Deposed by David Barbaree
(2017)
Twenty7 • 480 pages
A.D 68. A deposed emperor lies in
a prison cell, betrayed and newly blinded by those who were sworn to protect
him. He is now crippled and deprived from power, left completely on the edge of
despair with a frightened young slave named Marcus as his only companion. Ten
years later and it is Emperor Vespasian who wears the purple. Things may have
settled since the civil war but Vespasian’s son Titus is plagued with worry
about plots to murder his father. Gruesome atrocities and mysterious
disappearances are ripe throughout Rome; it is a city full of falsehoods and
intrigues with the fear of rebellion lurking beneath the surface. Furthermore,
a man who used to be emperor still lives – a blind man who everyone believes to
be dead. His name is Nero and he seeks revenge against those who wronged him.
Ancient Rome is a fascinating
historical period and in my opinion it’s not any easy task to write a
convincing novel set during this time. Deposed however manages
just that. It is undoubtedly a superb novel that deals with just a short period
in Rome’s vast history and creates a story full of mystery and suspense. David
Barbaree takes both the facts and the missing details from this period and
moulds them in to something that feels convincing and simultaneously entertaining.
It’s original and gripping – I was amazed that this is the work of a debut
author.
Deposed is
a complex piece of work yet it is cleverly done; it moves back and forth
between the years and follows different characters who gradually come together
as the story moves forward. It’s written in a mix of first and second person
which along with the vast number of characters did confuse me a little in the
beginning, but it comes together nicely after the first few chapters. Plus,
there is a list of all the characters and their positions in the back pages of
the book which was helpful. This is a dense piece of historical fiction but it
really works – it’s full of subplots, it has a vast set of diverse characters,
and its timeline weaves back and forth over a period of ten years. A novel this
complex could very easily become a sea of confusion but David Barbaree makes it
work. I don’t know how he did it but he really pulled it out of the bag and
managed to write a stunningly intricate novel.
Each
character has their own unique voice which allows them to hold a chapter on
their own without it falling flat. We follow characters that are based off
historical figures and completely fictional characters but all of them drive
the story. Everything in this book felt real; the beautiful palaces, the
crowded streets, the temples, and the prisons all belong to a world that
existed long ago but they are brought to life within the pages of this book.
The entire tone of the story is dark and melancholy; the intrigues and
conspiracies that run throughout create a menacing feel that hangs over the
story, giving it the weight that is so difficult
to achieve in historical novels.
Deposed is fantastic debut and although it works wonderfully
on its own, there is a hint that a sequel may follow in the future. David
Barbaree is a new author worth looking out for and I highly recommend you check
this one out if you’re a lover of historical fiction.
Overall rating: 4 stars
My copy of Deposed was sent to me by The Bookbag and
my review originally appeared on their website.
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