AUG/SEP 04 - AudioFile
When Flavia Gemina notices most of the dogs in her neighborhood turning up dead, she’s determined to discover why. Her search into the mystery begins a thrilling journey around the colorful Roman port of Ostia at the time of the Emperor Vespasian. Though some of Lawrence's dialogue and emotions are a little too current, her people and places have the feel of an authentic world. Even Kim Hicks’s British accent, while it isn't Roman in any way, reinforces the narrative, lending it a classical formality. Her character renderings utilize a wide range of voices, from the very erudite Captain Geminus to the unctuous slave merchant. This book is calculated to make any first-year course in Latin come alive. P.E.F. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
In this atmospheric debut novel, the first installment of a planned series, readers are whisked to the first century A.D. to help girl detective Flavia Gemina solve a brutal crime in the Roman port city of Ostia. When the guard dog belonging to Flavia's secretly Christian neighbors is slaughtered, Flavia sets out to find clues. She is accompanied by four trusty companions: Jonathan and Miriam, the Christian children; Nubia, a slave girl whom Flavia has recently acquired with her birthday money (with the purpose of emancipating her); and Lupus, a mute beggar boy. Many adventures later a pack of wild dogs chases them, they narrowly escape malicious slave traders and discover that their chief suspect has committed suicide by jumping from a lighthouse the children catch the culprit. Those looking for thrill-a-minute entertainment will find their fill of near-catastrophic events here, but the violence may be hard for some readers to stomach. Red herrings emerge too conspicuously and dialogue is sometimes stilted. Nonetheless, this historical mystery offers an intriguing glimpse into the customs, attitudes and class systems of the Roman empire. Ages 9-14. (May) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-This story takes place in the Roman port city of Ostia in the year A.D. 79. Flavia Gemina, daughter of a sea captain, is an accomplished amateur detective. Her companions include her neighbor, Jonathan; Lupus, a young beggar; and Nubia, an African slave about her age. When Jonathan's dog is beheaded and other canines are slain, Flavia and her friends set out to find the killer. Running from slave traders and wild dogs are only some of the dangers that they encounter. The book is fast paced, but another strength is its description of Roman life. The author provides a glimpse at the various classes that make up this society, and through the lives of the characters, readers learn about the attitudes, beliefs, and customs of the period. The treatment of slaves and the confusion about Christians are just some of the facts that are included. Vivid descriptions of the architecture, economy, and politics lend an authentic note. The information is skillfully woven into the story, providing details that heighten readers' interest. An enjoyable mystery, and more.-Lana Miles, Duchesne Academy, Houston, TX Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A fast-paced, crackling good mystery is set in "the tenth year of the Emperor Vespasian" and aimed at middle-grade readers. Flavia lives in Ostia, the seaport of Rome, where her father is often away at sea. They have new neighbors: a boy named Jonathan, his sister Miriam, and their father. All of the children are motherless. Flavia shows herself both smart and resourceful right off, tracking the magpie that has made off with her father's signet ring, but needing rescue from feral dogs in the process. That's when she makes the acquaintance of Jonathan. She uses her birthday money to purchase a slave, Nubia, when she sees the girl in chains in the marketplace, and the trio soon adopts Lupus, a wild child who has had his tongue cut out. This lively group takes it upon themselves to find out who has been beheading household dogs, and they fasten upon a man unhinged by the death of his daughter from a rabid dog bite. There are lots of interesting historical bits: Jonathan and Flavia wear the bulla, a charm on a chain that indicates they are freeborn children; Flavia's favorite reading materials are in scrolls; Jonathan's asthma is treated by oil of marjoram. Jonathan's Jewish family are converts to Christianity, and their worship, as well as Flavia's of the Roman gods, are noted in passing. The children use logic, deduction, reasoning, and imagination to solve the crime, and the multicultural cast stretches, but does not shatter, credulity. Sequels are promised, and young mystery-lovers will be eager for the next. (Fiction. 8-12)
AUG/SEP 04 - AudioFile
When Flavia Gemina notices most of the dogs in her neighborhood turning up dead, she’s determined to discover why. Her search into the mystery begins a thrilling journey around the colorful Roman port of Ostia at the time of the Emperor Vespasian. Though some of Lawrence's dialogue and emotions are a little too current, her people and places have the feel of an authentic world. Even Kim Hicks’s British accent, while it isn't Roman in any way, reinforces the narrative, lending it a classical formality. Her character renderings utilize a wide range of voices, from the very erudite Captain Geminus to the unctuous slave merchant. This book is calculated to make any first-year course in Latin come alive. P.E.F. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
