Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore
A Novel
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3.8 • 16 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
"A bravura performance: a witty, moving, sexy book that bursts with as much color and excitement as the city of Constantinople itself." -Financial Times
Roman historian Procopius publicly praised Theodora of Constantinople for her piety-while secretly detailing her salacious stage act and maligning her as ruthless and power hungry. So who was this woman who rose from humble beginnings as a dancer to become the empress of Rome and a saint in the Orthodox Church? Award-winning novelist Stella Duffy vividly recreates the life and times of a woman who left her mark on one of the ancient world's most powerful empires. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore is a sexy, captivating novel that resurrects an extraordinary, little-known figure from the dusty pages of history.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Duffy's seductive retelling of the story of the legendary empress Theodora will delight historical fiction fans. Introduced into a life of performing for the people of Constantinople, Theodora, a bear-keeper's daughter, steals the limelight as an alluring child actress. Trained as a child prostitute, Theodora wanders throughout Europe and Persia in search of happiness and success while exploiting her racy talents, but nothing quite prepares her for becoming empress alongside Byzantium's Emperor Justinian. Her magnificent comeback in her native Constantinople allows her to face the people who once shunned her, and they begin to see her in a new, respectful light. Duffy (The Room of Lost Things) presents a portrait of a woman who rose from misfortune and poverty to build an empire alongside a devoted husband.
