ext_20269 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
annwfyn.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
50books_poc2009-05-13 04:07 pm
annwfyn.livejournal.com) wrote in 50books_poc2009-05-13 04:07 pm
Entry tags:
'The Emperor's Babe' by Bernadine Evaristo
I got the 'Emperor's Babe' based on a recommendation here - I can't remember who it came from, but whoever it was, I'd like to thank you. I'd never have picked this book on my own, I was very doubtful when I started reading it, but I'm now really really glad I did.
'The Emporor's Babe' is a historical novel in verse, set in Roman London and featuring a Sudanese heroine, who has an affair with the Roman Emperor. It's this amazing mix of the historically accurate (there was an African presence in Roman Britain, which, randomly, makes the fantastically mixed cast of Merlin more historical accurate than the swords they are using!), and the deliberately anachronistic (references to modern designer labels, 'mockney' accents), all put into this freeflowing and surprisingly accessible verse. The flow of the words and the language is just wonderful, and at times I found myself reading it aloud, just to get the sound of it right. I would love to see this novel turned into a play, actually.
The story is also glorious. It somehow manages to fill the criteria for 'Greek tragedy' (the story is so sad, and so inevitable), 'young adult', and 'historical novel', with added 'chick lit' added in. The basic outline of the story is that Zuleika, a teenage girl, born to Sudanese (or Nubian, as the novel refers to them as) parents in London is married off at the age of 11 to a wealthy Roman, much older than her. She is petted, spoilt, but ultimately imprisoned in a loveless and, by modern day standards, abusive relationship. Then she meets the Emperor - Septimius Severus who was randomly, the first African Roman Emperor. They begin an affair, which will eventually bring about Zuleika's downfall.
I loved this book, and now I've finished it I'm going to go back and read it again. I want to recommend it to everyone, but I'm very aware that some people really won't like it. The poetry is very accessible, but it definitely does taking some getting used to, and Zuleika is very much a teenage girl, with a bunch of teenage quirks which can be a bit frustrating at times. Still, for me, she felt very real, and the sheer energy of her voice did carry me along.
So, highly recommended, if you're up for something a little bit different.
'The Emporor's Babe' is a historical novel in verse, set in Roman London and featuring a Sudanese heroine, who has an affair with the Roman Emperor. It's this amazing mix of the historically accurate (there was an African presence in Roman Britain, which, randomly, makes the fantastically mixed cast of Merlin more historical accurate than the swords they are using!), and the deliberately anachronistic (references to modern designer labels, 'mockney' accents), all put into this freeflowing and surprisingly accessible verse. The flow of the words and the language is just wonderful, and at times I found myself reading it aloud, just to get the sound of it right. I would love to see this novel turned into a play, actually.
The story is also glorious. It somehow manages to fill the criteria for 'Greek tragedy' (the story is so sad, and so inevitable), 'young adult', and 'historical novel', with added 'chick lit' added in. The basic outline of the story is that Zuleika, a teenage girl, born to Sudanese (or Nubian, as the novel refers to them as) parents in London is married off at the age of 11 to a wealthy Roman, much older than her. She is petted, spoilt, but ultimately imprisoned in a loveless and, by modern day standards, abusive relationship. Then she meets the Emperor - Septimius Severus who was randomly, the first African Roman Emperor. They begin an affair, which will eventually bring about Zuleika's downfall.
I loved this book, and now I've finished it I'm going to go back and read it again. I want to recommend it to everyone, but I'm very aware that some people really won't like it. The poetry is very accessible, but it definitely does taking some getting used to, and Zuleika is very much a teenage girl, with a bunch of teenage quirks which can be a bit frustrating at times. Still, for me, she felt very real, and the sheer energy of her voice did carry me along.
So, highly recommended, if you're up for something a little bit different.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
I did love it hugely. Apparently the author has written another novel-in-poetry - Lara - and I want to get hold of that next, I think.
no subject