The Secret History, Stephanie Marie Thornton
The Secret History, Stephanie Marie Thornton
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
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The Secret History
A Novel of Empress Theodora

Author: Stephanie Marie Thornton

Narrator: Patricia Santomasso

Unabridged: 13 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/14/2020


Synopsis

Where Theodora went, trouble followed …In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds, and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom—the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told …After her father dies suddenly, Theodora and her sisters face starvation and a life on the streets. Determined to survive, Theodora makes a living any way she can—first on her back with every man who will have her, then on the stage in a scandalous dramatization of her own invention. When her daring performance grants her a backdoor entry into the halls of power, she seizes the chance to win a wealthy protector—only to face heartbreak and betrayal.Ever resilient, Theodora rises above such trials and, by a twist of fate, meets her most passionate admirer yet: the emperor’s nephew. She thrives as his confidant and courtesan, but many challenges lie ahead. For one day this man will hand her a crown. And all the empire will wonder—is she bold enough, shrewd enough, and strong enough to keep it?

About Stephanie Marie Thornton

Stephanie Marie Thornton is a USA Today bestselling author and a high school history teacher. She lives in Alaska with her husband and daughter.

About Patricia Santomasso

Patricia Santomasso is a trained actor and audiobook narrator who has worked with a multitude of audiobook publishers on over 150 projects. She currently records out of her home studio in Queens, where she works with their two-year-old on character voices so that she can join the family business.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jenny on April 27, 2014

Author Interview @ Let Them Read Books! This was one of my most anticipated summer releases; I wanted it from the moment I saw that gorgeous cover and read the description, and the story lived up to the exotic decadence it promised! The Secret History is a solid historical fiction debut, compelli......more

Goodreads review by Jessie Leigh on March 29, 2017

Read This Review & More Like It On Ageless Pages Reviews! "I both dreaded and feared to reach so high. It only meant I had further to fall." The Secret History, ARC p.254 Stephanie Thornton proves that not all debut novels have to feel and read like debuts. The Secret History is a dense, detailed, atmo......more

Goodreads review by Linda on June 06, 2015

Only a handful of books get five stars from me. The fifth star is an endorsement of the story itself and the way the author delivered it. I leave other reviewers to tell the story of Theodora and Justinian while I praise the author's style. No doubt her writing mechanics were excellent, but her maki......more


Quotes

“Loss, ambition, and lust keep this rich story moving at top speed. Stephanie Thornton writes a remarkable first novel that brings a little known woman to full, vibrant life…A sprawling and irresistible story.” Jeane Westin, author of The Spymaster’s Daughter

“A fascinating and vivid account…The life of the Empress Theodora leaps from the page, as colorful and complex as the women herself.” Michelle Diener, internationally bestselling author

“What a heroine! Her rise from street urchin to emperor’s consort made me want to stand up and cheer.” Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author