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assaphmehr 's review for:
Tabula Rasa
by Ruth Downie
Finally we get to look at Roman Britain's most famous architectural marvel - Hadrian's Wall. Out in the northern extreme of the Roman empire, Ruso is managing the hospitals for the twentieth legions. Between building accidents, tense natives, and touchy centurions, it's only a matter of time till murders - rumoured and real - start dragging at Ruso.
What to Expect
Complex and engaging plot, with all characters being fully-fleshed people with their own agendas. Ruso has to navigate between all of them, trying to perform his duties while untangling murders based on sketchy details from reluctant witnesses.
As usual, Downie's research about Roman life in the Roman frontier under Hadrian is top-notch. We get a glimpse of what life must have been like to those soldiers who were busy building that lasting monument.
The POV of view alternates between Ruso and his (British) wife Tilla, and Downie does an excellent job in describing how these two very different people view the world. We also get a lot more exposure to native Briton life, and its ambivalent relations with the conquering Romans.
What I liked
This goes for the whole series.
The absolute charm of the writing. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging.
These are the kind of books where you care for the characters. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. It is clear that each character - from main to support cast - is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases.
The plot of the stories grips you till can't put the book down. Downie is masterfully building up the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events - till you just have to know what happens next. Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things don't quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.
Downie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain
(with only two exceptions). She has clearly done her research for each location and they all come alive, with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing.
What to be aware of
These aren't the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention construction accidents?), these aren't your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or Tilla's POV. Happily, Tilla gets a lot of page-time in this novel.
Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. calling a master 'my lord' rather then 'domine', or using 'doctor' for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series.
Be aware that while it's not strictly necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps.
Summary
I absolutely love this series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. If you've read the previous books, this is a great continuation. If not, go back to book one (Medicus) and start reading today!
--
[a:Assaph Mehr|14422472|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445823325p2/14422472.jpg], author of [b:Murder In Absentia|29500700|Murder In Absentia (Felix the Fox, #1)|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457914061s/29500700.jpg|46845657]: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
Complex and engaging plot, with all characters being fully-fleshed people with their own agendas. Ruso has to navigate between all of them, trying to perform his duties while untangling murders based on sketchy details from reluctant witnesses.
As usual, Downie's research about Roman life in the Roman frontier under Hadrian is top-notch. We get a glimpse of what life must have been like to those soldiers who were busy building that lasting monument.
The POV of view alternates between Ruso and his (British) wife Tilla, and Downie does an excellent job in describing how these two very different people view the world. We also get a lot more exposure to native Briton life, and its ambivalent relations with the conquering Romans.
What I liked
This goes for the whole series.
The absolute charm of the writing. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging.
These are the kind of books where you care for the characters. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. It is clear that each character - from main to support cast - is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases.
The plot of the stories grips you till can't put the book down. Downie is masterfully building up the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events - till you just have to know what happens next. Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things don't quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.
Downie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain
(with only two exceptions). She has clearly done her research for each location and they all come alive, with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing.
What to be aware of
These aren't the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention construction accidents?), these aren't your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or Tilla's POV. Happily, Tilla gets a lot of page-time in this novel.
Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. calling a master 'my lord' rather then 'domine', or using 'doctor' for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series.
Be aware that while it's not strictly necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps.
Summary
I absolutely love this series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. If you've read the previous books, this is a great continuation. If not, go back to book one (Medicus) and start reading today!
--
[a:Assaph Mehr|14422472|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445823325p2/14422472.jpg], author of [b:Murder In Absentia|29500700|Murder In Absentia (Felix the Fox, #1)|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457914061s/29500700.jpg|46845657]: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.