review by Corinna Christopher on show 5th Jan 2012
Helen Dunmore has published ten novels and is an accomplished author with a wide range of different subject matter. She is also a poet and children’s novelist.
“Counting the stars” was first published in 2008 and is a fascinating story about the Roman poet Valerius Catullus born in 84 BC and a contemporary of Pompey, Crassus and Julius Caesar. 116 of his poems survive and the most famous are the 25 lyrics addressed to a married woman named Lesbia, known throughout the book as Clodia Metelli.
The Romans at that time lived life to the full and this meant sex, cruelty, murder, poisoning and much debauchery at all levels. Rome is a city of extremes with the slaves and poor packed into ramshackle hovels in crowded streets whilst the wealthy families dwelt in magnificent villas.
Catullus from a noble family disappoints his father by leaving his country home to live the life of a popular poet in Roman society. He mingles with those in power and his witty verses bring him success as he moves within the political hierarchy . He thus meets and is dazzled by Clodia Metelli, an older married noblewoman. He commences a passionate affair, seemingly oblivious to the consequences of decorum. Clodia is a fickle heartbreaker , always accompanied by her servant Aemilia and pet little bird. There have been rumours about her beautiful brother and herself in childhood and he is known as Pretty Boy, in fact a nasty individual.
In due course Clodia’s husband dies after in all probability being poisoned. After this Clodia changes and is embroiled in her family business. Catullus waits for the mourning to be over before he asks Clodia to marry him, but somehow she is vague in her response and Catullus senses that she is not the free loving spirit he used to know.
With his father and brother both now dead he decides to leave Rome and return to look after his family estate.
The author has delved deeply into the Roman society of the day and paints an authentic picture for the reader. There are many interesting details including an amazing description of a wonderful pool at one of the villas, complete with water jets and 400 yards of pipes with an adjustable flow !
This was an enjoyable read with plenty of historical facts from a period most of us have learnt about in school.
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