I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 (Vintage International) by Robert Graves Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 (Vintage International)
Book Review: "How many twisted stories still remain to be straightened out?"
Summary: 5 Stars
Published in 1934, poet Robert Graves's _I, Claudius_ tells the story of Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, known in Roman history as Claudius--an historian, a crippled stutterer, and widely regarded as an idiot. Claudius is isolated from the treachery of the Roman court during the years immediately after the death of Christ, protected by the fact that no one takes him seriously enough to want to assassinate him. Ultimately, however, Claudius ascends to the throne of the Roman Empire in 41 A.D. and rules brilliantly until he is assassinated in 54 A.D.
Through the first person narrative of Claudius, Graves tells the story from the beginning of the Christian era until Claudius's death fifty years later, recording the horrors visited on the Roman people by his family's rulers. Claudius's grandmother Livia, widow of Caesar Augustus--and one of the most treacherous women in history--manipulates the imperial succession through poisonings, assassinations, marriages, and secret alliances. The reign of her son Tiberius is bloody, murderous, and corrupt. His brother, the good soldier Drusus, is kept in foreign lands until he can be assassinated. Tiberius's succession by Caligula, his grandson and the prot?g? of Livia, takes Rome into even more terrifying debauchery. Claudius's ultimate succession to the throne upon the death of Caligula, his insane nephew, is regarded as a joke by the court--the installation of an idiot who will not challenge the imperialists. Ironically, Claudius is discovered to be a republican.
This first person account, with virtually no scenes of direct action, defies the first rule of novel-writing: to recreate, not "tell about" actions. Here every aspect of Roman history is filtered through the mind of Claudius, who "tells about" all the action as he knows it. Claudius, however, is so perceptive and so full of fascinating information about the characters and their motivations, that the reader creates his/her own action scenes from the information revealed by Claudius. Through Claudius, whom the reader comes to admire, the reader is able to evaluate what is happening in ways that direct-action scenes, with all their superficial excitement, do not allow.
Characters are complex, fully developed humans, instead of cardboard, costumed "ancients," and their machinations, though extremely bloody, show the conflicts that occur when absolute rule and republican sentiments contend for dominance, a conflict in which Graves says he saw parallels to World War I and its aftermath. Giving a new view of Claudius from what had traditionally been accepted, Graves's portrayal is historically accurate (based on then-new information) and psychologically perceptive, a brilliant novel which sets the standard for historical fiction. Mary Whipple
Book Review: Well worth reading - even if you've seen the TV series
Summary: 5 Stars
This has to be the book the sets the standard for all historical novels. Its not a genre I have much time for, but this is a superb piece of literature. It tells the story of Imperial Rome from the early days of Augustus to the accession of Nero. If you think you know the whole story from the TV series (which is also excellent) then you don't. Reading 'I, Claudius' will give you a much greater appreciation of this whole sordid episode of history. There is far more detail and background in the book than could ever have been crammed into the series. However, having watched it in on TV first you have the disadvantage as always of seeing all the characters as the actors playing them which is a pity.
To summarise the story for those who don't know it, the book sees the development of the Roman Empire through the eyes of Claudius, a member of the imperial family and convinced republican. Born with a stammer, a twitch and lame, Claudius is treated as a fool by all of his powerful and power hungry relatives but manages to outlive them all, his murderous grandmother Livia, his perverted uncel Tiberius and his mad nephew Caligula. The characterisation is wonderful, especially that of Claudius, one of the most sympathetic literarey renderings of a historical person.
The real beauty of this book is that if you really want to delve deeper into Roman history this is the ideal place to start as the people become more human and recognisable.
Well worth reading - even if you've seen the TV series!
Book Review: Graves the genius
Summary: 5 Stars
My reading of this was highly coloured by the BBC adaption - as I guess most modern reading would be. It was impossible not to put the relevant actors' faces to the character (and even a bit of Asterix the Gaul thrown in there for Julius Caesar) and yet the book was a real joy to read.
As others have pointed out this is just a total different way of writing compared to a modern novel There is hardly any dialogue or direct action - it is all reported speech and reported action. indeed the few passages with Caligula that are direct interaction seem out of place. But the interest never flags - a different way of writing and still just as involving.
Book Review: Superb
Summary: 5 Stars
A very good read. It is not an easy read unless you know a fair amount about Roman history and is not likely to appeal to someone who just likes the odd Lindsey Davies murder mystery. Indeed, despite having a great interest and fair knowledge about it, and having owned my copy for some eight years, I may never have read it, had it not been for seeing the superb TV series on the UKTV History channel recently. Some of the text leaves a nasty taste in the mouth but that is inevitable with this subject matter and parts of it also read to me like Suetonius's Twelve Caesars chapters on Tiberius and Caligula. I made regular reference to the family tree at the back.
My only minor criticism was the consistent use of modern names for towns and countries, e.g. France, not Gaul, which grated somewhat.
Book Review: Just okay for me
Summary: 3 Stars
I hate to be the one bad apple in the bunch, but to be honest, I was expecting great things from this book given all of the fabulous reviews. Perhaps because I've been pampered with books like Philippa Gregory's THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL or THE RED TENT, I expected a read that would be quick, with snappy dialogue and luscious settings. What I got instead was something that felt very much dated, and very boring. Of course, this is just my opinion, and I see that many others here have different ones. But for fans of Greggory-style writing, I would give this a pass.