A. D. 62: Pompeii [Paperback]

Rebecca East (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 7, 2003

A twenty-first century woman is stranded in first century Pompeii when a time travel experiment goes awry; she is sold to a wealthy family as a house slave. This provides her with an intimate, upstairs/downstairs perspective on household life in ancient times. At first she does menial work, but she improves her situation by telling stories and making prophecies. As her influence grows, she wins the love of her master and his daughter and provokes the vengeful jealousy of his wife.In this gentle fable about the power of stories to change people's lives, the heroine uses sources that include fairy tales and great works of literature to argue for womens rights and the humanity of slaves, and to inspire herself and others to be resourceful, courageous and independent. Miranda's own life becomes as mythic as the stories she tells. In a narrative that is part adventure, part romance, and part fantasy, the heroine triumphs over adversity and makes a place for herself in the world of the past.Visit the companion web site at www.rebecca-east.com to see ancient works of art that inspired the descriptions of characters and settings.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rebecca East is the pen name for a university professor who has traveled extensively, consulted for international organizations, worked on an archaeological dig, and taught for Semester at Sea.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (February 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 059526882X
• ISBN-13: 978-0595268825
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story!, August 9, 2003

By 

Ann "Ann" (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A. D. 62: Pompeii (Paperback)

Miranda takes part in a time travel experiment because she is the logical choice, an academic who knows Latin, Greek, and ancient history. Her objective is to go back to Pompeii, observe, and bring back information.

The first part of the experiment works: she goes back in time. However, after her escape mechanism fails to return her to the 21st century, she needs to adapt to life in ancient Pompeii, where she has been sold as a slave to a man with whom she finds herself falling in love.

The story is compelling and engrossing - a very fun read! I highly recommend it!

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This author shows talent!, August 18, 2003

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A. D. 62: Pompeii (Paperback)

Miranda finds herself stranded in Pompei when her time travel experiment goes wrong and her homing beacon does not work. Suddenly, a woman from the twenty first century is stuck in the first century, and rather than being a respected scientist, she is now a slave.

Yet, Miranda is not a pessimist; she looks upon this as an opportunity to learn about the ancient world in a whole new light. Servants frequently know more about the real world than their masters, so this is a real learning experience. Using her knowledge of the future and folklore, she makes a place for hereself and even manages to find a new family, and love.

**** Fans of Diana Galbandon will find this a real treat. Miranda is a spunky, determined young lady. With well researched detail, Ms. East both educates and entertains. Hopefully, we can look for more in the near future from this talented lady.

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True time travel back to ancient Rome, April 4, 2003

By 

Mary+cats "maryscats" (North Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A. D. 62: Pompeii (Paperback)

When I saw this book, I had just finished reading two works by men on Roman Britain where they used the contemporary names for the towns, and I swore never to read another fiction book on the Romans again.

Then, I decided to give Ms. East's work a chance and I was more than pleasantly surprised. She not only has done her research exceptionally well, she also writes with a clarity and precision that is hard to match. She describes the scenes so accurately and completely in her time travel venture that I actually could visualize myself as part of the story.

The main character, Miranda, is transported back in time as part of an experiment and winds up as a household slave for a wealthy Roman family. However, unlike the character in the Tarr-Turtledove effort, "Family Gods," the young lady does not try to impose her 21st century values on the Romans. Instead, she learns to adjust and fit into their lifestyle.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in ancient Rome and Pompeii. The research is so well done that one could use it as a teaching tool.

Mary Plus 2 Cats