Book Reviews

THE THIEVES OF OSTIA BY CAROLINE LAWRENCE

(THE FIRST ROMAN MYSTERY)

STAR RATING: 6/10

SUMMARY: SOMEONE IS KILLING DOGS IN OSTIA. JONATHAN'S GUARD DOG IS ONE OF THEM. HE AND HIS NEIGHBOUR, FLAVIA, AND (LATER) THEIR FRIENDS, NUBIA AND LUPUS, INVESTIGATE THE DASTARDLY CRIME. THE DOGS' HEADS ARE PUT ON A POLE OUTSIDE FLAVIA'S HOUSE. SOMEONE IS TRYING TO FRIGHTEN FLAVIA AND HER FAMILY AWAY, SO S/HE CAN STEAL AN AMPHORA. BUT WHO? AND WHY?

WHAT I LIKED: I LOVED THE CHARACTERS, ESPECIALLY NUBIA. NUBIA IS A SLAVE, WHO FLAVIA FREES. AS THE STORY PROGRESSES SHE BECOMES MORE CONFIDENT AND LEARNS TO SPEAK LATIN. 

WHAT I WAS LESS KEEN ON: THE DOG-KILLING WAS A BIT GRUESOME! IT FRIGHTENED ME. 

THE CHARACTERS: JONATHAN IS A BOY FROM JUDEA. NUBIA IS AN AFRCIAN SLAVE (AT THE BEGINNING). LUPUS IS A MUTE BEGGAR BOY. FLAVIA IS A ROMAN GIRL.  

THE PLOT IN MORE DETAIL: THE DOG-KILLER'S MASTER ONCE OWNED THE AMPHORA (WHICH IS SECRETLY FILLED WITH GOLD). HE HAD GIVEN IT FLAVIA'S FATHER TO KEEP SAFE. THE DOG-KILLER WANTS TO STEAL THE AMPHORA TO PAY OFF HIS GAMBLING DEBTS. HE TRIES TO SCARE FLAVIA'S FAMILY WITH THE DEAD DOGS. LUPUS DISCOVERS THE AMPHORA AND TAKES SOME OF THE COINS. HE TELLS FLAVIA AND SHE REALISES THAT THE AMPHORA IS THE TARGET, SO SHE SETS A TRAP FOR THE KILLER...

THE SETTING: OSTIA IN ANCIENT ROME UNDER THE RULE OF EMPEROR VESPIAN.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE AUTHOR: I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HER WHERE SHE GOT THE IDEA OF THE DOG MURDERER FROM! IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING (THOUGH GORY) CONCEPT.

ARE THERE OTHER BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR? THERE ARE LOTS IN THE ROMAN MYSTERY SERIES. 

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? YES! FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES HISTORY OR ADVENTURE STORIES BUT NOT FOR ANYONE WHO IS EASILY SCARED.

THE SECRETS OF VESUVIUS BY CAROLINE LAWRENCE

(THE SECOND ROMAN MYSTERY)

STAR RATING: 9/10

SUMMARY: MOUNT VESUVIUS IS ERUPTING AND COVERING POMPEII IN ASH. FLAVIA AND FRIENDS HAVE DISCOVERED A RIDDLE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A GREAT TREASURE IF IT IS SOLVED. BUT CAN THE FRIENDS SOLVE THE RIDDLE AND ESCAPE THE VOLCANO IN TIME?  

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE STORY: THE TENSION! IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO SEE IF THE FRIENDS WOULD BEAT THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION. THE CHARACTERS WERE RESOUCEFUL AND CLEVER. THE SETTING WAS INTERESTING. THE SOLVING OF THE RIDDLE WAS NOT AS I EXPECTED EITHER, WHICH WAS A GOOD TWIST!

WHAT I WAS LESS KEEN ON: NOTHING! I ENJOYED IT ALL.

WHAT ELSE I LIKED: IT WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER BOOK THAT I'D READ (AND I'VE READ LOTS OF HISTORICAL FICTION). IT WAS GREAT TO READ ABOUT LIFE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. IT SEEMED TO BE WELL RESEARCHED. I BELIEVED THAT WE WERE IN ANCIENT POMPEII.

FAVOURITE CHARACTERS: NUBIA AND JONATHAN. NUBIA WAS A CAPTURED SLAVE. FLAVIA BOUGHT HER, TO RELEASE HER, THEN SHE BECAME FLAVIA'S FRIEND. JONATHAN WAS REALLY RESOURCEFUL - HE MADE THEM TIE NAPKINS OVER THEIR MOUTHS AND PILLOWS TO THEIR BODIES, TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE ASH AND DEBRIS.

LEAST FAVOURITE CHARACTER: MIRIAM, BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T REALLY GET STUCK IN. 

IMPROVEMENTS I WOULD MAKE TO THE BOOK: IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT LONGER. THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP READING. I WANTED TO KEEP GOING!

THE SETTING: POMPEII, ITALY, JUST BEFORE THE FAMOUS ERUPTION. I REALLY WANT TO VISIT POMPEII AFTER READING THIS BOOK. THE BOOK IS FULL OF HISTORICAL DETAIL, WHICH I LOVE. 

IF I COULD ASK THE AUTHOR ONE QUESTION: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH RESEARCH SHE DID FOR THIS BOOK, AND HOW LONG IT TOOK HER TO DO IT BECAUSE IT IS CLEAR THAT SHE DID A LOT!

OTHER BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR: LOTS! THERE ARE PLENTY OF

OTHER ROMAN MYSTERIES TO READ. 

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? YES! DEFINITELY! FOR ANYBODY WHO LIKES A BIT OF TENSION AND HISTORICAL DRAMA.