Catherine's life is set on an unexpected
course when she accepts a job at Radium Dial. The dial painters forge friendships
and enjoy their work but soon discover that an evil secret lurks in the magical
glow-in-the-dark paint. When she and her friends start falling ill, Catherine
Donohoe takes on the might of a big corporation and becomes an early pioneer of
social justice in the era between world wars.
Emotive and inspiring - this book will
touch you like no other as you witness the devastating impact of radium
poisoning on young women's lives.
It's too late for me, but maybe it will
help some of the others.
This title is available to read on
#KindleUnlimited.
Writer, history enthusiast, and sufferer of
wanderlust, Samantha enjoys exploring the lives of historical figures through
research and travel. She strives to reveal the deep emotions and motivations of
historical figures, enabling readers to connect with them in a unique way.
Samantha is an American writer with British roots and proud mother of three
amazing young adults. She can frequently be found lakeside with a book in one
hand and glass of wine in the other.
Samantha's most recent release is a biography of
James Alexander Hamilton published by Pen & Sword History. She is currently
writing a trilogy set during the Wars of the Roses for Sapere Books.
Rome. The jewel of the civilized world is no longer what it was. Strength has failed the Senate. Her legions are in disarray, and the Empire has fallen into Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Nero’s hands. His reign begins under a cloud of scrutiny, for he is the depraved Emperor Caligula’s nephew. Nero is determined to overcome that stigma and carve a name of his own. One worthy of Rome’s illustrious history.
Politics and treachery threaten to end Nero’s reign before it begins, forcing him to turn to unexpected sources for friendship and help. Many of the Praetorian Guard have watched over Nero since he was a small child, and it is in Traian that the young Emperor places his trust, despite the inherent threat of reducing his mother’s influence. Traian is the father he never had and the one man who does not judge him.
When Traian secretly marries the hostage Vena, it sets in motion a collision of values as Traian comes to odds with his former charge. The whirlwind that follows will shake the very foundations of the greatest Empire the world has ever known, and survival is far from guaranteed.
The sound of rumbling thunder caused Nero to rush to his bedchamber, where he shut the door behind him. He fell onto the bed, holding pillows over his ears and muffling the sounds that caused the hairs on his arms to stand. He closed his eyes tightly, not wishing to see the lightning striking across the blackened sky. His body stiffened when his garments moved. Nero screamed, believing a snake had slithered across his torso, as the bed hangings flapped in the wind.
Agrippina’s apparition appeared before him, close enough to touch. Nero stepped back, his fearful eyes gazing upon Octavia’s bloodied head with scorpions crawling out of her eye sockets.
“Leave me be, begone; I command you!” Nero said.
The specters followed him, getting closer and closer. He felt his mother’s fingernails scratching the side of his face, her mouth close to his, spitting venom onto his tongue. Serpents slipped up his bare legs and wrapped themselves around his chest, constricting his breathing.
“Let go of me!”
Nero pulled the cloth away from his chest, his breathing quick and erratic. His heart beat rapidly, his skin wet and clammy. He fell to the floor, kicking his feet, his hands flying about. The Emperor hit his head against a nearby table, causing loss of consciousness as roaring thunder forcefully shook the earth.
Multi-genre award-winning author, Mary Ann Bernal, is a family-oriented community activist participating in programs supporting the United States military. A guest on The Morning Blend television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS affiliate in Omaha, Mary Ann was also interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her achievements.
All of Mary Ann’s novels and short story collections are dedicated to fallen military heroes who gave their lives defending our freedom. A prolific writer originally hailing from New York, Mary Ann now resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, and has traveled for pleasure and research to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, and Greece.
Rome.
The jewel of the civilized world is no longer what it was. Strength has failed
the Senate. Her legions are in disarray, and the Empire has fallen into Lucius
Domitius Ahenobarbus Nero’s hands. His reign begins under a cloud of scrutiny,
for he is the depraved Emperor Caligula’s nephew. Nero is determined to
overcome that stigma and carve a name of his own. One worthy of Rome’s
illustrious history.
Politics
and treachery threaten to end Nero’s reign before it begins, forcing him to
turn to unexpected sources for friendship and help. Many of the Praetorian
Guard have watched over Nero since he was a small child, and it is in Traian
that the young Emperor places his trust, despite the inherent threat of
reducing his mother’s influence. Traian is the father he never had and the one
man who does not judge him.
When
Traian secretly marries the hostage Vena, it sets in motion a collision of
values as Traian comes to odds with his former charge. The whirlwind that
follows will shake the very foundations of the greatest Empire the world has
ever known, and survival is far from guaranteed.
The sound of rumbling thunder caused Nero to rush to his
bedchamber, where he shut the door behind him. He fell onto the bed, holding
pillows over his ears and muffling the sounds that caused the hairs on his arms
to stand. He closed his eyes tightly, not wishing to see the lightning striking
across the blackened sky. His body stiffened when his garments moved. Nero
screamed, believing a snake had slithered across his torso, as the bed hangings
flapped in the wind.
Agrippina’s apparition appeared before him, close enough to touch.
Nero stepped back, his fearful eyes gazing upon Octavia’s bloodied head with
scorpions crawling out of her eye sockets.
“Leave me be, begone; I command you!” Nero said.
The specters followed him, getting closer and closer. He felt his
mother’s fingernails scratching the side of his face, her mouth close to his,
spitting venom onto his tongue. Serpents slipped up his bare legs and wrapped
themselves around his chest, constricting his breathing.
“Let go of me!”
Nero pulled the cloth away from his chest, his breathing quick and
erratic. His heart beat rapidly, his skin wet and clammy. He fell to the floor,
kicking his feet, his hands flying about. The Emperor hit his head against a
nearby table, causing loss of consciousness as roaring thunder forcefully shook
the earth.
Multi-genre award-winning author, Mary Ann Bernal, is a
family-oriented community activist participating in programs supporting the
United States military. A guest on The Morning Blend television show hosted by
KMTV, the CBS affiliate in Omaha, Mary Ann was also interviewed by the Omaha
World-Herald for her achievements.
All of Mary Ann’s novels and short story collections are dedicated
to fallen military heroes who gave their lives defending our freedom. A
prolific writer originally hailing from New York, Mary Ann now resides in
Elkhorn, Nebraska, and has traveled for pleasure and research to the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, and Greece.
SHE IS GOING TO BE
THE GREATEST ORATOR OF THE CIVIL WAR
Eighteen-year-old
Anna Dickinson is nothing like the women around her, and she knows it. Gifted
with a powerful voice, a razor-sharp wit, and unbounded energy, the diminutive
curlyhead sets out to surpass the men of her day as she rails against slavery and
pushes for women’s rights. Only two things can bring her downfall—the
entangling love she has for her devoted companion, Julia, and an assassin’s
bullet.
Forced to accompany
the fiery young orator on her speaking tour of New England, Julia Pennington fights
her growing attraction to the ever more popular celebrity. When a traitor sets
out to assassinate Anna, Julia must risk her life to save her.
Loosely based on the life of forgotten
orator, feminist, and lesbian, Anna Dickinson, That Dickinson Girl is the story of one woman’s rise to fame and
fortune at the expense of love during the political and social turmoil of the
American Civil War.
An earlier version of That Dickinson
Girl was a finalist in the Mslexia Novel Competition.
Half an hour
later, Anna gave her signature bow and released the shivers she’d stoppered
inside. They’d survived another day.
“You shortened
the speech,” Julia said, hastening to her with her shawl and coat.
“Bah.
Their minuscule brains couldn’t handle more.” Julia helped her into her coat.
Anna buttoned it up. “I am getting tired of facing down these Copperhead snakes
at every speech.” She glanced at Julia. The girl’s lips were blue with cold.
“Let’s find you a nice warm fire.”
“There should
be one at the hotel.” Julia tugged on her cape and draped Anna’s shawl over her
shoulders.
Anna looped
arms with her, and together they walked out of the church. On the threshold,
they halted under the sheltering overhang. Rain still poured down. From the
mountain of coal waste shadowing the town, a froth of gray black culm ran down
the road and gathered around the step. Anna clamped her teeth together and
slowly lifted her skirts.
“Wait.” A hand
brushed her sleeve.
“Yes?” She
turned and discovered a man shorter than herself peering up at her. Wrapped in
a plaid cloth, he stood round-shouldered, his face a patchwork of leathery
skin, gray eyes, and grizzled beard.
“Dear lady, I’d
come to curse you, I did. I firmly believe a woman’s place is in the home.
Well, but now I’ve aheard you, and I think surely God has sent you, an angel
out of heaven, to fight for justice.”
He paused, his
tongue sweeping over his lips, as if testing to see if the words were really
his. “Ain’t an educated man. Ain’t seen the world. Spent my days in the dark
well of the mine where thinking too hard puts you on the blacklist. But believe
me; I never heard anyone speak like you did today. You’re not like those
politicians. Heard you punch out at evil and wrong. Heard you agree that
allowing the rich to pay their way out of the draft is unfair.”
He looked away,
not at the town, but at the sky. “You should understand why we’re angry. The
miners here, when they’re drafted, their little boys and their old, bent
fathers must go into the mine to keep food on the table. But today, you’ve made
me see a broader view—why we must win this war.”
He scowled.
“But miss, I envy the slave and the soldier lucky to have your voice speaking
out for them. So, I made a prayer back there to God.” He pointed back inside
the church. “Someday … someday soon, when the war be done and over, you come
back here and use that voice from the angels to fight for a better life for us
miners. Will you please?”
“Justice is my
mission. Worker’s rights, people’s rights, my cause.” Anna put a hand on either
side of his head, bent over, and bestowed a kiss on his pate. She straightened
up. “When I return, I will visit your—”
Splat.
Wood splintered
behind her.
Anna spun
around and slapped at her hair.
A look of
horror flashed across the miner’s face. “Down.” He dropped to the ground and
crawled back into the church.
“Get down,”
Julia echoed and thrust Anna onto the muddy steps, covering her body with hers.
“Someone shot at you.”
“No. Let me
up.” Anna rolled out from under Julia’s weight and staggered to her feet. “I
will not cower.”
Another shot
passed over her head and struck the frame of the church door. Chips of molding
flew up like startled birds. The noise reverberated off the clapboard houses
that tipped up and down the street and echoed through the hills.
Her body went
numb with the sound then rebounded like a soldier under fire, full of heat,
primed to kill or to run. Anna squinted into the rain, searching for her
attacker, aware that she and Julia stood exposed. She called out, her voice
sharper than any saber, “Cowards! Hiding behind a gun. Come out and face me.”
She spread her arms out wide and descended the steps. If they thought she would
turn and flee, she’d never be allowed on the platform again. No one worshipped
a victim. “Are you afraid of me? A girl?”
An award-winning author who loves mentoring writers, Joan
blends her love of history, and romance, into historical novels about women who
shouldn’t be forgotten and into romantic thrillers under
the pen name, Zara West. She is the author of the award-winning romantic
suspense series The Skin Quartet and the top-selling Write for Success series.
Rome. The jewel of the civilized world is no longer what it
was. Strength has failed the Senate. Her legions are in disarray, and the
Empire has fallen into Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Nero’s hands. His reign
begins under a cloud of scrutiny, for he is the depraved Emperor Caligula’s
nephew. Nero is determined to overcome that stigma and carve a name of his own.
One worthy of Rome’s illustrious history.
Politics and treachery threaten to end Nero’s reign before
it begins, forcing him to turn to unexpected sources for friendship and help.
Many of the Praetorian Guard have watched over Nero since he was a small child,
and it is in Traian that the young Emperor places his trust, despite the
inherent threat of reducing his mother’s influence. Traian is the father he
never had and the one man who does not judge him.
When Traian secretly marries the hostage Vena, it sets in
motion a collision of values as Traian comes to odds with his former charge.
The whirlwind that follows will shake the very foundations of the greatest
Empire the world has ever known, and survival is far from guaranteed.
Vena invited Traian to spend the day with her, exploring the
city. She knew the men guarding her would welcome the respite. Vena wanted to
find the caves without involving the baker. They could explore the hills during
the day when the Christians were elsewhere. Hopefully, the fish symbol would be
engraved near the entrance.
Not wishing to arouse suspicion, Vena suggested they visit
the Emperor’s gardens or the nearby meadow. Their voices would not be
overheard, nor would they be readily seen.
After leaving the palace, Vena pulled Traian’s hand, running
toward the open fields filled with knee-high grass and wildflowers. The wind
carried her laughter across the landscape as she twirled around, her arms
swaying, a captivating creature who Traian desired. Vena ran towards the hills,
beckoning him to follow, stopping when reaching a stream. Sitting on a rock,
she waved, shouting his name.
“Where did you learn to run like that?” Traian asked, out of
breath.
“My brother and I used to race, and I always won! He did not
let me. I was faster.”
“Have you word of your brother?”
“My brother has forgotten me. I would like my freedom, but I
no longer have a home to return to.”
“Vena, you know I care for you deeply, and I would secure
your freedom if I could. My father might be able to help.”
He held Vena’s hand, kissing the tip of her fingers, his
lips seeking hers. But Vena turned away.
“I promised only my husband would touch me. I cannot do
this.”
Vena started to rise, but Traian pulled her onto his lap.
“I want you for my wife. I will speak to Claudius.”
“I fear we would be separated if you spoke prematurely. I do
have feelings for you, but we must wait and tell no one.”
“Why are we here, Vena? What are you looking for?”
Vena draped her arms around his neck, resting her forehead
against his. His hands encircled her waist, pressing her closer.
“You can trust me, Vena. What is it?”
Songbirds chirped in the distance. A soft breeze ruffled the
frothy waves pouring over the stones. The beauty of creation warmed Vena’s
soul, alleviating her fears, giving her the courage to reveal her faith to the
man she had fallen in love with, despite all her protests.
“I would go to the fields and listen to the stories of
Jesus. The prophets spoke of the Kingdom of God. They taught us to love each
other as brothers and sisters, to forgive transgressions, to live as Christ
did. I received instruction and was baptized before the rebellion. My father
and brother never knew. I pretended to worship the gods as before, which
weighed heavily on my conscience. I was weak and feared persecution. I asked
you here to help me find the caves where the Christians pray. They come before
first light or at the end of the day. Will you search with me?”
“Vena, I lived among the Christian slaves when I was in
Calabria. I have witnessed their baptisms and listened to their prayers, but I
do not believe in their God. I will keep your secret and accompany you when we
can slip away unnoticed.”
“Traian, I know not our fate, but I do love you and want to
be your wife.”
•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨) ✮ ( ¸.•´✶
Awards
2021 Book of the Year
Gold Medal Historical Fiction
Ancient World The Coffee Pot Book
Club
Silver Medal Winner
Historical Fiction
Reviewer’s Choice
Awards 2021-2022 Reader
Views
B.R.A.G. Medallion
Award Honoree*
Mary Ann Bernal
Mary Ann Bernal attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY,
where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary
aspirations were ultimately realized when the first book of The Briton and the
Dane novels was published in 2009. In addition to writing historical fiction,
Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the
Scribbler Tales series and a science fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary
Wars Rise of an Empire. Her recent work includes Crusader’s Path, a redemption
story set against the backdrop of the First Crusade, and Forgiving Nero, a
novel of Ancient Rome.
Since Operation Desert Storm, Mary Ann has been a passionate
supporter of the United States military, having been involved with letter-writing
campaigns and other support programs. She appeared on The Morning Blend
television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in Omaha, and was
interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her volunteer work. She has been a
featured author on various reader blogs and promotional sites.
Rome. The jewel of the civilized world is no longer what it
was. Strength has failed the Senate. Her legions are in disarray, and the
Empire has fallen into Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Nero’s hands. His reign
begins under a cloud of scrutiny, for he is the depraved Emperor Caligula’s
nephew. Nero is determined to overcome that stigma and carve a name of his own.
One worthy of Rome’s illustrious history.
Politics and treachery threaten to end Nero’s reign before
it begins, forcing him to turn to unexpected sources for friendship and help.
Many of the Praetorian Guard have watched over Nero since he was a small child,
and it is in Traian that the young Emperor places his trust, despite the
inherent threat of reducing his mother’s influence. Traian is the father he
never had and the one man who does not judge him.
When Traian secretly marries the hostage Vena, it sets in
motion a collision of values as Traian comes to odds with his former charge.
The whirlwind that follows will shake the very foundations of the greatest
Empire the world has ever known, and survival is far from guaranteed.
1497. Daring to defy a Tudor king is pure folly! She’s the
daughter of a lord in rebellious Cornwall. He’s the son of a disgraced earl
recently released from the Tower of London. Determined to make the Howard
family great again. Can their secret love survive against such odds?
And so the story begins….
Meet the Howards. Thomas is the Earl of Surrey. Soldier.
Statesman. Courtier. Head of one of the most powerful families in England. A
keeper of secrets hidden behind castle walls. Heady places of ambition,
intrigue, and lovers’ trysts.
Be dazzled by the dancing, drama, and display in Tudor
England, Stewart Scotland, Valois France, and The Habsburg Empire.
Born in historic Winchester, England, Vivienne has been
passionate about the Tudors for as long as she can remember. This led to a
degree in Medieval History and a growing desire to write a historical novel.
Words have always played an important part in her life, whether writing,
editing, teaching English, or just picking up a good book.
In preparation for her Tudor series, she did an enormous
amount of research: reading, visiting historic buildings, art galleries, with
the odd joust or two thrown in! She even mastered several Tudor recipes which
are included in her novel. Seeing 'A Phoenix Rising', Book One of 'The House of
the Red Duke' in print for the first time was a moment of great joy for her.
She hopes that anyone reading it will enjoy the end result as much as she
enjoyed writing it.
Mary Ann Bernal Whispering Legends Press (2021) ISBN: 9798590150465 Reviewed by Chelsy Scherba for Reader Views (10/2021)
“Forgiving Nero” by Mary Ann Bernal is a fictional account of the life of Nero, Emperor of Rome. As a Praetorian Guard, Traian has looked after Nero ever since he was a small child, protecting him from assassins and treating him like a son. Vena, a hostage to the current Emperor Claudius, and a Christian hiding her faith, is the woman Nero calls “mother.” When Nero finds himself on the Roman throne, he rejects the council of those he once held dear and discovers his newfound power has given him the status of a god. With only treachery and corruption surrounding him, Nero’s former friends and allies can only watch his spiraling descent into debauchery and evil.
When reading historical fiction, I like to learn a lot about the time period and feel immersed in the era. Happily, this book achieves both of those goals. The author brings to life a vast array of characters and events that happened in the life of Nero. Since Nero was the template for the coming antichrist, I found it very interesting to learn more about the person Nero was both during and prior to his role in sentencing Christians to horrific deaths, including that of Paul the apostle.
The writing flows effortlessly between the viewpoints of each of the characters, telling a clear narrative that is easy to follow and rather difficult to put down. At almost 300 pages, it usually takes me over a week to read a book of that length, but I finished this book in about 3 1/2 days. This is a testament to the author’s narrative style and ability to hold my interest. I also found it very interesting to discover how Vena was able to conceal her faith while worshiping Jesus Christ in secret amongst Paul the apostle and her Christian brethren. Nero’s persecution of the Christians was of particular interest to me, and a prevalent subplot of the story as Vena, Acte (Nero’s childhood friend and slave), and Traian grapple with this new religious faith.
I also really enjoyed how the author portrayed Emperor Claudius and the manipulative women in his life. Agrippina was particularly intriguing as to the lengths she would go to get her son Nero on the throne. Claudius’s daughter, Octavia, was a tragic pawn, and Poppaea emerges to challenge Agrippina for control of Emperor Nero. Playing out much like the Greek tragedies Nero enjoyed acting in, his life and the lives of those surrounding him were full of death, mistrust, agony, cruelty, and murder.
If you love Roman history, this book should delight you. Although Nero’s and his family’s wickedness is not sugarcoated, it is not described in a way that is lewd or gratifying. I still recommend this book to adults only, but there was nothing I found too difficult to read, overly explicit, or offensive. The author does an excellent job remaining neutral and presenting each viewpoint factually and without bias. Therefore, regardless of your personal beliefs, you should be able to enjoy this book and make your own conclusions without feeling led to view Nero one way or the other.
Rome. The jewel of the civilized world is no longer what it was. Strength has failed the Senate. Her legions are in disarray, and the Empire has fallen into Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Nero’s hands. His reign begins under a cloud of scrutiny, for he is the depraved Emperor Caligula’s nephew. Nero is determined to overcome that stigma and carve a name of his own. One worthy of Rome’s illustrious history. Politics and treachery threaten to end Nero’s reign before it begins, forcing him to turn to unexpected sources for friendship and help. Many of the Praetorian Guard have watched over Nero since he was a small child, and it is in Traian that the young Emperor places his trust, despite the inherent threat of reducing his mother’s influence. Traian is the father he never had and the one man who does not judge him. When Traian secretly marries the hostage Vena, it sets in motion a collision of values as Traian comes to odds with his former charge. The whirlwind that follows will shake the very foundations of the greatest Empire the world has ever known, and survival is far from guaranteed.
I am Nero. And I am your Emperor.
Ruthless, ambitious, and determined to secure her position, Agrippina saw an opportunity and took it. Her son, Lucius, would become Emperor, and she cared not who she had to step over or kill to achieve that aim. Once her son had been named Emperor, Agrippina was determined to use his youth to her advantage, and rule through him. But she failed to see the danger of what she had created.
Traian Aelius Protacius had been assigned to protect Lucius when he had been a young, frightened boy in exile in Calabria. Lucius had been a compassionate child, a little boy desperate for love. But now, as a man, he was unrecognisable. His reign had started with such promise, but there was nothing of the boy in the Emperor who stood before him now. Traian would remain loyal to Nero—as he now liked to be called. He would be the one constant. He could not abandon him, no matter what he did, and yet nor could he save him. Instead, all he could do was watch while Nero rapidly turned away from his trusted advisors and instead listened to those who fed his ego, who bowed to his every whim, and who treated him like a god.
Deep down Nero knew that his hold on the throne would always be precarious. For in truth, the throne, like the laurel upon his head, was never meant to be his...
From a fearful young boy’s first night in the Imperial Palace to his descent into madness, Forgiving Nero by Mary Ann Bernal is the unforgettable story of one of the Roman Empire’s most notorious Emperors.
Nero is one of the infamous emperors whose history has been dictated by those who wanted to see his downfall. History, after all, is not written by the loser. Bernal does not pretend that Nero was a beloved emperor, but nor does she make him quite as monstrous as we have all been led to believe. He is a competent administrator; he takes advice from learned men such as Seneca, and although he is also greatly influenced by his mother in this story, Nero is compassionate when compassion allows. History has often accused Nero of causing the Great Fire of Rome so that he could build his ‘golden house’, but Bernal argues quite rightly that this was not the case at all, and in fact, he helped those who had lost their homes—it just so happened that the fire meant he could build his palace, which in turn meant he needed money and was not afraid to demand it! Bernal has also given us a Nero who is not opposed to murder, nor is he opposed to persecution. Someone had to take the blame for the Great Fire, and the Christians just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I thought Bernal’s depiction of Nero’s mental health, especially his guilt at some of the things he had done, demonstrated her understanding of human fragility and how easy it is to travel down a path of self-destruction. His childlike behaviour in Greece, his instance on winning the laurels at the Olympic Games, caused his sanity and, therefore, his rule to be questioned. He acted like a spoilt child, and he was, consequently, seen as such. But underneath it all, Bernal hints there is still a frightened little boy who just wants to be held by his mother and told that everything would be alright. Bernal has taken the historical sources and picked through the myths and the lies, and has given her readers a more rounded view of Nero and his time as emperor.
The antagonist in this novel is surprisingly not Nero but his mother. Agrippina was a survivor. She had been abused but had somehow managed to turn the tables and come out on top. She used her beauty, intelligence and her ruthless ambition to achieve her aim. I thought Agrippina’s depiction was fabulously portrayed. She is this powerful woman, who not only influenced her son but allowed him to be convinced that he was divine. Unfortunately, Agrippina made the terrible mistake of thinking she could control this monstrous man she had shaped and created. Agrippina was a character that initially I felt sorry for because of the abuse she had endured, and perhaps, to some extent, that abuse explained some of her behaviour - she wants to be in a position of power so that such a thing can never happen again. However, her lack of empathy, the lies, the manipulation of information, and how she makes her son dependent on her made for some disturbing reading. The abused becomes the abuser, and Bernal asks her readers if Nero ever stood a chance to become the man he wanted to become. And in fact, there are several moments in this novel where Nero realises that the boy he was, Lucius, has been devoured by this monstrous Nero that his mother had fashioned in her image.
Honour and loyalty is a theme that runs throughout this novel. Nero’s benevolent nature and youthful desire to change the world came through on the odd occasion, such as when he helps those in need after the Great Fire. On such occasions, he behaves honourably. But there are moments when his extravagance and debauchery and his belief that he rules by Divine right means he loses track of what is honourable and what is not. He becomes confused, baffled even, as to what he is meant to be doing. He believes that he rules supreme and everyone should bow down to him. He demands loyalty, which history teaches us and Bernal shows us, never ends well.
Unlike Nero, who struggles throughout this book with what is right and what is wrong, Traian does his very best to be an honourable person, and although at times he is disloyal, not to Nero, never to him, but to another that he loves, he takes that act of disloyalty and does his best to learn from it, which I think demonstrated how vastly different Traian was to Nero. Acte, much like Traian, remains loyal to the memory of Lucius the boy and that memory she would never betray. Nero is surrounded by good people in this novel, but he is influenced by the wicked because those who wish him well, who want to help guide him to follow the right path, fear that if they upset him or his mother, they could forfeit their lives.
Religion and religious persecution are also explored in this story. Initially, the Christians are tolerated, to an extent. Through characters such as Vena, Bernal examines the dangers of practising a faith that differed so very much from Roman theology. Paul of Tarsus makes several cameo appearances in this novel, and his beliefs put him at odds with the Empire. The slaughter of the Christians after the Great Fire was incredibly harrowing, but masterfully drawn.
This story demanded all of my attention from beginning to end. The narrative was utterly enthralling, and Bernal told Nero’s story with a keen understanding of what makes history worth reading. Bernal has brought Nero back to life, and she has explored that life with a profound sweep and brilliance.
Bernal writes with such elegance and authority, not to mention with a keen attention to the historical detail, that a reader can comfortably immerse themselves in this story. Forgiving Nero by Mary Ann Bernal is a must-read for anyone who enjoys quality Historical Fiction.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde. The Coffee Pot Book Club
Mary Ann Bernal attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary aspirations were ultimately realized when the first book of The Briton and the Dane novels was published in 2009. In addition to writing historical fiction, Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales series and a science fiction novel entitled Planetary Wars: Rise of an Empire. Originally hailing from New York, Mary Ann now resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska.
