Theodora Actress, Empress, Whore, Stella Duffy
Theodora Actress, Empress, Whore, Stella Duffy
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Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore

Author: Stella Duffy

Narrator: Davina Porter

Unabridged: 11 hr 19 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 09/27/2011

Synopsis

A bravura performance: a witty, moving, sexy book that bursts with as much color and excitement as the city of Constantinople itself." -Financial Times Roman historian Procopius publicly praised Theodora of Constantinople for her piety-while secretly detailing her salacious stage act and maligning her as ruthless and power hungry. So who was this woman who rose from humble beginnings as a dancer to become the empress of Rome and a saint in the Orthodox Church? Award-winning novelist Stella Duffy vividly recreates the life and times of a woman who left her mark on one of the ancient world's most powerful empires. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore is a sexy, captivating novel that resurrects an extraordinary, little-known figure from the dusty pages of history. "

About The Author

Stella Duffy was born in London, grew up in New Zealand, and now lives in London. She is the author of seven literary novels, including The Room of Lost Things and State of Happiness, both of which were Longlisted for the Orange Prize. The Room of Lost Things won the Stonewall Writer of the Year 2008, and she won the Stonewall Writer of the Year 2010 for Theodora. She is also the author of the Saz Martin detective series. She has written over 45 short stories, including several for BBC Radio 4, and won the 2002 CWA Short Story Dagger for Martha Grace. Her ten plays include an adaptation of Medea for Steam Industry, and Prime Resident and Immaculate Conceit for the National Youth Theatre (UK). In addition to her writing work she is an actor and theatre director.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Libbie Hawker on October 06, 2013

4.5 stars I'm trying to think of a way to describe this book, and "immensely satisfying" is the only descriptor that's coming to mind. That seems so weak, though! "Satisfying" implies just-okayness, but Theodora was anything but "just okay." I think what feels so satisfying about this novel is the rea......more

Goodreads review by Carey on August 11, 2011

Very poor, I kept on reading it as I expected with all the number of excellent reviews it received it was bound to get better - it didn't. Indeed, it got more and more ridiculous. I should have been warned when one of the reviews called Theodora as 'a wise-cracking tart with a heart'. Actually the m......more

Goodreads review by Jim on November 27, 2021

Excellent historical fiction, beautifully written and well-researched. It's the story of the rise of Theodora from poverty to the palace. She was one of the larger-than-life women of the Middle Ages, the actress and prostitute who became the Empress of the Byzantine Empire as the wife of the Empero......more

Goodreads review by Ann on September 02, 2012

Intensely seductive as a provocative dance, compelling as only history can be, Theodora draws the reader into the life of a common actress and dancer, who eventually became Empress of Rome. As a child, Theodora learned the hard way. She was beaten when her spirit rebelled against the eunuch’s cruel......more

Goodreads review by Jessie Leigh on June 10, 2024

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog! 3.5 out of 5 Theodora was one of the most influential women of her time. As a poverty-stricken dancer, as the most celebrated actress/whore in Constantinople, as a penitent nun in a commune in the desert, and as the wife of the most powerful man in Christe......more

Quotes

"Theodora is a best-of-all-worlds book -- entertaining, gripping, thoughtful and dangerously enlightening. Stella Duffy, a versatile and gifted novelist, is uniquely suited to bringing Theodora to life. She clearly has great affection for her subject, but does not allow that to undercut her keen eye and pitch-perfect ear. An achievement that many writers will envy and few will equal."— Laura Lippman, New York Times bestselling author of What The Dead Know

"Duffy's seductive retelling of the story of the legendary empress Theodora will delight historical fiction fans."— Publishers Weekly

"Duffy's retelling of the true story of a woman (500-548) who rose from lowly beginnings to become Empress of the Byzantine Empire is lively and dramatic."— Library Journal

"There's... intelligence and empathy under the energetic potboiler surface."— Kirkus

"Duffy's passion for her heroine, the charismatic Theodora, is evident on every page. The result is a novel that remains true to its historical sources, whilst managing to reinvent its subject matter with great freshness and verve. A vivid and affectionate portrait of one of the most fascinating personalities of the ancient world."— Sarah Waters

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