Crystal King Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Interview

Crystal King discusses her debut novel, Feast of Sorrow, and what led her to write a novel about ancient Rome's most famous gourmand.

What inspired you to tell the story of the real-life character Apicius, ancient Rome's most famous gourmand? Can you discuss the novel's origins?

I was writing a different book about some fantastical knives and I needed an origin story. During my research I came across a snippet of information about Apicius and how he died. I wrote a scene showing Apicius purchasing the knives to give to his chef, who would then pass them on to his apprentice and the knives would continue being handed down through the ages. But the more I wrote about Apicius, the more I realized that his story was the more interesting one. I wanted to know what would make a man decide to end his life in such a dramatic way. You'll notice, though, that I kept part of the scene in which Apicius gifts the set of knives to Thrasius. The knives may also show up again in the next novel I'm writing.

Why did you make the decision to tell the story from the point of view of Thrasius, his imagined slave and cook?

I struggled with this decision. I began writing the book from Apicius's point of view but quickly realized that if I did that it would be hard to end the book with the same punch. The number one thing I knew about this person was how he ...