Babylonia. Where to begin. (TLDR: I loved it, go read it)
I really took my time with this one, so don't be fooled by the one-month difference between starting and finishing. Babylonia emerses you into a culture and a world you probably know very little about, unless you're a historian or an archaeologist or something. This is a peek into a civilization that existed for thousands of years BC, with this story taking place in the 800s BC.
Semiramis has gone down in history as a legend or a myth, and as her story progresses in Babylonia you can see why- abandoned and orphaned as an infant, barely escaping her remote village with her life, and eventually seizing control over her own destiny and rising to power in the Assyrian empire, loved and hated in equal measure. She is a complex character with strengths and faults; like all of us, she was not designed to be liked, but simply to be. This is not a Disney movie-do not expect a perfect princess in Semiramis.
And in that vein, let me say it again- this story takes place in a very different time. Life was brutal in Assyria- the elements, disease and injury, war and violence galore- this book is not for the faint of heart.
All that said, I savored this book. The time period and culture was thoughtfully researched, the characters well constructed and developed. Just as in Constanza's debut, Clytemnestra, I loved Semiramis- not because she was a perfect, moral, honorable person 100% of the time, but because she was gritty and ambitious and real.
Keeping in mind to review content warnings, I absolutely recommend this book and audiobook (shoutout Ayesha Antoine, who did amazing work here!) to historical feminist fiction readers. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Recorded Books for the ALC and ARC of Babylonia, which is available now.

Being such a fan of Costanza Casati’s debut, Clytemnestra, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her second novel. I almost didn’t care what it was about, but when I saw Babylonia’s description and the line, “When kings fall, queens rise”, I was sold. And I’m happy to report, it did not disappoint.

Babylonia is a retelling of Semiramis, the legendary Queen of Assyria, and her rise to power. It’s full of rich historical detail, power struggles, court intrigue, violent conflicts, love, and betrayal. Semiramis is a fierce and nuanced protagonist, but the other characters are also well-developed and compelling. The writing style is immersive and powerful, and there is a ton of historical detail to get lost in, which you may or may not prefer, but I enjoyed.

If you loved Clytemnestra, I think you will love Babylonia, too. I would also recommend it to lovers of mythological fiction and fans of authors like Madeline Miller or Natalie Haynes. But even if you’ve never read a retelling, Babylonia would be an excellent place to start!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

This was fascinating and really enjoyable.

As someone who sang the praises of her first book, Clytemnestra, coming into this one, I was incredibly excited. And it didn't disappoint at all.

The only slight negative is that the beginning was a little slow and I struggled to hold interest but I knew that the set up would end up paying off, and boy, did it.

I really enjoyed that, unlike Clytemnesta, we got POVs from so many people which really showed us a variety of personalities and levels throughout the story. My goodness it was sad to watch Onnes's downfall but to watch it from like multiple people's perspectives was great. Same with watching the rise of Semiramis from her horrible, small...village? beginnings to being queen. It was also one of those stories where you're very plainly told how it would end (she would end up being queen), but the train wreck of the story led to being unable to look away.

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. 4.5, rounding up to 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a chance to read and review.

Seriously one of the best greek mythology retellings out there. Costanza Casati is a force to be reckoned with, and her books will ALWAYS be welcome in our library. Loved especially by fans of Circe, The Song of Achilles. Another home-run for Casati.

I just love learning new mythology stories and the story of Babylonia was entirely new to me. I knew nothing of this myth going in so I was excited to read Casati's spin on it. I think Casati is a great story teller, keeping me interested in the story and intrigued to learn more on my own after. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to Casati's next!

Thank you Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the eArc!

Babylonia offers an intriguing glimpse into the life of Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, but I found the execution of this promising premise to be a mixed bag. The mythological and historical aspects have great potential, yet the writing often fell flat for me. While it sets out to be an epic tale, I found the story tiring at times and struggled to connect with the characters.

The beginning was slow, and although it picked up with some engaging political intrigue later on, I couldn’t help but wish for more exploration of Semiramis's reign as queen. We only get a handful of chapters focusing on her time in power, which was disappointing given the richness of her character and the era. I felt there was a wealth of material to delve into, particularly her strategies and challenges as a female ruler in a male-dominated society.

Additionally, some plot points and dialogue felt too reminiscent of Game of Thrones, which took away from the uniqueness of the narrative. Sasi, the spymaster, drew strong parallels to Varys, while Nisat echoed Cersei, making it hard to shake off the feeling of déjà vu.

What I did enjoy was the complex relationship between Semiramis, Onnes, and Ninus. This dynamic was captivating, but again, I found myself wanting more depth, particularly with Onnes. He was a mysterious figure, and a deeper exploration of his character would have added layers to the story.

Costanza Casati clearly has a talent for weaving myth and history, as evidenced by her bestselling Clytemnestra, but I felt that Babylonia could have benefited from a stronger focus on character development and a more nuanced narrative. Overall, it’s an interesting read, especially for those intrigued by ancient history, but it left me wanting more engagement and less familiarity.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia | Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC Copy!

Yet another beautifully told mythology by Costanza Casati. This just salifies that she will forever be an auto buy author for me. This story follows Semiramis in the Assyrian empire, which is not a mythology that I was familiar with at all so can not say how accurate it was according to history, but I can say that it was a really good time, even when it wasn't. The love story was beautiful, but it was never at the sacrifice of our character and that is one thing that I love about Costanza's books.

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

I love a retelling from an ancient civilizations so I knew going in that I would be a fan of this. I did not even know there was a woman ruler for the assyrian empire so to see her get her own book was great! I felt the pacing was a tad slow and that it could have been shortened a bit but overall I had a fun time!

I did not think that Costanza Casati was going to be able to top Clytemnestra and this book proved me wrong! The way she's able to seamlessly intertwine mythology rooted in people and a world that's comfortable to reader of any background is incredible. After this book she's become an auto-purchase author for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers copy of Babylonia by Costanza Casati!

Wow! A worthy successor to Song of Achilles Gladiator or Game of Thrones! This novel is thoroughly researched, with characters and a taboo love triangle you will never forget. One of my favorite books published so far this year.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it took a while to kick off. Nearly the first 1/3 of the book was slow with a lot of world-building telling instead of showing. I did need the background on Semiramis, but I know from Casati's previous novel, Clytemnestra, that it can be done more gracefully. However, I recognize that I went into Clytemnestra with much more background on her story and the backdrop, whereas I knew very little about the Assyrian Empire going into this book.

Once the story picked up, it became much more compelling for me. I was engaged with the rest of the story and sped through it. I absolutely needed to know what happened to Semiramis to go from her early life to become the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire.

There was a lot of violence in this book - graphic, brutal violence. If that's something you avoid, you should tread lightly here. However, the prose was lyrical and beautiful, and I loved how the themes around rising above, loyalty, betrayal, and the power of love wove through the story.

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

This book was so good and me reading late into the night, even though your girl needs her sleep desperately!

Babylonia is the story of Semiramis, the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, as she climbs her way from orphan to Queen with ruthless cunning.

Be warned, this book is full of triggering content, and every character is an absolute toxic mess who does the most abhorrent shit, yet you can’t help but feel for every single one of them, as they are all really just victims of this brutal time in history.

Semiramis is a strong, resourceful, clever, morally grey female MC that was a breath of fresh air after reading so many books with cookie cutter, cliché, female leads.

The underlying narrative of what it meant to be a woman at this time in history was on point and, at the same time, a little unsettling to realize how much it still resonates in 2025.

I already love a multi POV book, but I really appreciated the artistry of how Costanza used it to pull this story together more so than any other book that I’ve read.

When it came to the close of this book, I both loved and wanted more at the ending. It came together so well, with such poetic justice, but I think I was so invested in the story that I wanted it to continue past it's end point.

@costanzacasati is now an auto buy author for me and I need to immediately go to the bookstore when my kiddo wakes up so I can buy Clytemnestra!

Epic thanks to @bookmarked for sending me an advance copy of this amazing book!

"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."

Casati nailed it again! I love how she brings these strong women from history to life and makes them feel so real. The way she humanizes them is always so well done. That said, I do wish this book had focused more on Semiramis as a ruler instead of her relationships with the two men. That part of her story was interesting, but I feel like her time as empress would’ve been even more exciting to dive into. I also would have loved to see her as more of a villainess - we don't know much about her actually as a person so while it is nice to imagine that she didn't want the power that was thrust upon her, I would have loved to have seen her grasp that power and run with it.

It’s a little slow paced but beautifully written. I’m not familiar the historical context or the protagonist but this retelling is written in a way that was easy to follow. A lot of characters are flawed and not made to be likable but you get to understand their motivations and actions. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Thank you for the eARC!

sad to say this one was not as gripping as Clytenmestra. I was bored half the time, and didn't really care for the story line :(

Babylonia by Constanza Casati is a wonderfully crafted work that seamlessly blends historical and mythological narratives with the author’s vision of the protagonists and their personal struggles. It intricately explores the complexities of human relationships, power dynamics, and the impact of powerful individuals' decisions on the fate of many.

I am impressed by the author’s research, which allows her to paint such vivid pictures of the Assyrian Empire in the 9th century BC, while also delving into the inner lives of her characters. This creates a beautiful tension between the personal and the universal.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

In Babylonia, Costanza Casati, the bestselling author of Clytemnestra, returns with another dazzling exploration of ancient history. This time, she breathes life into the enigmatic figure of Semiramis—the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire. Seamlessly blending historical record and myth, Casati’s novel chronicles Semiramis’s rise from obscurity to legendary status in a world that was never meant to yield power to a woman.

Semiramis begins her journey as an orphan raised on the fringes of the empire, a far cry from the splendor of Assyrian royalty. Yet through sheer ambition, intelligence, and willpower, she claims the throne in a male-dominated world. While history offers little about her life, myth portrays Semiramis as a brilliant warrior and visionary ruler, and Casati brilliantly uses this duality to craft a richly imagined story of power, resilience, and ambition.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its world-building. Casati’s attention to detail vividly brings the Assyrian Empire to life—the heat, grandeur, and danger of ancient Babylonia leap from the page. The political intrigue is as intense as the battles, and every decision Semiramis makes feels weighted with the full consequence of empire-building.

Semiramis herself is an unforgettable protagonist. Casati portrays her as a complex, determined woman who refuses to be underestimated. Her journey is both inspiring and poignant, filled with hard-won victories and heartbreaking sacrifices.

Babylonia will appeal to fans of historical fiction who enjoy tales of powerful women and stories set in ancient worlds. Costanza Casati proves once again that she is a master at reimagining the lives of legendary figures, giving Semiramis the voice and legacy she deserves. This is a gripping, beautifully written tale that will linger with readers long after the final page.

You’ve likely heard of Babylon or Assyria. But have you ever heard of Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Neo-Assyrian Empire who conquered much of the Middle East? In this novel, Costanza Cosati takes the little we know of Semiramis, mostly derived from Diodorus Siculus’s work, and weaves a tale from her origins as a humble village orphan to near-divine status.

This is a historical retelling done right– these half-mythologized beings are real and terribly flawed. Much of the story focuses on the relationships between Semiramis, her husband Onnis, and the king Ninnus. All are broken in different ways, and their interactions are at turns touching and heartrending. It's a slow story despite several battle scenes, but I thought it flowed well. I also found the portrayal of PTSD in the ancient world thoughtfully done. If it's marketed as fantasy, it's only because it tells the story of semi-mythologized figures. There's next to none of the supernatural other than some prophecy.

Some reviewers say the book is a bit of a rip off of A Game of Thrones because there’s a eunuch spymaster and a plotting dowager queen but that’s quite unfair– those are tropes that existed long before GRRM, and there’s a firm historical basis for eunuchs in important Assyrian government positions. I think Casati does something genuinely interesting with the dowager queen too, though it’s so brief it might be considered an aside.

My only complaint is about the title itself, which confused me. I am not well informed about the history of the region and had to do some research to orient myself. I really struggled here to keep the city of Babylon (briefly sort of an antagonist here) separate from Babylonia, the general region that includes Babylon. Assyria is to the north. Assyria eventually encompassed Babylonia during the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but the majority of the books takes place in Kalhu (now called Nimrud)-- not Babylon. Maybe the book should have just been called Semiramis?

I love all of this author’s retellings. So rich in detail and the perfect amount of added dramatization. Can’t wait for the next one!