REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stephanie Thornton

Synopsis: Where Theodora went, trouble followed…

In sixth century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds, and rose from being a common theater tart to become empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. But the woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was, in fact, a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told…

When her father dies suddenly, Theodora and her sisters face starvation on the streets. Determined to survive, Theodora makes a living any way she can—first on her back with every man who will have her, then on the stage of the city’s infamous amphitheater in a scandalous dramatization of her own invention. When her daring performance grants her a back-door entry into the halls of power, she seizes the chance to win a wealthy protector—only to face heartbreak and betrayal.  Ever resilient, Theodora rises above such trials and by a twist of fate, meets her most passionate admirer yet: the Emperor’s nephew. She will thrive as his confidant and courtesan, but many challenges lie ahead. For one day, this man will hand her a crown. And all the empire will wonder—is she bold enough, shrewd enough, and strong enough to keep it?

My Thoughts: I watched a history channel show awhile back on Roman Emperors and it briefly covered Justinian and Theodora-the former actress and whore he married.  Little did I know from that brief glimpse the fascinating story behind the beautiful woman who captured the Emperor's heart!   The novel starts out with the untimely death of Theodora's father, leaving the young girl, her drunken mother, and her sister Comito to fend for themselves.  As many down on their luck females were forced to do at the time, Theodora's mother encouraged her daughters to take to the stage-a sordid environment where young girls hoped to lure a wealthy patron or sold their favors to the highest bidder.   Theodora is a late bloomer who pales in comparison to her older sister Comito but she soon blossoms into a desirable young woman and uses her charms to make her way in the world. 

Theodora is a fascinating character but she is one with flaws.  Graced with brains and beauty she often makes foolhardy decisions based on emotion instead of the smarter choice.  Along her path to glory she makes many enemies, some very interesting friends and is also faced with some very heartrending decisions in order to protect those she loves.  I was really captivated by this story and very saddened by what Theodora had to go through just to survive.  Even when she attained great power there were always those more than willing to use her to attain their means and although she found her great love in Justinian she was always fearful of losing it.  I really enjoyed Stephanie Thornton's writing style and The Secret History kept me reading late into the night.  I cannot wait to see what she tackles as her next topic and recommend this to all lovers of historical fiction.  This book with the gorgeous cover contains an equally marvelous story in it's pages that you won't want to miss out on.

 This book was provided to me from the publisher via NetGalley for participation in the author's tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.  These are my honest thoughts on the book.

This is the last stop on the tour but if you'd like to see all the reviews, giveways, interviews and guest posts with author Stephanie Thornton you missed, you can view the rest of the tour schedule HERE.

~*~*~GIVEAWAY TIME~*~*~

I am excited to be able to offer up one paperback copy of The Secret History and a Byzantine coin to one lucky winner!

TO ENTER: Leave your name and email address in the comments. One extra entry each for spreading the word via Twitter, Facebook or your blog.

OPEN:  Internationally!

GIVEAWAY ENDS: Midnight August 10th. Winner will be selected and announced on the 11th. Good luck!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephanie Thornton is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.
For more information, please visit Stephanie Thornton's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.