Costanza Casati’s Babylonia is a masterful blend of historical depth and narrative beauty. The writing style is utterly captivating, weaving vivid descriptions with a lyrical cadence that draws the reader into the ancient world. Semiramis, as the main character, is a revelation—complex, fierce, and deeply human. Her journey is as enthralling as it is inspiring, and she remains a compelling anchor throughout the story.

What truly sets this book apart is Casati’s meticulous research. The historical authenticity shines through in every page, yet it never feels like a dry recounting of facts. Instead, she breathes life into the historical gaps, skillfully filling them with a plot that feels both believable and utterly engaging. This balance of authenticity and creative storytelling is a rare talent and one that makes Babylonia an unforgettable read.

If you’re drawn to stories of powerful women, rich historical settings, and masterful prose, Babylonia is not to be missed.

“Immortality doesn’t mean living forever. It means surviving even after your heart stops beating and your body is burned. It means living in myth, in stories.”

I'll admit, I know almost nothing of this era in history, but this book made me want to know more. It really is a story of a woman's rise from nothing to the most powerful position of the most powerful empire of its time.

Love, heartbreak, spies, political intrigue, the POVs from slave to king, the harshness of the world, and finding small peace where and when you can.

I was immediately sucked in from the first page and never wanted to come up for air. This book really was just wonderful.

"Humans have only a single lifetime. How can they truly understand love? Those who believe they can are even more lost than the rest."

I LOVED this book. I ordered the physical copy when I was halfway through it because I MUST have it on my shelf. You should as well! I already have Clytemnestra on my shelf but have not read it yet. I will be getting to that one soon.

Semiramis - Born with No Name.

Common.

A fighter.

A traitor.

Queen.

I love that we get a glimpse of Assyrian history and myth from Casati. Casati expands on what I loved in Clytemnestra with this book. You get to really see the motivations that drive Semiramis, as questionable as her decisions are. It is written well and with enough quotes and references from the Epic of Gilgamesh that you don’t need to be an expert on it (but I recommend that you read it in full!!). The prose flows nicely. I enjoyed how Casati depicts power and power struggles through each character that we spend time with in this book. My only complaint is that the latter half of the book moves fairly quickly, and I would have liked to spend more time on the aftermath. That said, it’s definitely worth the read.

I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

How far would you go to change your fate? Babylon is the story of a woman who refuses to be defined by the labels society has placed upon her, who ascends to the Assyrian throne to rule in her own right. At turns empowering and emotional, Babylon is a beautiful story of myth, history, and ultimately, humanity. I found myself in tears, enraged, and on the edge of my seat throughout the pages I couldn't stop turning.

Loved every minute of it

CONTENT & TRIGGER WARNINGS: Domestic abuse, sexual assault, suicide, graphic depictions of war, graphic violence

Babylonia by Costanza Casati will join the ranks of my favorite books. I still think about Clytemnestra months after finishing it and I know Babylonia will be no different. If you enjoy Madeline Miller's style of writing, I think you will like Casati's. The book is poetic and reflective. It doesn't shy away or sugar coat any of the violence of Assyria

Babylonia took a couple of chapter's to get into, but once you're in...you're locked in. Semiramis is the anti-hero of the book. Deeply flawed, but understandable. She came from nothing and will do anything to keep herself from returning to it. Onnes is a TRUE morally ambiguous character. Ninus wants to be loved. All of them are flawed and make poor decisions, but don't we all? The relationships between the three of them were broken, jagged, and understanding. I wish we would have gotten more insight into Ninus' and Onnes' relationship without Semiramis.

This book was full of action, political intrigue, and fascinating (always evolving) relationships between the main three and a handful of secondary characters. I couldn't get enough of this book--I mean clearly I binged it in two days--I thought Castanza Casati would be a favorite after reading her debut but Babylonia has solidifeid it.

I can't wait to read whatever else she has in store for us.

Remember glory and danger often taste the same. All they leave behind is bitterness."

This one starts with a slow burn as you learn who Semiramis is, where she starts, and how learns some of her first rules in life. But as she meets Onnes and arrives in her kingdom, then story really gets move. The POV were so well done - it really show the moves and manipulations that happen in court and how easily Semiramis is playing their games.

The battles, abuse, and deaths at times were brutal. But the story was compelling, it was hard to put the book down after the first part. About love, betrayal, the rise to power and what it means to hold on to it. Beautifully written and compelling story. I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

If you liked Clytemnestra, pick this one up. It's really just everything. So good! I love the mythology and history connections that Casati makes.

Having read and increasingly enjoyed Clytemnestra by this author, I knew this would be no different because it addressed a wonderful Assyrian story which I had not yet had the opportunity to learn about. The story follows Semiramis, a young woman, who is saved from her family, and by chance ends up in the palace married to the best friend of the King. The writing is so beautiful and transporting, and the characters, though millennia old, are relatable in many ways. It made me want to travel back in time in some ways. If you enjoy well written and well researched historical fiction, please do yourself a favor and snap this up!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When I tell you that I finished this book last night, laid in back, and couldn't stop thinking about it despite having to be up early for work - I mean it.

I am a newcomer to historical fiction that spans so far back into history. I will be the first to admit that I was unfamiliar with the story of Assyria's only recorded solely ruling queen. I will even admit that I have not been so acquainted with Mesopotamian societies in my life (since middle school). All of this to say, this was everything I could have possibly wanted from a novel about Semiramus and the society she belonged to.

Casati is genius in revealing Assyrian customs, behaviors, and attitudes. They are so beautifully woven in to the story that it never felt like I was being spoon-fed information. The creative liberties that she took in order to write this incredible novel left me even more impressed. Her prose and scene-setting are unforgettable (hence, my inability to sleep). Admittedly, I am late to the game as far as her work goes and I plan to pick up her other book asap.

Semiramus is a character that I believe will stay with me for a long time. She is driven, resilient, charming, clever, and yet still swathed in mystery. Her beginnings are humble as an abandoned orphan baby but these parameters never seem to keep her caught anywhere for long. As far as powerful literary women, I easily cast her into my personal hall of fame.

The other characters are equally intoxicating. I normally struggle to keep up with so many at a time, but I genuinely never found a moment where the perspective or story-telling felt as though it was lagging or filling space. Every character felt real and multi-layered. Everybody had a stake in the plot. No character ever felt as though they were simply there to serve Semiramus, Onnes, or Ninus and that is something I really appreciated.

With that being said, a five star read for my first novel of 2025 was a bit of a shock! In a good way, of course. Setting the bar high already. I do think that this will bring me back to my mythology obsession era (which I have not seen since middle school either lol). I am already beyond ready to read Casati's other novel and any work she publishes in the future.

I greatly appreciate Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this novel!

I received this arc from netgalley, and if I'm being honest I did not connect with this book. for me it was a struggle day in and day out to complete. personally I never had much interest in the Assyrian empire and that made it much harder to connect with the story since i do now know or really care about the history. the story definitely had some interesting twists and turns for Semiramis and both onnes and ninus. I would still recommend the book but I would also recommend starting with the authors notes and the little history lesson that was at the end of the book before diving in.

I loved Casati's first novel, Clytemnestra, so much that I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this one. This one was good, but I didn't love it as much as Clytemnestra. I enjoyed getting to learn about a historical figure that I didn't know much about, and I loved the characters. As with Clytemnestra, the writing was lush and alluring. I didn't know as much about Assyrian culture as I do about Ancient Greek, so it was really cool to submerse myself in that world.

I think that this one was just a little too slow in the plot for me. I am not saying that it was bad, as I enjoyed it a lot, just that it didn't live up to the first novel, in my opinion. If you loved her first novel, I definitely think you should pick this up, as it has the same feminist take on an ancient story. Just be prepared for some slower moments in this one.

A very ambitious but ultimately top heavy read. I couldn’t gain entrance into this story. Felt very heavy on text and background. It was just too cumbersome to get through!

This was my first novel by Costanza Casati, so I didn't know what to expect. While the story unfolded eloquently and well, I found the prose and writing not my style. I adored the third person perspective, however some of the political themes and gruesome details were cumbersome to get through and almost unrelenting. I found myself having to take a break to read something else. I also struggled connecting with a lot of the characters. So while overall, I occasionally enjoyed this book, I'm not sure this genre is meant for me and that's okay! I really wished I could have loved it more. It gets 3 stars from me because it wasn't for me but I would rate it 3.5 stars because it is a very well written book, even if it was cumbersome at times.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the e-ARC copy in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was done really well. This has given me an interest in other genres as well since I liked this book so much!

This book was everything. Casati did it again. The characters were to die for. The writing was tragically good and love interests achingly beautiful. The plot and world building was exceptional and transported me.

Babylonia is a novel about Semiramis, a queen of ancient Assyria. Her story starts when she’s a young abused orphan girl in a country village and ends with her ruling the land of Assyria and being known as the “whore-Queen”. Semiramis falls in love with two powerful men and outwits powerful political players in her journey to power.


I received my copy from Netgalley!

Wow... just wow!!!!
Costanza Casati has done it again. Babylonia is such a beautifully written story about Semiramis, her dedication, and her journey to power. Semiramis's character is simply exquisite... wondrous, resourceful, complex, and so deeply beautiful. The realness and complexity of these characters really gives the reader the opportunity to perceive these relationships as real and beautiful, no matter how flawed.

If you enjoy mythological retellings or historical fiction, you will most definitely love this book. I was simply blown away and I hope you will be too. Casati has left her mark on this genre and I cannot wait for *hopefully* more mythological retellings... they have become favorites of mine because of this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC!!

In Babylonia, Costanza Casati delivers a gripping historical novel about Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire. The story follows her journey from a lowly orphan to a powerful queen, navigating a brutal world of politics, power struggles, and complex relationships.

Raised on the fringes of the empire, Semiramis rises through sheer intelligence, strength, and cunning, making enemies and allies along the way. Her relationships with two men—Ninus, the king, and Onnes, her husband—are fraught with love, betrayal, and ambition. As Semiramis learns the deadly game of diplomacy and war, she works toward securing her safety and power in a court full of vipers.

Casati’s writing is immersive, beautifully blending myth with history. Semiramis emerges as a compelling, multifaceted character, whose journey is both empowering and tragic. This novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and strong female protagonists.

This is an enthralling look into the world of the ancient Assyrian Empire. Semiramis is a fascinating perspective to follow throughout her life. I appreciate how much research Costanza Casati has done to create such a lush and immersive picture of this historical moment. The three perspectives of Semiramis, Ninus, and Ribat create a well-rounded image of one woman's life and rise to power. Semiramis's beginnings in a small town, and eventual ruling of the Assyrian Empire convey the strength and practicality of one woman born into a world of danger and political maneuvering. I strongly recommend this as an incredible story of feminine power and expansion of the historical record.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.

Costanza Casati has once again delivered a stunning historical reimagining, following up her acclaimed Clytemnestra with Babylonia—a lyrical, immersive, and thought-provoking novel that delves into the life of Semiramis, the only recorded female ruler of the Assyrian Empire. This book is not just a story; it is an experience, masterfully blending history, myth, and human emotion.

Semiramis, also known as Sammuramat in her native Assyria, rises from an orphaned commoner to a queen of legendary stature. Casati portrays her as a multifaceted protagonist: resilient, cunning, power-hungry, and deeply human. Her relationships, particularly with her husband, Onnes, and King Ninus, form the emotional heart of the story. The love triangle between the three is rich in complexity, exploring themes of love, loyalty, ambition, and betrayal. This dynamic is both gripping and unconventional, presenting a rare portrayal of queerness and human vulnerability in an ancient context.

Casati’s meticulous research shines through every page. Drawing from historical records and the Epic of Gilgamesh, she reconstructs the brutal and opulent world of ancient Assyria with vivid detail. From the splendor of palaces to the horrors of war, she captures the grandeur and brutality of a society that shaped its rulers and subjects alike. The integration of mythology and historical accuracy enhances the narrative, lending it the aura of an epic while grounding it in a richly imagined past.

The writing is both sparse and evocative, inviting readers to savor each line. The pacing, however, can feel uneven. While the slower sections effectively build the world and set up the complex web of relationships, the final quarter feels somewhat rushed, leaving some character arcs—particularly Ribat’s—underexplored. Despite this, the payoff is emotionally resonant and satisfying, especially for readers who appreciate deep dives into character motivations and societal structures.

Notably, Babylonia does not shy away from the rawness of its setting. The violence, while graphic, is never gratuitous, serving instead to underscore the trauma and resilience of its characters. This unflinching portrayal of brutality mirrors the harsh realities of the Assyrian Empire and adds depth to the narrative.

For fans of historical fiction, mythology retellings, or anyone who loves stories of powerful, complex women, Babylonia is a must-read. It is a tale of ambition, survival, and the price of power that will stay with you long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this incredible book in advance.