Ageless Pages Reviews: stephanie thornton

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Book Tour Review: The Conqueror's Wife by Stephanie Thornton

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Title: The Conqueror's Wife
Author: Stephanie Thornton
Genre: historical fiction
Series: N/A
Pages: 512
Published: expected December 1 2-15
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for review
Rating: 5/5

A novel from the acclaimed author of The Tiger Queens, for readers looking for “strong and determined female protagonists” (Historical Novel Society) and “a sprawling historical saga” (Renee Rosen)...

We are the women who loved Alexander the Great. We were lovers and murderers, innocents and soldiers.
And without us, Alexander would have been only a man.
Instead he was a god.

330s, B.C.E., Greece: Alexander, a handsome young warrior of Macedon, begins his quest to conquer the ancient world. But he cannot ascend to power, and keep it, without the women who help to shape his destiny.

His spirited younger half-sister, Thessalonike, yearns to join her brother and see the world. Instead, it is Alexander's boyhood companion who rides with him into war while Thessalonike remains behind. Far away, crafty princess Drypetis will not stand idly by as Alexander topples her father from Persia's throne. And after Alexander conquers her tiny kingdom, Roxana, the beautiful and cunning daughter of a minor noble, wins Alexander’s heart…and will commit any crime to secure her place at his side.

Within a few short years, Alexander controls an empire more vast than the civilized world has ever known. But his victories are tarnished by losses on the battlefield and treachery among his inner circle. And long after Alexander is gone, the women who are his champions, wives, and enemies will fight to claim his legacy…

There is a plethora of historical fiction to be found in the world but Stephanie Thornton is one of the best authors working in the genre, by far. Her work is consistently and undeniably well-crafted; from the evident amounts of research that show in details both small and large, to the well-rounded and oft-forgotten female characters she centers her stories around. She takes care to retell stories of historical women that have been forgotten, twisted, or purposely hidden. So far to date she's ably covered Byzantine Empresses, Mongolian warrioresses, a female Pharaoh, and now the women (plus Hephaestion) of Alexander the Great. The Conqueror's Wife is another finely tuned and well-wrought addition to this fantastic (and personal favorite) author's growing bibliography.

There's a reason I countdown and anticipate every novel Thornton releases. Four novels in three years and she has yet to disappoint. She is an author that specializes in finding fascinating eras of history and then explores them from new eyes and different views than used before. Alexander's life has been retold by many voices and many authors but with using POV's from his sister, his wife, his soulmate, and his enemy-turned-reluctant-companion, Thornton covers the far-reaching conqueror's life with fresh perspectives. He's a man so famous we call him "the Great" without really thinking about all that accomplished -- and how quickly he did so. Though Alexander was no slouch, Thornton shows how the women in his life -- from his power hungry and ruthless mother Olympias to his warrior sisters Thessalonike and Cynnane and so on -- shaped, molded, and helped him achieve him all that earned him his appendage of "the Great."

The Conqueror's Wife is a longer book, but like the other Thornton novels I've read, loved, and recommend, it still doesn't feel long enough time spent with these characters. Five hundred pages have never gone so fast as they did here in Alexander's wide and rapidly-expanding world. As a history nerd with the implied a lifelong passion for exploring my favorite people, cultures, and empires, this was a book that felt fully immersive. Filled with a mostly female cast based on real historical people from that time, it's these characters more than Alexander that come to life. Hephaestion is the sole male narrator and provides a good complement to the women that lend their voices telling the story at the heart of the novel. Each voice shines and though some may be similar in character (Olympias and Roxana, Thessalonike and Drypetis), each voice and personality is distinguishable and uniquely and identifiable their own.

Another thing I continually like about Thornton is that while she largely stays true to historical record or generally agreed upon theories, she isn't afraid to find new motivations, reasons, or ideas for her characters' actions. Take Cassander in The Conqueror's Women. In historical record and theory, he's often shown to be a villain in the upheaval after Alexander's death. Instead of following the expected route with his character, Thornton explores a different idea of what would motivate the man and how he would act. It worked for the story and for how the fallout after Alexander actually happened. The best historical fiction writers know what history was like and still manage to tell a story all their own. Stephanie Thornton is a great example of that kind of writer.

If you are a fan of Kate Quinn or Sophie Perinot, I can't imagine a better new find for you than Stephanie Thornton. Without being anachronistic she writes women from history that are feminist and not limited in their lives by society's expectations. Her novels are well researched, full of place as character, and immersive. Thornton ably distills complicated times and consolidates a large cast of hist figures into a streamlined narrative.

04_The Conqueror's Wife_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, November 23
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, November 24
Review at Layered Pages
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Spotlight & Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, November 25
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Thursday, November 26
Review at Historical Readings & Reviews

Friday, November 27
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Monday, November 30
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day

Tuesday, December 1
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise

Wednesday, December 2
Review at leeanna.me
Review & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, December 3
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Excerpt at A Literary Vacation
Spotlight at The Reading Queen

Friday, December 4
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Monday, December 7
Review at The Maiden’s Court

Tuesday, December 8
Review at Reading the Past
Review at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, December 9
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, December 10
Review at The Lit Bitch
Interview & Giveaway at Reading Lark
Guest Post at Historical Fiction Connection

Friday, December 11
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Saturday, December 12
Review & Giveaway at Genre Queen

Monday, December 14
Review at Book Babe
Reivew, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Tuesday, December 15
Review at Bookramblings

Wednesday, December 16
Review at Book Nerd

Thursday, December 17
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, December 18
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Book Tour Review: Daughter of the Gods by Stephanie Thornton

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Title: Daughter of the Gods
Author: Stephanie Thornton
Genre: historical fiction
Series: N/A
Pages: 448
Published: expected May 6 2014
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Rating: 5/5

Egypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh’s pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile’s marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut’s games forces her to confront her guilt...and sets her on a profoundly changed course.

Hatshepsut enters a loveless marriage with her half brother, Thut, to secure his claim to the Horus Throne and produce a male heir. But it is another of Thut’s wives, the commoner Aset, who bears him a son, while Hatshepsut develops a searing attraction for his brilliant adviser Senenmut. And when Thut suddenly dies, Hatshepsut becomes de facto ruler, as regent to her two-year-old nephew.

Once, Hatshepsut anticipated being free to live and love as she chose. Now she must put Egypt first. Ever daring, she will lead a vast army and build great temples, but always she will be torn between the demands of leadership and the desires of her heart. And even as she makes her boldest move of all, her enemies will plot her downfall....

Combining one of my favorite historical women with one of my favorite historical fiction authors, Stephanie Thornton's close look into the life of the Egyptian Pharaoh Hatshepsut is as well-written and satisfying as her first novel of the Empress Theodora, The Secret History. With that same detailed and meticulously researched approach to writing historical fiction, Stephanie Thornton does not miss a step with her second novel about history's forgotten women. It's a dense and thorough examination of the Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh, but the brisk pace, complex characters, and knowledgeable writing make those 450 pages feel rather more like 200.

Hatshepsut's regency and then reign has always been a curious case in the history of the Pharaohs, and her unusual story is more than apt for reproduction in the right hands. Through Thornton's able and clever writing, Hatshepsut comes to life in Daughter of the Gods. That life wasn't always easy -- like Theodora, Hatshepsut experiences some truly traumatic events, ones that the book doesn't shy away from -- but her story is interesting and compelling to read. To go along with her three-dimensional main character, Stephanie Thornton also created a vivid, breathing version of ancient Egypt here in Daughter of the Gods. Hatshepsut may feel the least like a character and the most like a person, but it helps that the world she lives in is rendered in such careful detail.

The author does take some liberties with dates/events, as most historical fiction authors do. But the difference here is that the changes Thornton made serve to make the book more streamlined, with a consistent plot. The additions and the creations included (like the unconfirmed-if-thoroughly-believable-romance) all serve to make Daughter of the Gods a better story. Though there is no absolute confirmation that rekhyt Senenmut was anything more than Hatshepsut's adviser and architectural collaborator, Thornton sells the love story through the characters themselves. When the historical record is unsure, Thornton's ability to create a plausible scenario is unparalleled.

Ancient Egypt has always been a passion of mine and so rarely have I enjoyed a jaunt to this period as much as I did with Daughter of the Gods. A detailed, thoroughly researched piece of fiction, Stephanie Thornton's followup to her beloved debut is just as impressive and imaginative. No second-book slump here; Daughter of the Gods is a vivid portrayal of a fascinating woman and Thornton more than does Hatshepsut justice.

Book Tour Review: The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Thornton

Monday, July 22, 2013

Title: The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora
Author: Stephanie Thornton
Genre: historical fiction
Series: N/A
Pages: 448
Published: July 2nd 2013
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for review
Rating: 5/5

Where Theodora went, trouble followed…

In sixth century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds, and rose from being a common theater tart to become empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. But the woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was, in fact, a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told…

When her father dies suddenly, Theodora and her sisters face starvation on the streets. Determined to survive, Theodora makes a living any way she can—first on her back with every man who will have her, then on the stage of the city’s infamous amphitheater in a scandalous dramatization of her own invention. When her daring performance grants her a back-door entry into the halls of power, she seizes the chance to win a wealthy protector—only to face heartbreak and betrayal.

Ever resilient, Theodora rises above such trials and by a twist of fate, meets her most passionate admirer yet: the Emperor’s nephew. She will thrive as his confidant and courtesan, but many challenges lie ahead. For one day, this man will hand her a crown. And all the empire will wonder—is she bold enough, shrewd enough, and strong enough to keep it?

"I both dreaded and feared to reach so high. It only meant I had further to fall."

The Secret History, p.254

Stephanie Thornton proves that not all debut novels have to feel and read like debuts. The Secret History is a dense, detailed, atmospheric, and just an endlessly fascinating look at one of history's forgotten women. In a time where a woman was property, with little to no power of her own, this pleb-turned-patrician created her own opportunities and seized power for herself and her husband. Thornton ably recreates Theodora's tumultuous life from early age, steeped in poverty, to her triumphant, if troubled, reign as Augusta of the Byzantine Empire. Though this passionate and intelligent Empress has been largely overlooked by most historians and historical fiction writers, and even though I already knew her life story before reading The Secret History, this is a book that makes reading this unlikely pauper-to-princess tale firsthand utterly compelling.

This is a book that takes many harsh turns over the course of its 450 pages; there is rape, abuse, torture, prostitution, and endless extramarital affairs. However this is not a salacious novel - whatever Theodora had to do to survive, she did. Though she was many things - intelligent, stubborn, secretive, pragmatic, quick-tempered, brave, arrogant - above all, she was a survivor. Cast into poverty by her father's death and her abandonment by her political faction, Theodora and her sister Comito become actresses to help their mother and younger sister live. Her life may not always be easy to read about (from the clinical, cold loss of her virginity, to her abuse and abandonment in a foreign port at only 16) but Thornton builds from these desperate situations to recreate a version of the woman who was smart and wanted much more than to be a pawn of the men in her life and bed. From those who loved and supported her to those her saw her as no more than an up-jumped whore, you could not deny that Theodora was always a woman to be reckoned with.

Theodora as the main character and first person narrator is the best part of The Secret History. Through her observant eyes, the reader gets a vivid look at life in different stations during Constantinople under the reign of three different Emperors (Anastasius, Justin, and her husband Justinian). From poverty to notoriety to infamy, Theodora could not be ignored by her society as she made her way toward Justinian and eventually the throne. She is captivating and compelling, even when she is at her worst or when she makes the wrong decision. The characterization of Theodora evolves deftly throughout the narrative; from the beginning it is obvious that Thornton has a passion for crafting well-defined and multi-dimensional characters. Her Theodora is smart and strong-willed, but she is far from perfect and thus much more interesting to read about.

There is an abundance of well-defined characters in the book. The secondary characters of Antonina and Justinian especially reap the benefits of Thornton's strong characterization. The relationships the Theodora forges with each are complicated - Anotinia evolves from a one-note antagonist to a close friend and helpful supporter. Stephanie Thornton takes extra time and detail to craft a faithful but interesting representation of the Emperor Justinian. Of all the things shown about this ambitious man, his love for Theodora is paramount and The Secret History subtly takes care to show how his regard for his wife both helps and hurts his goals as Emperor. Their relationship goes through phases of struggle and accord, but through it all, Thornton shows Theodora to be the equal of her imperial husband in every way. Even when they find themselves at odds, the relationship between them is complex and engaging to read about.

Politics play a huge part in the life of Theodora and in the main plot of the novel. Weaving in historical events - the Nika riots, the general Belisarius's threat to her/Justinian's reign, etc. - within the narrative frame, the author recreates political intrigue with personal struggle equally well. A huge strength of the The Secret History is that the story is just as compelling when it focuses on the machinations and schemes of those factions that surround the Augustus and his Augusta. The details and aims for opposing factions can make for a bit of drier reading, but the author doesn't linger overlong on ancient political agendas. And though Theodora is remembered for her support of Miaphysite Christianity, religion is also not a huge aspect of the novel.

Stephanie Thornton skillfully interweaves fact with fiction, supposition with authorial discretion, all to the benefit of the novel. As the immensely readable author's note says, Thornton takes history into her own hands to fashion a better narrative for her readers. Certain characters have liberties taken with their actions and history, but it fosters more conflict for Theodora to contend with as the novel winds to a close. New reasons are created for actions not explained historically, and the decisions Thornton makes allow for a more cohesive view of Theodora and Justinian's lives.

The first in a series about some of history's "forgotten women", The Secret History is impressive. It's a great launching point for such a series and under this author's talented vision, I have complete faith the sequels (about Hatshepsut, and Genghis Khan's wife and daughters) will be just as detailed and engrossing. A full 5/5 stars, for while minor issues pop up (pacing), this is one of the best historical fiction novels I've had the pleasure to read. Ever. Readers will be entertained by this interesting, complicated, powerful woman who seized the opportunities that came her way, regardless of how society thought she should behave. Theodora is a fascinating woman and Stephanie Thornton's version is a well-rendered and thoughtful depiction of both her and her remarkable life.