Babylonia: A Novel

by Costanza Casati

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781464228216
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	01/14/2025
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Costanza Casati was born in Texas and grew up in a village in Northern Italy, where she studied Ancient Greek, and Ancient Greek literature, under one of the country’s most rigorous academic programmes. She is a graduate of the prestigious Warwick Writing MA in the UK, and has worked as a screenwriter and journalist. Her debut novel, Clytemnestra, has sold into 20 territories worldwide, was the winner of the Glass Bell Award, an Indie Next Pick and a nominee for Best Fantasy in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Babylonia, her second novel, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. 

Editorial Reviews

★ 10/07/2024

Casati (Clytemnestra) chronicles the ruthless rise of Assyrian queen Semiramis in this masterful saga. In 823 BCE, the Assyrian empire is in the midst of a civil war between Assur and Ninus, two opposing sons of the late King Shalmaneser. The conflict extends to Eber-Nari, the western province where Semiramis was raised by Simmas, a shepherd, after she was abandoned as an infant by her mother, who then died by suicide. The fearless and resourceful Semiramis views Shalmaneser’s illegitimate son, Onnes, as a way out of her harsh life, and after framing the abusive Simmas for theft, she persuades Onnes to take her as his wife to the capital city of Kalhu. There, Semiramis continues to challenge norms, training in combat and navigating palace intrigue fomented by Ninus’s mother and by a rival for power who commands the Assyrian army. Five years after Semiramis leaves Eber-Nari, the Assyrians come under threat from Babylonia, and her machinations culminate in her becoming Assyria’s leader. Casati excels at depicting the stark brutality of the period, contrasting matter-of-fact descriptions of impalings and mutilations with Semiramis’s determination to survive: “To die is to travel to the land of no return. She has seen that land from afar: it waits for her every time her father strikes her.” No matter how much cruelty Semiramis dispenses, Casati never loses sight of what drives her heroine to achieve a status where she need not obey anyone else. Admirers of Robert Graves’s Claudius novels will be riveted. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Based on the ancient Middle Eastern legend of a warrior queen, Casati’s sweeping epic incorporates the era’s brutality but also its cultural richness." — The Washington Post, 10 Noteworthy Books for January

"Mesmerizingly intricate…Captivating and historically insightful...A resonant page turner." — BookPage

"Casati chronicles the ruthless rise of Assyrian queen Semiramis in this masterful saga...No matter how much cruelty Semiramis dispenses, Casati never loses sight of what drives her heroine to achieve a status where she need not obey anyone else. Admirers of Robert Graves’s Claudius novels will be riveted." — Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"Casati renders the ancient world Semiramis inhabits in vivid detail, bringing in the perspective of a slave in her household, and together, the pair illustrates the influence even the most unlikely actors can have on history. Casati's compelling second outing portraying the Assyrian empire's only queen is another triumph." — Booklist

"There is an entrancing quality to Costanza Casati’s writing that transports us to other worlds and past times, then holds us there—willingly enmeshed in story—until the final page is turned. Reading Babylonia is like reading an enchantment on the page, in which the unfathomable heroines of legend and history become living people, who suffer, bleed, dare, and love; they carve out their space in our hearts, and in our shared humanity." — Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily

"A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale with a deft weaving of myth and history. Emotionally rich and lyrically genius, Babylonia cements Costanza Casati as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction, bringing an incomparable vibrance to the genre. An incredible novel." — Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen

"To read Babylonia is to witness something special. Incredibly richly drawn, sensuous in its imagery of gold and animals, clay pressed images and shadow, it’s superbly done. Semiramis herself is a brilliant character—one you will care very much for." — Conn Iggulden, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Emperor and Conqueror series

"I was up late reading Babylonia last night—it’s a work of art. Even better than Clytemnestra. How does Costanza do this? Brava a thousand times—this is a masterpiece." — Elodie Harper, international bestselling author of The Wolf Den

"Babylonia was, in short, a vicious delight. With the resplendent prose that truly distinguishes her work, Casati plunges us into an untapped age of antiquity. In doing so, she also draws us into a world of intrigue, beauty, and necessary ruthlessness in the name of power. Readers will revel in the tale of the enigmatic Semiramis from its first page to its last. This is a story richly rendered and utterly captivating." — Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author

"Babylonia is rich with emotion, fire and fury. I am in awe of Costanza Casati's ability to weave together a historical epic, while bravely laying bare all the complexities of the human heart. She is a master at work!" — Pim Wangtechawat, author of The Moon Represents My Heart

"Set in the brutally gorgeous world of ancient Assyria, Babylonia is an epic tale of war, power, and the wrath of kings—but at its heart, it is more than anything the story of an indomitable woman and the men she loves. Semiramis is an unforgettable character, seething with righteous anger and tireless strength, whose intelligence, resilience, and determination help her rise from commoner to queen—but at what cost? With vivid prose and stunning imagery, Costanza Casati has woven a tale of passion, betrayal, tragedy, and triumph that I will not soon forget. Utterly captivating." — Claire Legrand, USA Today bestselling author of A Crown of Ivy and Glass

"Babylonia consumed me, and I devoured it. It is a searing tale of love and ambition set within the bloody wars of the ancient Assyrian. The depth and strength of this story of Semiramis is extraordinary; her resilience, her passion, and her power. Costanza Casati deals with generational trauma, inheritance and the brutal terrors of war through the eyes of love and ambition. Casati is a beautiful storyteller, and a writer of true brilliance. If you want a story that delves deeper into the past than you have been before, this is the one for you." — Hannah Kaner, internationally bestselling author of Godkiller

"A masterpiece. Babylonia is utterly gorgeous and totally riveting." — Nikita Gill, author of Fierce Fairytales

"Babylonia had me hooked from its very opening lines. Casati’s prose is arrestingly beautiful, breathing life into the stunning yet brutal world of the Assyrian empire. This is a tale of love, power, and survival, focusing on three central protagonists who are crafted with such depth and nuance, making this an utterly captivating read. Through Babylonia, Casati has proven, once again, why she is one of the most exciting new voices within the historical fiction genre." — Rosie Hewlett, award-winning author of Medusa and The Witch of Colchis

From the Publisher

This audiobook is a gripping historical epic about Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire. Ayesha Antoine's mesmerizing narration captures the raw intensity of Semiramis's journey. Born an orphan, she rises to power through intelligence, ambition, and sheer will, navigating a treacherous world of war, politics, and forbidden love. Her relationships with King Ninus and Onnes drive a story filled with passion, betrayal, and the brutal realities of ancient rule. Antoine's ability to shift seamlessly among characters adds depth as she makes each voice distinct and memorable. She infuses emotion into every scene, whether it's the steely resolve of a queen, the tenderness of love, or the chilling weight of betrayal. Antoine's voice transforms this audiobook into an unforgettable and immersive listening experience. F.S.M. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2025 - AudioFile