Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. This fascinating historical fiction captured my attention. I really enjoyed this tale of ancient Rome. It was obvious the amount of research that went into this book. I will be recommending this book to any who enjoy historical fiction.

I liked this. A new approach to looking at the Rome of Augustus’ time. Thrasius the slave and chef helps his volatile master ascend Roman society in the years of the first Emperor. Somewhat short but detailed and atmospheric. 3.5/5

A delicious novel set in ancient Rome! Mouth-watering descriptions, excellent imagery and plot, and well-rounded characters make this novel one to consume! (And no need to worry about calories!)

Thrasius is the most valuable slave the market has ever seen. When the gourmand Apicius purchases him, the price is twenty thousand denarii. As a trained cook and crafter of recipes, Thrasius has the potential to make his owner famous, and that is what Apicius desires most of all.

Thrasius finds an almost secure but never quite comfortable place in Apicius' household. Driven by his master's whims, he spends mountains of sestertii on exotic food, expensive tableware, and attractive slaves, trying to help Apicius catch the emperor's eye and become the imperial gastronomic adviser. Thrasius' own ambitions drive him too--the ambition to create the most sumptuous food imaginable and present it with creativity and finesse. Although Apicius runs hot and cold toward his cook depending on circumstance, Thrasius finds deep affection for Aelia, his master's wife, and Apicata, the beautiful little daughter of the house. He finds friendship with Sotas, the Egyptian body slave who guards Apicius night and day. And he finds love with Passia, Apicata's graceful attendant and a fellow slave in the household. 

As the empire transitions from Augustus' rule to Tiberius', however, dark days are ahead. The maniacally cruel Sejanus has both Tiberius' ear and control of the Praetorian guard. He also holds a secret that could ruin Apicius, and because of that, everyone in Aspicius' household must pay dearly. Even as Thrasius authors a cookbook and runs a cooking school (both of which bear Apicius' name), he begins to wonder if his dreams of freedom and marriage for himself and Passia will ever be satisfied or if the glittering feasts he creates are destined to be nothing more than a masque for sorrow and despair. 

This book lived up to its name in many ways. Crystal King is a wordsmith with the power to immerse the reader in each scene, and the words on the page were a veritable feast. The history of Rome was skillfully told and the lives of both patricians and slaves delineated with unabashed realism. The humor in Lindsey Davis' Falco books is absent in this novel, and the chillingly depraved realities of Roman society are not glossed over. Thrasius and Passia both know that, as slaves, their bodies are not their own. Patrician women have little more freedom, beaten and raped by their husbands with no recourse. As the years go by, Apicata as well as Aelia are required to act the proper Roman matron, obeying their husbands unflinchingly in the face of unadulterated evil. Thrasius, even after attaining the status of freedman, is never free of Apicius' demands on his time, his abilities, and his loyalty. Throughout it all, the characters' hatreds, fears, loves, and hopes overflow from the pages, propelling the plot along inexorably to its final resolution. 

In many ways, this book sums up life in imperial Rome--a riotous, Epicurean feast of debauchery that seeks for immortal fame and leads instead to the emptiness of death and despair. A harsh read, but a compelling one. Recommended. 

Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Fabulous historical fiction covers all the bases.....smart and compelling story and characters, clothing, smells, buildings, love, hate, politics, customs of ancient Rome. Plus......food and recipes. Amazing how their food was similar yet not similar. The slave/cook point of view was startlingly original. Loved it and can't wait to read her next one.

I didn't finish this one because I was expecting a more serious historical fiction. I do not post reviews when they are only one star.

This book is very historically rich, but lacks a bit in tension. It's a long book centering around a family in ancient Rome. It took me a long time to read this, and I'm not quite sure exactly what I was missing. I think some of the characters came off as dry and were not very compelling. However this book is extremely well researched, and all the dialogue and references were very period authentic. I loved that part. The book is simply a bit too long (which I hate to say, but it needed more urgency throughout the narrative).

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley.

After reading this book, I am still simply stunned by the quality of the story, the writing, the characters and the vivid world the author transports the reader to in each and every scene. While I can often recommend a particular book for fans of historical fiction, romance, thrillers, etc., it is a rare and wondrous thing when I can honestly say that I believe anyone who enjoys a damn good story would enjoy this book. The amount of detail in this book is just perfect--enough to paint a vivid picture of the very texture of life in ancient Rome, but not so much that it becomes too cumbersome or makes the book read more like a dry history tome. While the story revolves around a man who uses a chef to further his ambitions, the culinary delights (or horrors, as the case may be) are only a part of the rich tapestry woven into the novel--all of the high arts and the more pedestrian elements, including curse tablets and the functioning of households--are included in the cultural portrait drawn as the backdrop for the Game of Thrones-style political machinations that make this book so addicting. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author, and I encourage anyone who enjoys reading to BUY THIS BOOK!!!

I'm conflicted. This book was left me both wanting more and not at the same time. I'm a huge fan of historical dramas and Feast of Sorrow reminded me of those, but I tend to like watching them versus reading. 

Imagine Rome sprawling before you across a table, all the intricate little details from daily life wrapped in political intrigue and a society darker than you might expect.

Well, I don't know, this is Rome we're talking about.

King creates a sensory exploration of this ancient culture through food but Feast of Sorrow branches well beyond that to the inner workings of those feasting. I'm not much of a food person so I'm glad that the story didn't revolve solely around what meal is being planned for so-and-so and how it was prepared, and so on. One of the many draws for me for this book was the fact that the scene is set, the table made, and the people run the show, their lives offering an insight into history that, while a fictional book, prove that the author really dove into the research to present such an amazing narrative. 

I think one of the many strengths of this book is how King makes this society so accessible to modern readers. While set thousands of years in the past, there are still similarities with human ambition, deceit, scheming, gossip, elements that will captivate fans of history and drama alike. Honestly, I would love to see this as a television series, like HBO's Rome as well as other historical dramas such as Marco Polo on Netflix. 

Honestly, there are far too many characters to speak of but let's just say that King knows how to create a story meant to intrigue and delight. This isn't necessarily an entirely happy story but it's expertly written and perfect for fans of food, drama, and history.

Wonderful historical fiction. Beautifully researched and written.

Historical fiction sent in ancient Rome? Sign me up! A bit dry at times but overall, really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, I was unable to review as the archive date was changed from the original archive date, and I was unable to download.

I love stories set in ancient Rome. Usually these are murder mysteries, and I’m delighted that Ancient Roman Detective is a genre, but I’d actually just like a novel that happens to take place in Rome.

Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King tells the story of a kitchen slave, Thrasius, and his owner, the gourmand Apicius. Thrasius is no mere cook, though, and under Apicius’ command, Thracius plans and caters elaborate parties, becoming a master chef as as Apicius tries to become Caesar’s arbiter of taste. But, as Apicius comes closer to his goal of becoming Caesar’s gourmand, they get closer to the machinations of the Julio-Claudians and DO YOU SEE HOW GREAT THIS BOOK IS?

I love historical fiction, but I don’t really like when historical fiction characters espouse modern attitudes and beliefsm instead of what would make the most sense for their time. A lady-in-waiting at the Tudor court isn’t likely to bathe daily, for example, but I can go with that as a character quirk. It strains my credibility when she also plans to marry only for love, thinks peasants are just as good as lords, thinks the four humours are silly and the handwashing will stop the spread of the flu, and wishes corsets would go out of style and jeans would come in, etc., etc.

But everyone in Feast of Sorrow behaves with solid Roman values. Aulia turns from loving mother to dutiful Roman matron when the situation demands it, and Apicius takes his responsibilities as paterfamilias very seriously. Thrasius accepts the Roman system of slavery, and he’s pretty blase about the sexual abuse and violence that any paterfamilias is entitled to, which makes it even more heartbreaking.

Loads of kitchen and dining details make it into the book, but the descriptions never slow down the action. I mean, I did want to see what horrible things Livia and Sejanus and the rest were up to, but I also really enjoyed the morning scenes of patron Apicius greeting his clients, or Thrasius noticing the shadow guests tailing the important, invited dinner guests.

It’s not a spoiler if I tell you something that happened 2000 years ago, is it? Ok, so a lot of the novel hinges on Sejanus, and you know that once everything finally catches up with him, he gets one of the grislier Roman punishments. About five minutes before I got there, I suddenly remembered my Suetonius and I realized the terrible thing that was about to happen to his children. Roman attitudes, all the way though.

For a debut novel, this one is AMAZING! I’m a very picky reader, especially when it comes to historical fictions, but this blew me out of the water completely. This book is fairly long at 400ish pages but I totally devoured this in 2 days. I can’t get enough!!

Apicius was a rich Roman merchant and famous gourmand who reached the height of his fame during the first century of the Common Era. His dream was to become gastronomic advisor to the Cesar. After his previous cook died of mysterious circumstances, he heard about the slave Thrasius that had just come on the market. Since Thrasius was a cook for one of his rival gourmands, he knew he must make this purchase. King tells this story through the eyes of Thrasius, imagining a relationship that will bring Apicius fame and lead to a collaboration in writing the world's first cookbook, all while navigating the ever changing conspiratorial waters of Roman politics.

What drew me to this book was the idea of the combination of culinary fiction with ancient roman historical fiction. Regarding the latter, many years ago, I read Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" books, which began my fascination with this place and period in history. What amazed me about McCullough's books was the sheer volume of political underhanded dealings and intrigues that surrounded this early model of governance, elements of which still live today in modern democracies. Any historical fiction that takes place during these times must include a good measure of these complexities to be worth its salt. King decided to do this on a micro level by focusing on one family and the members of its household, who happen to have actually been at the eyes of some real major political storms.

As for my love of culinary fiction, of course, Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was an early favorite, but I think my real fascination with this tiny genre started with the obscure 1976 book Someone's Killing the Great Chefs of Europe by Nan and Ivan Lyons. (Trust me; if you can get your hands on a copy, it is a "must-read" for lovers of both culinary fiction and murder mysteries.) That led me to other authors such as Joanne Harris among others, and now it always piques my interest when I see food entwined with a fictional plot. With both of these two things in place, King's debut novel was one I absolutely had to read, and I'm pleased to say that she didn't let me down!

My regular readers will recall that I've always said there's a fine line between just enough and too much information in historical fiction - particularly when it comes to times where there's an abundance of information. As noted above, ancient Rome is certainly one of those instances. King does a commendable job of keeping the facts from overwhelming the fiction here, although I also felt that she could have cut down on some of the crisis that Thrasius and the Apicius family had to overcome. This can lead to a type of rollercoaster effect, which can be a touch tiresome; too many climaxes tend to lessen the impact of them as a whole. However, knowing what King was dealing with here made me feel that this was only a minor problem with this novel. On the other hand, what worked surprisingly well here was King's artful use of smatterings of Latin into the text, without disturbing the flow of the narrative. Mind you, there were some instances where King used phrases that felt a touch too modern for the period (for example, would someone from the 1st century use "okay?").

When it comes to the food parts of this book, King delightfully describes the meals and different types of banquets, including both their distinctive gourmet elements as well as the ostentatious methods of these events, down to the types of napkins they used. Although I already knew that many of the foodstuffs adored by Romans of the time are either unfamiliar or disused today, some of the ingredients could bring about both shock and awe for even the bravest of eaters (like dormouse, for instance). This clearly shows King's massive research here, the crumbs of which (pun intended) she artfully merges into the action, making sure their flavors don't overshadow the plot or the characters themselves. Therefore, regarding the essential elements of the culinary sphere, again King did a laudable job of balancing a high level of accuracy of facts into her fictional imaginings.

However, at its basis, this story belongs to Thrasius, which I might call a multi-faceted love story. We have Thrasius' love of food, cooking, and devising new recipes. We also witness his falling in love with a fellow slave. Furthermore, we see how Thrasius comes to love his master and the members of his family. Shakespeare said, "The course of true love never did run smooth" and so as King developed Thrasius' tale with many obstacles. As a character, Thrasius is is one readers can easily identify with, and will find themselves rooting for him with every barrier in his way, making for a story that will grip us from the start. Together with this, King also didn't hold back with developing the cast of characters surrounding Thrasius, making them no less vibrant and creating a believable and well rounded ensemble. Overall, I felt this novel was simply delectable. If this, King's debut work, is an appetizer of King's talent, we should all hungrily await the courses she has on her forthcoming menus. I think this book deserves an appealing four stars (literary, not Michelin) out of five.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

Released this week: Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King is a superb historical novel set in Ancient Rome.

During the latter years of Augustus’ (and Livia’s) rule and during the reign of Tiberius, a Roman patrician named Marcus Gavius Apicius, one of the earliest known “foodies,” embarks on a project to make himself legendary. Wealthy beyond measure, he has no talent for the usual methods of making a name for oneself in Roman society, and so concentrates on his one particular skill – exquisite entertaining. For this, he purchases a young slave, Thrasius, who has a reputation as a talented cook, paying 20,000 denarii, a ridiculously high sum.

Thrasius proves well worth the investment. Not only is he a remarkable chef and party organizer, but he is astute and literate. Moreover, he’s a good man, which makes this book a pleasure to read.

As a slave, Thrasius is completely dependent on the good will of his master. Apicius is an unpredictable tyrant, making it necessary for Thrasius to measure his words and walk lightly in the household. In his favor, he makes spectacular meals and Apicius’ fame spreads. Ultimately, Apicius hopes to become the gastronomic advisor to the emperor. Unfortunately, obstacles in his way include a former friend and now deadly rival, Octavius, who is in Livia’s favor, and Livia herself, who holds an old grudge against Apicius’ dear friend Fannia. Even worse, he has an enemy in his wife’s cousin, Sejanus, who holds an important position with Tiberius and thus is well placed to thwart Apicius’ rise.

Thrasius works hard to promote his master, knowing that his own future depends on Apicius’ success. Moreover, he falls in love with the personal slave of Apicius’ daughter. Knowing she could be sold or given away at Apicius’ whim, Thrasius must do everything possible to stay on his master’s good side, even while watching Apicius behave in ways that are counterproductive, selfish, and cruel.

The novel is a fascinating look at Rome from a unique perspective. The lush descriptions of the banquet bring the opulence and decadence of the times fully to life. The uncertain lives of slaves and the menace hanging over their patrician masters keep the plot tight and fast paced. Thrasius is heroic as a man with a unique skill attempting to protect those in his sphere as best he can. Apicius is oddly sympathetic as a mediocre man with a narrowly focused ambition, willing to sacrifice everything, even those he loves, in order to be remembered by posterity. King’s story is a convincing portrait of the man. Highly recommended.

A Historical Novel of a Different Type

Most historical novels of this period that I have read are centered on the major persons of that era. Now, Augustus Caesar, his wife, Livia, Tiberius, and Sejanus are integral to this story. This novel tells the story of Marcus Gavius Apicius, a gourmet, whose desire in life is to be the gastronomic advisor to Caesar. I am not a historian with deep knowledge of Roman history, but I am quite familiar with it. I had not heard of a gastronomic advisor to the Caesars. I did a little research on the Internet and there were people who essentially filled that role. I also discovered that Apicius was an actual person who is believed to author a cookbook of Roman recipes. I also found that there was an Apicata, wife of Sejanus, along with Publius Octavius, Apicius’ rival for that advisor position. The author took all of the known interactions in these peoples’ lives with Apicius and what is known of Apicius himself and wove them into an intriguing novel. (Note that the author details the actual people, relationships and the real facts upon which this novel is based in the Author’s Notes at the end of the novel. Don’t read it first and spoil the story!)

The story is told through the eyes of Apicius’s slave and cook, Thasius, who really is the gastronomic expert in the story. It starts with Thasius being sold to Apicius in a slave market in Baiae and progresses with Thasius proving himself as a very skilled cook and Apicius using his skills to rise in fame for giving exquisite gourmet feasts. Apicius faces many threats, especially from Publius Octavius and Livia to his desire to become the gastronomic advisor to Caesar. Once that Apicius had established himself, he moved to Rome to gain his goal where the story continues.

The lives of slaves and patricians were portrayed very realistically. The absolute power of the paterfamilias over his family and slaves comes into play continuously throughout the novel. The dark side of slavery of physical and psychological abuse is alongside the ability of slaves to buy their freedom. The use of these aspects of Roman life is woven into the main story line quite well and adds an excellent feel of reality to the story.

Unfortunately, the story unfolds very slowly. In an attempt to hook the reader’s attention, the author adds some intrigue at the start with Thasius is told by Apicius that his previous cook died by being poisoned and he should eat only what he prepares himself. But, even with this, the story never gripped my attention. It was not until about halfway through the novel that I saw some direction and, finally, synched with the storyline. While I finally became really interested to continue reading, the novel still was not an easy read.

Because this novel did not grip my imagination and did not compel me to continue reading, this novel did not meet my criteria for high star rating. On the other hand, the rich portrayal Roman life and the interactions of the characters helped raise my rating. I give this novel four star rating. If you want an action packed novel, this is not it. If you want a novel that encapsulates ancient Roman life and intrigue, this novel could be for you.

I have received a free kindle version of this novel through NetGalley from Touchstone with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Touchstone for the opportunity to read this novel early.

A Feast of Sorrow captures the beauty, opulence and madness of Rome during the reign of the Caesars. The story is told from the point of view of a slave in the household of Apicius. But, not just any slave. Thrasius is a cook, a coquus, the head of Apicius' kitchen. He makes some of the finest delicacies known and invents new ones.

Apicius is wealthy beyond reason. He has the ability to purchase Thrasius the finest ingredients and the rarest spices. Apicius' dream is to become Caesar's gastronomic adviser. But that position isn't acquired by wealth alone. Political currency and power is the only way forward.

I enjoyed this book not only for the way that King told the story of the nameless people who made Apicius' name known for all time but also for the twists and turns it contains. Feast of Sorrow will shock you, entertain you and, maybe, make you want to try a dormouse.

I am always up for some ancient historical fiction, and Feast of Sorrow fit that niche perfectly. If you enjoy vivid descriptions of food and the fine nuances of Roman decorum, then this is the the book for you.

In brief, Feast of Sorrow tells the story of Thrasius, a young slave sold into the hands of Marcus Gavius Apicius, a man whose main goal is to one day become the gastronomic advisor to Caesar. Thrasius is a talented cook who impressed Apicius, and thus Apicius sees him as the key to helping him attain his ultimate goal.

The first thing that I would like to mention about Feast of Sorrow is how incredibly impressed I was with the historical accuracy in which King constructed Ancient Rome. I've been studying Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome for my entire undergrad career, so it's sometimes frustrating to see authors completely misrepresent these societies. I was endlessly impressed with the some of the details and tidbits she added into every corner of the story that conveyed great historical accuracy. Of course, this book is still fiction so there are many artistic liberties, but I absolutely expect that and am no less impressed.

One of the best parts of this book is the food descriptions. I wanted to eat all of the food, which was thoroughly and vibrantly described. There was so much variety and I loved how much research King obviously went to in order to create such intricate descriptions of the food. It's always surprising to see some of the types of foods the Ancients ate, ranging from delicious to downright unappetizing (in my opinion). The food was also especially fun for me because I have this other book called The Classical Cookbook by Andrew Dalby that has adapted a vast array of Classical foods into slightly more modern recipes--there are also recipes from Apicius, so I had fun looking them up in that book.

This book is told in the first person narrative by our cook, Thrasius. Although Thrasius was a strong narrator and I enjoyed hearing this story from his point of view, I felt like there was too much telling and not even showing. Thrasius is much more of a passive character in this manner, and there are many instances in which I almost forgot that Thrasius was telling the story as his narrative would delve into a complete description or telling of a particular dinner party of Apicius or Apicius' interactions with another person.

Feast of Sorrow is not exactly a fast-paced book, and it certainly dragged in quite a few places. I didn't mind the somewhat leisurely pace of the novel for the most part, but there was certain time periods or scenes that just went on for far too long, and I desperately wanted the story to move on. Each chapter also usually indicates a time jump, which helped to move the story forward. Thrasius' romantic relationship, however, moved too quickly for my taste. I felt that that was one relationship that just didn't quite fit in as well as the rest. Don't get me wrong, I thought they were a great match and their love was beautiful, but the pacing just didn't match up with the rest of the book as well as it could have.

Just about every character was wonderfully developed and held a distinct, interesting personality. Apicius was someone that you want to love and hate; he's intense and not the most sensitive person, but I also wanted to pity him at times because of how badly he simply wanted to achieve his goals, despite the horrid ways he occasionally pulled this off. Thrasius is a gentle man as well, but he also learns to be someone who does not always just roll over for others to walk over. There are also the characters of Passia, Apicata (Apicius' daughter), Aelia (Apicius' wife), and Sotas, all of which were also developed extremely well. My only complaint would be with Apicata, whose daughterly affection for Thrasius seemed slightly out of place at times.

I found the master-slave relationship a little odd at times, as well. The development of understanding between the Apicius and Thrasius grew at a steady pace, but I just felt that the closeness of Thrasius and Apicius' family was a bit too heavy at times. I also found King a little too sympathetic to the upper classes, which I didn't quite think fit into the story or accurately depicted the period. Of course it wasn't easy for the nobles, but I definitely think it wasn't quite as hard as the slaves.

Overall, I have given Feast of Sorrow four stars! This was an extremely well-written and developed novel of Ancient Rome, and I would absolutely recommend it to pretty much anyone.