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Crystal King

Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome

by Crystal King (Author) Format: Hardcover

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Set amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, Crystal King’s seminal debut features the man who inspired the world’s oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction.

On a blistering day in the twenty-sixth year of Augustus Caesar’s reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of twenty thousand denarii. His purchaser is the infamous gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, wealthy beyond measure, obsessed with a taste for fine meals from exotic places, and a singular ambition: to serve as culinary advisor to Caesar, an honor that will cement his legacy as Rome's leading epicure.

Apicius rightfully believes that Thrasius is the key to his culinary success, and with Thrasius’s help he soon becomes known for his lavish parties and fantastic meals. Thrasius finds a family in Apicius’s household, his daughter Apicata, his wife Aelia, and her handmaiden, Passia, with whom Thrasius quickly falls in love. But as Apicius draws closer to his ultimate goal, his reckless disregard for any who might get in his way takes a dangerous turn that threatens his young family and places his entire household at the mercy of the most powerful forces in Rome.

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Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Atria Books
Publication date

April 25, 2017
Dimensions

6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1501145134
ISBN-13

978-1501145131

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The Chef's Secret: A Novel
Crystal King

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"If true gastronomy resides at the intersection of food, art and culture, then Crystal King's debut novel can only be described as a gastronomical delight . . . .Every page oozes with remarkable insights . . . satisfying, but readers are left hungry for more." ― Associated Press

“In her addictively readable first novel . . . the food lore is fascinating and the time period is inherently dramatic . . . .[A]ficionados of all things SPQR will eat this up.” ― Kirkus Reviews

"Finely paced. . . . the novel combines exotic menus with the melodrama of a Greek tragedy. King’s debut is a compelling historical drama with an appetizing center." ― Booklist

"King’s descriptions of the food and entertainment are exquisite, her characters are beautifully drawn, and events and people of the times are deftly woven throughout . . . A delight to the senses, King’s debut novel is to be savored and devoured." ― Library Journal, starred review

“Crystal King's debut is a feast for the senses, bringing ancient Rome to dark, vibrant life. Politics, intrigue, danger, and passion mix deliciously in this tale of a young slave vaulted into the corridors of power as personal chef to the ancient world's greatest gourmet. Not to be missed!” -- Kate Quinn, author of Mistress of Rome

"Sometimes you just want a big, fat, juicy read and Crystal King’s debut novel fits the bill. . . . Romance, power, politics and mouth-watering meals described in detail. . . . We think we’ve just discovered the Food Channel’s first miniseries." ― The Huffington Post

“Through the lens of a slave in ancient Rome, Crystal King illuminates a realm of seemingly impossible gluttony and excess, along with every other deadly sin. In the household of outrageous gourmand Apicius, he of extraordinarily decadent mores, one man, a slave, Thrasius, provides the sole ethical center.Feast of Sorrow is impossible to put down.”

-- Randy Susan Meyers, bestselling author of Accidents of Marriage

"Crystal King’s debut novel, Feast of Sorrow,tells the story of Apicius, the notorious gourmand of ancient Rome, from the viewpoint of his slave and cook Thrasius. It’s a dark and engrossing read, and provides an evocative new perspective on the rule of Tiberius." -- Emily Hauser, author of For the Most Beautiful

"Crystal King has written a delicious feast of a book, one that allows us to not only see, but also taste ancient Rome in all its dark and varied appetites." -- Yael Goldstein Love, author of Overture

"The historical world of Feast of Sorrow lives and breathes, and it is a delight to follow its characters’ struggle for happiness and survival amidst the simmering peril of Rome’s great houses. Even if you’re not a foodie drawn to novels of ancient Rome, this immersive, sensorily rich page-turner will take you for a delicious and unforgettable ride." -- Tim Weed, author of Will Poole’s Island

‘An engaging foray into the treacherous world of Claudio-Julian Rome from a fresh perspective. Who knew that the gourmand Apicius was larger than life? King deftly serves up intrigue, scandal and heartbreak with lashings of exotic sauces, mouth-watering recipes and the occasional drop of poison. Highly recommended.” -- Elisabeth Storrs, author of the series Tales of Ancient Rome

"The ancient Rome of Crystal King’s Feast of Sorrow is filled with delectable dishes and astonishing injustice, deep loyalties and stunning loss. By the time you’re done, you’ll want a sip of honeyed water alongside some fried hyacinth bulbs. An engrossing read." -- Marjan Kamali, author of Together Tea

“Ancient Rome comes alive with a remarkable degree of immediacy and authenticity. I savored every page of this compulsively readable novel.” -- Lisa Borders, author of The Fifty First State

"King excels at researching a historical period, and her knowledge of the culinary life of early imperial Rome is second to none. When Thrasius cooks up a particular recipe for one of Apicius’ extravagant dinners, the reader’s mouth waters, even when the ingredients are unfamiliar. By recreating Apicius’ famous recipes, the world of ancient Rome comes to vivid, sparkling life." ― BookReporter

"Upstairs/downstairs drama meets food porn meets historical fiction." ― Epicurious

“Crystal King seamlessly weaves questions about power, morality, and family into this completely immersive and compulsively readable debut.” -- Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana and A World on Fire

“A plunge into the ancient Roman world in all its senses—especially taste. But the character studies of the people are even tastier than the recipes! A Roman feast on many levels, all delicious.” -- Margaret George

About the Author

Crystal King is a writer, culinary enthusiast and social media expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and an obsession with the food, language and culture of Italy. She has taught writing, creativity and social media at Grub Street and several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University. Crystal received her masters in critical and creative thinking from University of Massachusetts Boston. She lives with her husband and their two cats in the Boston area.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 25, 2017
Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501145134
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501145131
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #1,942,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,020 in Family Saga Fiction
- #10,316 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #24,767 in Historical Fiction (Books)
Customer Reviews:
(444)

About the author

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Crystal King

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Crystal King is the author of IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS, THE CHEF'S SECRET, and FEAST OF SORROW, which was long-listed for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and was a Must Read for the MassBook Awards. She is an author, culinary enthusiast, and marketing expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy. She has taught classes in writing, creativity, and social media at several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University, as well as at GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US. A Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her MA in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res. She resides in Boston.

You can find her at crystalking dot com.

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Customer reviews

444 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this historical novel engaging and captivating from start to finish, with a rich plot full of twists and turns. They appreciate the extraordinary command of Roman culinary culture and history, and how it seamlessly interweaves fictional and historical characters. The book receives praise for its well-researched content and writing style, with one customer noting its sensual and earthy prose.

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48 customers mention readability, 48 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable and a must-read, describing it as a sumptuous feast for readers.

...Great read, part history, part mystery.Read more

...A great read.Read more

...Still, in all a good read. One more word!Read more

...something out of my normal historical romances and I found I really liked this book and found it to be a refreshing changeRead more

46 customers mention content, 42 positive, 4 negative

Customers find the book impressive and highly recommend it, describing it as a brilliant debut novel.

Great bookRead more

I loved this book. So well written. Beautiful prose. Great story. I love books about Rome, but the cooking path it took was just fantastic.Read more

...I highly recommend Feast of Sorrow to everyone, but especially epicurians, who will find it particularly intriguing....Read more

Five StarsRead more

30 customers mention story, 29 positive, 1 negative

Customers find the book's story rich and engaging, with plenty of twists and turns, and one customer mentions feeling the intrigue of Roman patrician society and its dangers.

I loved this book. So well written. Beautiful prose. Great story. I love books about Rome, but the cooking path it took was just fantastic.Read more

...Feast of Sorrow is a fascinating story and well told.Read more

...based on an ancient Roman gourmand, Feast of Sorrow proved a captivating tale told by a sympathetic central character. A movie soon?Read more

...The story moved at a good pace, the characters were believable, and I was moved by some of their experiences....Read more

28 customers mention informative, 28 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book informative, praising its great historical description and extraordinary command of Roman culinary culture and history, with one customer noting the detailed portrayal of daily life in ancient times.

Most enjoyable! Having taught Latin, I think it's well-researched and as factual as fiction can be.Read more

...you're a foodie, you simply can't miss reading this detailed, well researched, intoxicating story of the first foodie, Marcus Gavius Apicius.Read more

Excellent historical fiction from the days of Cesar Augustus and Tiberius....Read more

...Great read, part history, part mystery.Read more

24 customers mention character development, 22 positive, 2 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting how it seamlessly blends fictional and historical figures, with one customer highlighting the well-realized desires and fears of Apicus and Thrasius.

...audio version is read by Simon Vance who does a fantastic job of bring King's characters to life....Read more

...The story moved at a good pace, the characters were believable, and I was moved by some of their experiences....Read more

...Well written, with good characters.Read more

Beautifully told with unforgettable characters....Read more

20 customers mention writing quality, 19 positive, 1 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting the extensive research that went into its creation. One customer describes the prose as sensual and earthy.

Joyous, Sorrowful and Captivating...I could not put it down. Beautifully written, you will feel as though you have been transported to Ancient Rome....Read more

...It is so well written and the characters so well developed that you feel you are participating in their very lives and eating at every feast....Read more

...A fantastic debut from a marvelous writer!Read more

...He writes a cookbook for his master, who takes credit for it. Well written, with good characters.Read more

13 customers mention engaging, 13 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, with several noting they were captivated from start to finish, and one mentioning they stayed up through the wee hours to find out what happens next.

Joyous, Sorrowful and Captivating...I could not put it down. Beautifully written, you will feel as though you have been transported to Ancient Rome....Read more

...There is intrigue, relationships, and the plot moves. I couldn't put the book down once I started.Read more

...I read this in three days and enjoyed every page.Read more

Well written with lots of intrigue.Read more

9 customers mention engrossing, 9 positive, 0 negative

Customers find the book engrossing, with several mentioning they could not put it down.

...There is intrigue, relationships, and the plot moves. I couldn't put the book down once I started.Read more

Joyous, Sorrowful and Captivating...I could not put it down. Beautifully written, you will feel as though you have been transported to Ancient Rome....Read more

...I couldn't put it down! Not only did I learn how the Romans dined at huge dinners, but could almost taste the sumptuous food described....Read more

...the story and the characters to life, and I found myself unable to put the book down....Read more

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