Pompeii

by Robert Harris

Random House
ISBN: 0679428895

Robert Harris has written a novel set in Pompeii just before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the city. He's re-created the time and place of the ancient city with his fictional account, even mixing in a few historic figures. Pompeii was a city of luxury and opulence for the empire's aristocracy and autocracy. Pompeii is written as a thriller, but one where the ending is still known. Harris' skill at creating the tension and suspense through the lives of its citizens and the history of the city has generated many positive reviews. The Spectator says, "Harris is therefore handling a subject on which it would have been easy to slip up and incur the scorn of persons who have enjoyed, or endured, a classical education. He has handled it with skill and created a setting which carries conviction, avoiding the traps of stuffing in too much local colour, or of emptying out in front of us the contents of a well-filled card catalogue."

THE STORY

Young engineer Marcus Attilius is sent from Rome to wealthy and glamorous Pompeii to solve a pesky mystery: why has the aqueduct failed? It's his big chance to prove himself with the powers that be, and he's frustrated at every turn by heat, surly locals, and bureaucratic bungling and corruption. He can't even ask the former Aquarius of the Aqua Augusta for hints, because the man has simply disappeared without a trace.

We meet his main adversary, the rich and powerful former slave Ampliatus, just as he is throwing one of his own slaves to the moray eels. This poor man was charged with the care of red mullet in Ampliatus's fish farm, and the red mullets have all died. The slave's distraught mother enlists the help of Ampliatus's lovely daughter Corelia to spare the man. And Corelia, who hates her dissolute and cruel father, tracks down the new Aquarius to support the slave's charge that there is something wrong with the water.

Of course there is something wrong with the water: sulfur, although this information comes too late to save the unfortunate slave. And then there is no more water at all, at city after city up the coast. Attilius convinces the elderly Pliny to help him with ships and men, then get back to the spot where they have deduced the blockage must be.

Along the way Robert Harris spins a fast-paced mystery, and we learn much about life in Pompeii and the amazing engineering feat of the aqueduct itself. The decadence of the rich with their gorging and purging and young boyfriends is nicely counterbalanced against the practical, smart Attilius, who increasingly suspects an imminent disaster that is much bigger than a failure in the water supply. The impetuous young Corelia (who reminds Attilius of his beloved deceased wife) displays pluck and courage, spying on her scheming father and providing Attilius with information he needs to solve the puzzle. Human treachery and the forces of nature provide a spectacular finish.

Mr. Harris couldn't have chosen a more compelling period in a more compelling city than the four days leading up to the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Anyone who has visited the fascinating ruins there will be intrigued by this very satisfying historical thriller.

A.D. 62: Pompeii

a novel by Rebecca East

An intimate look at household life in ancient Rome.
www.rebecca-east.com

A twenty-first century woman finds herself stranded in first century Rome and sold to a wealthy family as a house slave. This situation provides her with an intimate, Upstairs / Downstairs look at household life in the ancient world. She seeks freedom and love through storytelling; her stories win her love and respect from her Roman master - and hatred from jealous rivals.

Reviews of: A. D. 62: Pompeii, a novel by Rebecca East :

A volunteer in a time travel experiment, the studious Miranda has prepared herself for everything except arriving in the middle of the Mediterranean. Pulled from the sea by a poor fisherman, she swiftly finds herself sold as a house slave. She begins her new life in 62 A. D. in the Roman city of Pompeii, in the patrician household of Marcus Tullius. Although well versed in the manners and mores of Imperial Rome, Miranda discovers there's a vast difference between theory and reality and then she discovers that the recall device planted in her arm doesn't work. She's trapped in 62 A. D.

Now her life as a household slave is no longer a game she can end at will. Facing the realization that she is imprisoned in time, Miranda calls upon all her knowledge and training to improve her lot. Using her talent for storytelling and her historical knowledge, she gains prestige as a seer who can accurately predict the future. Miranda's quick mind and quiet courage enable her to mold a new life and to create a place for herself in the frightening, fascinating world of the past.

An interesting, well-told story (think Upstairs, Downstairs crossed with I, Claudius) with a strong and intelligent heroine, A. D. 62: Pompeii draws the reader into a vividly imagined ancient world. Definitely recommended.

India Edghill

Rebecca East restores the Ruins of Pompeii to vibrant color with a detailed immersion into the once prosperous, ancient Roman resort town and the private villas, elaborate gardens and markets, bath houses and political forums that stood before the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Sick of her 21st-century reality, Miranda takes part in a time-travel experiment to the fascinating forgotten city of Pompeii. She lands in the custody of fishermen who sell her into slavery. Fortunately, she is bought by a wealthy family that treats slaves well, but she is assigned the most menial of tasks. She soon tires of the domestic-servant status that keeps her homebound and prevents her from exploring the culture and society outside. Plans to escape back to her century go awry when the homing device implanted in her arm fails and Miranda is forced to return to her master's home, where reality sets in and she is punished. Believing she'll never return to the present, Miranda adapts to the household and town earning a reputation for telling stories and playing her recorder. As she becomes comfortable in her new world, she is attracted to the master of the house {plot spoiler deleted here}. Rebecca East deals with the ambivalence, confusion and guilt over slavery and parallels these emotions to the modern world. More astute as a historical storyteller than a romantic novelist, the author has produced a compelling page-turner. It may have a slower pace and less intense emotions than you'd expect in a love story, but it is a must-read for those who wish to visit the real Pompeii.

"It's almost like being there"

Here's a unique "back-in-time" novel... Rebecca East adroitly develops the main characters, Miranda, Demetrius, their master Marcus Tullius, his wife Holconia, their two children Marcus Jr., 14 and Tullia, 13. Three other slaves play significant roles in the novel: Alexander, the household steward, Iris, a beautiful 27 year old that Holconia sent to her husband after Tullia was born, and Cnaeus, the cook. Julia Felix plays a major role late in the novel. East creates a tender and charming interaction of Miranda and the other characters. She brings in scenes of courage, love, loyalty, selflessness, bravery and heroism. East's story would be interesting in any time period, but her placing the story in first-century Italy (with her knowledge of Roman history and archaeology) adds a charm that fascinates and educates. The reader gets an in-depth exposure to Roman life and customs.

Miranda is free to bail out any time, and, at times she is ready to do so, but her curiosity to see more of the undamaged Pompeii and to experience more of the Roman culture keeps her there. Eventually, as she gets to know and love the people, a decision to return becomes more and more difficult. Without spoiling the story for you, I can say that this novel will captivate you and make you wonder if you would actuate the device. Rebecca East has put together a fascinating story, not only about what life would be like in ancient Rome, but a story about characters who become alive in your mind.

Rebecca East ... has a website www.rebecca-east.com where the reader can see some ancient art that formed a background for her novel. Many names of the fictional characters were borrowed from known names of people and families that really lived in Pompeii. This is Rebecca's first novel. We hope for more.

Reviewed by Maurice A. Williams