Harris is interesting in his treatment of the women characters. In a story primarily set in the Senate, in the senator's studies and the streets, they can't be central, and Tiro doesn't often see them in detail, but the portrait of Terentia, Cicero's wife, no paragon of virtue, but an intelligent, strong-minded, often independent woman is an attractive one.
In the shadow of The Ghost, it is tempting to read this as yet another view on British politics. Yet if there's one real lesson from it — which applies very clearly to the present moment, although the first man to which it should apply, Gordon Brown or David Cameron, is not yet known, is the dictum attributed to Enoch Powell — "all political careers end in failure."
Given that as I write this I'm preparing to stand for the Westminster parliament, I might take that as depressing — but I'd rather take away a slightly different Ciceronian message — that you've got to try, and put your heart and soul into the effort. And be prepared to fail...
Article comments
1 - ThePrince
I am a big fan of Harris and read and liked all of his previous books - but this one didn't live up to those. It suffers from being a first person narrative - Tiro has to tell us constantly how he knows things and ahs been places he shouldn't. And the plot is dull - Cicero saves the Republic - but we all know it isn't saved. Yes I see the irony - but irony never can replace drama in a work of historical fiction.