Review: Daughters of Rome by Kate Quinn

Daughters of Rome by Kate Quinn, the second in her Roman series after Mistress of Rome, begins in 69 AD after the death of Nero. 69 AD is known as the Year of the Four Emperors (Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian.) This chaotic year of transition in Rome’s history is witnessed through the eyes of the four Cornelias (sisters and cousins,) Cornelia, Marcella, Diana, and Lollia.

At first I had trouble telling the four women apart, but as the story unfolds their distinct personalities set them apart from each other. Cornelia is a respectable senator’s wife whose social status abruptly changes, Marcella is a historian with an absent husband who seeks to meddle with the power structures of the day, Diana is eccentric and independent and has an obsession with chariot races and horses, and Lollia is often written off a spoiled girl due to her grandfather’s wealth and also her numerous unsuccessful marriages.

As the story unfolds, each woman’s life fortunes changes–some for the better, some for the worse. These changes inform their decisions in a rigid social and political structure, as well as fuel their distinct character arcs. They are each women of their day, participating in conventions of the time that were “normal,” such as having body slaves. That said, there are admirable qualities in each woman despite them taking unwise actions or being unlikable in specific moments. Kate Quinn excels in demonstrating the “soft power” of women at this time as they create their own secret paths toward influence, power, and even personal happiness.