{Synopsis} – No one in the bustling city of Pompeii worries when the ground trembles beneath their feet. The beast under the mountain Vesuvius, high above the city, wakes up angry sometimes — and always goes back to sleep.
But Marcus is afraid. He knows something is terribly wrong — and his father, who trusts science more than mythical beasts, agrees. When Vesuvius explodes into a cloud of fiery ash and rocks fall from the sky like rain, will they have time to escape — and survive the epic destruction of Pompeii?
{My thoughts} – Marcus is a young boy that is forced to be a slave. His father was sold to some other owner a few months prior to the writing of the book. Marcus likes to talk about how he misses his father and wishes he could be with him. He dreams about it on a regular basis.
Marcus starts to feel the ground shaking and sees statues toppling over all around him. He knows something isn’t right. He runs into an older woman that appears to be a beggar. She tells him the world is going to end in fire and it scares him, but he isn’t sure if he should believe her words or not. He decides to disregard them just like his dad would, since his dad only seemed to believe in science, things that can be proven.
As the book progresses he actually encounters his father again. He makes some split second choices that helps to bring them back together. When the ground starts shaking more frequently he and his father climb up the mountain to investigate. What they find is mind boggling and they learn they need to warn the people of the city before it is too late. No one wants to listen to them though, they are slaves, they aren’t worthy of being heard.
When they happen upon someone that is interested in what they say the whole city is warned to get out. To get as far away from the mountain as possible. So much happens after that warning. The words that keep flashing back in Marcus mind are the words that old lady told him, those words may just be the key to his and his father’s survival.
Pompeii is one of those stories you hear as you are growing up. It piques your interest and leaves you wanting more and more information about it. I have studied this specific point in history many times. I’d love to see the actual city that has been uncovered in person. It’s one of those I long to know more about subjects. I really enjoyed reading this book, it made me feel like I was there and I was a part of the story. It pulled me in from the beginning, just like the previous books in this series has done.
I look forward to reading more books in this series in the future.
Final Conclusion: 5 Star Rating.
