Roman historian Procopius publicly praised Theodora of Constantinople for her piety-while secretly detailing her salacious stage act and malign... read full description
reviews
Oct 11, 2011
Interesting enough premise but awkward writing -- a bit stuffy and bloated. While I was reading, I was engaged enough but every time I put it down, I couldn't find the motivation to pick it back up. Might give it a try again, someday.
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Oct 19, 2011
Anne
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This is the story of Theodora and her rise from dancer/prostitute to Empress of Rome. The book starts with Theodora working on stage at the Hippodrome and being trained by Menander, a man she feared and loved. After becoming famous she falls in love with Hecebolus and moves to Africa with him. When Hecebolus casts her off for another she flees Africa and finds her way to Alexandria where she finds her faith, looks for forgiveness for her sins, and puts her fate in the hands of Timothy who she
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Sep 26, 2011
Lakis
rated it:
This is a fictional biography that travels the reader back in time, to the Byzantium era and the glory days of the great city of Constantinople. That is where that we for the first time meet Theodora, the second of three sisters, who due to the difficult times her family is going through, has to start working and earn a living from a very young age. She and her sisters, under the instructions of an eunuch called Menander, are getting ready for a life spent at the Hippodrome, which in today’s ter
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Sep 13, 2011
Viviane
rated it: 
Theodora of Constantinople is smart and sassy as a very young woman. She is not so pretty but what she lacks in beauty she more than makes up for with her decent singing voice, comedic acting abilities, and the ability to improvise when the show is going awry or some facet produces an unexpected audience effect. She has a fierce ability to put up with much discipline in her art, forceful teaching that at times seems almost abusive.
Her talents are acknowledged after one particular eveni More...
Her talents are acknowledged after one particular eveni More...
Sep 13, 2011
Robin
rated it: 
3.5 stars
Advance reading e-book courtesy of Net Galley.
This was an interesting historical biographical novel of Theodora of Constantinople who rose from the underclass to become Empress of Rome and a saint of the Orthodox church. Due to family circumstances teen-age Theodora has to become a dancer/whore, which is the only profession available to young women of the underclass. From there she schemes and claws her way up to become the wife of Justinian and a powerful woman More...
Advance reading e-book courtesy of Net Galley.
This was an interesting historical biographical novel of Theodora of Constantinople who rose from the underclass to become Empress of Rome and a saint of the Orthodox church. Due to family circumstances teen-age Theodora has to become a dancer/whore, which is the only profession available to young women of the underclass. From there she schemes and claws her way up to become the wife of Justinian and a powerful woman More...
Jul 18, 2011
Angie
rated it: 
I won this from a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks for the the free book!
This was an interesting read. I knew nothing about Theodora and I found her life and her time period fascinating. However, at times I thought the book read a little more like a biography than a work of historical fiction. It could have been spiced up a little bit. The author did her homework; Theodora's life was very well researched and the source notes were included in the book. I am sure she took license with the ma More...
This was an interesting read. I knew nothing about Theodora and I found her life and her time period fascinating. However, at times I thought the book read a little more like a biography than a work of historical fiction. It could have been spiced up a little bit. The author did her homework; Theodora's life was very well researched and the source notes were included in the book. I am sure she took license with the ma More...
Sep 23, 2011
Care
rated it:
In choosing Theodora of Byzantium for her subject, Stella Duffy picked a definite case of truth trumping fiction. Duffy fills her novel with richly depictive discourse, transporting the reader into a world of political intrigue and religious turmoil, a world where the worth and potential of an individual was most often pre-determined by birth.
Born into poverty in a time (mid sixth century) and place (Byzantium) in which women had very few options, Theodora, daughter of a deceased bea More...
Born into poverty in a time (mid sixth century) and place (Byzantium) in which women had very few options, Theodora, daughter of a deceased bea More...
Jan 22, 2012
Meg - A Bookish Affair
rated it:
Theodora is a fascinating figure. She really was all three of the things listed in the title. For someone to be able to make jumps from one position to another is pretty crazy. The story itself is very interesting.
The writing in this book is sort of stiff though. At parts I felt like I was reading a sort of history book (first she did this, then that, then she did that) instead of a fiction. In other parts, I felt that the characters seemed way too modern for the times that they wer More...
The writing in this book is sort of stiff though. At parts I felt like I was reading a sort of history book (first she did this, then that, then she did that) instead of a fiction. In other parts, I felt that the characters seemed way too modern for the times that they wer More...
Jan 07, 2012
Warnie B.
rated it:
I stumbled across this at the library, and when I saw it, I thought, "Hey! Theodora! I know her!!!" You know, because of the whole Byzantine history phase I went through a couple of years ago. The title sounded totally melodramatic and ridiculous, but I couldn't pass it up. In the end I can't really say that I liked this, but it was better than I thought it would be.
Oddly, I kind of liked the fact that for the entire first half of the book, I did not really find Theodora a More...
Oddly, I kind of liked the fact that for the entire first half of the book, I did not really find Theodora a More...
Oct 18, 2011
When considering famous women in ancient history, Cleopatra and Nefertiti are just two women that immediately come to mind. Theodora of Constantinople is not. Yet, given her background and upbringing, it is one of the more extreme and shocking rags-to-riches story of its time, if not of history. Stella Duffy's fictionalized story of Theodora's rise to power aims to correct this oversight, as it highlights the fascinating and turbulent adolescence and background that helped her ultimately achiev
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Nov 30, 2011
Sam
rated it:
Theodora of Constantinople was the daughter of a bear trainer who became a dancer, actress, prostitute, religious convert, mistress, Empress and finally Saint of the Orthodox Church. In Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore, Stella Duffy provides a fictional biography of the first part of her life, from when the death of her father forces her on the stage to the moment she becomes Empress. A sequel is planned.
I found this book to be underwhelming. Theodora certainly had an interesting l More...
I found this book to be underwhelming. Theodora certainly had an interesting l More...
Oct 05, 2011
Diana (Random Pabulum)
rated it:
Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore is the rags to riches story of Empress Theodora of Constantinople, wife of Justinian, one of the greatest emperors of Byzantine history. Theodora is the daughter of a bear-keeper and former actress, whom of which is set against her three daughters following in her footsteps. A freak accident occurs that leaves the family without a patriarch. Her mother remarries quickly to a man that is in no way comparable to her father, and the girls are forced to become pa
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Oct 02, 2011
Marcie
rated it:
A few weeks prior to reading this novel, I came across a short chapter in a history book about Theodora. She was a larger than life character that knew how to command an audience. Theodora lived during a tumultuous time. There is not a lot of documentation about this period and a lot of what we know is speculation. I was really interested in reading Stella Duffy's take on the Empress Theodora.
Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy depicts Theodora from a young child until her m More...
Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy depicts Theodora from a young child until her m More...
Nov 04, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
Her father was a bear trainer and after his death her mother paraded her three daughters in the Hippodrome, trying to win the support of Constantinople’s Blue faction. Theodora became an actress and dancer and ultimately, whore. She would perform for high society at private banquets. One of her most infamous numbers, “Leda and the Swan,” was basically a striptease where was covered with barley and had trained geese peck it away, revealing her nude form underneath. She fell in love with the Syria
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Oct 27, 2011
Tiffany
rated it:
Another Penguin book read for BlogHer Book Club. I worried about it at first as fiction because the story is spun around the life of an actual historical figure, but it turned out to be a really excellent narrative.
Sometimes historical fiction works get bogged down in facts and events and leave no room for characters to grow and stretch. We can't really know what Theodora was like, but Stella Duffy managed to compile what information exists about the empress into a character that seeme More...
Sometimes historical fiction works get bogged down in facts and events and leave no room for characters to grow and stretch. We can't really know what Theodora was like, but Stella Duffy managed to compile what information exists about the empress into a character that seeme More...
Oct 12, 2011
Holly
rated it:
Historical fiction? Theodora was a figure who I knew nothing about who rose to prominence in Constantinopale, first as an actress, accompanying that role as a whore, and then through penitence, became suitable to be married and became the empress. It's a fascinating story of a person but more a period of time when things were so changeable. The writing isn't always enthralling but the story that's told truly is captivating as is the main character. The era this book is set in is so different
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Nov 05, 2010
Jennifer (JC-S)
rated it:
‘You can waste a very long time looking back.’
The Byzantine Empress Theodora (c500-547CE) had an interesting career as an actor and a prostitute before becoming the wife of the Emperor Justinian. This novel by Stella Duffy, based on extensive research and accompanied by an impressive bibliography, is based on Theodora’s life from early childhood until just after her marriage to the Emperor Justinian.
The novel opens with the young child Theodora as part of a group being schooled More...
The Byzantine Empress Theodora (c500-547CE) had an interesting career as an actor and a prostitute before becoming the wife of the Emperor Justinian. This novel by Stella Duffy, based on extensive research and accompanied by an impressive bibliography, is based on Theodora’s life from early childhood until just after her marriage to the Emperor Justinian.
The novel opens with the young child Theodora as part of a group being schooled More...
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Nov 03, 2011
Mandie
rated it:
An engaging piece of historical fiction, Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore took about 50 pages to get going. But once I crested that hill, I kept coming back for more.
Theodora's mother never wanted her to enter the entertainment world, but after her father was brutally murdered, there was little choice if the family was to survive. And like her mother Hypatia, Theodora is nothing if not a survivor. Her talent for dance is only average, but her penchant for comedy launches Theodora i More...
Theodora's mother never wanted her to enter the entertainment world, but after her father was brutally murdered, there was little choice if the family was to survive. And like her mother Hypatia, Theodora is nothing if not a survivor. Her talent for dance is only average, but her penchant for comedy launches Theodora i More...
Jul 30, 2011
Gretchen
rated it:
This book is great! I highly recommend it. It tells the story of Theodora of Constantinoplw who started life as a dancer/actress/whore, and managed to work her way up the social ladder to eventually becoming the empress of Rome - married to the emperor Justinian. This book is historical fiction so it is amazing to this the basic storyline is based on a real person. The character of Theodora is fascinating and charismatic, and the author does a great job of pulling you in and creating the world o
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Nov 04, 2011
Sorcha
rated it:
This is not a book for those who are easily offended by "bad" language - as a prostitute, there are words being used by Theodora and her circle of friends etc that aren't in use in polite society. That's not to say that it detracts from the story - some authors may have been prudish and refused to use them, thereby refusing to acknowledge some of the practicalities of how prostitutes and circus workers cope with their station in life.[return][return]The book gives a (probably fictional
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Sep 17, 2011
CuteBadger
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 17, 2011
Susan
rated it:
The creative imagination and detailed research required to bring to life an historical figure, big or small, is evident in Stella Duffy's Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore. A relatively small character of history, Theodora was not a person included in most survey courses, so the subject was not as well-known or documented as Queen Elizabeth. The extensive bibliography shows the varied sources available to the author, but the nuances of the title character can only be surmised. The results were b
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Jun 21, 2011
Esperanza
rated it:
Here we have the story of Theodora from Constantinople. A girl who early in life had to grow up fast in the ancient world. At a very young age, she is forced into acting to help support her family, from then on what little choices she had, were not really better choices. When the opportunity presents itself for her to move on to do other things, that is when she realizes that despite everything, nothing changes. Not until towards the end when she has realized that she is someone different, that
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Dec 05, 2011
Marcela (BookaholicCat)
rated it:
Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore is the fictional biography of Theodora of Constantinople by Stella Duffy. Theodora was a lowborn woman with a disreputable past who later became Empress of Rome and a Saint in the Orthodox Church.
Theodora was the daughter of a bear trainer and a common woman. After the death of her father, at a very young age Theodora is forced to earn her living as an actress next to her two sisters. During those times actresses were also prostitutes who entertained More...
Theodora was the daughter of a bear trainer and a common woman. After the death of her father, at a very young age Theodora is forced to earn her living as an actress next to her two sisters. During those times actresses were also prostitutes who entertained More...
Jan 30, 2012
Krista
rated it:
A fictional account of the life of Theodora of Byzantium, from her childhood up to her coronation as Empress. Fascinating in its depiction of the primacy of religion, how everyone from the street performers up to the emperor was consumed with the questions of Christianity. Theodora emerges as a tough and ambitious woman, compassionate in her own way but certainly pragmatic. Her relationship with Justinian begins as an assignment, slowly shifts into friendship, and ultimately ends as a truly a
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Dec 14, 2011
Beth
rated it:
Even with some of the writing a bit slow and details about some events stretched to last pages, I did enjoy reading this. It is a wonderful fictional take on a strong woman in history that did what she needed to do to get by and eventually made a name for herself. Then, after fame from being an actress, to penitent woman, eventually to the highest female in a kingdom, loved it in that sense. I would recommend this to read.
I did take me a bit to get really into the book. The story line More...
I did take me a bit to get really into the book. The story line More...
Jun 11, 2011
Cleffairy
rated it:
'Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore' by Stella Duffy is surprisingly wonderful and I could almost sworn that it is so satisfying that it's almost orgasmic. I am not quite sure if it works that way with everyone else who has been fortunate enough to read this book, but it is a very, very wonderful read for those who loved history.
'Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore' is very enlightening, and it magnifies Theodora, once a great empress of the Roman Empire like it has never been done befo More...
'Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore' is very enlightening, and it magnifies Theodora, once a great empress of the Roman Empire like it has never been done befo More...
Jun 20, 2011
Linda
rated it:
As a reader of much historical fiction I loved this book. It painted an excellent picture of the lives of the different peoples and professions in and around Constantinople. It brought insite into the feelings and beliefs of not only Theodora, but her lovers, teachers, friends, enemies and community. It clearly told the story of how Theodora was a survivor, a skill she learned as a young child, and developed her character into the strong and influential woman she became. I enjoyed Stella Duffy's
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Feb 17, 2012
Elizabeth
rated it:
Ambitious and interesting, well-researched, but not actually a very good novel.
It is clear that Duffy is trying to show, not tell; she just ...fails. At least when it comes to religion; Theodora's conversion has no emotional impact on me as the reader. By the end of the book, you sense that Duffy is just trying to finish; there's one sentence about how Theodora has lived in the imperial palace for five years, two of them as Justinian's wife; the wedding was, like, two pages earlier, a More...
It is clear that Duffy is trying to show, not tell; she just ...fails. At least when it comes to religion; Theodora's conversion has no emotional impact on me as the reader. By the end of the book, you sense that Duffy is just trying to finish; there's one sentence about how Theodora has lived in the imperial palace for five years, two of them as Justinian's wife; the wedding was, like, two pages earlier, a More...
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Jul 08, 2011
Sbennett
rated it:
I was fortunate to get an advance copy of this book before publication. From the first page, I was hooked. Duffy does an excellent job of character development for not only Theodora, but most of the minor characters as well. I had never heard of Theodora before reading this book, however Duffy brings Theordora to life as a sassy, independant, yet insecure person, both as a young girl and as a woman. The sounds, smells and feel of Byzantine Constantinople leap off the page of this book. It is als
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