Type of bind: Paperback
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Puffin
Manufacturer: Puffin
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 192
Printing Date: May 24, 2004
Publishing house: Puffin
Age index: Ages 9-12
Sale Popularity Level: 935603
Studio: Puffin
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Flavia, Jonathan, Lupus, and Nubia-friends and detectives-sail to the Bay of Naples to spend the summer with Flavia's uncle, who lives near Pompeii. There they uncover a riddle that may lead them to great treasure. Meanwhile, tremors shake the ground, animals behave strangely, and people dream of impending doom. One of the worst natural disasters of all time is about to happen: the eruption of Mount Vesuvius!
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Rated by buyers 
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The Secrets of Vesuvius (I will be deliberately vague in order not to give away the plot of the book) picks up where The Thieves of Ostia left off, transporting us to Pompeii in the middle of August 79 C.E. The mystery is rather subtle this time - a riddle that leads to treasure but something of a different kind than Flavia Gemina anticipates. Actually, there is an additional mystery concerning the identity of a new character to the story.
The real joy of this book for me is the Elder Pliny being fleshed out as the inquisitive and curious person that he undoubtedly was. We meet him on several occasions and the children interact with him at great deal.
Caroline Lawrence provides a marvelous tour of Pompeii and her attention to the details of everyday life is engaging as always. I have read Robert Harris' novel about Pompeii (which I highly recommend) with its meticulous information about Mount Vesuvius. We have a different vantage point in this book as the characters discover from environmental changes and historic accounts that Vesuvius is about to erupt. The course of the eruption itself is nicely told as some of the characters stay at the Gemina farm and some travel across Pompeii in an endeavor to save friends and warn the people in general. We get an excellent perspective on how terrible the eruption of Vesuvius was, the kind of hazards people ran attempting to escape and what their options were to get away from danger. All of the characters in the book are profoundly affected by the tragedy and a few require the services of Doctor Mordecai.
To sum up, The Secrets of Vesuvius is a mystery novel that adults and children can equally share and learn about Pompeii and life for the ancient Romans. Certainly after reading this book you will be eager for the subsequent installment.
Rated by buyers 
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In The Secret's of Vesuvius, the second in Lawrence's Roman Mysteries Series, we rejoin Flavia, Nubia, Jonathan, and Lupus as they travel from Ostia to the Bay of Naples to spend the summer with Flavia's uncle (who just happens to live near Pompeii). This volume is also set in the very first century, 79 A.D. and as the story starts, they rescue Admeral Pliny whose boat sank while he was out working on a new scroll. He gives them a "mystery riddle" to solve (which in fact is the least interesting part of the book) and then they head off to the uncle's farm (picture given of the farm grounds in the front of the book, excellent detail about life in Rome...a big plus for the book). The character lineup (outside of the main characters) include:
Uncle Gaius - Flavia's uncle and twin to her father
Aristo - Falvia's Greek Tutor
Vulcan - Roman God of the Forge (and volcano's), also character in story, traveling blacksmith whose life mirrors the story of the God, he is looking for his real parents
Miriam - Sister of Jonathan and daughter of Mordecai
Ferox - Uncle Gaius favorite dog
Clio - New friend and one of the nine (adopted) daughters (named after the 9 muses) of Titus Tascius Pomponianus of the Villa Pomponiana
Mordecai - Jonathan's father
Xanthus, the farm manager and freedman of Uncle Gaius
Rectina - Titus' wife and adoptive mother of Clio
Highlights of The Secret's of Vesuvius include a tour of the Forum, struggles and suspicion between Roman's and Christians...in this book it is discussed several times about how the Christian religion is banned and illegal and we see people practicing it and meeting in secret (which readers will get to witness "first hand" later in the book; the use of Asine (jackass) a code word used by Christians to identify other Christians; and most importantly, an adventure where tremors shake the ground, animals behave strangely, and the people dream of impending doom! Our intrepid adventurers get to explore vineyards, celebrate the Roman festival of Vulcanalia, travel on a merchant ship, and try to escape the eruption of Vesuvius.
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable mystery/thriller/adventure book for young readers that is heavy on the details of Roman daily life (this time of farm and country life as opposed to city life in the last book), is highly descriptive with likable and believable characters (for the most part). This time around, the mystery is less intriguing and very easy to figure out...that is with regards to the "riddle," the larger "mystery" of the blacksmith and Titus/Rectina. My only "complaints" would be the heavy handed Christian message that comes through, while not so bad that it makes for unpleasant reading, it is something to be aware of. This combined with the forced equality between Nubia, Flavia, the beggar boy and Jonathan makes the whole thing just slightly cringe worthy...however, I still feel it's a good read and something I think most kids will get a kick out of, I certainly did. I give it four stars, The Secret's of Vesuvius strength is in details, particularly about how the farm is run and the eruption of the volcano. Overall, it is a light and entertaining read despite its flaws.
Rated by buyers -
The secret of vesuvius:the roman mysteries is an exellent book if you like mysteries its really good. Its like one of those books you just can't set down. I would defenetly would recomend it to someone who loves mysteries.
Rated by buyers -
The secrets of Vesuvius is the second novel by Caroline Lawrence. Flavia and three of her friends go to the Bay of Naples to spend the rest of the summer at her uncle�s farm. The year is A.D. 79 and Mount Vesuvius has not erupted�yet. The four friends find themselves trying to solve a riddle but strange things are going on. Birds are dropping to the ground dead. Dogs are howling and barking for no apparent reason. And people are going mad.
I liked this book because it is filled with action on every page. When Mt. Vesuvius erupts Flavia and her friends have to get help... Flavia sends two of her friends to get help, but they encounter a problem. One of the friends is knocked out cold, so it is up to the other friend to swim a great distance to get help. All the while Flavia, Jonathan and Nubia are trying to stay alive until they are saved.
If you like action, adventure, suspense with a little history throw in, this second book in the series will keep you reading ten pages every night. I highly recommend this fantastic book.
Rated by buyers -
Finally a series of well written books that allows children to know the details of life in another time and place, while keeping them learning, all in the framework of a ripping-good-yarn!
Thank you Caroline Lawrence.
Take the time to read this series to your children.
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