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queerreadswithbee 's review for:
Vesuvius
by Cass Biehn
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rep: achillean main relationship (one bi male main character, one gay male main character)
Summary: Felix is a thief, roaming throughout the Roman empire, nabbing just enough small items and treasures to keep himself alive and moving. When he enters the city of Pompeii, he hits the jackpot - the helmet of Mercury, which he nabs easily from the temple. However, things are not all as they seem: an unknown nobleman kidnaps Felix off the street and demands the helmet. After escaping, Felix finds himself in the company of Loren, who has been having visions of Felix and the city of Pompeii being destroyed... can the two of them overcome their flaws and work together to figure out the mystery of the helmet?
Review:
Unfortunately, I wanted things from this book that it didn't give me. For starters, I was disappointed that for a book literally named after a famous volcano, the volcano and eruption itself had little to no time in the book. The eruption was given approximately two paragraphs, all told. There were almost no descriptions of the eruption, or its aftermath, which would have been much greater than described here. I wanted more volcano. This could have been set in any town that experienced a horrific natural disaster - a flood, a tsunami, something. Nothing about it screamed, "This is in Pompeii!" In the meantime, what was actually happening, you might ask? Biehn was trying to balance two different overarching plots: a complex political scheme about the political balance within Pompeii and the Roman Empire, as well as a fantasy plot about how gods and magic are real. While I have seen some books pull off this combination, I wish this book had picked one or the other. The result was two different plots that didn't feel well-connected and that vied for screen time, leaving neither one satisfying me. I also wasn't that attached to Loren. As a queer woman reading this at the beginning of the 47th President's second term, Loren's insistence that he could do good in politics and that people would listen to him felt off putting, especially because the book repeatedly proved him wrong time and time again. He felt ignorantly naive, rather than an inspiring optimist.
What I did like? I loved Felix. I thought his character made sense for his backstory, and I liked his "voice" and his thoughts. I also liked all of the side characters. They had variety and added to the depth of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Summary: Felix is a thief, roaming throughout the Roman empire, nabbing just enough small items and treasures to keep himself alive and moving. When he enters the city of Pompeii, he hits the jackpot - the helmet of Mercury, which he nabs easily from the temple. However, things are not all as they seem: an unknown nobleman kidnaps Felix off the street and demands the helmet. After escaping, Felix finds himself in the company of Loren, who has been having visions of Felix and the city of Pompeii being destroyed... can the two of them overcome their flaws and work together to figure out the mystery of the helmet?
Review:
Unfortunately, I wanted things from this book that it didn't give me. For starters, I was disappointed that for a book literally named after a famous volcano, the volcano and eruption itself had little to no time in the book. The eruption was given approximately two paragraphs, all told. There were almost no descriptions of the eruption, or its aftermath, which would have been much greater than described here. I wanted more volcano. This could have been set in any town that experienced a horrific natural disaster - a flood, a tsunami, something. Nothing about it screamed, "This is in Pompeii!" In the meantime, what was actually happening, you might ask? Biehn was trying to balance two different overarching plots: a complex political scheme about the political balance within Pompeii and the Roman Empire, as well as a fantasy plot about how gods and magic are real. While I have seen some books pull off this combination, I wish this book had picked one or the other. The result was two different plots that didn't feel well-connected and that vied for screen time, leaving neither one satisfying me. I also wasn't that attached to Loren. As a queer woman reading this at the beginning of the 47th President's second term, Loren's insistence that he could do good in politics and that people would listen to him felt off putting, especially because the book repeatedly proved him wrong time and time again. He felt ignorantly naive, rather than an inspiring optimist.
What I did like? I loved Felix. I thought his character made sense for his backstory, and I liked his "voice" and his thoughts. I also liked all of the side characters. They had variety and added to the depth of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault