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City On Fire: A Novel Of Pompeii (2013)

by Tracy L. Higley(Favorite Author)

3.84 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1401687520 (ISBN13: 9781401687526)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Thomas Nelson Publishers

review 1: 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 ... moreand 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.
review 2: "City on Fire" "City on Fire" is a novel written by Tracy L. Higley and recently republished by Thomas Nelson. This novel is set in the ancient city of Pompeii in the time leading up to the eruption. It was certainly an interesting read and a fresh perspective on the ancient world, Christianity, gladiators, slaves, and politics of the time. At the end of the book is a fascinating historical note on Mount Vesuvius and a reading group guide. Ariella, a runaway Jewish slave, becomes a gladiator in the arena. When she is transferred to Cato, a wealthy politician's house, he acts oddly around her. Cato can't afford to take notice of the new slave in his house as he prepares for the next election. However, when their lives are thrust together to save their loved ones, will discover more about each other? Personally, I found this book to be slow-moving and hard to get into. It has a historically interesting setting, what seem like would be strong characters, and a predictable plot, even though it is outrageously hard to imagine. I received this book complimentary from Thomas Nelson's Book Sneeze program in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. I was not required to provide a positive review. less

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