Waterstones The Roman Mysteries: The Thieves of Ostia
475 ratings
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Price: £6.99
Brand: Waterstones
Description: The first in Caroline Lawrence's internationally bestselling Roman Mysteries series, re-issued with a fantastic new cover look. Flavia Gemina is a natural at solving mysteries. The daughter of a ship's captain living in Ostia, the port of Rome, in AD79, she and her three friends, Jonathan, a Jewish boy (and secretly a Christian); Nubia, an African slave girl; and Lupus, a mute beggar boy, must work together to discover who is beheading the watchdogs that guard people's homes, and why. A talented storyteller, Caroline Lawrence has created a delightfully readable and accessible series that children will want to read time and time again. Waterstones The Roman Mysteries: The Thieves of Ostia - shop the best deal online on thebookbug.co.uk
Category: Books
Merchant: Waterstones
Product ID: 9781842550205
Delivery cost: 2.99
ISBN: 9781842550205
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Author: Ben Kane
Rating: 5
Review: I had the privilege of meeting Caroline Lawrence about two years ago, and I went and bought this, the first of her books, at once, which is something I nearly always do after meeting an author. Given that my pile of "To Be Read" books is never less than 50, and I have a young family, I didn't get around to reading it until yesterday, when I got a chance while on holiday. What a treat it was! The Thieves of Ostia is a delightful and well-written read, full of accurate yet lightly woven-in descriptions of 1st century AD Roman Italy. The heroine, the courageous Flavia, is a curious girl with more than a touch of the detective's skill. As the story progresses, she makes friends with Jonathan, Nubia and the mute beggar boy, Lupus. These three become her willing co-sleuths as Flavia tries to discover who is killing dogs in her neighbourhood. The book is short, fast-paced and full of wry humour. The descriptions of life in Ostia, from its temples, houses, forum and harbour, to the people who lived, worked and died in it, are richly detailed. Lawrence has not, as I suspected she might (because of her intended audience), shied away from the grim realities of life in ancient times. *Mild spoilers ahead* Thus we read about the deaths of people though rabies, see a suicide, and watch as wild dogs are shot down with arrows. These topics are dealt with with a delicate yet straightforward touch, in a manner that is entirely suitable for younger readers, but which also presents the brutal reality of life 2000 years ago. For this, Lawrence is to be commended highly. I for one will be heading for the second volume of the series, as soon as possible! Ben Kane, author of The Forgotten Legion.
Author: Teresa Young
Rating: 1
Review: I had to go out to buy a paperback of this as it wouldn't open on my device.