futurelegend 's review for:

Pompeii by Robert Harris
3.0

I rather enjoyed the reconstruction of life in the rather decadent outpost of the Roman Empire around the Bay of Naples. A sort of first century Marbella, by the sound of it. Well-researched insights into volcanology and the wonders of Roman plumbing kept my attention fully occupied.

I was less enticed by the rather limp plot that threads its way through. Corruption on a grand scale came as no surprise; the love interest never really took off even if it were necessary, and the winding up of the plot seemed far-fetched. In any case, it was overshadowed by the awesome true story of Vesuvius itself.