Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore
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Review
A witty, moving, sexy novel that bursts with as much colour and excitement as the city of Constantinople itself ... a joyous and energetic read (Financial Times )
Theodora is exquisitely summoned by Duffy ... a story rich in colour, texture and taste, told in a fleet-footed narrative (Daily Telegraph )
A splendid subject, traced with energy and much juicy detail (Sunday Times )
Theodora is exquisitely summoned by Duffy ... a story rich in colour, texture and taste, told in a fleet-footed narrative (Daily Telegraph )
A splendid subject, traced with energy and much juicy detail (Sunday Times )
Book Description
* A brilliant new novel from the author of Singling out the Couples, State of Happiness and Parallel Lies
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
It's fiction. As fiction it's a jolly good read, a page turner. When volume two appears I expect a different approach. There's more evidence to draw on and I trust this writer to do that properly. The Theodora of volume one is almost a fictional character. Duffy provides a reasonable guess as to the methods employed by a prostitute to become Justinian's wife.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a fictional biography inspired by the tempestuous life of Byzantine empress Theodora. The story starts with Theodora's training as a child dancer and follows her from her difficult childhood to her success as an actress and her marriage to Justinian. Sadly, the story ends there and the book only covers the 'actress' and 'whore' part of the title, which is a shame as her reign as an empress was one of the most significant and adventurous times of Byzantine history.
Byzantine empress Theodora was one the most influential women in history, a remarkable woman whose fascinating life is the ideal subject for a historical novel. Sadly, this historical novel doesn't do its heroine justice. The novel is not gripping at all, as it is written like a boring documentary, with long tedious narratives, followed by short simplistic dialogues.
The characters are not believable or likable which makes the reader unable to sympathise with them or care about what happens to them. Especially Theodora is underdeveloped, one-dimensional and just plain boring. Duffy's Theodora is a heartless slut, whose only concern is to survive. She is presented as a ruthless whore who treats all her relationships with men as prostitution, including her relationship with Justinian, and only has romantic feelings for her fictional female sexual partners.
The greatest lost opportunity is the lack of atmosphere. Byzantium is the ideal backdrop for a novel, as it combined the culture, images, sounds, and smells of both the West and the East. Sadly, the Byzantium of this book is as colourless and boring as everything else in the novel; even the extended descriptions cannot add to the atmosphere as they are soulless as the descriptions of a bad documentary.
I don't normally expect a historical novel to be completely accurate, as I realize that it is fiction and not history. However, there are so many inaccuracies and sloppy research behind this story, that it does not make any sense even to someone familiar with the history. Furthermore, what I found disturbing is the attempt to legitimise this 'fictional' account of Theodora's time with a map and an extended bibliography.
Byzantine empress Theodora was one the most influential women in history, a remarkable woman whose fascinating life is the ideal subject for a historical novel. Sadly, this historical novel doesn't do its heroine justice. The novel is not gripping at all, as it is written like a boring documentary, with long tedious narratives, followed by short simplistic dialogues.
The characters are not believable or likable which makes the reader unable to sympathise with them or care about what happens to them. Especially Theodora is underdeveloped, one-dimensional and just plain boring. Duffy's Theodora is a heartless slut, whose only concern is to survive. She is presented as a ruthless whore who treats all her relationships with men as prostitution, including her relationship with Justinian, and only has romantic feelings for her fictional female sexual partners.
The greatest lost opportunity is the lack of atmosphere. Byzantium is the ideal backdrop for a novel, as it combined the culture, images, sounds, and smells of both the West and the East. Sadly, the Byzantium of this book is as colourless and boring as everything else in the novel; even the extended descriptions cannot add to the atmosphere as they are soulless as the descriptions of a bad documentary.
I don't normally expect a historical novel to be completely accurate, as I realize that it is fiction and not history. However, there are so many inaccuracies and sloppy research behind this story, that it does not make any sense even to someone familiar with the history. Furthermore, what I found disturbing is the attempt to legitimise this 'fictional' account of Theodora's time with a map and an extended bibliography.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the first of Stella Duffy's books that I've read.
I have long been fascinated by Empress Theodora. The story of her rise from the lowest echelons of society to become the most influential woman of her era is an amazing tale and one that, as Stella Duffy herself says, has been undoubtedly corrupted over the centuries. It was certainly time we were given a new, more sympathetic view of this remarkable lady.
In Ms Duffy's version we begin with a compliant, naive young girl who is seduced and taken away from her friends and family before being betrayed by the man she loves and trusts. Heartbroken, she runs away to join a cult group in the desert where through fasting and meditation she transforms into what can roughly be described as a sort of lesbian James Bond. Then, stopping only to link up with a gay partner and right all the wrongs in ancient Antioch, she heads off on a secret mission to Constantinople, the capital of the Empire. The intrigue deepens as she is introduced to Justinian, the heir aparent to the throne. Things get more involved, she eventually marrys him and becomes Empress of half the known world.
I loved it. Even with the homosexual fantasising. Even with the low esteem in which all the male characters (except eunuchs and Justinian himself)are portrayed I still loved it. It made a refreshing change from the sort of historical novels I am used to. I will certainly be reading more of Ms Duffy's work and I have already pre-ordered the sequel Purple Shroud. (I really can't wait to she how Stella Duffy's Theodora handles her powerful new role. Hang on to your nether regions gentlemen; I rather suspect it's pay-back time!)
I have long been fascinated by Empress Theodora. The story of her rise from the lowest echelons of society to become the most influential woman of her era is an amazing tale and one that, as Stella Duffy herself says, has been undoubtedly corrupted over the centuries. It was certainly time we were given a new, more sympathetic view of this remarkable lady.
In Ms Duffy's version we begin with a compliant, naive young girl who is seduced and taken away from her friends and family before being betrayed by the man she loves and trusts. Heartbroken, she runs away to join a cult group in the desert where through fasting and meditation she transforms into what can roughly be described as a sort of lesbian James Bond. Then, stopping only to link up with a gay partner and right all the wrongs in ancient Antioch, she heads off on a secret mission to Constantinople, the capital of the Empire. The intrigue deepens as she is introduced to Justinian, the heir aparent to the throne. Things get more involved, she eventually marrys him and becomes Empress of half the known world.
I loved it. Even with the homosexual fantasising. Even with the low esteem in which all the male characters (except eunuchs and Justinian himself)are portrayed I still loved it. It made a refreshing change from the sort of historical novels I am used to. I will certainly be reading more of Ms Duffy's work and I have already pre-ordered the sequel Purple Shroud. (I really can't wait to she how Stella Duffy's Theodora handles her powerful new role. Hang on to your nether regions gentlemen; I rather suspect it's pay-back time!)
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A fascinating story told in a fascinating way
Stella Duffy is a novelist, not a historian, and this book is a work of fiction, as she reminds us in a note at the end of the book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Torben Retboll
Nicely done
This is a fictional biography that travels the reader back in time, to the Byzantium era and the glory days of the great city of Constantinople. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Lakis Fourouklas
Constantinope not Istanbul
I must admit that when I first opened the book my heart sank at the sight of the map before the beginning of Chapter One. Read more
Published 8 months ago by CuteBadger
Historical Heroine
Theodora had to earn a living on the stage since she was five, after her father was killed by his own bear. In her teens she also becomes a prostitute. Yet she ended up as Empress. Read more
Published 8 months ago by elkiedee
"No one rises so high as (s)he who knows not whither (s)he is going."
This is a fictional account of the rise of Theodora (ca.500 to 548 AD) from a childhood as a dancer and an adolescence as an actress and a prostitute to becoming Empress of... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ralph Blumenau
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