Review: City on Fire by Tracy L. Higley
Fun fact about this book: years ago, my cousin bought this book. I fell in love with the cover and, though at that time I hadn’t yet gotten into the Biblical Fiction genre, the back cover blurb pulled me in. A female gladiator, a handsome Roman politician, a race against time in the doomed city of Pompeii? How can that not sound intriguing?
From that moment on, I wanted to read City on Fire. I don’t know why I didn’t just borrow it from my cousin back then, but I’ve gone all this time desperately wanting to get my hands on this book. I had always hoped to own it in paperback, but when I saw it on sale for $1.99 on Kindle recently, I knew it was too good of a deal to pass up!
City on Fire is still currently on sale, so snag that deal while you can because I’m not sure how long it will last!
As Vesuvius churns, a slave girl-turned-gladiator joins forces with an unlikely source to seek justice.
In the coastal town of Pompeii, a new gladiator prepares to fight. But this gladiator hides a deadly secret: she’s a runaway Jewish slave girl named Ariella, disguised as a young boy. A savvy fighter, Ariella determines to triumph in the arena, knowing her life will be forfeit should anyone uncover the truth.
Cato, a wealthy politician, moved to Pompeii after tiring of the corruption in Rome. But he soon learns that Pompeii is just as corrupt, and if he doesn’t play the game, his family could pay the price. Determined to bring about justice for the citizens of Pompeii, Cato searches for allies. But what he discovers instead is a confounding group of Christians . . . and a young female gladiator whose fame is growing daily.
Political unrest reaches a boiling point as Christians are jailed and executed, and the mountain in the distance threatens to destroy the city with its river of fire. Cato and Ariella must act quickly and courageously to save their loved ones before all is lost.
The story of Pompeii’s tragic demise has always intrigued me, and yet, as I realized upon reading this book, I really knew very little about it. I was fascinated and horrified by the depictions of Vesuvius’s wrath and the horrible deaths so many people met that day. It reminded me of the Titanic-the frantic race for some form of safety, the inability to save every single person, and many of those people choosing to die in their loved ones’ arms-except this is on land. I found myself feeling extremely grateful that I do not live anywhere near a volcano! I never realized how horrific one their eruptions could be!
I find it ironic that the day before the disaster the people of Pompeii celebrated the Roman god of fire, Vulcan-after whom volcanoes were named. Perhaps it is no coincidence that it happened this way. Perhaps the Romans were meant to learn, like the ancient Egyptians in the time of Moses, that their gods were powerless and that Someone else held the fate of the world in His hands. Who knows? But it definitely gives you much to think about.
There were a few things I didn’t love about the book. At times I was frustrated with Cato’s insistence on trying to take care of Ariella’s problems, and yet, I also became frustrated with her prideful refusals to let him help her. In the end, though, I understood what the author was trying to accomplish. Both of these characters were having to learn that they cannot control everything and save everyone, sometimes they have to just let go.
All in all, I felt it was a solid and mesmerizing story, and I found myself unable to put it down. It has so many exciting elements that keep you wanting to turn the next page: political intrigue, gladiatorial fights, romance, fascinating historical detail, and of course, the heart-pounding race to survive Vesuvius.
4.5/5 Stars for this gripping novel by new-to-me author, Tracy L. Higley! I have been so eager to read her books for years now, and I’m excited I’m finally getting around to them. I have her book, Garden of Madness, on my Kindle, and Petra (now re-released as Palace of Darkness) in paperback-and it is signed! Best used book find ever! LOL!