First in a new series set in Roman-occupied Britain, military medicus (army doctor) Gaius Petreius Ruso, newly divorced and stuck with debts of his late father, transfers to the 20th Legion where he finds filthy, vermin-filled quarters, miserable weather, and a lack of supplies. Immediately, he is called upon to examine the corpse of a young woman who drowned, tend to the sick, and eventually rescues an injured slave girl. Gaius also becomes a sort of detective when two young females from the local brothel turn up dead. In the meantime, he is writing a first-aid guide, sharing residence with another doctor, and more mice than can possibly be counted. Filled with period detail, suspense, and humor.
5 comments:
Out of curiousity-- how would you compare this to "Wickett's Remedy?" I think they both sound so interesting, but I could not get through "Wickett's-" first chapter is as far as I seem to be able to go. Guess I will be sending that one back soon. Did you like this current one better? If so, it sounds very interesting and I'd like to check it out. xoxo
Hmm...sounds interesting on the Roman front. Warren might like it if he had time to read something other than textbooks and articles! :)
I can't believe I even finished Wickett's!! I was disappointed in it because I thought the premise had such great potential for telling a slice-of-life story for that time period. Wouldn't recommend it....can't believe I even sent it to you to read! My apologies! lol
Ha!!! Hilarious! Yea, I'm just too bored with Wicketts to continue... hate it when that happens. I'm torn between what I want to start reading next... do I wait to start Harry Potter? I didn't reserve a copy, so will it even be available for the next couple of weeks, should I start something else only to put it down as soon as I get the Harry Potter??? Oh, my life is so dramatic. How do I survive with all these pressing questions haunting me?
If this book has a flaw, it is with some of the dialogue (sounded too modern to me) and, for some reason, the chalked advertisement signs seemed just way too modern...but who knows! Maybe there is evidence of this. Having said all that, I enjoyed the story--the humor, the mystery of the deaths, and the twist of the who-dun-it. It's fairly light reading, but an enjoyable one.
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