Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii

Gr 7 Up—Lucia, the daughter of Titurius of Pompeii, is doomed to marry a rich old man to secure money for her father's gladiatorial school. As the wedding approaches, she falls into forbidden love with Tag, the family's medical slave. The two eventually plan to run away together, but many factors interfere. Lucky for them, Mount Vesuvius throws the city into chaos by erupting, providing the young lovers a perfect chance to escape. Unfortunately, Titurius manages to follow them, with tragic results. The novel illuminates many historical details of first-century Pompeii, such as that the law allowed fathers to abandon unwanted infants outside the city gates; that an 18-hour ash eruption preceded Vesuvius's killer explosion; and that, as private property, most gladiators in Pompeii's stadium received careful medical attention. The well-researched historical setting is the strongest aspect of the novel and may keep many readers hooked. Unfortunately, the ambitious web of relationships among slaves, citizens, parents, friends, lovers, and children does not always resonate with sufficient intensity—nor does the city's final devastation. Good for die-hard historical fiction fans.—Denise Ryan, Middlesex Middle School, Darien, CT