If you enjoy historical novels, may I recommend City on Fire? Tracy L.
Higley has obviously done some scrupulous research in preparation for writing
this book. She provides us with a number
of memorable characters, including Cato, the politician turned winemaker,
Ariella, the Jewish slave girl who becomes a gladiator, and Jeremiah, the
Jewish rabbi who became a Christian servant.
Their stories are interwoven with others whose names can be found in the
annals of history, and come alive against the backdrop of the last days of
Pompeii, with Mount Vesuvius grumbling in the background. The unrest beneath the mountain is mirrored
in the political unrest of the day, with its corrupt politicians and growing
persecution of both Jews and Christians.
The main characters, Cato and Ariella, come from vastly
different backgrounds , and live in vastly different circumstances, yet both
are brought face to face with the same question: what will they do with the Christ? Their weighing of evidence, and the probable
consequences of a decision for Him are well portrayed.
City on Fire was a
great combination of history, adventure, and romance: I enjoyed the read, and the twists and turns
throughout the book. The single warning
note comes from the way the author carefully skirts around most of the immoral
practices that were common in the day; some mention of them is integral to the
story line, and specifics are almost entirely omitted, but there are some details
which may be offensive. For this reason,
I would caution against providing this book to younger readers.
I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson
Publishers, as part of their BookSneeze program, and was not required to write
a positive review.
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