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A review by jonknightknighthunterbooks
Romanitas by Sophia McDougall
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Eh, it's at best fine. Maybe good for a younger teen obsessed with the Roman empire. Some hiking in rough conditions and varying degrees of peril.
The book is set in the equivalent of 2005, with technology having progressed in some ways as it has in our world, but with none of the associated social change. The empire runs on slavery, sexism is rampant, the emperor's rule is absolute, and death by crucifixion is common.
Some people have powers. This is never explored or explained. The kid with miraculous healing powers is left in the control of one ageing doctor running a single clinic. The kid with mental powers is generally believed without much fuss.
The book also suffers from norms having changed since it was published. Every skin tone mentioned is pale, every attraction straight, and one of the few genuinely dangerous people was left disabled by his time on a cross.
The book is set in the equivalent of 2005, with technology having progressed in some ways as it has in our world, but with none of the associated social change. The empire runs on slavery, sexism is rampant, the emperor's rule is absolute, and death by crucifixion is common.
Some people have powers. This is never explored or explained. The kid with miraculous healing powers is left in the control of one ageing doctor running a single clinic. The kid with mental powers is generally believed without much fuss.
The book also suffers from norms having changed since it was published. Every skin tone mentioned is pale, every attraction straight, and one of the few genuinely dangerous people was left disabled by his time on a cross.