Awards

• Winner of Stonewall Awards Writer of the Year 2010.
• Winner of Stonewall Writer of the Year 2010 (UK)

Overview

'Justinian took a wife: and the manner she was born and bred, and wedded to this man, tore up the Roman Empire by the very roots.' Procopius. Charming, charismatic, heroic. Theodora of Constantinople rose from nothing to become the most powerful woman in the history of Byzantine Rome. In Stella Duffy's breathtaking new novel, she comes to life again - a fascinating, controversial and seductive woman. Some called her a saint. Others were not so kind When her father is killed, the young Theodora is forced into near slavery to survive. But just as she learns to control her body as a dancer and for the men who can afford her, so she is determined to shape a very different fate for herself. From the vibrant streets and erotic stage shows of sixth century Constantinople to the holy desert retreats of Alexandria, THEODORA is an extraordinary imaginative achievement from one of our finest writers.

Full Product Details

9781844082117

Table of Contents

Reviews

Shelly writes: For those of us who love historical fiction, Theodora makes a nice change from the bevy of novels with English roses as their protagonists. We all love Phillipa Gregory, but this heroine has a bit more meat to the bones of her personality than most. Set in Constantinople during the height of the Byzantine empire, we follow Theodora from her humble beginnings as the daughter of a bear tamer, to being the people's Queen of the Hippodrome, through her search to find herself, to being Queen of Constantinople itself. A great read!

7.99

'As bold, seductive and passionate as its subject, Theodora is an exuberant performance, a vivid exemplar of how women make history against all the odds' Jake Arnott * 'Stella Duffy's first historical novel will set a benchmark for others to aim for. Her story of Theodora's rise from dancing girl and whore to Empress of Constantinople is a delight in all ways, from the sweat of the theatre and the grind of a child in poverty to the powerlessness of women to the ways in which they can - and did - find their ways to power. Magical, moving and inspiring in one, this is easily Duffy's best novel to date - and that's setting the bar pretty high' Manda Scott, author of the bestselling Boudica series

Author Information

Stella Duffy is the author of six literary novels including The Room of Lost Things (Stonewall Writer of the Year 2008), State of Happiness and five crime novels. She is co-editor of the anthology Tart Noir and winner of the 2002 CWA Short Story Dagger Award. Her website is www.tartcity.com

Tab Content 6

Countries Available