Two years after Emperor Augustus’s bloody defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, he triumphantly returns to Rome. To his only child, Julia, he brings an unlikely companion—Selene, the daughter of the conquered Egyptian queen and her lover.Under the watchful eye of Augustus’s wife, Livia, Selene struggles to accept her new home among her parents’ enemies. Bound together by kinship and spilled blood, … spilled blood, these three women—Livia, Selene, and Julia—navigate the dangerous world of Rome’s ruling elite, their every move a political strategy, their most intimate decisions in the emperor’s hands.
Always suppressing their own desires for the good of Rome, each must fulfill her role. For astute Livia, this means unwavering fidelity to her all-powerful husband; for sensual Julia, surrender to an arranged marriage and denial of her craving for love and the pleasures of the flesh; for orphaned Selene, choosing between loyalty to her family’s killers and her wish for revenge.
Can they survive Rome’s deadly intrigues, or will they be swept away by the perilous currents of the world’s most powerful empire?
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Well this book is about the women in Augustus Caesar’s household. Livia, Julia and Cleopatra Selene. And how through wit, courage and intelligence and with separate agendas they managed to hold their own at a time when women were mostly property first of their fathers then their husbands with no choice in husbands especially if you are the emperor’s daughter or charge. The characters have depth and the story line is well written. You also get to see how politics of that time determined the course of the lives of these women and their children and the countries.
This is the second Phyllis Smith novel I’ve read, the other being “I Am Livia.” You might say that this is a sequel to the Livia novel. Both are good stories, well-written, with interesting plots and clearly-drawn characters. These are not bodice-tearing, bosom-heaving romance novels, but rather novels that offer realistic descriptions and explanations of major historical events. Livia, Julia, and Augustus are quite different from the way they’re portrayed in Graves’ Claudius novels. I like being swallowed up in the minute details of a different time period; Smith does a very good job at that, by smoothly playing it as part of the story line. I strongly recommend both to those who like good historical fiction.
THE DAUGHTERS OF PALATINE HILL is the sequel to I AM LIVIA. Whereas the first novel dealt with the life of Livia Drusilla and her relationship with the Emperor Augustus, DAUGHTERS deals with Augustus’ daughter Julia as well as Livia’s adopted daughter Selene, the product of the affair between Cleopatra and Mark Antony.
Selene’s parents are both dead, but their memory remains, which is why this poised 14-year-old has to be extremely careful how she behaves as she goes about forging a relationship with the intimidating (and dangerous) Livia Drusilla.
By contrast, Julia, daughter of the Emperor Augustus and step-daughter of Livia Drusilla is comfortable in her life of privilege and ease. After her first husband dies, she is married off to army general Agrippa, who is considerably older than she is. Of course, Julia had no say in this marriage, and with the passing of time and her husband’s many absences abroad she acquired at least one lover.
After Agrippa’s death, Julia was married off to another husband, also not of her liking, Tiberius, who also happened to be Livia Drusilla’s eldest son. With this marriage, things became more fraught. Livia Drusilla had a mother’s natural ambition for her son, and her step-daughter (and now daughter-in-laws) behavior was a problem.
I won’t tell you here what happens to Julia, but I will say that this is a gripping novel with three strong women at its center. Five stars.
The sequel to I Am Livia continues to follow the reign of Octavian/Augustus Caesar and is told from the perspective of three of the important women in his life; Livia, his wife; Julia, his daughter; and the daughter of Cleopatra and Antony, Cleopatra Selene. Once again I was enthralled with the author’s ability to take a period of history and make it come alive with all of the emotion, the fears, the makings of a dynastic family amid constant turmoil. The portrayals of the main figures in this at times triumphant; at times tragic tale, are redolent with realism; it could have happened this way. Livia is a true help mate for Tavius; Julia a daughter whose frustration at being just a tool for her father searches for passion; Cleopatra Selene brought up with no hope of plotting her own future finds purpose and happiness. The Daughters of Palatine Hill is a masterful rendition; the author possesses the knack for keeping the reader thoroughly entertained; a page turning delight as the story progresses to Julia’s banishment. A well done tale indeed. 4.8 stars and a Hoover Book Review hope that there is more forthcoming from Phyllis T. Smith.
Surprising and great read
Enjoyed the history.
Would recommend it!
Both interesting and informative. Loved the character development
Loved this follow up to My Name is Lucia!
I love the history. I have read tons of this time period but this was an interesting perspective
Interesting read about a person I had no knowledge of before. I enjoy this writers work and probably would read just about anything of hers
Enjoyed very much
Interesting profiles of three women with influence in Rome. I like the alternating chapters giving each woman’s perspective on the actions of those around her. A favorite topic and time period of mine.
I liked it. Roman history and intrigue has always interested me….. this was a new slant on some of the characters.
I found this book to be very dry and although it was interesting it was difficult to get through
Really liked it!
Brings a rather obscure era into focus in an interesting and painless way!
Interesting characters. Never thought of Livia as being a good person and I have my doubts on it. Regardless it was a good read
an entertaining way to learn about the Roman era
After initially setting the scene, the story became predictable