Week 12 Prompt Response: Reader's Advisory Matrix

The Twelve Caesars by Matthew Dennison

1. Where is the book on the narrative continuum?
Highly narrative (reads like fiction)

2. What is the subject of the book?
It is about the first twelve emperors of Rome, starting with Julius and ending with Domitian. It details their lives before and during each of their reigns, and guides the reader through the royal family tree.

3.What type of book is it?
A historical collective biography

4. Articulate Appeal
     What is the pacing of the book? Leisurely paced, not fast, but not slow.

     Describe the characters of the book? The emperors range from flawed heroes to pitiable villains. None of them are completely bad or good, but some are certainly better than others.

     How does the story feel? The story is a dramatic tale of war, strife, and politics, and how those involved handle the situations.

    What is the intent of the author? The intent of the author is to tell the history of the emperors from a more personal and entertaining perspective.

     What is the focus of the story? The story focuses on the emperors themselves, rather than the Empire as a whole.

     Does the language matter? Yes.

     Is the setting important and well-described? Yes, the setting is very important, as it connects each the emperors in a common situation. It is well-described, and brought to life in the mind of the reader through imagery.

     Are there details, and if so, of what? Yes, there are plenty of details pertaining the the choices and situations that the emperors are involved in.

     Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? There are graphics provided as needed, as well as a very useful family tree in the front of the book. This family tree is valuable when the reader is trying to understand the complex royal family.

     Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? Yes, the book show the consequences of the actions of the emperors, and whether or not they learned from those experiences. The author also shows when emperors learned (or didn't learn) from the mistakes of past emperors.


5. Why would the reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?
     1. Dramatic
     2. Informative
     3. Personal