Babylonia by Costanza Casati
Book Review
Whilst researching my next book I stumbled across this book which looked at a legend from the Assyrian empire telling of its first and only queen: Semiramis.
Here’s the blurb:
There are whispers of her fame, in the land long since turned to dust. The Queen who rose from nothing – and changed everything …
Ancient Assyria, 9th century BC.
An orphan is raised on the outskirts of a brutal empire. Heir to a tragic prophecy, Semiramis dreams of wielding power and escaping her destiny.
Far away, a reluctant prince walks the corridors of his gilded palace in a city built by the gods. Ninus would rather spend his days in books and poetry than conquering the world of men. But when he meets Onnes, a broken, beautiful warrior, something awakens in them both. And as they grow into young men, their friendship deepens into something fiercer still.
That is until Semiramis arrives.
A savage love soon erupts between them all, even as a dark threat to the kingdom mounts. And before long, all three will be forced to learn the lesson of the gods – in Babylonia, you must bend the world to your will.
What doesn’t bend, you break.
The ancient civilisations are truly fascinating, steeped in mystery, and I often find myself wanting to know more. I learn best through stories and so when I discovered this one appeared I knew it had to be next on the list, especially as I'd found it in the local library. It did not disappoint!
I don't know a great deal about Sumerian culture, Akkadians and Babylonians or Queen Semiramis, I’m not sure I understand a lot more about them after reading this, other than that they were violent, often at war, involved in land grabs and their rulers used extreme violence in order to stay in power. I wonder what they’d think of this view?
But this was Semiramis’s story, not a history lesson, and I loved this retelling of her story, which again walks a fine line between historical records, myth and legend. But it does so brilliantly! Semiramis’s story is a legend in its own right, sometimes linked to the Shammuramat, but in this retelling Casati also weaves in the story of Gilgamesh, probably one of the most famous stories we have that survives from this era. Gilgamesh can tell us a lot about the Sumerian and Akkadian culture and indeed the characters in this story, in particular Ninus’s and his brother’s do echo some of Gilgamesh’s.
It is clearly a very well researched story and includes just enough historical fact for it to be an authentic and well balanced story. As I mentioned the violence of the time is very apparent but it doesn’t feel laboured or over done. If this was a film I fear we’d spend 80% of the time watching people getting killed and fighting with each other in high action conflict, however Casati’s version of this story is far more subtle and nuanced than that.
The way Semiramis finds herself fighting in a war and how she conducts her self is very real and completely believable. It’s a necessary part of the story, not overdone and does not detract from Semiramis’s story, instead it shows us who she is and why she fights rather than becoming grotesque and voyeuristic abuse.
Her rise to queen often appears more luck than judgement and shows the tightrope she is walking as a low-born woman in a royal court, as well of the potential reality of holding a position of power within this culture .
In short, I loved this book! An almost 3000 year old story, magnificently brought to life for a modern audience. Whether or not Semiramis was a historical figure or one of myth and legend, such an important and powerful story of a unique determined woman in charge of her own destiny in the face of incredible odds, should not be resigned to the scriptures and tablets of a museum.
You can buy Babylonia in all good bookshops. If you would like to buy a copy online, please consider visiting my page on Bookshop.org where I have gathered some of the books I read and recommend. Here you will find a plethora of myth, legend and folktale.
And don’t forget to support your local library too. See if they have a copy to borrow.
