The idea beyond this novel is immensely clever and beautifully executed; however, it was difficult for me to find the motivation to pick it up and continue reading. I have never been such a fiend for Roman history, so I did not have enough appreciation for the references that were made throughout the book to different personages and events. It was clear that the book was incredibly well-researched, but I was not the right audience for it. Furthermore, not one of the characters was particularly likable, including the narrator himself. There was such callousness and disregard for the value of human life, and hardly three pages would pass without mention of one character or another committing murder, suffering from the effects of poison or battle wounds, or killing themselves, yet each of these events merited only an unaffected line or two before the plot carried on. Without a doubt, Graves is a poet, and his ability to play effectively with history is undeniable, but I just don’t think this book was for me.