Counting the Stars

By: Helen Dunmore

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Living at the heart of sophisticated, brittle and brutal Roman society at the time of Pompey, Catullus is obsessed with Clodia, the Lesbia of his most precious poems. He is jealous of her husband, of her maid, even of her pet sparrow. And Clodia? Catullus is "her dear poet", but possibly not her only interest...

Their Rome is a city of extremes - civilisation and violence are equals, murder is the easy option and poison is the weapon of choice. Catullus' relationship with Clodia is one of the most intense, passionate, tormented and candid in history. In love and in hate, their story exposes the beauty and terrors of Roman life in the late Republic.

©2008 Helen Dunmore (P)2008 Isis Publishing Ltd

Critic reviews

"Counting the Stars is a captivating tale of forbidden love with a bitter-sweet finale." (The Times)
"Part love story, part tragedy...Dunmore on dazzling form." (Indpendent)
"An extraordinary novel." (Guardian)