Empress of the Seven Hills (The Empress of Rome, #3) by Kate Quinn

Empress of the Seven Hills (The Empress of Rome, #3) Reviews

• 
  Holly

  This series is so ridiculously good. I freely admit that I skipped book #2 in this series because chronologically it takes place before book #1 so it's basically a prequel. In turn, that makes books 1, 3, and 4 a trilogy essentially.
  
  You can still see some ways in which Quinn has improved as a writer comparing this to her more recent books. Her villains in this story are a little too over the top but I appreciate that there are very few characters in this series who are 100% good. Both Vix and Sabina definitely have some major flaws. But yet you still want to root for them individually as they grow and change. And Quinn's storytelling is so engrossing! That ending! It's made all the better because the upheaval is historically accurate. I can't wait to get my hands on the last book.
• 
  Erin

  Spanning 102-114/115 AD, Empress of the Seven Hills picks up a few years after the events of Mistress of Rome and follows the story of Thea and Arius' son, Vix. Returning to Rome after leaving behind his parents and younger siblings in Britannia, Vix is driven to find glory in the Roman legion under Emperor Trajan. Of course, he will have to learn to not lose his heart to mischievous Sabina, be wary of her ambitious husband Hadrian, and protect his bestie Titus from the backstabbers of Rome's political sphere. Especially the Emperor 's wife, Lady Plottina.
  
  Admittedly this book took me a few more days to complete than its predecessor because I wasn't totally in love with the similar characterizarion that the two books had in common. What DID finally win me over was the last 1/3 of the book which really escalated the storyline and the characters of Faustina and Titus. I really adored them!
  
  Now, I sit here wondering When do we hear the rest of the story? because Kate Quinn leaves us with one hell of a cliffhanger.
• 
  Amy

  Okay, I've waited a year for the release of this book. Two years really, considering it's a kind of sequel to Quinn's début 2010 novel, Mistress of Rome (which I loved). I've been hoping and praying since I'd heard about Empress... being written that it would match up to it's predecessors high standard. My God. This book is all kinds of awesome and gimme the next book now, please. Quinn is amazing - she has this genuine talent for writing historical fiction and the amazing ability to transport readers in to the brutal world that is Ancient Rome. It's vivid, enchanting, and it rocked my world.
  
  I don't think you can help but love Vix. He was a favourite character of mine in Mistress of Rome, so cheeky and adventurous so it was wonderful to find out how his story continued. Sabina too of course, another character I'd been previously acquainted with. I loved how Sabina and Vix's story intertwined, and how she managed to soften Vix's character whenever they met. I felt they were the perfect balance for one another, even if their relationship did at times border on love/hate, particularly on Vix's part. I always felt they had one another's back, and despite differences and years going by that they always both cared for one another.
  
  There was such an interesting blend of characters in this novel, and it was certainly nice to see other familiar names. Marcus Norbanus for one, whom has made an appearance in all three of the Rome books and someone I have a genuine soft spot for. Empress Marcella made a brief appearance, a character I found I rather liked by the end of Mistress... and of course Emperor Trajan. This is one of the reasons I love Quinn's books so much- the development of characters throughout the novels leaves you adoring them so much that you can't help but feel pleased when they reappear in another story. That doesn't of course mean there is no room left in my heart for newcomers, because I adored the socks off Titus. There's something so cute and clumsy about him that you can't help but love him, and his friendship with Vix borders on bromance. I practically punched the air when Titus had the guts to lay in to that scheming bitch Plotina. I was all "YOU GO TITUS!" in my inner monologue. As Sabina said, is there really no one more perfectly named than her? Plotting Plotina.
  
  When I compare this novel to Mistress..., Plotina is a very different antagonist to Lepida. Apart from the odd rage, Plotina is a lot calmer and prefers to cause havoc more quietly and in a sense, more respectably. I felt everything was psychologically determined with Plotina, whereas Lepida was more about the physical. Having vast circles of lovers and going about things very openly, because she of course always wanted to be centre of attention. Plotina I felt was a more intellectual antagonist, whereas Lepida knew how to cause havoc by simply batting her eyelashes. Different, but both wonderfully evil.
  
  The final paragraph of the novel left what I believe to be more than a hint that there was going to be a sequel to Empress... I wouldn't complain, let's say I'd be pretty okay with it and I'll just sit patiently and wait and see...
  
  This is one of the fall backs of following an author from the beginning: you have to wait a year for the release of each new book. Seriously, I feel like I'm a 13 year old again waiting for the release of the next Harry Potter book.
  
  Kate Quinn, I'm a loyal fan. Please continue the Rome series in the near future! Vix's final line of the story certainly sounded promising. Damn, what a gripping cliffhanger and a beauty of a book.
• 
  Historical Fiction

  Find this and other reviews at:
  http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
  
  I'm harder on historic fiction writers than I have any right to be. Honestly, I hold them to a higher standard than authors of any other genre. Those who have impressed me in the past have it even worse. Sorry guys, but if you want to be a top dog you gotta earn it. Quinn has earned it. Her debut piece, The Mistress of Rome, blew me away. Her follow-up, Daughters of Rome, proved the achievement was no fluke and confirmed her place as one of my favorite authors. Naturally, I was on pins and needles waiting for the release of her third book, Empress of the Seven Hills and I'm happy say she didn't disappoint.
  
  I don't think anyone can read the book without falling for Vix. True, he is rough around the edges, uncouth and prone to intense emotional outbursts, but he is also loyal, determined, dedicated and ambitious. This isn't prince charming. He has faults, he suffers from indecision and stumbles through life's trials just like the rest of us. Supporting cast member Titus is everything Vix isn't. A mild-mannered academic with no ambition for fame or glory, his steady countenance is a perfect foil for our male lead. It took a bit longer, but he grew on me. It will be interesting to see where Quinn takes him before the end. I am similarly eager to see how Quinn will approach Hadrian's relationship with a particular young man, but that is a topic for another day. I can't begin to explain how she does it, but Quinn has once again constructed remarkable realism with little more than ink on on the page.
  
  The female cast is equally well-crafted though I can't say I am particularly fond of any of them. Plotina's Juno complex is cringe worthy, but it was her annoying obsession with Hadrian that grated my nerves. Mirah's obvious disdain for anyone but 'her people' is nothing short of disgusting and Demetra's simpering housewife routine paints her as little more than a milksop. I couldn't even bring myself to care for Sabina until late in the novel when her marriage began to crumble. The educated daughter of privilege who flit from one 'interesting' enterprise to the next didn't do it for me, but as her husband's tolerance waned she started showing some real promise. Again, I find myself wondering where Quinn will take the character. The lone exception here is Faustina. Maybe it is because she is introduced as a toddler and grows to an independently minded young woman over the course of the story, but where I have only lukewarm interest in her older sister, I am very intrigued by Quinn's depiction of the future empress.
  
  I'll be the first to admit that last paragraph doesn't sound too great, but I want you to really think about what I wrote. Poor characterization is marked by a reader's indifference. The fact that I wanted to slap most of the women upside the head at some point proves I am anything but. So I don't want to sit and drink wine or barley water with most of these ladies. Sue me. There is no rule that says a character has to be likable to be good and personally I think Quinn should be applauded for crafting such a diverse cast.
  
  Unlike its predecessors, Empress of the Seven Hills takes us on the road. During Trajan's campaigns we see a less well known aspect of Ancient Rome, the life of a common soldier. There are moments, but having been a military wife I appreciate that the bulk of Quinn's material is spent on the weeks and months between battles as well as the trials and tribulations of both men and women who opt for such a lifestyle.
  
  Gosh this review is getting long, but I got a lot to say. I love that Quinn includes such detailed Historical Notes. Not every author feels an obligation to define fact from fiction let alone explain why they chose to alter historic fact. I find I am much more inclined to forgive an author who exhibits such respect for their subject matter and readers than I would an author who neglects such entries in anticipation of a royalty check. See my comments on
  The House of Special Purpose if you need further explanation.
  
  Quinn's next book is set some fourteen hundred years after Empress of the Seven Hills during an intriguing period of the Renaissance. While I am excited for the release I can't help feeling sad that it will be some time before we see the continuing story of Vix and Sabina under Emperor Hadrian's rule.
  
  Another excellent read from a very talented writer. Go out, find a copy and enjoy!
• 
  Judith Starkston

  Kate Quinn knows how to serve up a full-flavored Rome with plenty of spice. Empress of the Seven Hills is the third of her books (Mistress of Rome and Daughters of Rome), although you can get by without reading them in order. They are all page-turners, lots of fun.
  
  As usual with Kate Quinn’s books, Empress is driven along by fully-developed characters. Her main heroine, Sabina, starts out interesting and keeps developing and growing. Quinn has a way of granting her central female characters the fate they work very hard to get, but then aren’t the least sure they want once they gain it. Some of the book’s characters are deliciously wicked, several decidedly lusty. She depicts intelligence with depth and perception. Her smart people aren’t always likable or good, but you admire their brains. The characters we like, and there are several, keep us rooting for them with increasing fervor, and sometimes things come out as we wish. As with her other books, Empress is full of juicy relationships, both offbeat and more conventional. You won’t be able to predict the paths of this cast. They kept surprising me.
  
  Quinn is an excellent writer of dialogue. You get an intimate feel for her characters through their words. Vix, a physically commanding legionary soldier with an explosive temper, uses short, muscular expressions. Hadrian, who starts out a fairly likeable man but who increasingly reveals a cold stiffness, uses long, pompous sentences even in the middle of a military camp. Quinn chooses a contemporary idiom including the expletives you hear in 21st century America, but it works well. Quinn’s dialogue never yanks me out of the past or jars me as inappropriate. I stay right there inside her characters in ancient Rome. Many of the concerns and themes prevalent in ancient Rome are still with us in contemporary America, which may partially explain why the modern idiom feels right to me: political cynicism about corruption especially financial, contradictory sexual mores, the scorn one faction has for the “elitist intellectuals,” and the breakdown of family and other social structures, or at least the perceived breakdown.
  
  Quinn fudges a bit with some history—most particularly with Titus’s role—but she owns up to everything in her author’s note and explains the changes. They are integral to her tale. She’s great on the details of life—what a legionary ate while on the march and a quick look at how he cooked it, for example. Her knowledge of the period is plenty deep enough that she avoids the failing of a lot of historical fiction writers when they drag out the same details over and over for lack of knowing any others. She added to my store of interesting facts and, more importantly, she builds a persuasive world. You’ll be there.
  
  Daughters of Rome excelled at portraying the Rome of women. This book does that to some extent also, but much of the time it steps into the world of men. Sabina’s interest in seeing the world takes her far from the safe atrium of her father’s home, and she certainly doesn’t like hanging out with her mother-in-law. This gives new territory for Quinn’s talent.
  
• 
  Lila

  I love how the author didn't shy away from portraying one of the most powerful Roman Emperors as openly homosexual.
  
  A thrilling tale of an Emperor, a senator's daughter and a former gladiator-turned-soldier.
• 
  Krista Claudine Baetiong

  I deliberately skipped book 2 of Kate Quinn’s astounding saga about ancient Rome (although I flagged it for future reading) and dived straight for book 3, because looking at the blurb, this apparently follows the events from the first book (
  Mistress of Rome) when a vicious emperor is murdered and Rome has found relative order under the new imperial regime.
  
  This time, though, it is the son’s story to tell. Vercingetorix or Vix, son of the gladiator and freed slave woman from book 1, returns to Rome after years of secluded life in Britannia searching for glory and adventure. He is clever and cunning, tough and stubborn, and will stop at nothing to reach his ambitions. His life is bound by these patricians who are in one way or another instrumental to his rise from the ranks, and whom he has either loved or hated through the years: Vibia Sabina, his childhood friend and sometimes lover or enemy; Titus Aurelius, the noble friend he has once saved during their time in the (fictional) Tenth Fidelis; Trajan, the emperor he has loved with all his heart and followed faithfully in all his wars; and Hadrian, the ambitious tribune who hates him to the core. His ultimate goal (which is to become a legion commander) is eventually achieved, but not without a price. And not, without earning new enemies—one of whom is the future emperor of Rome.
  
  Just like in the first book, I enjoyed the plot web and liked how the author unraveled all its puzzles and muddles with her witty and imaginative storytelling. While Vix is a fictional character (though one inspiration drawn was a Roman cavalryman named
  Tiberius Claudius Maximus), most of the other major characters are not, and it was fascinating to see the story progressing without me thinking that Vix was merely an imagined character—he fits in with the historical side of the novel perfectly well. Like him, I also have this love-hate relationship with Sabina’s character. I don’t quite understand her resolve and her moral fiber, but Kate Quinn is effective in making me tolerate her in the end. Miss Quinn also provided an easy and interesting account of the legions and their organization and discussed the war from both the points of view of the conquerors and the conquered. She admits there was liberal use of an artistic license in her characterization and in sealing off several missing chunks in history, but they were relevant snippets and didn’t muddy the story’s historical viewpoint in my opinion.
  
  Overall, a fantastic glimpse into the life of ancient Rome. Recommended to lovers of historical fiction.
• 
  Audrey

  So good. I was not expecting to give this 5 stars. I flew through this book too considering the length, almost 500 pages. I need to read the next book, there was a semi cliffhanger on this one.
  
  I skipped the second book to read more of the characters from Book 1's story. (Book 2 seems to be a different time period, still in the ancient Roman empire, and different characters too. Not sure why the author wrote that before this one.) However, Thea and her gladiator husband aren't in this book. But their son, the lovable, troublesome, wild Vix is. There are several POVs, Titus's, Sabina's, Plotina's are all in third person (I think those were all the POVs) & Vix's is the only one in first person. I actually was confused at first because when it said "Vix" for his POV in the book, it was written as "VIX", so I thought those were the Roman numerals for the chapter LOL.
  
  The story starts off with Vix leaving Britannia out of boredom and because he's afraid of a girl he had sex with once or twice behind the barn wanting to marry him, for Rome at eighteen. He becomes one of Senator Norbanus's guards for a while, where he continues his friendship with Vibia Sabina, Norbanus's daughter. Sabina and he had known each other since before Vix's family left Rome for Britannia and had had their first kiss together (I guess in the previous book). I actually read this book was I was interested in the development of their romance lol and was shipping them hard together. I also shipped Titus and Sabina's younger sister, Faustina, together when they had their first scene together in the book even though Titus was 16? & she was 5. And sure enough, they ended up together at the end of the book! Not only are they friends, they also become lovers. Meanwhile, Sabina is being courted by marriage by basically any suitable candidate in Rome. Tribune Hadrian comes calling, along with sixteen-year-old Titus (forced by his grandfather). Hadrian is the ward of Emperor Trajan. Trajan's wife (who I hated by the way) is obsessed with Hadrian, as Trajan hasn't seen fit to give her any sons of her own, and is always plotting to further his ambitions and have him crowned the next emperor. Empress Plotina knew that Sabina was a relative of Trajan, so it would make Hadrian a part of the Imperial Family if he married her & help him later become emperor.
  
  Vix later becomes a legion in the army and the rest of the characters are there too. The book covers Trajan's reign to his death...and Hadrian's succession. Keep in mind Trajan didn't want Hadrian to succeed him...
  
  Random thoughts: I was a little disappointed that Vix didn't have a reunion with his parents (didn't go back to visit them)...I almost forgot he had parents at one point, he seemed so own his own and independent and there was no mention of them for a while. (The parents were the MCs in Book 1.)
  However, he gets to see them in Book 4 (I'm late to write my review), so I was happy about that. Though I was afraid they'd be dead when he finally visited Britannia.
  
  When we first got Plotina's POV, I thought her husband was some annoying, middle-aged, sit on the couch and watch TV (obviously no TVs back then) guy with a beer belly. But no he was the emperor! And Plotina was searching for a girl to marry Hadrian, so the next empress, and she chose Sabina.
  
  I felt bad for Demetra, Vix's beautiful Bythnian lover. She fell pregnant with Vix's child, he wasn't too happy about that, almost didn't even visit her again. He promised marriage when he got back to appease her. But he realized that even though she was so beautiful in face, she bore him. Look, she was just an ordinary girl. Sabina on the other hand was very educated. Demetra's life didn't consist of more interesting things than the daily housekeeping, laundry, so of course, that was all she had to talk about. When Vix left Demetra for the campaign, he returned to sleeping with Sabina again, like they had at 17 and 18. I just felt badly for her because she was never really valued for herself (not her looks) and then she died in childbirth and the baby died too. And no one but Vix cared (and he also felt some relief too that he didn't have to marry her now :/). I don't know why, but the random thought went through my head that I would have liked to be Demetra's son, Antonius, and then when she died, I was like nevermind. Vix can try to trick us into thinking that he's not noble or whatever, but he went back and rescued Antonius from that house where the lady there was contemplating on how much money she could make if she prostituted Antonius out to old, gay men.
  
  Were any of the emperors straight? loll, I mean it's unusual that two emperors in a row, both Trajan and Hadrian, were gay.
  
  You know me, I was shipping Vix and Sabina hard. Sabina fell in love with Vix before vice versa (he's so likable I don't know why, he just is). Sabina even said that if she could marry Vix she would, but he was of the lower classes so it was illegal. (I doubt Vix wanted to marry at 18 too.)
  So I was a little bummed when he married another woman, but after a while, I didn't mind and wasn't actively shipping them anymore. I was okay with them just being friends. Obviously, I'd prefer Vix be faithful to his wife, which he was except once.... when Trajan died, Sabina asked if he would help her hurt Hadrian, and even though Vix said he didn't want Sabina, he had sex with her and that resulted in Sabina getting pregnant!
  
  I thought it was fitting how Vix ended up marrying a Jewish woman, Mirah, one of his own people, since even though he doesn't consider himself Jewish, his mom was, so he technically is.
  
  It would have been nice if Titus had been emperor rip, but knowing history, we all knew who the next emperor would be. Or you could just ask Google, so it wasn't much of a surprise or a spoiler for me to write it here.
  
  ********************
  But yeah, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did, considering Book 1 I said I didn't like. This one was such a good story, though. And it helped me do my history homework too, which was an added bonus. When I was looking for a book off my TBR to read next, I thought to myself you know, I'm almost done with the ancient Rome history class. Let me read this book while I'm still in the class...
  
  My only complaint is that I could have used more steam in the sex scenes, like a lot more steam. There was hardly any steam and they were barely described. The most graphic one, you can't even call it graphic though, was the first one in the book between Sabina and Vix. However, this is historical fiction, not historical romance, though it did have some romance, so it's not like I was expecting to get my rocks off or something, though that would be nice. Might have to read some erotica once I finish this series just to switch it up, though.
• 
  Kirstin

  I love Vix!! He is crude, abrasive and yet completely irresistible. Your heart goes out to him in
  Mistress of Rome and everything he went through, but you truly fall in love with him in
  Empress of the Seven Hills. The young man at the beginning is very different than the seasoned solider at the end, but both are strong and courageous, though only one truly understands love and how to love. Sabina is a different story. I loved and hated her at the same time, but she is a major improvement from her evil little mother. She was a product of her situation. Thrown into a life she didn’t want and tried her hardest to live it the way she wanted. I must say she gave it a very good attempt. As much as these two characters didn’t want it, their lives became so intertwined beyond even this book
  
  This story is about them, Vix and Sabina, who were the children in
  Mistress of Rome. There are many characters who continued into this novel as well which was a nice touch to find out how they turned out. Kate Quinn gives you a glimpse into Ancient Rome through the eyes of her characters. Her characters are vibrant and alluring each in their own way. Some are bad and other goods and most are a little of both. It is crazy to think some of the characters were real people who really lived these lives or at least something similar. I like I would have really liked Trajan.
  
  Ancient Rome had to have been a wondrous place to live. It was dangerous and difficult for anyone not in the elite class, but the advancements they made are still outstanding today. This novel was set a time period of war and Emperor Trajan’s ever growing collection of provinces. Vix thrived in this life as did so many others. The life of a legionary must have been very rough, never knowing what would be next. The commitment alone should have scared many soliders, but it was the glory that kept them signing up. While the people of Rome lived comfortable lives with running water and steam rooms, these soliders were marching 15 miles a day carrying an entire lifestyle on their backs. Their accomplishments were very impressive, as was their devotion to their Emperor. I love Ancient Rome and I really hope this story continues because I love what it creates. At the end, there is a hint that there may be another book at some point. My fingers and toes are crossed because I can’t get enough of Vix. If you read Mistress of Rome, then this is a must read for you.
  
• 
  Elizabeth Loupas

  Kate Quinn is a formidable talent. I’ll never forget the evening I first opened Mistress of Rome, in a seaside hotel in San Diego. I was sucked in and swept away by Thea’s story, and Kate (full disclosure: we are friends as well as historical-fiction-writing colleagues) immediately won a place on my shortish “buy everything she writes, now and forever” list.
  
  I admired Thea, the strong, intelligent, deeply damaged slave girl at the heart of Mistress of Rome, and I generally find storytelling most satisfying when I can admire and--to some extent at least--identify with at least one character. An indication of the sheer quality of Empress of the Seven Hills is that the storytelling absorbed me even when I found three of the four central characters (and most of the secondary characters) decidedly unpleasant.
  
  The story hurtles along, paralleling most of the reign of Trajan, considered one of the “Five Good Emperors” of Machiavelli. (You knew I was going to slip some sort of Renaissance Italian reference in there, didn’t you?) Trajan himself is bluff and hearty, and the geeky Titus is charming in his intellectual, self-deprecating way. (I suspect I’m a minority of one in much preferring Titus to Vix.) One or two of the secondary characters broke my heart. As for the rest of them, well--you don’t have to like them to get caught up in the dramatic events of the story and the sweep of the history.
  
• 
  Rio (Lynne)

  4.5 Stars! This is my third and favorite Quinn novel so far. This one is the follow up to
  Mistress of Rome and Quinn leaves us hanging at the end for the next installment..dang her :)
  This one was not as dark as it's predecessor. This takes up where Vix, the son of Mistress of Rome's hero and heroine Arius and Thea, sets his sites on Rome. The evil place his parents ran from. He was a child gladiator and now a rough, loveable barbarian. He wants adventure and he sure finds it. Sabina, who's mother was the evil heiress Lepida in part 1 is also looking for excitement and is far from traditional. Trajan is the current emperor who loves war, but his people adore him, so Vix has a future under his rule. Empress Plotina has plans for her favorite Hadrian (the future emperor) no spoilers here, it's a historical fact. She weaves a web between them all. Quinn brings us characters who are not the typical historical fiction stereotype. They are real, not perfect and you can't help but laugh and cheer for them. You also never know what they'll do next. Finally a book that I didn't want to put down or find myself counting the pages. I can't wait for the next installment. Hope Quinn doesn't make us wait as long this time.
  
  Sabina
  
  
  Hadrian
  
  
• 
  Amy Bruno

  No one does Ancient Rome quite like author Kate Quinn and her third novel, Empress of the Seven Hills, is yet another shining example of historical fiction done right!
  
  Vix is the son of Thea from Quinn’s first novel, Mistress of Rome, and the feisty boy we met previously has grown into a headstrong, obstinate man with a loyal heart…I fell in love with him instantly! Sabina is equally headstrong. She’s a woman who knows what she wants out of life and goes after it, but not in a conniving, scheming manner like Empress Plotina, but rather as an impressive and inspiringly independent woman. Though their passion for each other ebbs and flows throughout the novel, their mutual love for Emperor Trajan unites them against others who threaten his rule and the Empire.
  
  Kate’s talent at writing characters in such a way that the reader becomes totally invested in them is one of her greatest strengths, in my opinion. Combine that with her flawless writing, extensive research and an intriguing, action-packed plot and you’ve got one hell of a read...one that I can't recommend enough!
  
  Quinn ends the book with a hint of a sequel and I can’t wait to see what more is in store for Vix and Sabina!
• 
  Caroline

  The difficult thing about Empress of the Seven Hills is that I can't decide whether or not I like it more than Mistress of Rome. I definitely like it just as much; I may like it more, which I can't say about the prequel to Mistress, the immensely enjoyable but slightly frustrating Daughters of Rome.
  
  Empress is exactly the kind of book that I've always wanted. It has everything I like: flawed main characters; Women Who Do Not Please; multi-dimensional villains; and long, drawn-out drama. Long live the love/hate relationship of Vix and Sabina. (I can't say the same of his marriage, which while realistic and appealing, made me grind my teeth. And that has nothing to do with my preference of the former pairing.)
  
  Much of our story takes place from the perspective of Vix, son of Arius and Thea from Mistress. He is our hero, moreso even than his love interest and counterpart Sabina. Of course Vix is likable. We as readers are already sentimental about him due to his many adventures as a child in the previous book. But Vix is also deeply, deeply flawed. And I've got to say that I feel that a lot of reviewers seem to miss that when critiquing Sabina's every move and decision? Sabina's lack of effort and sacrifice in their relationship is constantly criticized; in fact, the pair are two of a kind. Just as Sabina chooses duty to Rome over Vix, so Vix consistently chooses duty to Rome over his lovers and loved ones and later his wife and children. No matter how happy Vix becomes with Mirah (and really, they aren't that happy because she deserves better treatment and he's too practical for someone so tied to her Jewish heritage and the symbolism in Masada) he will ultimately leave her for orders from Rome--and the sickly loving arms of Sabina, who is Rome. Vix constantly made decisions that kind of disgusted me. He's really quite the asshole, which sort of surprises me considering the kind of mother he has. But at the same time, he made decisions that I admired and I loved him for being him. He loves blindly and is distracted by the next shiny sparkly thing that catches his eye. His only consistent loves are Trajan (and Trajan is Rome) and Sabina, who he also hates (and don't forget, Sabina, too, is Rome).
  
  Sabina is an even more complex character. And she's a complex female character! Who, thus far, hasn't been raped! She controls her sexuality and she weaponizes it and she does what she wants because she wants to! How much do I love that Sabina can be in love and still choose to do something other than follow that man wherever he goes? Sabina accepts that she loves Vix. She also accepts that she can't be with him the way he wants her to be, not just because it's not in her nature, but because she, like him, has other duties. (And how much do I love that Vix is incapable of seeing his own hypocrisy, just as a real person would be?) Their relationship is just captivating to read about because it is so obviously doomed and yet so obviously the most important relationship, platonic and romantic, in their lives. For all the action and plot that happen in this book (and do they happen) the key of it is character and that particular relationship. The novel would be nothing if it didn't work. And oh, does it work.
  
  The other characters are strong as well. Plotina is a sort of foil to Domitian's empress: a wannabe kingmaker who is as mad as "Domitia" was cool, as well-treated by her (admittedly sexually uninterested) husband as "Domitia" was abused. Hadrian, a man Vix hates as soon as he sees him (at first due to petty jealousy and then, slowly, because of much deeper and more founded reasons) is one of those lovely Quinn antagonists who is very. slowly. unveiled. He doesn't walk onto the stage cackling, though you know from the freaking summary of the book that he's the "bad guy". Hell, Hadrian is recorded as one of the Good Emperors, and the book certainly gives an explanation for that as well. The one thing I will say is that I didn't completely buy Vix and Sabina's devotion to Trajan. I understood it more from Sabina, who spent so much personal time with the man. I couldn't get why this very obviously flawed man so captured Vix's attention. Then again, perhaps that's a part of what makes Vix so wonderfully flawed. He clings to the flaws of people like Sabina, and is blind to many others (including his own). But hey, he grows up.
  
  We see a lot of returning favorites like Marcus and Calpurnia, and a few (nicer than the others I mentioned) new darlings like Titus and Faustina. I am biting my nails on that one. As for Mirah--as I said before, I'm not crazy about her relationship with Vix, though I think it is necessary and at times likable enough. (It seems a bit plot device-y, and sometimes it reminds me of the Michael/Apollonia marriage in The Godfather.) I also found Mirah herself incredibly frustrating in her lack of practicality. Her religious fervor is admirable, but made me want to shake her by the shoulders sometimes. And a lot of her traits made me imagine that she's meant to be the "good woman" next to Sabina's "bad woman". Not that Quinn views one or the other as either. But it's there, nonetheless.
  
  That aside, Empress is a really, really great book. I loved it to pieces and am biting my nails until the next installment. (I need some kind of resolution to my Vix/Sabina relationship, though I can't imagine that it'll be good.)
• 
  Parvathy

  The reason I keep giving five star ratings to the books in the Rome series by Kate Quinn, apart from the fact that they are excellent piece of literature, is that it makes me forget everything which is a rare thing to do. Have you ever had the urge to keep on reading without a stop knowing that you had too many important things to do that can't be postponed. Threw caution to the wind and just let your self enjoy the magic of the written words. That's how I felt when I read the Mistress of Rome, a feeling I relived when I started the Empress of the Seven Hills. Two completely different stories yet extremely captivating that you would think of nothing else after. However if asked to name my favourite among the two I would go with the "Mistress of Rome". It is not because I didn't like this one less, it is just that in the "Mistress of Rome" you knew whom to root for.
  
  In the Mistress of Rome you live the story of Arius and Thea, a broken gladiator and a slave girl who eventually rises to be the Mistress of the most powerful and depraved man in Rome. The Empress of the Seven Hills however begins as a sort of memoir of their son Vix, foul mouthed little gladiator we encountered in the first book, his return to Rome and his struggle to be the head of a legion one day. His love interest, if we can call it that is Vibia Sabina who is equally admirable and yet an utterly confusing character. The hot headedness of Vix, Sabina's nature of level headed thinking and calculations made for an enjoyable couple. During the first half of this book I really admired her resourcefulness. They way she planned each move and the way she executed them with admirable intelligence. But somewhere along the way I think even she lost sight of what she actually wanted and was trying to pick up the pieces of her broken dreams. Her emotions are never really clear. She has them but refuses to act by them which is a commendable trait yet you can only take too much of an emotion less character without growing angry at her complete indifference. So I was not sure whether I should root for her. I liked her character more when she was a young unmarried woman living with her father. Coming back to Vix there is his me,me,me..... I,I,I.....attitude I didn't like at all in the beginning and then as he aged we could see that his character changed with experience. From a shifty nineteen year old thug to a warrior Vix's transformation was a joy to read. I think he is one of those characters who truly learn from past mistakes which did redeem him a little. Hadrain and Plotina were great characters but did not come any where near the viciousness that was Leapida Pollia.
  With my changing allegiances I wanted the story to end in several different ways but the only thing that remained constant the whole time was my hope that the end will be happy for Titus, friend of Vix and a man with no ambitions who have greatness thrust upon him. He was a character worth rooting even though in the whole scheme of the book cannot be considered as the main character. But I am hoping to see more of him in the next book, which was a surprise by the way. I never expected this book to end in a cliff hanger just as I never expected the Mistress of Rome on a happy note and but now that I know better I am glad. That would make for another interesting read.
  The author's note at the end of the book was highly informative and made me glad that I got to read a book that was historically accurate. The author's note did inspire me to do a little historical research on my own, the cliffhanger was really bothering me and the information I found really did cheer me up. This will make my wait for the next book at least bearable. From reading my review it will be obvious that I would recommend this book but a word of advise I would like to give is that you might enjoy the book more if you have read Kate Quinn's previous book "Mistress of Rome". Even now I can't stop gushing about it.
• 
  Katie Ziegler (Life Between Words)

  This is such a great series—solidifying my love for ancient HF. I love these characters! This one is not my favorite in the bunch, BUT, it ends on a cliffhanger so it almost can’t be judged without reading the fourth and final book in the series.
• 
  Holly

  LOVE IT! Can't wait to see what adventures await Sabina and Vix in the next one. I must say though, I'm very annoyed at Vix for the final scene. This may be a bit of a spoiler for some, so stop reading if you're not finished yet!
  
  He has such a good wife in Mirah! And his two little girls! I know monogamy wasn't exactly the order of the day back then, but still, to go back to Sabina?! As much as I thought she was a great heroine, I feel like he just fed her arrogance by straying with her.
  
  Having said that, I do love their relationship. The fact that they always find each other, in the depths of war or at the glamorous parties is fantastic. If they end up together after years of losing each other and finding each other again, then that's great - but don't make Mirah so likeable and so perfect for Vix! The earthquake made it seem like this was Vix's way of... "getting out" (terrible phrase) of his marriage so he could be with Sabina, but then Mirah survived, which brought a mixture of joy and sorrow! Very bittersweet!
  
  Oh, how you play with my emotions, Miss Quinn!!
• 
  Ashley Marie

  I love this series. I love these characters. I deeply appreciate Kate Quinn's writing, not to mention her extensive author notes.
• 
  Mira Margitta

  500 stranica čistog užitka.
• 
  Lauren

  You know how I know this is a good book? Plotina made me hate her so much, I didn't want to keep reading it, because I knew what happened at the end was going to happen. BUT! It does also make me want the next book in the series, NOW! I've booked it in with my Library, so hopefully, the next week or so I'll be able to start reading that one too!
  What I love about books/stories like this one. You know it's going to turn out, pretty much okay. Someone might die, but generally, everyone will be okay. You still HAVE to read it though, just to make sure. ~.^
• 
  Danielle

  Another winner by Kate Quinn! She continues to explore and expand the characters of Sabina and Vix, as well as giving me the villains I love to hate so much. A few times, I thought "oh no"which for me, is the sign of a good book. Can't wait to find out what's next as the continues, and it will. Thanks Kate, for another page turner.
• 
  Tasha

  Ok this is more of a rant than a review.......
  
  For starters, the book was AMAZZZZZING I love the development of the secondary characters from "Mistress of Rome" (aka MOR), Vix and Sabina and I love the fresh plot (it wasn't a regurgitation of the aforementioned novel but a new story in and of itself). However, for me, as a reader, the ending is EVERYTHING. If I don't like the ending, I usually don't like the book. For "Empress of the Seven Hills" (aka EOSH), I'll have to make an exception, because I hated the ending but I still loved the story.
  
  What really ruins it for me is the relationship between Vix and Sabina. To be honest, they're the reason I read the book. I thought that their brief encounters in MOR were so cute I knew that they were destined to be romantically involved. I was hoping that EOSH would consist of Vix and Sabina being in a more commited "against all odds" relationship, instead they were involved in this painful flip-flop romance. The violent passion of their relationship reminds me of that of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, they can't stay together and they can't stay apart and they don't always do whats best for one another. Initially, I was ok with the instability in their relationship, I was just happy that they were together. Plus, I had already characterized Vix as a pure barbarian so I figured that he was incapable of a stable relationship, like a wife. However, as I read, my perspective of him changed. I don't know if its due to his voice being the vehicle which guided me through the narrative or if his wild nature was dually challenged by the loyalty revealed through his role as a soldier for the emperor; however, by the middle of the novel, I began to see Vix as an honorable character similar to his father Arius in MOR. They both seem primitive at first, incapable of being tamed, just downright vicious. Later on, one discovers that they are equally and sometimes more virtuous than the "civilized" elite Romans in that they maintain their own code of honor and they abide by it. In MOR I could see Arius' virtue through his relationship with Thea which, even though he's not entirely faithful (not by choice but by circumstance), he never betrays. In EOSH I thought that Vix's virtue would similarly be revealed through his relationship with Sabina. I assumed that like Arius' Thea, Sabina would always remain unrivaled in Vix's eyes, which made his devotion for her virtuous. Then Vix got married to a jewish girl named Mirah and my hopes shifted.
  I totally envisioned Vix getting in touch with his Jewish roots and finally getting some kind of heritage. It kinda sucked when Mirah and her family would complain about what the Roman empire was doing to their people and Vix would constantly defend Trajan. Im like "come on, dude, whether you realize it or not, what the Romans do to the Jews affects you". I would've preferred a zealous jewish Vix of Masada than "Vercingetorix the red", but hey, maybe its just me. But thats not why I liked Vix and Mirah together, I feel like she did for him what Thea did for Arius, she challenged him, she accepted him and she understood him. Not that Sabina didn't challenge, accept and understand Vix but Mirah provided for him something that Sabina never could, something that I feel that Vix deserved, which was devotion. Sabina and Vix were too alike in that they were both free spirits. Actually, its arguable that Sabina was more of a free spirit than Vix since he sort of comitted to Sabina, in his own way, while it seemed like Sabina was loyal to Vix only when it was convenient for her. So when Mirah sauntered into Vix's life I was really happy for him and I began to dread his inevitable reunion with Sabina. Call me old fashioned but I was hoping that Vix would be faithful to his wife. Especially since he really seemed to love her and she made him happy while Sabina usually put him in a rage.
  Vix and Sabina's rende-vous during the last two pages was so unecessary for me and was one of the biggest disappointments of the book. While he admits that his true desire lies with Mirah he's going to have sex with Sabina anyway? I understand that he's a man, seperated from his wife and he has "needs" but I really wish that his relationship with Sabina would have been resolved instead of rekindled. I guess its not so much that Vix and Sabina hooked up again but what really upset me was the fact that I really wanted him to pick a side. Who was going to be his "one true love"? I wouldn't have been as annoyed with the ending if he hadn't have mentioned his preference for his wife RIGHT BEFORE he has sex with another woman, as if he couldn't just tell her "no". If Vix had gotten with Sabina with no thought of Mirah or a care of what she thought, at least I would have known who he chose. But now Im confused. I can tell there's going to be a coninuation of this tale which I am hoping will provide me with a "why" regarding the reunion of Vix and Sabina. As long as I know why it happened, I can make peace with it. Alot of times the "why" makes a big difference.
  
  My predictions for the next book? (which I hope is coming soon, please Kate Quinn!)
  
  1) The child sired by Vix and Sabina will be the son he always wanted
  2) Mirah will find out and it will cause tension
  3)Vix will struggle with his loyalties between Sabina and his family
  4) Plotina and Hadrian will meet a dramatic denoument like that of Domitian and Lepida in MOR
  5) it will be awesome
  
  My hopes
  
  1) Vix realizes that his rendez-vous with Sabina was more of a mutual greivance of Trajan's death and a mutual resentment of Hadrian's rule which drives him to become fully devoted to his family
  2) Vix doesn't kill Titus
  3) Titus and Faustina get married
  4) Since they've got to escape the wrath of Hadrian, Vix and Titus (along with their wives and children)flee to Britania where readers get an update from Thea and Arius (Sabina can come too as long as she keeps her hands off Vix, I really think at this point they're better off friends than lovers)
  5)Vix transforms from a warrior for Rome into a warrior for God (think about it, he would be so cool as a militant jew)
  
  By the way, is anyone else surprised that Sabina and Titus never got together? I wonder if that awaits us in the next book. hmmmmmmm
• 
  Beatrix

  In his tattered lion skin and his spotless battered armor he looked broad and powerful, sunburned and deadly. They should carve you in granite and put you on display in front of every legion recruiter in Rome, Sabina thought. They’ll fill the ranks in a heartbeat, just by telling envious boys that someday, maybe, they could be you.

  
  
  Book hangover.
  
  We all love it and hate it. While it means we have read an amazing and inspiring novel, it also leaves us ruined for other books (at least for a few days).
  
  And the last 2-3 days I've been trying to sum up my thoughts on this novel, and I still feel inadequate.
  
  Kate Quinn is truly a brilliant author. I like the way Quinn writes, her language is contemporary, but still she vividly paints the Roman era. Years ago I fell in love with her
  Mistress of Rome, and with this novel she did not disappoint me at all!
  
  All the feels.
  
  There is a special feeling I get when I’m reading historical fiction, and it’s the feeling of nostalgia; I’m a sucker for sad books, and when reading about the past you’re basically reading about dead people. Particularly here, when it’s the case about real life figures; when you kinda sorta know how it ends, but still… it hurts.
  
  

  Who had time for guilt? It was summer; I had an emperor to serve and an enemy to kill; I had a long road to tire me by day and a lithe girl to tire my by night. That’s what I remember from those months of the Dacian march, not the broader strokes of policy and strategy.

  
  
  Vibia Sabina.
  
  Unlikable herone. Oh how I love to read about those. Sabina is a strong-willed, independent girl who oftentimes took matters into her own hands, made some choices that would probably annoy some readers, but I loved her and I was rooting for her.
  
  

  I love you […] but whatever made you think I want to follow your stars, and not my own?

  
  
  There is so much more to this book that what I’ve mentioned. This is almost 500 pages long and it took me days to read it, but I loved every second of it. I can’t even imagine the amount of research the author did to create this amazing book.
  
  In conclusion, dear Ms Quinn, thank you for these books. You are the true Empress of historical fiction.
  
  
  
• 
  Meg - A Bookish Affair

  How do you know when you have found a really fantastic book? Like this: picture that you are on an airplane. It's a red eye and everyone is sleeping. You aren't sleeping because you are so into this book that you must finish it. You know you are going to be exhausted when you land. You finish the book finally and the ending is both so good and such a cliffhanger that you can't decide what you should do first. Should you throw the book across the plane because you can't believe that you have to wait such a long time for the next book to find out what happens after the cliffhanger? Should you cry quietly to yourself because the book moved you in such a way that you are mourning coming to the end? Should you wake up your dear husband (who is deeply asleep like you are supposed to be on a red-eye) and tell him all about the book? I opted for the last choice because I had to talk about the book to someone Right. That. Very. Second. My husband listened (such a good sport) and then told me to go to sleep (mostly so he could go back to sleep).
  
  "Empress of the Seven Hills" is the third book in Kate Quinn's Rome series. You may want to read the other books before this one (mostly because they are great books, you will still understand this one). This book follows Vix, son of Thea from "Mistress of Rome", and Sabina, a woman who is high-born but wants so much more than what her station in life offers. I love both of these characters so much. Vix is so awesome. He's brash and hard-headed. He seems like he'd be a lot of fun to hang around with. Sabina is fascinating to me because she could lead a very privileged life but she is just not content with that. I love the love story between the two of them and loved following their adventures together. I cannot wait to see what the next book holds for them. These are characters that you are absolutely going to fall in love with. Quinn does a fantastic job of making them feel really real and bringing them to life.
  
  I got sucked into this story. Between the awesome characters, the amazing setting, and the historical detail, I am one satisfied reader!
• 
  Sarah

  So far Kate Quinn is 3 for 3 in writing amazingly entertaining, easy-to-read books. Mistress of Rome was awesome, Daughters of Rome was fascinating and now Empress of the Seven Hills takes the cake.
  
  Despite all of her books being somewhat interrelated, this one has the feel of Book One in a series. For the most part it has a self-contained story, but the story lines are not 100% wrapped up when you close the covers and one of our narrators as much as promises a direct sequel. A sequel, I might add, I'd be totally okay with reading.
  
  Empress takes the reader from the heights of Roman society to the lowest foot soldiers in the Roman legions. Relationships, both romantic and political, are formed and broken, lives move on and children grow into cunning adults. We follow Vibia Sabina, trying to grasp what freedom she can manage in her lifetime as well as finding a little affection. Vix, the consummate soldier, goes from being a teenage bodyguard to the commander of a Legion while falling in and out of love a few times. Trajan tries to conquer more of the world, Hadrian schemes to be the next emperor, and Trajan's wife Plotina spins her webs to bring her plans to fruition.
  
  Obviously the narrative cast is much larger than Quinn's previous books, but I never felt that any one of them was directly favored or left on the sidelines for too long.
  
  As ever, I loved this book and look forward to getting my hands on Quinn's next installment in her episodic series of imperial Rome.
• 
  Alyssa

  Not one of Kate Quinn's books have disappointed me yet. This was another page turner, yet extremely well written and well researched. I don't know a whole heck of a lot about ancient Rome, but it's clear that Quinn definitely does her homework. The time period is evoked very vividly and in good attention to detail that lesser historical fiction authors would miss or neglect. Her seamless integration of actual historical figures with fictional characters is also to be commended.
  
  Also impressive is Quinn's ability to have multiple narrators/story lines going on at the same time. Many authors try to do this and fail; either they are simply trying to juggle too many people and the narrative becomes overwhelming, convoluted, and confusing as a result, or certain story lines become far less interesting than others, making for an out-of-balance reading experience. Quinn completely avoids these pitfalls in "Empress of the Seven Hills", as she did in "Daughters of Rome". The characters' stories are all irrevocably intertwined, and they are all equally compelling.
  
  I can't call the ending of the book a cliff hanger, really, but it was enough to leave me hoping that a sequel is in the works!
• 
  Ingrid Fasquelle

  Après La Maîtresse de Rome dont il est la suite, L'Impératrice des sept Collines est le deuxième roman de Kate Quinn publié aux éditions Presses de la Cité. Toujours aussi érudite, l'auteure explore à nouveau l'Histoire et plonge le lecteur dans une nouvelle fresque romaine vertigineuse !
  
  Alors que le premier volet de sa saga antique proposait une histoire d'amour sur fond d'orgies et de jeux du cirque, Kate Quinn s'intéresse cette fois aux légions et à la politique expansionniste de Rome, sous le règne de Trajan. Emaillé de scènes de batailles sanglantes et d'exceptionnels moments de bravoure, son récit n'en est pas moins prenant et terrifiant ! Kate Quinn, dont la réputation de conteuse n'est plus à faire, embarque à nouveau son lecteur dans une épopée flamboyante où seules comptent les nouvelles conquêtes de l'Empire. Mais dans l'ombre du valeureux Trajan, les serpents rôdent. Complots et machinations pourraient fort bien précipiter le destin d'un Empire où déjà, la révolte gronde... Vous allez adorer !
  
  Conjuguant à la perfection vérité historique et divertissement, Kate Quinn signe un péplum haletant, digne d'une grande production hollywoodienne ! C'est passionnant de la première à la dernière page !
• 
  Copperfield Review

  Here is yet another historical novel set in Ancient Rome, but Kate Quinn’s Empress of the Seven Hills stands in a class all its own. I was already a fan of Quinn’s from her previous two Rome centered novels, Daughters of Rome and Mistress of Rome, and while this new novel doesn’t focus on the same characters as her previous book, I found it equally captivating. Her research on Ancient Rome is meticulous, and what I appreciated as someone writing a book about that era myself is that where she was honest about where she changed the history. I understand that sometimes writers have to fudge the facts to make their stories work, but I like that Quinn didn’t try to hide it. Sabina is a very modern heroine, craving adventure, and she was brought to life through Quinn’s unique writing voice. This is what historical fiction should be, a sweeping, epic plot, historical details, believable characters, and sprightly dialogue. I will be looking for Quinn’s next novel.
  
• 
  Sophie

  Vix what a marvelous and compelling voice you have--or rather Kate, what a marvelous and compelling voice you've created :) Promise a review soon but for now let me simply say if you read historical fiction and you don't own this book yet, buy it now.
• 
  Bube

  And again with this book,Kate Quinn proves that she is excellent writer!
  All three books form this series are unique on its own way,connected among themselves in one skilled and great way :)
  
  The ending was,well...very unexpected :D
  
  Thank you Ms.Quinn for another great story! :)
• 
  Mare

  I can't wait =D I hope it will be translated in Croatian fast... Good luck with writing Kate Quinn =) (and write many more books)