Costanza Casati

From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, painting the brutal and captivating empire of gods and men, and the one queen destined to rule them all. A common woman. The governor she married. The king who loved them both. Babylonia across the centuries has become the embodiment of lust, excess, and dissolute power that ruled Ancient Assyria. In this world you had to kill to be king. Or, in the case of Semiramis, an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire: Queen. Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy. But when she meets a young representative of the new Assyrian king, a prophecy unfolds before her, one that puts her in the center of a brutal world and in the hearts of two men - one who happens to be king. Now a risen lady in a court of vipers, Semiramis becomes caught in the politics and viciousness of ancient Assyria. Instead of bartering with fate, Semiramis trains in war and diplomacy. And with each move, she rises in rank, embroiled in a game of power, desire, love, and betrayal, until she can ascend to the only position that will ever keep her safe. In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her.

From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, painting the brutal and captivating empire of gods and men, and the one queen destined to rule them all.A common woman. The governor she married. The king who loved them both.Babylonia across the centuries has become the embodiment of lust, excess, and dissolute power that ruled Ancient Assyria. In this world you had to kill to be king. Or, in the case of Semiramis, an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire: Queen.Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy. But when she meets a young representative of the new Assyrian king, a prophecy unfolds before her, one that puts her in the center of a brutal world and in the hearts of two men - one who happens to be king.Now a risen lady in a court of vipers, Semiramis becomes caught in the politics and viciousness of ancient Assyria. Instead of bartering with fate, Semiramis trains in war and diplomacy. And with each move, she rises in rank, embroiled in a game of power, desire, love, and betrayal, until she can ascend to the only position that will ever keep her safe.In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her.

The Queen Who Defied the Gods: A Tale of Power, Love, and Revenge in Ancient AssyriaTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER‘A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati’s Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction’ BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read. . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN--Babylonia – the Assyrian city of the Gods – is home to the strong and ambitious.Into its streets steps an orphan, Semiramis, new wife to a broken warrior. There she meets King Ninus - who soon wants her for himself.Semiramis will bow to no man. For who will stand in her way? A husband? A lover? For in this world, kings fall while queens rise.--‘Reading Babylonia is like reading an enchantment on the page, in which the unfathomable heroines of legend and history become living people’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE, author of CECILYPRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITANInstant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION--featuring stunning printed edges, luxe gold foil, and full color endpapers giving you a peek into the gripping world of Ancient Assyria From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, painting the brutal and captivating empire of gods and men, and the one queen destined to rule them all.A common woman. The governor she married. The king who loved them both.Babylonia across the centuries has become the embodiment of lust, excess, and dissolute power that ruled Ancient Assyria. In this world you had to kill to be king. Or, in the case of Semiramis, an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire: Queen.Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy. But when she meets a young representative of the new Assyrian king, a prophecy unfolds before her, one that puts her in the center of a brutal world and in the hearts of two men - one who happens to be king.Now a risen lady in a court of vipers, Semiramis becomes caught in the politics and viciousness of ancient Assyria. Instead of bartering with fate, Semiramis trains in war and diplomacy. And with each move, she rises in rank, embroiled in a game of power, desire, love, and betrayal, until she can ascend to the only position that will ever keep her safe.In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERA CAPTIVATING TALE THAT CHARTS THE CONTROVERSIAL LIFE AND RISE TO POWER OF SEMIRAMIS, THE ONLY FEMALE RULER OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE'Costanza Casati has taken the fragments of stories about this extraordinary woman and recreated her world with a vivid panache' THE TIMES‘A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati’s Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction’ BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read. . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN'The epic rise of the ambitious female protagonist is complemented by truly gorgeous writing, and the spying and scheming was reminiscent of the juiciest Game of Thrones scenes' Cosmopolitan----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.----READERS ARE LOVING BABYLONIA'I freaking loved this book. It was such a good page-turner and I wish I could give it a million stars because that is what the book deserves without a doubt' ***** Reader Review'So immersive!' ***** Reader Review'I cannot express enough how much Casati’s writing style sings to me. Her turn of phrase, her rich language, her perfect pacing and the emotional depths she reaches all blend seamlessly together to create an authentic story. Her words read like honey' ***** Reader Review'I think this is one of the greatest pieces of mythical fiction I have ever read' ***** Reader Review'If you love complicated female characters, complicated male friendship dynamics, and political storylines similar to Game of Thrones and Ancient Civilisations/Mythology this book is for you' ***** Reader ReviewPRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITANInstant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

Clitemnestra, hermana de Helena de Troya, vio morir a los suyos a manos de Agamen n y urdi su venganza a fuego lento. Una trama apasionante de poder, profec as, familia, odio y amor. Clitemnestra es una princesa de Esparta, es fuerte, apasionada y con car cter. Su matrimonio con el rey T ntalo, de quien admira su inteligencia y curiosidad, pronto es bendecido con un hijo. Viven en paz hasta que Agamen n, el hermano del rey Menelao y esposo de su hermana Helena, se encapricha de Clitemnestra y decide asesinar al rey T ndalo y al beb para poder casarse con ella. Rota por el dolor, durante a os Clitemnestra so ar con la venganza, un sentimiento que crecer alimentado por el horror y la impotencia cuando Agamen n, tras consultar al or culo de Delfos, ofrezca a los dioses en sacrificio a su hija Ifigenia. Hasta la llegada de Egisto, nacido del incesto y de la violencia, que se convertir en el amante de Clitemnestra y juntos pondr n fin a la vida de Agamen n. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION "Fans of Circe and Elektra should pick up this powerful Greek myth retelling." ―CosmopolitanFor fans of Madeline Miller, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen. As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best...You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot. But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice. Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself. A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her.

"Fans of Circe and Elektra should pick up this powerful Greek myth retelling." --CosmopolitanFor fans of Madeline Miller, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best...You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her."Crackles with vivid fury, passion, and strength." --Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BABYLONIAMother. Monarch. Murderer. Magnificent . . . meet Clytemnestra, the ancient world's most wronged woman . . .'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' Jennifer Saint 'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' Daily Mail----She is born to a king but marries a tyrant.She watches helplessly as he sacrifices her child to the gods.She bides her time. She plots revenge. She knows how to play this game.If power will not be given to her, then she will take it for herself.She is Clytemnestra.----*Costanza Casati's new Sunday Times bestselling novel BABYLONIA is out now. Discover the captivating tale of the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis, and her rise to power.*'A passionate picture of a fiercely patriarchal society and her heroine's refusal to be bound by its rules'Sunday Times'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' Elodie Harper'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' Cosmopolitan

"Fans of Circe and Elektra should pick up this powerful Greek myth retelling." --CosmopolitanFor fans of Madeline Miller, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best...You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her."Crackles with vivid fury, passion, and strength." --Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne