Customer Reviews

Man from Pomegranate Street (The Roman Mysteries)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, here I am at the end of an amazing seventeen-part detective series (not counting two short-story collections), set in Ancient Rome and starring four precocious youngsters; the accumulation of a wonderful set of books that magnificently combines solid characterization, exciting plots and accurate research into a fantastic reading experience for adults and children alike. For the past two months I've been scouring the local libraries in the search for these books so that I can read them in order, and trying to put off their imminent finish in the hopes of savoring the adventure. But there's no avoiding it anymore.

"The Man from Pomegranate Street" has Flavia, Nubia and Lupus returning home after their long sojourns throughout Africa, Egypt and Asia, following in the footsteps of Jonathan who has gone on ahead in order to warn Emperor Titus of a suspected plot against his life. They are still in danger considering that they are wanted on charges of thievery and treason against Rome after the botched mission of The Beggar of Volubilis, but the four of them are desperate to prove their innocence.

But on returning to Rome they are horrified to discover that Emperor Titus is already dead, and his brother Domitian has assumed the throne in his place. Certain that he's the one behind Titus's suspicious death, Flavia, Nupia and Lupus reunite with several old allies from previous books in order to investigate his death and find Jonathan.

To say more would be to give away the final mystery of the final book that really should not be read by anyone who does not already have the first sixteen books under their belt (starting with The Thieves of Ostia). But for anyone who has been traveling along with spunky Flavia, pessimistic Jonathan, wise Nubia and fearless Lupus throughout the series, they'll find that this final installment is an apt finish to each character's growth from child to adult.

Spanning two years in total, and including famous historical events such as the eruption of Vesuvius, the great fire of Rome, and of course, Titus's mysterious death, "The Roman Mysteries" are exceptional works of fiction and learning tools for any young reader interested in ancient history. Tidbits of information are littered throughout the story, from cultural beliefs, geographical descriptions, or the known quirks of real-life historical figures. Facts are never shoehorned in, rather any information conveyed is always of importance to the story, adding to both the mystery and the themes of each book in such a way that it feels as though history is being *absorbed* rather than learnt.

Of equal importance is Caroline Lawrence's impeccable writing style. Though she is writing of the distant past instead of a fantasy world, the customs and beliefs of the ancient Romans are potentially just as alien to a contemporary mind. Yet within her series she manages to bring everything to glorious life. It is not simply accurate descriptions of architecture and clothing that make the Roman Mysteries so vivid, but rather all the sounds, the smells, the tastes and the feel of the world that exists around our protagonists: from the stench of latrines to the sound of rain water, from the taste of bread to the pain of an injury. Just as she involves the reader in the immense beauty of this world, neither does she shy away from the cruelties, presenting a world that is both similar and profoundly different from our own.

Each book has a basic formula in regards to the way information has portrayed: an historical event will be compared to a famous myth or legend, which is then used to help solve the mystery and develop character arcs along the way. It never gets stale, simply because the range of topics that Lawrence can draw upon are so broad, and here the detectives gradually piece together clues from the legend of Romulus and Remus, facts about various poisons, and clues strewn along the path of Emperor Titus's last journey. Along with the children themselves, the books mature in content and themes, and by this stage the foursome are operating in an adult world.

But, as always, they have each other, and their strong, affectionate friendship has always been the highpoint of the series (though there are plenty of romantic entanglements, I have to admit that the falling-in-love aspect of the series left me a little cold; they never quite rang true). Each one has their strengths and weaknesses, and Lawrence makes sure each of them gets their chance to shine by utilizing their unique skills to the problems that beset them. It's sad to see them go, though I hold out hope that they'll reappear in future books written by Caroline Lawrence (she has left at least one rather large plot-thread hanging concerning the fate of Jonathan's nephew and Flavia's uncle).

As a whole, the mysteries themselves are complex enough to avoid insulting one's intelligence, but clear enough for a discerning reader to figure it out along with the protagonists. There are so many clever twists and plotting decisions that I always felt inexplicably *pleased* whilst I was reading - I suppose there's just something satisfying about experiencing a story that is well told. It is worth every effort to read these books in order, as well as to add them to your bookshelf: brimming with danger, excitement, intrigue, romance, suspense, laughter and discovery - these are some of the best historical/mystery books that you could ever give to your child. Or, read for yourself.

In this conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series, Flavia and her friends return to Rome in AD 81 to learn of the death of Emperor Titus. The death occurred under mysterious circumstances, and many wonder if Titus truly died of natural causes, or if he was assassinated by one of his many enemies.

This is the biggest mystery yet for Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia, and Lupus, but they are determined to solve it, hoping that doing so will clear their names with the new emperor, Domitian, who is Titus's brother. However, trying to clear their names by solving the mystery ends up putting the friends in more danger, and they may not like some of the answers they find.

The Man from Pomegranate Street is a wonderful conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series, full of adventure, danger, mystery, and for some of the characters, romance. I've been reading this series since the first book was published, so I was very excited to read this final book and find out what happened to all the characters. Particularly I wanted to find out who Flavia would marry and I was not disappointed in the answer! Fans of the series are sure to want to read this book, it is an excellent conclusion that will not disappoint. For new readers who think the series sounds interesting, I recommend starting with book one, The Thieves of Ostia.

The Man from Pomegranate Street brings ancient Rome to life, as do all of Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries. The mystery in this final book is who killed Titus? Historically, the emperor Titus died on September 13, 81 CE and Flavia, Lupus, Nubia and Aristo were on a quest to warn him of his potential murder. They missed warning Titus by a day. In turn, the young sleuths become determined to find out who killed Titus. Their early conclusion is his brother Domitian is responsible and they set out to prove their conclusion.

The quest for clues take our heroes on a trek to the country villa where Titus places everyone in quite a bit of danger at the hands of the new emperor. Flavia's life become very complicated when Flaccus appears on the scene and our old friend Tranquillus Suetonius makes a welcomed appearance. The closing scrolls (starting at 27) are especially well written. They beautifully convey the feeling of longing for things past and the reluctance to begin a new life.

Having written about the Flavians, I was interested how Caroline Lawrence would portray Domitian. Many novels about the Flavians tend to treat Titus as the good brother and Domitian as the bad one. Ms. Lawrence treats Domitian as a human being while also making use of the gossip ancient authors reported about him. Domitian did have some worries when he became emperor. There were pro-Titus and pro-Domitian factions and an attempt to replace Domitian with Sabinus seems to have occurred in about 82 CE. The exact events that occurred were not reported by ancient authors (and may not have been revealed) but Sabinus was executed as a result. I highly recommend the novel by David Corson titled "Domitian and Domitia as the author approaches Domitian as a human being.

One point of interest about Titus, the two patricians who conspired against him are mentioned in this book as having been freed by the emperor. However, is this true? Titus invited the pair to a gladiatorial show, where they tested the blades of the contestants. Finally, Titus consulted the horoscopes of both persons warning of "danger from unexpected quarters -- quite correctly as it turned out" (Suetonius Titus 9.1). Such an ominous remark can leave little to the imagination as to their fate.

This book is a magnificent conclusion to the Roman Mysteries series. However, Caroline is going to add a book of short stories and she is working on a series of three book that recount Flavia's adventures 15 years in the future.

Purchased this for one of my daughters, and she thoroughly loved it! Caroline Lawrence does a wonderful job of bring her characters to life, and inviting you along for the adventure. The Roman Mysteries series is a wonderful read for any young adult!

The only sad thing about this book is that it is the last one in this wonderful series but Behold! as we might see more of Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia and Lupus.

Flavia and her friends try to solve the mystery about Titus' sudden death but their attempts esp Flavias assumptions become very dangerous for them. In this book romance plays a big role but I think many of the readers were looking forward to that. There are scenes that make you want to laugh and some that could even bring some tears in your eyes.

It all cumulates to a very satisfying end.

Utterly recommendable

I agree with the other reviewer: the end of one of my favorite literary series is indeed sad. And this book is just a great ending that carries on with the theme throughout that the world holds no promises, can be cruel but also wonderful.

So I was inspired to do a bit of research and come up with the following, which, to warn you, is a bit of a plot spoiler for the current book.

As the small ship rounded the breakwater at Ephesus its sails caught the wind and it picked up speed. "Headed to Ostia" Flavia Gemina remembered, as it was Lupus' ship and someone had mentioned that in passing. She could tell it was almost lunch as the sun just crossed onto the balcony on which she was standing, the room behind her still cool. She thought again about Ostia and Rome, which she had not seen since being banished by Domitian. But the news from yesterday was that Domitian was dead, killed in some kind of palace conspiracy: the details were still fuzzy. The Emperor was now Nerva, and the letter to Flavia also let her know that the emperor's new policies of reconciliation lifted all of Domitian's edicts.

She was free to go home. But did she really want to? Was it really home? She had spent more of her life in Ephesus than in Ostia, and with a family, she was now settled, she reminded herself. There is no need to go, now or ever.

A knock at the door, and a messenger - not so unlike Lupus when she first met him - held out a sealed wax tablet. She gave him a coin and untied the tablet.

"Dearest Mater, I write this in haste. I read the letter you and Pater got from Rome yesterday, and that the new emperor has freed you from exile. What you did not hear, and what I heard from the ship crew, was that Uncle Jonathan is somehow implicated in the scheme of the Praetorians, and that he is in danger. Mater, I have listened for years to all the stories of your adventures, and how you solved all those mysteries. I have been attentive and have learned so much from you. Uncle Lupus is sailing on the morning tide, and I know I can help Uncle Jonathan with all that I've learned and be an honor to you and pater. I know I can approach the emperor and help save Uncle. I know you would approve. I will be safe and home quickly.

Your daughter

Floppina