Cheryl (boomerbooklover) -
Follow up to Confessions of a Young Nero, this story of Nero as an adult includes the rebuilding of Rome after the great fire, attending the Olympics, and living with his ill-fated wife. The author sees Nero as a man with three personalities. 1. Daylight Nero, who wears a toga and performs Imperial duties in public 2. Artist Nero who strives for public acclaim as a performer and 3. Dark Nero, who will stop at nothing to protect Nero 1 and 2. Nero is seen in a much better light than in most histories, and the author seems to excuse many of his more notorious acts.
Nada A. reviewed The Splendor Before the Dark: A Novel of the Emperor Nero on + 1361 more book reviews
The Splendor Before the Dark by Margaret George is the second of her books about Emperor Nero. The first book told the story of the child caught up in the palace intrigue from his very birth. This book is the story behind "Nero fiddled while Rome burned." Both books portray the emperor as a sympathetic character. An innocent child is much easier to depict as sympathetic versus a grown adult making choices, making this one a tougher sell.
See my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/02/the-splendor-before-dark.html
Reviewed for Penguin First to Read program.
See my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/02/the-splendor-before-dark.html
Reviewed for Penguin First to Read program.
