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Overview
Flavia Gemina is brilliant at finding things, so it's natural for her to solve mysteries. The daughter of a ship's captain living in Ostia, the port of Rome, in AD 79, she acquires a gang of three friends who help her. There is Jonathan, the Jewish boy (and secretly a Christian); Nubia, the African slave girl; and Lupus, a mute beggar boy. Together they work out who severed the heads of the watchdogs that guard people's homes, and why he did it. Caroline Lawrence is a terrific storyteller and a delightfully readable and accessible writer with characters that children will relate to. Her picture of daily life in Ancient Rome is wonderfully vivid. But The Thieves of Ostia is first and foremost a whodunnit, with lots of twist and cliffhangers—and a mystery for the reader to solve.
In Rome in the year 79 A.D., a group of children from very different backgrounds work together to discover who beheaded a pet dog -- and why.
Synopsis
It is A.D. 79, and Flavia Gemina, daughter of a successful Roman sea captain, is about to celebrate her birthday. Then the dogs in her neighborhood start dying mysteriously, and there are rumors of burglary in the houses on Flavia's street. Set in the graveyards, houses, and alleyways of an ancient Roman city, here's the first in a series of fast-paced, informative, and satisfying mysteries.
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.
Editorials
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.Children's Literature
While looking for her father's missing ring in a magpie's nest, Flavia Gemina is attacked by a pack of wild dogs. She is helped by Jonathan, the first of three new friends who will help her solve a mystery. When Jonathan's dog is killed and beheaded these four children, one of whom is an African slave-girl and one who is an orphan whose tongue was cut out, set out to discover the culprit. Their search takes them on some harrowing adventures. They are chased by the slave dealer's henchman through the streets of Ostia, and are attacked by the pack of wild dogs in the necropolis. Readers will learn about life in ancient Roman times while enjoying this fast-paced mystery. Each chapter ends as a cliffhanger, beckoning the reader to continue. A map of the town and a diagram of Jonathan and Flavia's houses make the time and setting familiar to the reader. This is the first of a series of Roman mysteries set in 79 AD. I look forward to the further adventures of these four friends. 2002, Roaring Brook Press,— Sharon Salluzzo
VOYA
This historical novel set in the Roman Empire of 79 A.D. is the first in the Roman Mysteries series featuring Flavia Gemina. Twelve-year-old Flavia believes that she has a great talent for solving mysteries. After her friend Jonathan's dog is beheaded, the two set out through the streets of Rome to discover who committed this gruesome crime and why. They must flee a brutal slave dealer, a pack of wild dogs, and an angry sailor. Jonathan and Flavia interact with a diverse mix of Roman citizenry, sea captains, politicians, military, and clergy in their quest to discover the guilty person. Facts describing the food, clothing, and customs of ancient Rome add authentic period detail. A minor subplot involves the many religious elements present at that time in Roman culture, including early Christianity, the Jewish faith, and Roman mythology. Detailed references to mythology and unusual facts of domestic Roman life are often more sophisticated than the age level of the intended audience. The solution to the mystery is not obvious, and a few unexpected twists will keep readers intrigued, but the characters are one-dimensional, and the dialogue is stilted. Lawrence includes a helpful glossary of terms and Roman historical figures. Although full of action, the writing is slow-moving, and readers might lose interest in the outcome when faced with the myriad details. The audience for this book will be limited to dedicated historical fiction readers. Glossary. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P M (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2002, Roaring Brook Press/Millbrook, 160p,— Eileen Kuhl
From The Critics
It is Rome, 79 A.D., and a group of children from diverse backgrounds join forces to discover why selected dogs in their neighborhood are being, of all things, beheaded. Slowly, this gang of would-be detectives snoops around the city of Rome, following a host of leads. Soon, young Flavia Gemina and her band of Roman friends discover that the killer (who may also be a big time thief) might be someone closer to their lives than they had originally believed. With adroit and skillful writing, the author hooks the reader into this fast-paced, sharply pieced together mystery, and doesn't let up until she reaches a convincing and satisfying solution — our culprit is caught, and justice is served. Moreover, the book is filled with appealing and believable characters, interesting historical information, and strong narrative descriptions. A nice addition to this book is the concluding glossary of terms and place names derived from ancient Rome. This work is the first in a projected series, and is appropriate for discriminating male and female readers of ages 9-14. 2002, Roaring Brook Press, 160 pp.,— Wendy Bell