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sandin954's review against another edition
4.0
Another entry from my favorite historical mystery series. In this book, Gordianus the Finder takes on a personal mission of detection which takes him into the homes of the most powerful women in Rome.
escan's review
4.0
Okay, this one was more of a 3.5 star read for me.
It was an interesting change of pace from the intense, military-based [b:Rubicon|102711|Rubicon (Roma Sub Rosa, #7)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171486247l/102711._SY75_.jpg|2804176] and [b:Last Seen in Massilia|102716|Last Seen in Massilia (Roma Sub Rosa, #8)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339311298l/102716._SY75_.jpg|99034] - A Mist of Prophecies is a little more relaxed, maybe because the murder to be solved has no deadline. Gordianus is seeking Cassandra's killer largely for his own purposes, and working to his own schedule.
There were more things I disliked about this book than any other Roma Sub Rosa book so far: I felt that, I'm honestly a little bit confused as to why Steven Saylor has barely given Eco more than a passing mention since [b:A Murder on the Appian Way|102724|A Murder on the Appian Way (Roma Sub Rosa, #5)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339311368l/102724._SY75_.jpg|99041], and I could never quite decide if I enjoyed the slow, largely memory and interview based pace of the book.
That being said, there was also plenty to love. I really appreciated the insight into what might have been going on among the "wives and mothers and daughters and sisters who had been left behind by both allies and enemies" while men like Pompey and Caesar were off fighting their battles in the East. I felt the narrative structure was interesting - the way Gordianus' memories of Cassandra went from the last time he saw her, to the first, and all the way back round to the last again (with the use of the same passage to describe her death both times) was cool, even if I did internally sigh a little every time the political scene Gordianus had been describing was interrupted by the appearance of Cassandra.
One thing I feel Saylor has been particularly strong at through the whole series is complex characterisation, with plenty of characters - mostly historical figures - who I love despite everything about their personality, or who I just love to hate, or who I change my mind about every other page. Perhaps the preeminent example of this for me is vain, ambitious, restless, quicksilver Caelius, whom I couldn't help but love,
It was an interesting change of pace from the intense, military-based [b:Rubicon|102711|Rubicon (Roma Sub Rosa, #7)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171486247l/102711._SY75_.jpg|2804176] and [b:Last Seen in Massilia|102716|Last Seen in Massilia (Roma Sub Rosa, #8)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339311298l/102716._SY75_.jpg|99034] - A Mist of Prophecies is a little more relaxed, maybe because the murder to be solved has no deadline. Gordianus is seeking Cassandra's killer largely for his own purposes, and working to his own schedule.
There were more things I disliked about this book than any other Roma Sub Rosa book so far: I felt that
Spoiler
Gordianus' affair with Cassandra was out of character, unnecessary, and frankly kinda grossThat being said, there was also plenty to love. I really appreciated the insight into what might have been going on among the "wives and mothers and daughters and sisters who had been left behind by both allies and enemies" while men like Pompey and Caesar were off fighting their battles in the East. I felt the narrative structure was interesting - the way Gordianus' memories of Cassandra went from the last time he saw her, to the first, and all the way back round to the last again (with the use of the same passage to describe her death both times) was cool, even if I did internally sigh a little every time the political scene Gordianus had been describing was interrupted by the appearance of Cassandra.
One thing I feel Saylor has been particularly strong at through the whole series is complex characterisation, with plenty of characters - mostly historical figures - who I love despite everything about their personality, or who I just love to hate, or who I change my mind about every other page. Perhaps the preeminent example of this for me is vain, ambitious, restless, quicksilver Caelius, whom I couldn't help but love,
Spoiler
and whom I'm sure I'll miss over the rest of the series.raptorimperator's review against another edition
5.0
Gordianus strays from his wife, and finds a mystery to solve and a city in chaos.
Great addition to the Roma Sub Rosa series. This one had good character develop and growth for our favorite Roman sleuth.
Great addition to the Roma Sub Rosa series. This one had good character develop and growth for our favorite Roman sleuth.
awwhh's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
chuckri's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sophiewilliams's review against another edition
3.0
Nice to be back in Rome with more of a standard mystery in this one. Liked the focus on the key political wives/girlfriends.
Hoping the next one will fix Gordianius and his wife's relationship a bit.
Hoping the next one will fix Gordianius and his wife's relationship a bit.
mgcco's review against another edition
4.0
First of all, the OC in me: the Kindle version had some typos, which distracted me at times. Very minor issue, though.
Among Saylor's books (in the Roma Sub-Rosa series) that I have read so far, A Mist of Prophecies can be described as the most "chic." Unlike the previous two novels, Gordianus stayed in Rome to interview, not soldiers and generals for a change, but a bunch of women (most of them powerful).
I liked the way Saylor decided to focus on the way Roman women held influence on their men and Roman politics, albeit in a hush-hush way. As Saylor said at the end of the book: "As remarkable as these women must have been, no ancient historians saw fit to leave us a biography of any of them; to write the life story of a woman was beyond Plutarch's imagination. The reader who wishes to know more about them will find only scattered crumbs, not the rich banquet afforded to anyone with an appetite for Pompey, Caesar, or any number of other men of antiquity."
Liked the book. However, I must say that I was not as eager to find out about Cassandra's killer as I was about Numerius's (in Rubicon). The ending--well, I expected more (again, pure sentimentality on my part heehee).
Among Saylor's books (in the Roma Sub-Rosa series) that I have read so far, A Mist of Prophecies can be described as the most "chic." Unlike the previous two novels, Gordianus stayed in Rome to interview, not soldiers and generals for a change, but a bunch of women (most of them powerful).
I liked the way Saylor decided to focus on the way Roman women held influence on their men and Roman politics, albeit in a hush-hush way. As Saylor said at the end of the book: "As remarkable as these women must have been, no ancient historians saw fit to leave us a biography of any of them; to write the life story of a woman was beyond Plutarch's imagination. The reader who wishes to know more about them will find only scattered crumbs, not the rich banquet afforded to anyone with an appetite for Pompey, Caesar, or any number of other men of antiquity."
Liked the book. However, I must say that I was not as eager to find out about Cassandra's killer as I was about Numerius's (in Rubicon). The ending--well, I expected more (again, pure sentimentality on my part heehee).
pinkcoded's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
worst roma sub rosa book. i love the series but i hated this one actually. idk what happened but it made me sooo mad forever.
inesbeato's review against another edition
3.0
Este foi o pior livro da série Roma Sub Rosa. Não porque o livro seja verdadeiramente mau ou porque faltem enigmas e informações históricas curiosas, mas porque o protagonista, Gordiano, não teve propriamente as ações mais corretas e dignas, especialmente tendo em conta que a mulher, Betesda, está gravemente doente. Não me alongarei nesta questão por causa de possíveis spoilers, dizendo apenas que Gordiano, o meu "herói histórico" preferido hoje em dia, me desiludiu bastante.
Outro ponto fraco da história é que esta se desenrola em torno de Cassandra, uma vigarista de profecias que foi assassinada, mas que, tratando-se de uma personagem que não me cativou minimamente, torna-se maçador todo o "trabalho" para descobrir as causas da sua morte. Vale essencialmente pelas interessantes e perspicazes entrevistas que Gordiano fez a várias das matronas Romanas mais importantes do império na sua busca pela verdade.
Outro ponto fraco da história é que esta se desenrola em torno de Cassandra, uma vigarista de profecias que foi assassinada, mas que, tratando-se de uma personagem que não me cativou minimamente, torna-se maçador todo o "trabalho" para descobrir as causas da sua morte. Vale essencialmente pelas interessantes e perspicazes entrevistas que Gordiano fez a várias das matronas Romanas mais importantes do império na sua busca pela verdade.
kyokroon's review against another edition
4.0
The start was a bit repetitive (the first/last/second time I saw Cassandra), but except for this it was once again a really great read for everyone who likes the Antiquity!