this really happen this way?”. Though it is a historical fiction novel, I kept questioning the validity of certain aspects, despite the immense amount of research that I know George did in the process of writing this novel. This constant mental shift continued to take me out of the story every couple of chapters, and made the reading a bit difficult at times.

Overall, I did enjoy reading The Confessions of Young Nero. It’s a highly detailed piece of art, and it gives life and heart to a man that many know as cruel and heartless. If anyone is looking for a way into learning about Ancient Rome without reading a meaty textbook or non-fiction work, you should read this book.

Margaret George is synonymous with epic historical door stopper sized books. If you want a quick fluffy read don't look here. But if you're looking for something that is meaty with grit, rich in history with depth, intrigue as well as a setting steeped in political and cultural mayhem you've come to the right place.

I have read everything that Margaret George has written though I've done it in audio book format this being my first time reading one of her books. Her books are usually close to a thousand pages in length or over 40 hours in audio. I will admit to a bit of puzzlement when I realized this book came in at only 528 pages, thankfully discovering Nero's life will be done in 2 parts, hopefully the wait for book 2 won't be too long.

I know nothing about the historical figure Nero which made this all the more enjoyable. The Confessions of Young Nero begins when he is a very young child. Watching him grow up in the environment he was in made it all the easier to connect with him and to really get a sense of who he was turning into. To understand what made him tick and why.

As always Margaret George captured the essence of Rome here, I loved how Paul of Tarsus made an appearance as well as the earthquake in Pompeii, even the fight for Britain with Boudicca showed the far reaches of his empire. While at times more interested in the arts Nero was a very interesting character and I can't wait for the conclusion to his story.

Nero played his fiddle while watching Rome burn, at least that is what I thought. I don’t know where I first heard that or from whom I heard it, but without bothering to check historical facts, I believed it. I thought of him as a monster. But this monster was once a sweet, adorable child who had a mother, a father, an uncle. He was a human just as I am. What happened that caused him to be remembered as being so cruel?

Nero’s mom, Agrippina, had been banished when Nero wasn’t even three yet, so he lived with his aunt. His uncle, Caligula, was a terrible man that attempted to drown him as a sacrifice to the goddess Diana.

When his mom returns, she takes him away from his aunt’s house to live with her. Life is enjoyable with her, but he learns the hard way that his mom cannot be trusted. She and others in his life influenced him in ways that would have led most to be extremely cruel and vindictive.

Even when Nero lives in the palace and his mom is empress, he always has to watch her as he is afraid that she will poison him. Can you imagine always being afraid that your own mom will poison you?

If I had delved further into his history, I would have discovered that Nero was a kind man, not a cruel one. He loved music, poetry, writing, art. He did not like the confines of being emperor, something he never wanted to be. He wanted to be happy, to do the things he enjoyed and to marry the woman he loved.

Did Rome burn? Yes, it did. But Nero did not start the fire, nor did he play his fiddle while it burned. Do you want to learn about the real Nero? If so, this book is one you must read. There will be a sequel, one that I look forward to reading and learning more from it.

If you have the slightest interest in Nero and what he was really like, this is a book you will truly enjoy. As well as teaching me about Nero in a very readable and exciting way, I also learned some interesting facts. Did you know that people thought of the gladiator’s blood as a tonic? They believed that it would cure specific illnesses.

Pig’s teats stuffed with sea urchins, heron’s tongues in honey sauce, moray eels drowned in hot sauce made up just part of their “scrumptious ” feasts. The wine that was served with these foods could only have made them better.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was chosen by Netgalley to receive an advanced reader copy of “The Confessions of Young Nero” by Margaret George. Given that fact, it has not altered my opinion on the book at all. “The Confessions of Young Nero” has a scheduled release date of March 7th 2017.

I requested "The Confessions of Young Nero" because Margaret George is a recognizable author for me. Although I've never read one of her books prior, I have another one of her lovely novels residing on my shelves begging to be read. Another reason I was hoping to be picked was because the historical fiction genre has quickly become one of my go-to genres.

George takes the reader back to a time where the Trojan War was more a reality than a story, The Odyssey served as inspiration rather than a reading requirement, and where plots and schemes dominated the political world. A person could be born and raised in their family's greatness, and the next day be poisoned; more fodder for the political gain cannon. Not everyone starts with a chip on their shoulder- some have humble beginnings.

Nero- originally Lucius- started life not knowing his parents. His father dead, and his mother banished under Caligula's rule, Nero grew up with the only family he knew; his Aunt and tutors. With a child's innocence, Nero is blissfully unaware of his family's schemes and tragedies. Unfortunately for Nero, both will follow him throughout his life.

In part one (of a two part book) George delves deep into the history of Rome, following the rise and fall of emperor's, attempted murders, poison masters, and the introductory of Greek activities in a Roman world. You have to REALLY enjoy history to make it through this book. I'm not a history fanatic, so at times I did think this book was just a tad dry. But as usual, I enjoy being lost in the environment of a book. Although this book has a in between rating for me, I definitely will pick up the second book to finish the story.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

Last summer, while on a family vacation to Germany, we visited museums in one city (I think it was Trier) that presented a special exhibit on the Roman Emperor Nero. The theme of the exhibits was that Nero got a raw deal from historians. (He’s known primarily for fiddling while Rome burned, which isn’t even true.)

In fact, he was an able administrator and was very much loved by the Roman people, if perhaps not so much by the Senate. Apparently, he took great pleasure in athletic and musical competitions, which was considered beneath the dignity of the office. No surprise, he always won first place. It was a very interesting exhibit and new perspective.

So I was eager to read Margaret George’s new book, The Confessions of Young Nero. Margaret George is well known in historical fiction circles for epic biographical novels. I’ve had her on my to-read list for a long time.

Nero was a member of the imperial family, though he was not expected to become emperor. His father died when he was young and his mother, Agrippina, had been banished. During Caligula’s reign, Nero was raised by an aunt. (He barely managed to survive Caligula’s casual murderousness.) The manipulations of his family to get rid of Caligula and to jockey for position at court make for interesting reading. Things really get going when Claudius becomes emperor and Agrippina returns. She reclaimed her son and started plotting.

During his formative years, Nero (then Lucius) had no dreams of seizing power. He was content to study history with his tutors, to sneak into an athletic training camp to wrestle and race, and to learn to play the cithara.

Nero is presented as a sensitive and intelligent boy/young man, cursed with a fiercely manipulative mother. Agrippina married Claudius and had him adopt Nero. Claudius’s own son was displaced. To help move things along more quickly, Agrippina employed the family poisoner, Locusta, whose point of view is presented in a few chapters for additional historical perspective.

Nero watched with fascination and horror. At first, he was merely swept along in the current that carried him to the throne. But, once he became emperor, Nero discovered his own taste for power.

George does a wonderful job showing Nero’s growth, his loss of innocence, and his slide from a boy with a conscience to a power-crazed dictator who ceases to listen to his advisors and who believes he is entitled to whatever he desires just because his power is limitless. He’s not a warrior as his predecessors were, which means Rome is able to enjoy a period of peace and prosperity, but he is extravagant and vain.

The book is long but reads quickly. It weaves together politics, court and family intrigues, and romance. It carries the reader up to the burning of Rome. Here, the story breaks off but with the promise of a second novel in the works to continue Nero’s story. For anyone who loves Roman history or epic biographical fiction, this new novel by Margaret George is highly recommended.