Read it the first time when I was just out of college, and it blew my mind. Twenty years later I grabbed it for my trip to Naples/Pompeii, and it absolutely came alive for me once again. It's a fascinating and absorbing story, and filled with thousands of historically accurate details that make my understanding of human history all the richer. I was completely enthralled. Highly, highly recommend. ( )

Too long, too many details. Had some very good plot lines, but was too tedious and slow on occasion. ( )

This is what you get when you combine ‘epic’ with ‘historical fiction’. While this book is never going to win any races for fast pacing, the level of detail and research together with the masterful weaving together of historical events into a story containing vivid settings and a cast of hundreds that all fully come alive in the pages makes for a way of enjoying this period of history in a way that is unrivalled. Having learnt significantly more about the late Roman Republic since the first time I read this book, I was able to appreciate it even more for all the little hints, references and off hand remarks which lend further depth to the story that McCullough crafts while also creating subtle links to future events. Marius and Sulla remain my two of my favourite Roman figures as a result of this book, and I think this will always be confort food for me. ( )

OH. This book is like concrete, but I am going to assume very solid when all is said and done. Very slow pacing, well written and literate. It is quite obvious the author made bored housewives her target on this book. ( )

Engrossing details of Roman life, with characters drawn so finely that I still miss them. ( )