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A review by cassianlamb
Vesuvius by Cass Biehn
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received a free e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a lot darker than your typical YA book. There is quite a bit of trauma in it, which can be expected from a story that takes place at the fall of Pompeii. If you're looking for a lighthearted gay book, this is not it.
That being said, it is still enjoyable. The author is surprisingly accurate about Pompeii (from what I remember taking Latin, at least) though does change a few things to make it YA. I personally really loved that, as there are quite a few books out there that are only loosely related to Ancient Rome despite claiming they take place in that empire. One of the characters also has touch aversion, which is not something I read about a lot but I think was handled well.
Despite what a couple other reviews said, I'd say the bad decisions made by the characters might not necessarily seem bad at first glance. Some pan out pretty well and where mistakes are made, they're reasonable considering the trauma they've gone through. And while it is a YA book, it has a lot more cursing than I've typically seen, so it's more on the older end. I do think some other adults could enjoy this book without it being spoiled by the fact the characters are 17 (which would have been adulthood at the time anyways, which is another [understandable] inaccuracy for the book).
Overall, if you don't mind a sad book knowing the history of Pompeii, I think it is a good book to read.
This book is a lot darker than your typical YA book. There is quite a bit of trauma in it, which can be expected from a story that takes place at the fall of Pompeii. If you're looking for a lighthearted gay book, this is not it.
That being said, it is still enjoyable. The author is surprisingly accurate about Pompeii (from what I remember taking Latin, at least) though does change a few things to make it YA. I personally really loved that, as there are quite a few books out there that are only loosely related to Ancient Rome despite claiming they take place in that empire. One of the characters also has touch aversion, which is not something I read about a lot but I think was handled well.
Despite what a couple other reviews said, I'd say the bad decisions made by the characters might not necessarily seem bad at first glance. Some pan out pretty well and where mistakes are made, they're reasonable considering the trauma they've gone through. And while it is a YA book, it has a lot more cursing than I've typically seen, so it's more on the older end. I do think some other adults could enjoy this book without it being spoiled by the fact the characters are 17 (which would have been adulthood at the time anyways, which is another [understandable] inaccuracy for the book).
Overall, if you don't mind a sad book knowing the history of Pompeii, I think it is a good book to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Colonisation
This book takes place in Pompeii of Ancient Rome. Colonization and slavery is mentioned. A character also has PTSD from childhood sexual assault from a priest. The worst of that isn't until the end of the book but the PTSD is throughout.