The Byzantine Empire spirals from greatness to disaster in the eleventh century. Can one woman’s thirst for revenge stop its decline?
At the center of Byzantine society, young Anna Dalassena lives with her grandparents among the most powerful men and women in Constantinople until the cutthroat politics of the Great Palace sends the family into exile. Her bleak situation turns promising after … exile. Her bleak situation turns promising after meeting the handsome young soldier, John Comnenus, and his brother Isaac, before they can return to Constantinople.
The vicious power struggles, uprisings, and betrayals at the highest levels of the empire push Anna and John to its center as they struggle to deal with their own tragedies. When rebellion puts her life and those of everyone Anna loves at risk, is the reward – a throne for her family and vengeance for a terrible death – too big a gamble?
more
Imperial Passions is the first book I have read by Eileen Stephenson. It will not be the last. I thought this was a great historical. I enjoyed the vivid details of the Byzantine era. I am not too familiar with this era, so it was a refreshing to read something new.
I give Imperial Passions four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical fiction. It is one that should not be missed.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Anna Dalassena, in addition to being a fascinating character in her own right, is the perfect window on the Byzantine world. As she grows from girlhood to womanhood, taking her place in that world as a wife, a mother, and an aristocrat who is very much a player in the tangled web of Byzantine politics, we see Constantinople through her eyes, and she is an intelligent and observant guide.
Through Anna, we see the great historic events of the times juxtaposed with intimate domestic events. These perspectives, combined, provide the reader with a rich and varied experience of this fascinating and complex world, full of wealth, intrigue, violence, and betrayal, as well as love and grief and tenderness. We watch Anna grow into a remarkable woman, courageous and decisive, and fundamentally decent even in the face of rampant greed and cruelty.
The author has an encyclopedic knowledge of Byzantium, its personages, historical events, and its physical attributes. Readers are in good hands here. Both the glossary and the list of characters are welcome tools, especially since given names tend to repeat in this culture, leaving us with multiple Marias, Michaels, Johns, and Annas, for example. To her credit, the author manages this deftly, making it easy for the reader to distinguish among these characters.
The ending is satisfying, but at the same time suggests more to come. I hope so—I look forward to seeing more of this world, and more of Anna Dalassena.
Eileen Stephenson gives us tantalizing views of female doctors and empresses, minority groups, generals and deposed kings, all in the cosmopolitan city of Byzantiu in the 12th century in her well written historical novel, Imperial Passions. It is the many glimpses of women which are so fascinating from Xene, abused and isolated by her husband to main character Anna Dalassena, who handles finances, households, and becomes an expert in chess, that was to help her learn the basics of political success,
While much about daily life was different from our lives almost 1,000 years later, there are moments that remain the same: joy at the birth of a child, sadness at death, fear of war and disease and yearning for safety and comforts of life, whether in the city or on the farm.
The political intrigues, corruption and violent change of rulers brought exiles, tortures, abrupt changes of fortune and instability. Imperial Passions is a good reminder to those of use in democracies of the perils of rule by mob, violence and lawlessness.