Antigua Roma, 408 d.C.: la joven Antonina tuvo la desgracia de vivir tiempos interesantes: los días en que la poderosa Roma fue abatida por el terror de los godos.

This was a slow book to begin with and I believe this is why it took me so long to read. Collins goes into detail about the characters life’s and even into Rome itself. The story picks up about half way through and I enjoyed the writing style. ( )

This was Wilkie Collins' first novel and it shows. He was trying his hand at a historical romance and he sucks at it. The prose is unbelievably purple, the heroine insufferably noble and obedient, there are two ancient men fanatic about their religion (one Christian, one Pagan), and a Gothic warrior who is instantly smitten by our heroine and gets killed for his pains. Collins' grasp of Roman topography is none too sure, as a quick glance at a map of ancient Rome will tell you. He has no idea of Roman daily life and he gives no sense of time and place: he suddenly finds himself in November, yet Antonina can grow flowers. Events rush by, the description of the siege is entirely unconvincing. It would have been useful to know on which sources he drew for this piece of tosh.

ETC ( )