This the second novel in McCullough's 'Masters of Rome' series, which brings to life in meticulous and imaginative detail the history of the ancient Roman Republic. Although Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla take center stage, young Julius Caesar, albeit still a wee boy, makes his first appearance. McCullough somehow makes even the military campaigns interesting, and I'm generally not a fan of military history. ( )

This is the sequel to The First Man in Rome and takes up with the decline of Gaius Marius and the contemporanious rise of Sulla. It touches upon the the early years of Pompey, Cicero, Cato and Julius Caesar. As in the first book of the series, McCullough weaves a very complex and detailed world in what is largely a historically accurate tale. ( )

La corona de hierba es la segunda novela de la saga de Colleen McCullough sobre las últimas décadas de la República Romana. En esta novela se narran los hechos que condujeron a la Guerra Social, la propia Guerra Social, las andanzas de Mitrídates del Ponto en Asia Menor, la marcha sobre Roma de Lucio Cornelio Sila y, finalmente, la invasión de Roma por Mario y Cinna y el último consulado de Mario. Es muy interesante la forma en que la autora, sin separarse en exceso de la historia real (y sin separarse nada en los aspectos y acontecimientos relevantes), logra construir una novela atractiva y entretenida, aunque el relato de las batallas de la Guerra Social sea el punto más débil de esta novela. Es una novela que merece la pena, sobre todo a aquellos que quieran introducirse en la Historia de Roma de una forma amena y agradable. ( )

Ottimo romanzo storico. Godibilissimo nonostante la lunghezza (940 p.). Lo raccomando agli amanti della storia di Roma ! ( )

The second volume in the Masters of Rome series -- this one features the orgins and childhood of some upcoming major players -- Caesar, of course, Cicero, Servilia, Cato, Pompei Magnus -- but is mainly about the rise of the dictator Sulla, who is fabulously portrayed as a ruthless, creepy yet magnetic character and the sad decline into madness and shame of Marius. It takes up where First Man in Rome left off and while entertaining it really just feels like 'more of the same' without a well defined overarching theme or narrative.

I am now officially addicted to Ancient Rome and will read on. However, I continue to have some difficulty with McCullough's dreadful maps in micro-cursive. Also, I feel she is so detailed regarding the political players and familial relationships that more character lists would be helpful. I'd gladly trade a silly map of Aurelia's insulae for a few family trees. I occasionally lost track of the characters interelationships and I really did not have that problem with the first book. Whether that is my own effort or slightly more careless writing with this novel, I am not sure.

I am looking forward to reading about the more legendary figures awating in the next several novels -- bring on Caesar already. ( )