Any more, I really enjoy DNF'ing a book that I just cannot get into for whatever reason.
If curious, I'm sure there are summaries floating around wikipedia and such -- plus a very old miniseries from PBS/BBC (with a wigged Patrick Stewart as a later character http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1084540416/tt0074006?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_sf_12# )that dwelled more on the juicier (for the time) bits.
I actually liked this one but hard to judge because I read it when in the mood for the history lesson and after watching bits of the tv miniseries. So I knew exactly how evil Livia was not only to Claudius but to the later women that Claudius idolized-- with some confessional, overheard and detective-skill-uncovered bits of really evil stuff Claudius knew about Livia. According to this narrative, she truly mistreated him and others even when not committing outrught evil acts.
The book could definitely have communicated Livia's evilness better. Instead of getting me acquainted with Claudius, it was focused on bashing Livia, who hadn't done anything to him yet.
If curious, I'm sure there are summaries floating around wikipedia and such -- plus a very old miniseries from PBS/BBC (with a wigged Patrick Stewart as a later character http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1084540416/tt0074006?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_sf_12# )that dwelled more on the juicier (for the time) bits.
I actually liked this one but hard to judge because I read it when in the mood for the history lesson and after watching bits of the tv miniseries. So I knew exactly how evil Livia was not only to Claudius but to the later women that Claudius idolized-- with some confessional, overheard and detective-skill-uncovered bits of really evil stuff Claudius knew about Livia. According to this narrative, she truly mistreated him and others even when not committing outrught evil acts.
The book could definitely have communicated Livia's evilness better. Instead of getting me acquainted with Claudius, it was focused on bashing Livia, who hadn't done anything to him yet.