Fulvia

In the dying days of the Roman republic, a remarkable woman steps out of the shadows and beyond the boundaries imposed on her sex, driven by an unstoppable ambition. Kaarina Parker's stunning debut novel, told in the compelling voice of this brilliant woman from history, brings Fulvia and the society in which she lived vividly to life.

Born into a wealthy but unimportant family, Fulvia is raised in the peace of the Etruscan countryside but longs for a life of excitement and influence. When her father dies and her inheritance is threatened, she makes her way to the city of Rome to secure her future.

Motivated by both passion and opportunism, Fulvia marries Clodius, a hedonistic young senator. They are perfect partners - risk takers, scornful of convention and eager for change. Although Clodius is heir to a leading aristocratic family, he has spent his life criticising the rules of his class and championing the common people. As a wife and mother, Fulvia fulfils her role in a society that denies women any influence outside the home - but she is also a ruthless political strategist, intent on seeing her husband rise through the ranks of Rome's governing body, the senate. And, through him, wielding her own authority.

But Rome is a dangerous place, and power can become notoriety overnight. Fulvia soon learns just how high the stakes really are, and that her ambitions may come at a terrible cost.

Kaarina Parker was born in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She has a BA (with Honours) from the University of Melbourne in history and feminist film theory and a Master of Creative Writing from Auckland University of Technology. She has a particular love for the extraordinary, largely uncredited, women of the late Roman Republic. Kaarina also has an established career as a fashion model, and is a voice for diversity in the fashion industry in Australia and New Zealand. Fulvia is her first novel.

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