The Wedding Shroud

May 17, 2013 Khanh rated it 2 of 5 stars

A meticulously researched and well-written book that falls short of my expectations overall because of the weakness of the main character and the absolutely ridiculous turn of the plot after the second half. Warning: this is a very long review, containing a lot of ranting and disbelief on the reviewer's part.

Caecelia is a young Roman half-caste. Her mother was a noblewoman brought down from her high station in life by her marriage with a commoner, as a stragegic alliance, which brought her no en...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, 21st-century, australia

I hope that Elisabeth Storrs has written the sequel to The Wedding Shroud by the time I set off on my next long-haul flight. It’s always difficult to find the right book to while away the long hours: I want something not too arduous for a brain disoriented by lack of sleep and muddled time zones, but I don’t want my mind insulted by inane pap either…

The Wedding Shroud is a well-written historical novel with a twist. It’s set way back in Rome’s ancient past when they were yet to become the most p...more

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May 13, 2013 Great Historicals rated it 5 of 5 stars

Author Elisabeth Storrs explores the ancient world of the Etruscans in her lush novel The Wedding Shroud. Set in 407 B.C. a wealthy young Roman woman named Caecilia is married to an Etruscan magnate to seal a peace treaty between their two civilizations. Her husband is the powerful and wealthy Vel Mastarna. When she travels to his home in Veii where she is introduced to a culture vastly different and far more feral and decadent than the rigid, rule-oriented Rome she is forced to leave behind. Sl...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Veronica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Veronica by: judith starkston

Shelves: fiction, kindle

What a pleasant surprise this book was! It's not a literary masterpiece and it certainly has its weaknesses, but it's a very engaging first novel that augurs well for the sequel. I liked the fact that it was about a relatively little-known period and people (the Etruscans). Storrs has clearly done meticulous research, but she doesn't beat you about the head with it. Handily, everything about her surroundings in Etruria is unfamiliar to the young Roman, Caecilia, and that gives Storrs a good excu...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Judith Starkston rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ancient-history, historical-fiction, strong-women

The subtitle of this historical romance is “A Tale of Early Rome,” but it should also say “A Tale of the Etruscans.” I always think of the Etruscans as a mysterious people predating and then overlapping with the Romans before disappearing from history—about whom, I thought, we knew very little. Elisabeth Storrs showed me how fully their world can be imagined based on the evidence of archaeology and ancient sources. From translucent silken gowns, gold embossed mirrors, realistic paintings, delici...more The subtitle of this historical romance is “A Tale of Early Rome,” but it should also say “A Tale of the Etruscans.” I always think of the Etruscans as a mysterious people predating and then overlapping with the Romans before disappearing from history—about whom, I thought, we knew very little. Elisabeth Storrs showed me how fully their world can be imagined based on the evidence of archaeology and ancient sources. From translucent silken gowns, gold embossed mirrors, realistic paintings, delicious spiced banquets, and gracious, brilliantly colored houses, the Etruscans lived in a style dramatically different from their boorish neighbors twelve miles away in Rome (this is early Rome, remember). The equality with which women are treated, the luxurious sensuality and celebration of life, including in the realm of sexuality, set off the Etruscan city of Veii from Rome’s original identity as a place of modest, subservient women and tough, warrior men living plain, frugal lives. Certainly later Romans rarely lived up to their nostalgic model—it’s not much fun as a lifestyle and when the Romans conquered most of the world they chose to live a grander, more decadent life. To some extent Storrs shows they weren’t following their own righteous values even at this early stage. The contrast between the two cultures holds center place in this book about a marriage between a Roman girl and an older nobleman of Veii, Mastarna, a marriage arranged to seal a treaty between the two cities and viewed by the Romans as a horrible thing for the Roman girl, Caecilia.

Caecilia suffers from a severe case of culture shock when she arrives at her husband’s home in Veii. All this decadent, sexually loose behavior causes the young woman to cling to her Roman ways for fear of giving in to this sinful life. Even the food is over spiced! To make an inaccurate comparison, she’s a Puritan among the hedonists and she’s terrified of temptation. This is an historically accurate juxtaposition, as far as I know, but it can be a heavy one at times. You may wish occasionally that Caecilia weren’t so proud of her stiff Roman values. She does succumb to Veii in a number of ways—perhaps in all the important ways—but Storrs avoids a linear descent, forward a little into Veientane lifestyle and love, then back part way again, so this is an unpredictable and complicated tale. Caecilia’s relationship with her husband, Mastarna, is a compellingly deep one, overshadowed by the gradually revealed story of his love and sorrow for his first wife. Mastarna’s family—his mother, brother, adopted son, servants—is a rich source of flawed human beings who, with one notable exception, try to make Caecilia feel welcome, despite her prickly start. Along with the wealth of dramatic detail about daily life and macabre Etruscan religious rites, the interactions of the family and Caecilia engaged my interest throughout against the main story of the back and forth romance between husband and wife with its intentional frustration and grief. This novel pulls its reader into an unusual world where no other writer I know of has gone and unfolds an intriguing plot, revealing a little known corner of Roman history. Pick it up and explore.
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Feb 05, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

I was a classical studies major so I was excited to read a book in the time period, but overall I was disappointed. My main complaint was the protagonist, who was frankly an idiot. I don't always expect characters in books to be geniuses--in fact, it's refreshing to read about someone who thinks like you-- but Cecelia was frustratingly shortsighted and her beliefs inconsistent. For instance, she's absolutely against even drinking wine and getting drunk, but is perfectly willing to drink some ran...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow. What a fascinating time period to read about. This historical fiction novel takes place in 406 BC in the ancient civilization of Veii. I would like to do more research about the Etruscan people as it was very interesting! This civilization was quite powerful and more advanced than their neighbor Rome, which was just 12 miles away. The unusual thing about this society was their apparent equality among men and women. Women were encouraged to help in business, attend meetings and social events...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Lynda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I started it one day and then sat up half the night the next day to get it finished because I just could not put it down. Storrs made ancient Italy come alive for me.

I found the blend of historical detail with strong character portrayal very well done. I loved how the two different cultures were explored...although just 12 miles apart Rome and Veii have completely different customs, standards and ways of living. The main character, Caecilia, is brought to Veii as a teenager a...more I loved this book. I started it one day and then sat up half the night the next day to get it finished because I just could not put it down. Storrs made ancient Italy come alive for me.

I found the blend of historical detail with strong character portrayal very well done. I loved how the two different cultures were explored...although just 12 miles apart Rome and Veii have completely different customs, standards and ways of living. The main character, Caecilia, is brought to Veii as a teenager as the bride in an arranged marriage, a pawn in a political deal to keep the peace between two enemy nations. Her culture shock is palatable as she is overwhelmed by the sights/sounds/smells/customs in her new world. Her gradual justifications for adopting bits and pieces of the Etruscan life that violate her Roman sensabilities intrigued me. I also liked the way the story explores the things we hold on to, and the impact that holding on has on our ability to move forward - Caecilia continuing to compare her new husband to a boy she only barely knew back in Rome and Mastarna holding on to the memories of his dead wife.

There s A LOT of sex in this book. Because of that I will take care in who I recommend it to. However, the sexuality is handled very tastefully. Each scene is really more about the cultural attitudes toward sex than it is about grappling or thrusting. We feel Caecilia's shock when she sees certain customs and get a glimpse of the sexual world from several different points of view - a wife, a slave, a Courtesan, a nobleman, a young gay boy and the older man who wants to possess him. We see ceremonial rituals full of sexual decadence. We see the struggle to produce an heir and the attempt to avoid a pregnancy. Sexuality is portrayed in so many different shades throughout the story it becomes every bit as important as the characters themselves.

I was particularly intrigued by Caecilia's perceptions of the Roman world throughout and after her assimilation into the Etruscan life of Veii. The vein of ethnocentrism runs deep - believing something is good or right or superior simply because it is familiar. The discomfort Caecilia wrestles with as she compares the two cultures is well told. She begins to question the practices, values, standards, even the very Gods she was taught to believe in throughout her childhood. Still, her sense of herself as a Roman woman is an important part of her identity.

This is a book I will definitely read more than once. There were details I skipped over as I rushed ahead to see what would happen next. I want to go back and savor it more for the setting now I know how the plot unfolds. I'm really looking forward to the sequel that will be coming out in 2013. Elizabeth Storrrs is definitely an author I will want to watch for the future.(less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Elisabeth Storrs brings us life in the Etruscan times when Rome and Veii (an Etruscan city merely 12 miles away)were enemies. The heroine, Caecilia, a Roman born from a plebian father and patrician mother (back then a problem from the onset), is given in marriage to a Veii as a peace treaty of the two regions.

Caecillia, having been brought up as a cloistered and extremely modest young Roman girl, is brought into a world that in every way contrasts her own. Married to Val Mastarna, a wealthy and...more Elisabeth Storrs brings us life in the Etruscan times when Rome and Veii (an Etruscan city merely 12 miles away)were enemies. The heroine, Caecilia, a Roman born from a plebian father and patrician mother (back then a problem from the onset), is given in marriage to a Veii as a peace treaty of the two regions.

Caecillia, having been brought up as a cloistered and extremely modest young Roman girl, is brought into a world that in every way contrasts her own. Married to Val Mastarna, a wealthy and very powerful Veii, Caecillia grudgingly gives up her life of purity in acceptance of the Etruscan ways. Not used to the liberty that Veii women enjoyed (drinking wine, conversing publicly with their husbands, ruling alongside, and enjoying an almost-equality with the men- all this unheard of in Rome!) - She was disgusted by it all…but nonetheless, very intrigued.

Caecillia matures into a new realm of understanding of not only the Veii way, but also about her husband and his past (a major part being the loss of his beloved first wife, Seitane), but there is also a coming of age and exploring of herself as a woman. Now dabbling in wines, substances and herbs, Caecillia’s discoveries lead her into forbidden realms…Her slave (another difference with Rome), actually became Caecillia’s confidante; whereas a notable courtesan also became part of her circle of knowledge. And of course, then there is the religious corruption- presenting Artile, Mastarna’s brother, the priest…

Mastarna, the typical Veii- and unlike his Roman adversaries, treats his new bride on an almost equal standing. He understands her reluctance regarding their relationship, their sex life and the Veii traditions. In his realm however, it is Caecillia who is the outsider. The citizens of Veii are non-trusting of her and shun her for the most part. Yet, Mastarna looks out for her and even stands up for her.

Incredibly detailed, The Wedding Shroud is a tale masterfully crafted that brings us not only the opulence and rawness of ancient times- but also a very different take on roles, cultures and traditions. Only twelve miles away from each other, who would have guessed that Veii and Rome could be completely different? I enjoyed discovering the life of Etruscans and their ways. It was also very surprising to see women being accepted as equals back then- a first for me! What a delightful change of pace for ancient times.

Characters, setting, plot- everything falls perfectly in line with what I consider to be excellent ancient historical fiction! I could go on and on! I recommend you get this - you won’t be disappointed!(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Ben Kane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Elisabeth Storrs first became fascinated with the mysterious Etruscan people, ancient neighbours and enemies of the city of Rome, when she saw the remarkable funerary carving that depicts a husband and wife under the same shroud. It is a picture of equality between the sexes that would never have been seen (at least as far as we know) in Rome. Driven by her fascination with this, she set about writing a novel that has as its central character a young Roman woman, Caecilia, but which is primarily...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Hafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love Historical Fiction, but I am tired of the usual Tudor-Anglo-French setting.
When I saw this book with a heroine centric focus set in Ancient Rome- I was exited.
The plot was really engrossing and I found myself reluctant to put it down.
The historical details were fascinating and it is obvious that the Author spent a lot of time in researching the background.
The writing was smooth, the pace was good.

However the heroine Cecelia was a ninny. It's hard to give a book 5 stars when you want to ki...more

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May 21, 2013 Tasmia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ebooks, fiction-2013, not-genre-romance-but-close, rom-2013-05

Under a veneer of historical local colour, essentially the story of an immature, lonely girl's long and rocky adjustment to life with an older husband from a different culture - and the ghost of his previous marriage. Spiced with pseudo-epic politics and a hair-raising entanglement with religious fanaticism. An engrossing read with vivid characters, but I couldn't forgive the main character's cumulative list of annoying choices. Also, the writing uncharmingly showed its rough edges a few times t...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Marie Parsons rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Caecilia is the daughter of a Roman patrician and plebeian, in the century just after Rome ejected its last king and became a Republic. She is unable to be considered an aristocrat yet too noble to be simply one of the people. As a Roman girl, she is subject to the authority of the patriarch of her family. Growing up knowing only cold harshness, Caecilia seems still to be immersed in all the stolid and somber traditions and mores of her Roman upbringing. So when she is given in political marriag...more Caecilia is the daughter of a Roman patrician and plebeian, in the century just after Rome ejected its last king and became a Republic. She is unable to be considered an aristocrat yet too noble to be simply one of the people. As a Roman girl, she is subject to the authority of the patriarch of her family. Growing up knowing only cold harshness, Caecilia seems still to be immersed in all the stolid and somber traditions and mores of her Roman upbringing. So when she is given in political marriage to a man from Etruscan Veii, part of the League with which Rome is often in armed conflict, Caecilia is unsure how to fit in with the much freer ways of Etruscan domestic, social and political life. She is also unsure whether or not her husband truly loves her or is haunted by the past.

The Etruscan culture is fascinating by itself--more so when it stands alongside that of the Roman culture of the same time. Too more disparate cultures living so close together could not be more intriguing. It is refreshing to see a fictionalized account of how both cultures might have dealt with each other, in a way more personal and day-to-day than Livy's history might indicate. Caecilia is an engaging heroine--although it was more frustrating than not, reading page after page where all she did was vex at the depravity, as she viewed it, of the Etruscans, without any respite (e.g. her taking a trip to the farm area to see the land, or perhaps even demonstrate one aspect of her Roman heritage that might serve to bring both cultures more together.) It occasionally felt galling to read her too-constant whining and slapping at her new Etruscan family; she seemed almost too fraught with self-righteousness, certainly at the outset. Hard to believe that in those early stages a Roman woman would have been quite so apt to defend a Roman life about which she must have known so little.

But perhaps even that weakness is more a product of Rome vs everyone else. Hopefully E. Storrs will venture again and often into the world of Etruria and bring more characters to life.(less)

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Apr 13, 2013 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are historical romances and then there are ancient-historical romances. The Wedding Shroud: A Tale of Ancient Rome by Elisabeth Storrs is in the later category. It follows the story of a Roman girl and an Etruscan nobleman in BC times.
Now, I like historical romances as well as the next romance-lover, but I have never read a book that took place in ancient times. That being said, I don't regret it one bit. Elisabeth Storrs obviously did her research and delved into the details of daily lif...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Gary Inbinder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rome and Veii - 406. B.C. Eighteen year old Caecilia, the orphaned daughter of a plebian Tribune and his patrician wife, is given in marriage by her maternal uncle and adoptive father Aemilius to Etruscan nobleman, Vel Mastarna. The political marriage is ostensibly intended to cement a shaky truce between the two warring cities. Caecilia has formed attachments to two young Roman patricians, her cousin Marcus and his best friend Drusus; she feels no attraction to Mastarna, a battle scarred enemy...more Rome and Veii - 406. B.C. Eighteen year old Caecilia, the orphaned daughter of a plebian Tribune and his patrician wife, is given in marriage by her maternal uncle and adoptive father Aemilius to Etruscan nobleman, Vel Mastarna. The political marriage is ostensibly intended to cement a shaky truce between the two warring cities. Caecilia has formed attachments to two young Roman patricians, her cousin Marcus and his best friend Drusus; she feels no attraction to Mastarna, a battle scarred enemy twice her age. Moreover, she justifiably fears entering an alien culture where she could be held hostage, or suffer a worse fate if war breaks out, but duty, honor, and Roman law command her obedience. Caecilia submits, but not without some protest and strong reservations she must keep to herself.

The distance from Rome to Veii is only twelve miles, but during that short journey Caecilia displays courage when the small caravan is attacked by Gallic marauders. Impressed by his bride's fortitude, Mastarna dubs her bellatrix (female warrior). But Caecilia is no comic book heroine; she's an intelligent, innocent, and frightened young woman in dangerous territory--a psychologically complex, three-dimensional character, as is her patient yet sometimes truculent and brooding Etruscan husband.

Once in Veii, Cecilia is cast into a social and political vortex among those who welcome her and those who despise her, those who are true and those who deceive. Brought up in the Stoic tradition to be a virtuous daughter of Rome, she is at first scandalized and then tempted by Etruscan hedonism, the ancient equivalent of a "Sex, drugs and rock and roll" culture. She is also attracted to cult worship and the gods of her new home, including the claims of her haruspex (one who interprets omens) brother-in-law that he can "postpone" fate. And this brings us to the overarching theme of fate or Fortuna, which Storrs weaves into the rich tapestry of her story like a strong red thread.

The wedding shroud is a mantle covering the couple in the Etruscan wedding ritual, symbolizing a united destiny (univir) in life and in death. Throughout the novel Caecilia is presented with momentous choices, and at each fork in the dark and perilous road she must choose: Will she submit to her fate, or confront it and try to change it? As innocence turns to experience, and the promising girl grows to womanhood, I was reminded of the Nietzschean aphorism: "That which does not kill me makes me stronger." I also recalled Henry James' Victorian heroine Isabel Archer who "affronts her destiny" and stoically chooses to live with the consequences.

There are references in The Wedding Shroud to Lucretia, the virtuous daughter of Rome who chose death over dishonor, but I believe Caecilia is a universal heroine, transcending the sometimes black and white world of antique myth and legend to enter into the greyer shaded realm of existential heroism.

The Wedding Shroud is a compelling story meticulously researched, replete with memorable characters, vivid descriptive details, and elegant prose sparkling with poetic metaphors. I highly recommend it.

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Dec 30, 2012 Sheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ultimately a story about culture shock, The Wedding Shroud chronicles the political marriage of a young, austere Roman woman to a wealthy older Etruscan. We watch as Caecilia begins to adapt to the more sensual, lavish Etruscan life, while still clinging to her morally black-and-white Roman upbringing. As Caecilia begins to feels love from the Etruscans surrounding her, she begins to see shades of gray between the cultures. The book is well researched and fascinating; the differences between anc...more

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May 21, 2011 Lauren Murphy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-author, historical

This review was first posted @ The Australian Bookshelf

It has been awhile since I have given a five star rating to a novel and The Wedding Shroud is certainly worthy of this. If I wasn’t a fan of historical romance before, I certainly am now! The Wedding Shroud is a tale of early Rome and it had me hooked from the very first page.

At 18 years of age, Caecilia has only ever experienced genuine love and care from one man in her life, her father. When he dies she is sent away to live with her aunt...more This review was first posted @ The Australian Bookshelf

It has been awhile since I have given a five star rating to a novel and The Wedding Shroud is certainly worthy of this. If I wasn’t a fan of historical romance before, I certainly am now! The Wedding Shroud is a tale of early Rome and it had me hooked from the very first page.

At 18 years of age, Caecilia has only ever experienced genuine love and care from one man in her life, her father. When he dies she is sent away to live with her aunt and uncle. She develops fleeting feelings for her cousin’s friend, Drusus a young strong willed Roman man who wishes to wed her. However, Caecilia’s uncle has other plans in mind and arranges for her to wed an Entruscan fromVeii to continue a lengthy treaty between the neighbours.

Scared, naïve and against her will she marries Vel Mastarna, the wealthy nobleman. Caecilia is thrown into a lifestyle of lust, feminism and temptations completely against her Roman values and beliefs. She struggles to find a balance between her Roman virtues and the way of the Entruscans.

She yearns to return to Roman society and what is left of her family within the year but her husband’s strong desire to have a child dampens her prospects. Caecila develops unexpected friendships with flamboyant step-son Tarchon, compassionate mother-in-law Larthia and her wise servant, Cytheris. Her longing wish to return toRomebecomes a fixation and she seeks out Mastarna’s brother Artile, a priest who she recruits to delay her fate of bearing a child. Caecilia becomes enslaved to these rituals and it clouds her judgement and like most unhealthy obsessions this affects her marriage and friendships. Caecilia learns the role of an Etruscan wife in an unfamiliar city; she learns of Mastarna’s dark and painful past and despite herself learns to love him.

Caecilia is an engaging character and the wave of emotions she experiences- confusion, disgust, betrayal- were so beautifully portrayed that my experience mirrored them. I found my own morality questioned just as Caecilia’s when presented with the various characters and their life choices in these times. I was taken on a journey of discovering a new culture, customs, beliefs just as Caecilia and was trying to make sense of their ways. Just like Caecilia I softened towards the Entruscan lifestyle and although I initially was hoping for Caecilia to escape her unwanted marriage, by the end I wanted her and Mastarna to find love and happiness together.

I could go on and on about the intricacies of this novel but I don’t want to give it all away, because the beauty of reading this story is that I never knew what was around the corner and so I was always pleasantly surprised.

Storrs has a very skilful way of entwining history lessons in a beautiful historical romance story and it all came together very nicely. Upon closing the book I felt educated on roman history, entertained and longing for more.

The ending I had to read a couple of times and I think (if I have gotten it right) the author leaves you to make up your own mind about whether Caecilia chooses to stay in Veii or Rome. So I will just pretend that I got the happily ever after I was hoping for and claim ignorance is bliss. But I am so thankful to hear thatStorrsis working on a sequel to The Wedding Shroud and I will definitely be reading what will be in stall for Caecilia (and hopefully Mastarna) in the next book.

5/5 Highly recommended!(less)

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Nov 17, 2011 M. Locke rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Compelling story of Ancient Rome and the Etruscans

Talk about the difficulties in arranged marriages! In The Wedding Shroud, author Elisabeth Storrs tells the story of a Roman woman, Caecilia, who is wed to a complete stranger, the Etruscan noble, Vel Marstarna, in order to cement a truce between the two nations. Caecilia has already experienced the difficulties of being the offspring of a marriage between a commoner and a patrician, never fully fitting into Roman society, when she is further t...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

This was such a good book. It's complex yet not hard to understand, and it has amazing characters that linger on in the mind (yes, I'm thinking of Mastarna.) I fell in love a little with him, and wow, the way the book ends, you really root for this couple.

I've seen some comments about Caecilia and would like to add my two cents. She's just 18 when BOOM, she's told she's being given in marriage to a man (a complete stranger, and 20 years older than her) who is the enemy of Rome! (It's some politi...more This was such a good book. It's complex yet not hard to understand, and it has amazing characters that linger on in the mind (yes, I'm thinking of Mastarna.) I fell in love a little with him, and wow, the way the book ends, you really root for this couple.

I've seen some comments about Caecilia and would like to add my two cents. She's just 18 when BOOM, she's told she's being given in marriage to a man (a complete stranger, and 20 years older than her) who is the enemy of Rome! (It's some political thing.) This to me would be similar to current stories of young women (even girls) being given in marriage to old men in certain countries today. We feel bad for those girls: some have committed suicide. This is no different. It's important to remember the facts as they were given to her: she has lived an extremely sheltered life and all of a sudden she's married to an enemy, and taken away from everything she's ever known. For me, Caecilia's reactions were spot on, very believable, and any other reaction on her part would have turned this historical delight into a trite romance. Oh, there's plenty of romance, by the way--but because it's hard won, it has more meaning. One line I thought described it so well: "She felt like she was nothing. Less than nothing. Displaced among the living; unwanted amid the dead." Tarchon, her stepson, takes her under his wing, teaches her the language, is kind to her, as is Mastarna's mother. Thank goodness: it could have gone so differently. Yes, Caecilia clings to her past, to her loyalty to Rome, to her cousin and a Roman boy she thinks loves her. She knows nothing else. But in all good fiction there's growth, setbacks, new growth, realizations.

There are those in her new home who don't have Caecilia's best interests at heart, though they pretend to--for awhile, which of course lends itself well to painful betrayals. It all makes for a fascinating, enlightening, memorable read! I really enjoyed how carefully the author fleshed out everyone, even minor characters. Everyone had a face, a personality. I was involved with them all.

When she does go back to Rome, she is chastised for "changing." Really? I thought her reply magnificent: "What did you expect," she said, "when you sent a bride to live with lions?" What a wonderful line!

The research that went into the detail and flow of the story is impressive. The author doesn't skimp on the sights, smells, and sounds either. I felt immersed in Rome, in the Etruscan society, in the time period, and in the characters.

This is Book One: a sequel is forthcoming!(less)

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Dec 22, 2012 Dana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE-I picked this book up free from bookbub.com. It was under religious and inspirational. Well about a third of the way in I began to realize that this wasn't going to be a religious book in the way I view it. Religion is shown from a Roman girls perspective around 400 BC.

I can't recommend this book to any Christian reader as there is sexual content-a bit more than I would ever be comfortable with reading and that is why I put it down. I only saw one curse word.

While I...more

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Jul 04, 2012 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

It has been almost a year since I picked up the work of an Australian historical novelist.

The last 'Aussie' novel I read was the epic ‘Shogun’ by Sydneysider James Clavell. It was a work that was full of rich detail and also presented a meeting of two very different worlds: those of Protestant England and feudal Japan. Since historical fiction focusing on the meeting of different cultures has always intrigued me, I decided to pick up ‘The Wedding Shroud’ by another Sydneysider, Elisabeth Storrs...more It has been almost a year since I picked up the work of an Australian historical novelist.

The last 'Aussie' novel I read was the epic ‘Shogun’ by Sydneysider James Clavell. It was a work that was full of rich detail and also presented a meeting of two very different worlds: those of Protestant England and feudal Japan. Since historical fiction focusing on the meeting of different cultures has always intrigued me, I decided to pick up ‘The Wedding Shroud’ by another Sydneysider, Elisabeth Storrs, since this read came highly recommended. I should say up front that I really enjoyed this novel and it is one of the best that I’ve read for a while.

Firstly I really enjoyed the setting and the angle, which were wholly original. This may be hard to believe, given that a zillion historical novels have been churned out dealing with Ancient Rome. However Storrs chose to deal with the less frequented period of pre-Imperial Rome, a Rome still struggling to safeguard its own existence.

It is a breath of fresh air to read the work of a novelist which deeply examines the differences between Rome and other cultures of its day. We finally have a novelist who saw fit to plant her Roman protagonist in a different culture – not one where the Roman must carry out an act of subterfuge behind enemy lines (as in Rosemary Sutcliffe’s ‘Eagle of the Ninth’) but one in which a Roman – and more interestingly: a FEMALE Roman - is thrust into a different culture to which she must somehow adapt.

This world is that of the Etruscans (who once held Rome as their colony), who Storrs depicts in profound, intimate detail, with a sheen of care gleaming off every last word. Novels set in the ancient world are renowned to be fiendishly hard to pull off, particularly when they portray a culture of which scant evidence remains. Yet I found that the physical description of the city of Veii and its political intricacies were masterfully achieved, and the ancient city is the perfect setting in which the stoic Caecilia - the main character in this yarn – finds herself repeatedly confronted.

Which brings me to another reason why I respect novels like ‘The Wedding Shroud’. Instead of seizing on a famous character in history, Storrs decides to use a protagonist of her own creation. This is a brave move, because it is known to be much harder to create one’s own main characters, people with their own flaws and strengths that must be convincing upon each turn of the page. Yet this is successfully achieved - giving the narrative more strength – and throughout the story, Caecilia comes across at all times as an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation, which makes for the great historical fiction with which the reader can easily identify.

For it is clear that this is a novel that is the fruit of hard time spent deep in reflection and contemplation, not one that is swiftly cobbled together and sold off the hot press. At no point is a quandary easily solved, and the snatches of action and the exchanges between the characters are credible at all times, as is Caecilia’s thought process. Hers is a situation bursting with real concerns, where every step or false word might have dramatic consequences for herself and her people. Storrs doesn’t treat Caecilia with kid gloves, and readers will find themselves baffled with how to solve certain situations in which the heroine finds herself. At times, there is no straightforward, black and white answer with how to tackle certain problems, just as in real life.

Which also adds to the richness and unique originality of the story, since this is a tale that carefully steers clear of clichés. Without wishing to indulge in any spoilers: Caecilia’s husband Mastarna is said not to be good looking, yet he is a man who understands her differences but also challenges them. The way the relationship evolves between them is also entirely plausible and therefore moving. It is always satisfying to read about relationships and characters that are grey and multi-faceted, in a story where there is no good vs evil nor black vs white.

This read was pure infotainment and as a reader, I simply could not ask for further enlightenment. For those wishing to learn more about the Etruscans, their thirst will be more than quenched by this novel, which will teach you everything you wish to know and more.(less)

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Dec 30, 2010 Tracy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-and-liked-it

Elisabeth Storrs resurrects the lost world of the Etruscans in her masterful novel The Wedding Shroud set in 407 B.C. Long overshadowed by the Romans, the earlier Etruscan culture of ancient Italy is brilliantly revealed through the eyes of the novel's heroine, a young Roman woman named Caecilia. The daughter of an awkward plebian and patrician union, Caecilia is used to seal a peace treaty between Rome and Veii, a nearby Etruscan city. Her scheming male relatives force her to marry Vel Mastarna...more Elisabeth Storrs resurrects the lost world of the Etruscans in her masterful novel The Wedding Shroud set in 407 B.C. Long overshadowed by the Romans, the earlier Etruscan culture of ancient Italy is brilliantly revealed through the eyes of the novel's heroine, a young Roman woman named Caecilia. The daughter of an awkward plebian and patrician union, Caecilia is used to seal a peace treaty between Rome and Veii, a nearby Etruscan city. Her scheming male relatives force her to marry Vel Mastarna, a powerful and wealthy Veientane, and Caecilia is carried away to her new home. Veii is only twelve miles from Rome, but it is a world away for Caecilia. The author convincingly illustrates how small an individual's personal world could be in earlier times, especially a girl raised within the confining patriarchy of Rome. Although the ancient Mediterranean world was cosmopolitan and some people were well traveled, most were like Caecilia, who finds herself within an utterly foreign culture a mere dozen miles from her native home.

Once Caecilia arrives in Veii, the informative historical contrasts between Roman and Etruscan cultures are revealed through detail-rich prose. Caecilia has been raised within the austere and outwardly puritan Roman culture that values sacrifice, duty, and war. In Rome, women are nearly cloistered within their homes. They wear plain wool clothes, are forbidden to drink wine, and are not allowed to join the serious conversations of men. With such a background, Caecilia immediately finds Veii to be a constant moral outrage. Men and women mingle. They wear flamboyant and immodest clothes. They eat rich fancy food. Women can drink and debauch at banquets right alongside their men.

But some things are a pleasant surprise for Caecilia in her new household. She is given a slave, Cythergis. Never was such a luxury granted to Caecilia in Rome. And Caecilia is expected to hold audiences with her husband as his tenants and other guests petition him. In Veii, women have status and respect and are allowed to indulge in the luxuries of life. They might even be worthy of a funeral banquet and honorary games, which astounds Caecilia. She welcomes some of the nice things about life in Veii and is gradually tempted by darker forces in a society where most anything goes.

Despite her elevated status, Caecilia is not a truly liberated woman. The differences in female oppression between Romans and Etruscans are a matter of degree. Although Caecilia is free of the mind-numbing denial and drudgery of a Roman matron, she is still the possession of her husband and her paramount purpose is to produce an heir for Mastarna. This fictional study of female status is carefully crafted by Elisabeth Storrs. Delicate comparisons are presented through the characters of Erene, the courtesan, Caecilia, the proper wife, and Cythergis, the slave woman. All three types are dependent on men and under their control. Erene is strictly for pleasure. She is more than a slave but less than a wife. As a wife, Caecilia is allowed sexual pleasure by Etruscan culture with her husband with the great purpose of procreation looming above all. Most miserable is the slave woman Cythergis, who has endured having her children sold. Although Cythergis enjoys men, she hopes to avoid more pregnancies so she can stop breeding slaves. The nuances of the difficult lives of these three ancient women are touchingly revealed.

Complex relationships in The Wedding Shroud are the ships upon which the story flows. Caecilia struggles to adapt to her new and foreign household where Val Mastarna and his brother Artile, a powerful priest, vie for the affection and approval of their mother, Larthia. The adopted son of Mastarna, Tarchon, is also embroiled in an inappropriate sexual relationship with Artile. The priest is a constant source of meddling within the family, and he soon sinks his painted claws into the vulnerable Caecilia and begins to control her with religion and addictive drugs.

The character of Artile serves to educate the reader about the practices and corruptions of ancient religions. His power is great and even the educated elites are swayed by his interpretations of signs, with the notable exception of his brother Mastarna. Although the Etruscan culture has technology and fine artistry, it remains like all ancient cultures steeped in superstition. The imprint of the primitive world remains deep and fresh despite the presence of architecture, music, metallurgy, writing, and mathematics. Animal sacrifice is commonplace with the most horrifying example shown in wild rites that culminate with the tearing up and eating of fawns. And then as part of a funeral rite, a criminal is savagely executed by having a maddened dog set loose on him.

All of this assaults the sensibilities of Caecilia, whose sheltered upbringing as a female among joyless Romans, leaves her reeling with disgust. Amid the carnal abandon of Veii, Caecilia's husband Mastarna represents a rare force of rationality and affection. Frustratingly Caecilia too often rebuffs his attempts to help her adjust. As the reader, I often wanted her to be more accepting of Mastarna because he really was a relatively nice person, but Caecilia's turmoil and many mistakes are understandable. She is young, inexperienced, and alone in an alien culture. This formula usually adds up to poor choices.

I could write another thousand words exploring the subtleties of this novel without giving away any spoilers. Storrs presents a tremendous amount of research in a gripping story with characters that all feel genuine. Her writing has a literary quality packed with artistic descriptions and intelligent metaphors. For example, from page 79: "It was as though she had kicked the top off an ants' nest and found another world of industry and intricacy and purpose foreign to her own, exposing herself also to the danger of being bitten." The whole novel flows like a coastal Mediterranean wind and supports an unfolding narrative with the strong reach of a thick grape vine. I was drawn in completely to the emotional edginess of Caecilia and pined for her to accept her unwanted love of Mastarna. The Wedding Shroud is not purely a psychological journey. Episodes of visceral action punctuate the unfolding drama, like the breathtaking chapter in which Mastarna recklessly wrestles an Olympic champion. I highly recommend The Wedding Shroud to historical fiction readers. Elisabeth Storrs has created a wonderful novel from a willing marriage of her historical research and writing talent.
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Feb 12, 2012 Debra Eve rated it 5 of 5 stars

Several other reviews have given plot specifics, so I'll skip those and discuss what I love about this book. I'm a former archaeologist who left the field because "publish or perish" almost killed my passion for the it. These days, I'm always looking for stories that bring ancient sites and cultures to life.

I know Elisabeth must have read hundreds of academic journals to impart such detail to her story, but she does it so seamlessly, you feel you've been transported to Italy in the fifth centur...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Becky Marler pemberton rated it 3 of 5 stars

It took awhile for this story to really get going. A lot of back and forth, indecisiveness from the main character. She doesn't trust anyone, she is hypocritical at times and you kind of want to slap her to bring her to her senses. I don't know...three stars because it took so long for the story to get going besides more than her complaining, and for the fact that once it did get going, the ending left me looking for more pages. I don't know why women are written like this so often. Why must the...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Loretta rated it 4 of 5 stars

I got a chance to finish this book while travelling in Greece and it's Etruscan setting matched the place and the mood. The research was wonderful and I learnt a great deal about this mysterious and interesting period of ancient history. The story charts a marriage made to cement a treaty between warring rivals Rome and the Etruscans. Caecilia, a Roman maiden, is sent to marry into and share a rich, colourful, emancipated culture that feels totally alien and strange; where the customs are the an...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Maria Grazia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

It got me hooked from the first words in the Prologue - "Her whole world was orange" - and I couldn't put it down for a while. THE WEDDING SHROUD is a surprising page-turner , about-500-page- thick, dense with tension, emotion and sensuousness, crowded with unforgettable vivid characters: Cecilia, Mastarna, Tarchon, Marcus, Drusus, Larthia, Ulthes, Erene, Artile, Arruns, Cytheris, Tulumnes, and even dead Seianta. Elisabeth Storrs combines detailed research and remarkably talented writing in her...more It got me hooked from the first words in the Prologue - "Her whole world was orange" - and I couldn't put it down for a while. THE WEDDING SHROUD is a surprising page-turner , about-500-page- thick, dense with tension, emotion and sensuousness, crowded with unforgettable vivid characters: Cecilia, Mastarna, Tarchon, Marcus, Drusus, Larthia, Ulthes, Erene, Artile, Arruns, Cytheris, Tulumnes, and even dead Seianta. Elisabeth Storrs combines detailed research and remarkably talented writing in her portrayal of life in Early Rome. Her heroine, Cecilia, is a complex character, presented in all the frailty of an unloved child grown-up into a torn young woman. It is not easy for her to love, trust or rely on others, especially once she gets to an enemy city and culture. Prejudiced, stubborn, frightened and divided between her loyalty to Rome and her duty as a Veientane wife, her mind keeps her tied to Roman values and morality, while her heart and her senses wish and escape and are fascinated by the freedom and beauty she finds in Veii.
She is the daughter of a foe there, so finds herself an outcast, but she is also welcome with respect, love and sympathy by Mastarna's family and best friends. Mastarna, her husband. A marriage of convenience, a pact between her uncle, who adopted Cecilia after her father's death, and the rich and noble Etruscan, Mastarna: their union is the symbol of the agreement between Rome and Veii to prolongue the truce established two years earlier in their endless enmity. She loves a handsome Roman soldier, Drusus, and has only got one friend, her cousin Marcus: now she has to leave them both and marry Mastarna.
Cecilia is determined to remain faithful to Roman virtues while leaving among the sinful Etruscans. Instead she finds herself tempted and charmed by a mystical, hedonistic culture. Mastarna wins her resistance and seduces her into his world, offering her pleasure, independence, confidence and awareness. Mastarna is rich, powerful and experienced. The scars all over his body are signs of all the sufferings he has gone through in his life. Pain , sorrow and rage haunt him as well as the ghost of his first beloved wife, Seianta. He seeks relief for his troubled mind defying death on any occasion. He wants to join Seianta.
Mastarna is so totally different from any other man Cecilia has known, he stirs her curiosity and shows her patience and respect. She wants to know more about him, his dark secrets. So she listens carefully to everyone who has known him longer than herself: his mother Larthia, his adopted son Tarchon, his best friend Ulthes and his best friend's mistress Erene.
Cecilia's journey in the story will bring her through unexpected discoveries and shocking experiences which will convince her that Fate can't be easily controlled - as she was wrongly led to believe - and that she finally must choose where her allegiance lies.

You'll be allured by the magic and beauty of the Etruscan world, just like Cecilia. Ancient history becomes life, love and passion in this novel.

P.S. Have a look at my review on my blog, too. There is a giveaway of a signed copy going on and open worldwide! http://bit.ly/qWkySk
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Jan 20, 2013 Margeret rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fascinating insight into a world rarely written about. The characters are well defined and interesting. The story was captivating and the descriptions conjured up a vivid image of time and place. It has inspired me to find out more about the Etruscan people and their impact on modern times. A refreshing romance without the explicit sex descriptions, the implied love making was all the more sensuous for it. Well done to our newest Australian author and I am waiting excitedly for the next instal...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

A beautiful, detail rich, historical fiction story that simply amazed me. I was surprised I didn't let the beginning frustrate me since I have a tendency to give up on books that have a lot of unfamiliar detail that I must learn. And boy did I learn plenty from this book.

I knew nothing about the Etruscans before this book. I'm sure I was taught about the war between the Etruscan city of Veii and Rome but before this book, I'll tell you I didn't care to remember anything I previously learned. Yo...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Joni rated it 4 of 5 stars

A well-written love story set in ancient times. A time when women were often wed to a foreigner to enhance a family's lands, prevent a war or as payment for a debt. Women had no choice in who their husband might be. An 18 year old Roman girl is wed to an older man from a neighboring country in order to create a peace treaty. This is the first book in a trilogy, but it is a very well written and researched book on what a difference a year can make in the life of a person and/or a country.

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Apr 15, 2013 Katherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

I would rate this a 3.5 if possible. A quite intriguing book set in 406 BC mostly in the Etruscan city of Veii. The conflict between the Roman treatment of women as chattel and the Etruscan view of women as equals and the contrast between Roman puritanical view of sexuality and the Etruscan more liberal and open view is at the heart of the book. All of this is wound around a good story. I would suggest that one read the afterward before the book.

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