The Emperor’s Babe A Novel
The Emperor’s Babe A Novel by Bernardine Evaristo, published by Penguin UK on April 2, 2002, is a vibrant exploration of life in Londinium during AD 211. This 250-page narrative follows Zuleika, a spirited Nubian girl navigating the complexities of her existence as a teenage bride in a bustling ancient city. With a blend of humor and poignancy, the story captures her resilience and resourcefulness as she encounters the challenges of her environment, including the powerful figures that shape her fate.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of experiences as Zuleika interacts with the diverse inhabitants of Londinium, from slave girls to drag queens, all while grappling with her identity and desires. The novel intertwines elements of romance and coming-of-age themes, presented through a unique lyrical style that combines song and verse. Evaristo’s work invites reflection on the nature of womanhood and survival in a world that is both thrilling and brutal, offering a distinctive perspective on the ancient past that resonates with contemporary issues.
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FROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER
WINNER OF THE NESTA FELLOWSHIP AWARD 2003
‘Wildly entertaining, deeply affecting’ Ali Smith, author of How to be both and Autumn
A coming-of-age tale to make the muses themselves roar with laughter and weep for pity — sassy, razor-sharp and transformative.
Londinium, AD 211. Zuleika is a modern girl living in an ancient world. She’s a back-alley firecracker, a scruffy Nubian babe with tangled hair and bare feet – and she’s just been married off a fat old Roman. Life as a teenage bride is no joke but Zeeks is a born survivor. She knows this city like the back of her hand: its slave girls and drag queens, its shining villas and rotting slums. She knows how to get by. Until one day she catches the eye of the most powerful man on earth, the Roman Emperor, and her trouble really starts . . .
Silver-tongued and merry-eyed, this is a story in song and verse, a joyful mash-up of today and yesterday. Kaleidoscoping distant past and vivid present, The Emperor’s Babe asks what it means to be a woman and to survive in this thrilling, brutal, breathless world.
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