The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George - Book Review

The Confessions of Young Nero 

By Margaret George 

Rating 2.5/5 

Genres Historical Fiction, Rome, Nero

Boring. Very disappointed. I skimmed through many pages towards the end as the narrative drove me nuts with little to no story in it. I guess the major source of my disinterest in this book is that the hero Nero didn't appeal to me as a notable historical figure. The author has shown him in a positive light as opposed to the common dialogue/opinion that surrounds him. I imagine from these private notes of Nero that being an emperor of Rome is all about spending time with poetry,music, chariot racing and enjoying lavish life at villas with mistresses.. its all so boring..most of the places mentioned are also unfamiliar and never heard of.. 

I really did enjoy the book Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret but this one seems to be a failure. :( I am definitely going to do some initial research on books from now on..not to have to go through such ordeals again. Not to completely discredit her efforts, some scenes in the book are great  - the betrayals and murders of family members by Nero's mom and her own death at his hands..just stuff that is made for epics..(sarcastically being said!) 

A little into the story..it covers his childhood which mostly passed under the guidance and control of his power hungry mother, his adulthood when he becomes an emperor and later years as a married man that loses his only daughter and heir. His mother is a husband killer and installs Nero on throne murdering her third husband Claudius with poison. He in turn murders her with treachery to get away from her control. He gets his wife exiled with false accusations to marry a mistress and they together get her murdered. Amidst all these killings and ruthless acts,  Nero introduces competitions in music, poetry and participates in them with common folk marking a first of this sort. There are a couple of uprisings which are subdued as well. At the end we see him going into the city to address a fire breakout after having lost his only daughter child..