Sunday Synopsis

 

Pompeii by Robert Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a historical fiction novel about the days leading up to and including the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Having recently visited the remains of Pompeii, I found this to be enlightening and interesting.

The book follows Marcus Attilius, the engineer in charge of the Aqua Augusta, the source of fresh water to all of the Bay of Naples. He is investigating the blockage of the aqueduct in the days leading up to the explosion of the volcano. It gives a glimpse into the daily lives of the Romans around 79AD as well as insight into the class system of the time period, both the luxe life of the richest men and the tortured lives of slaves. In time, Attilius will discover what happened to his predecessor who seemingly just vanished. And he will test the power and corruption in Pompeii.

The names take a little getting used to as some of them are so similar, but once past that, the novel is fascinating. Harris has clearly done his research in his ability to describe life in Pompeii as it was and the devastating effects of the volcanic eruption. I highly recommend this book.

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