Dictator is a book about Cicero one of Julius Caesar’s associates and sometimes friend. It tells of Cicero’s efforts to keep the ideals of Rome alive and how he used his oratory skills to guide an empire.
I’m liking
I really liked the insights that the author, Robert Harris, gave on the Roman life. One particular observation I found challenging was how feasting and then vomiting so you could eat more was socially acceptable. The discussions on politics were also interesting.
Things that made me go hmmmm
Somehow the book was dispassionate. The assassination of Caesar felt like a footnote rather than being the huge political event that it was. As a reader I also felt strangely disconnected from other significant events.
The conclusion
While an interesting book it felt more like a history text book than a novel where I felt involved in the experiences of the narrator. Enjoyable but emotionally distant.
