Book Club: I, Claudius, Robert Graves (1934)

The 14th best novel on our list is I, Claudius, by Robert Graves. This novel is historical fiction, written as if it's an autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius.

Claudius was an unlikely emperor. He had a stutter, a limp, and was partially deaf. Because of this, he was often overlooked by his family and his peers. The writer meticulously researched Roman history in his effort to give us a tale that explores Claudius's private thoughts and describes the political machinations of an empire in the first century AD.

We'll dive into a world where betrayal lurks behind every corner, and the quest for power leads to plots of murder and poisoning. The novel unveils the complexities of the Roman royal family, where every alliance and enmity could mean the difference between life and death.

One of the novel's gripping subplots involves the cunning manipulations of Livia, the wife of Emperor Augustus, who orchestrates a series of sinister plots to ensure her son Tiberius ascends to the throne, showcasing the deadly lengths to which individuals will go for power.

Additionally, the novel explores the tumultuous relationship between Tiberius and his nephew Caligula, whose descent into madness and tyranny poses new and dangerous challenges to Claudius and the Roman Empire itself, adding layers of tension and unpredictability to the narrative.

Give this a read and join me for an engaging discussion!