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The Lost Voices of Pompeii: Life and Death on Pompeii's Final Day – An Immersive Ancient History of Roman Culture
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26Award-winning ancient historian, archeologist, and social media sensation Dr. Jess Venner (@lifeinthepastlane_) brings the citizens of Pompeii back to life through a vibrant account of their final day before Mt. Vesuvius’s eruption.
While the ruins of Pompeii still stand today, silent and perfectly preserved in ash and stone, they were once home to thousands of people whose lives were forever altered—or cut short—in the wake of Mt. Vesuvius. Through extensive research and vivid storytelling, leading expert Dr. Jess Venner goes beyond the devastation and shows a community teeming with art, customs, and culture.
The Lost Voices of Pompeii follows ordinary citizens on what should have been an ordinary Petrinus, a slave, hopes to purchase his freedom; the recently elected Gaius Cuspius Pansa seeks to cement his legacy as a generous public servant; and the shrewd merchant Aulus Umbricius Scaurus and ambitious innkeeper Euxinus each devise ways to expand their growing businesses.
Meanwhile, Julia Felix, a female entrepreneur, prepares to host the Cult of Isis and its mesmerizing priest Amisusius, and freedwoman turned businesswoman Umbricia Fortunata and her husband Lucius work to secure a better future for their children.
Pompeii’s story is often reduced to the scope of its tragedy, but Dr. Venner brings our attention back to the individuals. As the citizens’ paths weave together and apart, leading up to the final, fateful moment, they capture a civilization rich in history, traditions, and aspirations.
A profound and immersive experience, The Lost Voices of Pompeii revives a people often overshadowed by death and destruction and tells a poignant tale of humanity and resilience.
While the ruins of Pompeii still stand today, silent and perfectly preserved in ash and stone, they were once home to thousands of people whose lives were forever altered—or cut short—in the wake of Mt. Vesuvius. Through extensive research and vivid storytelling, leading expert Dr. Jess Venner goes beyond the devastation and shows a community teeming with art, customs, and culture.
The Lost Voices of Pompeii follows ordinary citizens on what should have been an ordinary Petrinus, a slave, hopes to purchase his freedom; the recently elected Gaius Cuspius Pansa seeks to cement his legacy as a generous public servant; and the shrewd merchant Aulus Umbricius Scaurus and ambitious innkeeper Euxinus each devise ways to expand their growing businesses.
Meanwhile, Julia Felix, a female entrepreneur, prepares to host the Cult of Isis and its mesmerizing priest Amisusius, and freedwoman turned businesswoman Umbricia Fortunata and her husband Lucius work to secure a better future for their children.
Pompeii’s story is often reduced to the scope of its tragedy, but Dr. Venner brings our attention back to the individuals. As the citizens’ paths weave together and apart, leading up to the final, fateful moment, they capture a civilization rich in history, traditions, and aspirations.
A profound and immersive experience, The Lost Voices of Pompeii revives a people often overshadowed by death and destruction and tells a poignant tale of humanity and resilience.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 12, 2026
34 people are currently reading
6697 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had to go backwards, and look this book up again online to make sure this was marketed as non-fiction. Why? I don't know. Maybe the publisher doesn't know the difference between historical fiction and non-fiction. If thus had been marketed as historical fiction, I would have rated this a five-star. I think it would be interesting if someone who knows the history of Pompeii could shift through and tell me if the historical facts line up correctly, but because this is historical fiction, and not non-fiction, I can't even go off of any facts listed in the book. Don't feel like fact-checking the book, though. As a non-fiction book, it's actually a zero, because I can't trust the information. As a historical fiction book, it's a five, so I settled on a three.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
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February 15, 2026dnf :(
April 23, 2026
This is a tricky one to review for me. On one hand it was fascinating, loved the glimpse into how people may have lived, their daily lives and routines and how they interacted. But. On the other hand, I did find it to be quite repetitive and sluggish at times. My one thing that I really wished for was the photos to have been in colour because the details were lost due to them being in black and white sadly. Overall though, I feel like I learned a lot through reading this!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Mudlark for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This was another victim of my "I have no work, therefore I have no money and have to cancel some pre-orders" spree, and so I was so excited to be sent an a-arc.
I have climbed Mount Vesuvius (back when I could walk and wasn't in a wheelchair) and have been to Pompeii - although I became very unwell halfway through and spent the second half of the tour sightseeing in the Pompeii bathrooms. But it was interesting just the same. I wish I'd gone to Herculaneum too, which was also a victim of the eruption, but you could only do the trip to Vesuvius with Pompeii and I really wanted to do Vesuvius. I think I need to go back to Pompeii on a day where I'm not poorly.
The introduction itself was enough for me to know this would be a special book. The passion Jess has for learning, education, history, and wanting to share the stories of 'forgotten' people is so moving. I love learning and she really hit the nail on the head when it comes to the importance of learning. It was such an inspiring opening.
I was always a bit of a history buff (and to this day I regret not continuing with it in my studies) and I am very interesting in the ancient world and so this was endlessly fascinating to me. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books to satisfy my nerdy cravings.
It's fascinating because she's written a non-fiction and a fiction in one. The opening sets up at the factual, historical side. And then each chapter is about a person or persons living in Pompeii at that time. She has used evidence to back her stories up, but there are imagined elements that help put all those pieces together, and I found that such an interesting and remarkable method to tell these stories.
Each story is its own story, but they're also linked which I liked, because this is what a community would have done. It helps add the humanity to it. Some stories I liked more than others, which isn't surprising when it comes to short stories, but overall they all bring something special to the book.
While this is a book about Pompeii, I appreciate her words about Herculaneum. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe actually about 80-90% of Pompeii citizens were able to evacuate before the crux of the eruption, but only about 10% of Herculaneums did. So why don't they get the historical attention?
What I wasn't expecting from a book advertised as a non-fiction was it to be so moving. I mean, I know what happened to the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum, it's nothing new. But it's true, we only know them as numbers of dead people. We forget they were real people with friends, families, jobs, children, pets etc. and so the bits she writes about the moment of impact is so moving that I found myself with watery eyes at times. I wanted to step in and save these fictional people almost 2,000 years old.
As a self-confessed member of the nerd species, I loved it, and I highly recommend it to nerds and non-nerds alike. I am generally not someone who buys a physical copy of a book if I'd read it on the Kindle, but this may be an exception.
This was another victim of my "I have no work, therefore I have no money and have to cancel some pre-orders" spree, and so I was so excited to be sent an a-arc.
I have climbed Mount Vesuvius (back when I could walk and wasn't in a wheelchair) and have been to Pompeii - although I became very unwell halfway through and spent the second half of the tour sightseeing in the Pompeii bathrooms. But it was interesting just the same. I wish I'd gone to Herculaneum too, which was also a victim of the eruption, but you could only do the trip to Vesuvius with Pompeii and I really wanted to do Vesuvius. I think I need to go back to Pompeii on a day where I'm not poorly.
The introduction itself was enough for me to know this would be a special book. The passion Jess has for learning, education, history, and wanting to share the stories of 'forgotten' people is so moving. I love learning and she really hit the nail on the head when it comes to the importance of learning. It was such an inspiring opening.
I was always a bit of a history buff (and to this day I regret not continuing with it in my studies) and I am very interesting in the ancient world and so this was endlessly fascinating to me. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books to satisfy my nerdy cravings.
It's fascinating because she's written a non-fiction and a fiction in one. The opening sets up at the factual, historical side. And then each chapter is about a person or persons living in Pompeii at that time. She has used evidence to back her stories up, but there are imagined elements that help put all those pieces together, and I found that such an interesting and remarkable method to tell these stories.
Each story is its own story, but they're also linked which I liked, because this is what a community would have done. It helps add the humanity to it. Some stories I liked more than others, which isn't surprising when it comes to short stories, but overall they all bring something special to the book.
While this is a book about Pompeii, I appreciate her words about Herculaneum. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe actually about 80-90% of Pompeii citizens were able to evacuate before the crux of the eruption, but only about 10% of Herculaneums did. So why don't they get the historical attention?
What I wasn't expecting from a book advertised as a non-fiction was it to be so moving. I mean, I know what happened to the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum, it's nothing new. But it's true, we only know them as numbers of dead people. We forget they were real people with friends, families, jobs, children, pets etc. and so the bits she writes about the moment of impact is so moving that I found myself with watery eyes at times. I wanted to step in and save these fictional people almost 2,000 years old.
As a self-confessed member of the nerd species, I loved it, and I highly recommend it to nerds and non-nerds alike. I am generally not someone who buys a physical copy of a book if I'd read it on the Kindle, but this may be an exception.
April 25, 2026
In AD79 Pompeii, a thriving city near the Bay of Naples in Italy, was devastated by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius which caused both earthquakes & the city to be buried under meters of volcanic ash. Dr Venner here recreates the possible lives of some of Pompeii's inhabitants the day before the eruption, from a slave shopping for that evening's feast for his master, to a typical day for a priest of the goddess Isis.
I have visited Pompeii & Roman history is one of my favourite subjects to read & learn about, so requesting this was a no-brainer. In this nonfiction/fiction hybrid, Venner uses the literary device of 'critical fabulation' which combines historical fact & evidence with fictional imagining to recreate a lost world. Or in this case, lost city. It mostly works to excellent effect here & I liked the little touch of characters from previous stories appearing as peripheral characters in the later ones so that everyone's stories eventually dovetailed together.
It was cleverly done, although in one or two cases the story went on for just a little bit too long. Minor quibble though, & overall I really enjoyed reading about the different characters whose imagined personal stories brought the past to life. I also appreciated the footnotes linking various aspects of the story to archaeological evidence from the advertisements graffitied on the walls of Pompeii to the remnants of the gardens there.
So this was a definite hit with me & I am not at all jealous that the author got to spend so much time studying Pompeii & also working at the British School in Rome. Nope, not jealous at all. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Roman history. 4.5 stars (rounded up)
SUMMARY:
Research: Excellent - I appreciated the footnotes linking various aspects of the story to archaeological evidence.
Writing Style: Very Good - The critical fabulations was cleverly done, although in one or two cases the story went on for just a little bit too long.
Enjoyment Level: High - This was a definite hit with me & I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Roman history.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK/Mudlark, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
TWs: Child death, animal death, adult/minor relationships.
I have visited Pompeii & Roman history is one of my favourite subjects to read & learn about, so requesting this was a no-brainer. In this nonfiction/fiction hybrid, Venner uses the literary device of 'critical fabulation' which combines historical fact & evidence with fictional imagining to recreate a lost world. Or in this case, lost city. It mostly works to excellent effect here & I liked the little touch of characters from previous stories appearing as peripheral characters in the later ones so that everyone's stories eventually dovetailed together.
It was cleverly done, although in one or two cases the story went on for just a little bit too long. Minor quibble though, & overall I really enjoyed reading about the different characters whose imagined personal stories brought the past to life. I also appreciated the footnotes linking various aspects of the story to archaeological evidence from the advertisements graffitied on the walls of Pompeii to the remnants of the gardens there.
So this was a definite hit with me & I am not at all jealous that the author got to spend so much time studying Pompeii & also working at the British School in Rome. Nope, not jealous at all. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Roman history. 4.5 stars (rounded up)
SUMMARY:
Research: Excellent - I appreciated the footnotes linking various aspects of the story to archaeological evidence.
Writing Style: Very Good - The critical fabulations was cleverly done, although in one or two cases the story went on for just a little bit too long.
Enjoyment Level: High - This was a definite hit with me & I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Roman history.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK/Mudlark, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
TWs: Child death, animal death, adult/minor relationships.
April 24, 2026
I have just finished The Lost Voices of Pompeii and I’m genuinely blown away. From the very first page, you’re transported into the heart of Pompeii, not as a distant observer, but as someone walking its streets, hearing its stories, and feeling the lives of the people who once called it home.
What really stayed with me is how beautifully the book balances deep research with emotional storytelling. It’s not just facts, the book gives a voice to those who were lost, weaving together fragments of history into something vivid and human. You can almost feel the rhythm of daily life, the hopes, fears, and ordinary moments that make the tragedy all the more powerful.
If you love history that feels alive, and want to read more about Pompeii as more of a story than a book of facts, this is a must to pick up!
Thank you Harper Collins for gifting this book to me! I am so grateful.
What really stayed with me is how beautifully the book balances deep research with emotional storytelling. It’s not just facts, the book gives a voice to those who were lost, weaving together fragments of history into something vivid and human. You can almost feel the rhythm of daily life, the hopes, fears, and ordinary moments that make the tragedy all the more powerful.
If you love history that feels alive, and want to read more about Pompeii as more of a story than a book of facts, this is a must to pick up!
Thank you Harper Collins for gifting this book to me! I am so grateful.
April 27, 2026
Absolutely fascinating!
April 24, 2026
The Lost Voices of Pompeii opens with Dr. Venner’s personal journey into Roman history and Pompeii research. That framing immediately pulled me in. Her research is extensive, and the historical foundation gives the book real substance.
There are moments where the book leans more toward historical fiction than creative nonfiction—especially in the dialogue and dramatized scenes. Readers who enjoy narrative history with a storytelling feel will appreciate this approach; those looking for strictly sourced nonfiction may feel disappointed.
What I loved was the focus on voices across Pompeii’s social classes. Point of view of the enslaved, the working class, and the elite, Dr Varner offered a layered look at this familiar moment in history. It’s a reminder that history isn’t one dimensional and all perspectives should be considered to truly understand it.
A worthwhile read for history lovers, fans of hybrid nonfiction, and anyone interested in re‑examining history through an inclusive lens.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
There are moments where the book leans more toward historical fiction than creative nonfiction—especially in the dialogue and dramatized scenes. Readers who enjoy narrative history with a storytelling feel will appreciate this approach; those looking for strictly sourced nonfiction may feel disappointed.
What I loved was the focus on voices across Pompeii’s social classes. Point of view of the enslaved, the working class, and the elite, Dr Varner offered a layered look at this familiar moment in history. It’s a reminder that history isn’t one dimensional and all perspectives should be considered to truly understand it.
A worthwhile read for history lovers, fans of hybrid nonfiction, and anyone interested in re‑examining history through an inclusive lens.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 26, 2026
I picked this up as part of a readalong with Tandem Collective, and honestly, I wasn’t sure how I’d get on with it. It’s the first non fiction book I’ve read in a long time, and I fully expected it to take me ages or feel a bit heavy. It did take me longer than a typical fiction read, but I ended up being completely absorbed by it.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Pompeii, and it’s one of those places that just stays with you. Walking through the ruins feels almost surreal. It’s quiet, but at the same time you can almost hear echoes of what it once was. This book brought all of that back for me, but in a much deeper way. It didn’t just show me the place again, it made me feel the people.
What really stood out to me was how Venner tells the story through the final 24 hours of seven individuals. Not famous names, not the people history usually focuses on, but ordinary people living their everyday lives. That’s what made it so powerful. It takes something we already know the ending to, and somehow makes it feel personal. You’re not just reading about an eruption, you’re seeing a city full of life, routine, relationships and humanity right up until the very end.
It completely changed how I think about Pompeii. It’s so easy to see it as a tragic ruin, something frozen in time. But this book reminds you that it was once a busy, vibrant city full of real people with real lives. That emotional connection made all the difference for me.
It never felt like I was just reading facts. Everything was grounded in archaeology and real evidence, but it was written in such a way that it felt immersive and human rather than academic or distant. I learned so much without it ever feeling like hard work.
I genuinely can’t fault this. It’s fascinating, emotional, and incredibly well done. An easy five stars for me, and a reminder that history hits so much harder when you remember the people at the centre of it.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Pompeii, and it’s one of those places that just stays with you. Walking through the ruins feels almost surreal. It’s quiet, but at the same time you can almost hear echoes of what it once was. This book brought all of that back for me, but in a much deeper way. It didn’t just show me the place again, it made me feel the people.
What really stood out to me was how Venner tells the story through the final 24 hours of seven individuals. Not famous names, not the people history usually focuses on, but ordinary people living their everyday lives. That’s what made it so powerful. It takes something we already know the ending to, and somehow makes it feel personal. You’re not just reading about an eruption, you’re seeing a city full of life, routine, relationships and humanity right up until the very end.
It completely changed how I think about Pompeii. It’s so easy to see it as a tragic ruin, something frozen in time. But this book reminds you that it was once a busy, vibrant city full of real people with real lives. That emotional connection made all the difference for me.
It never felt like I was just reading facts. Everything was grounded in archaeology and real evidence, but it was written in such a way that it felt immersive and human rather than academic or distant. I learned so much without it ever feeling like hard work.
I genuinely can’t fault this. It’s fascinating, emotional, and incredibly well done. An easy five stars for me, and a reminder that history hits so much harder when you remember the people at the centre of it.
Did Not Finish
April 1, 2026DNF at page 123 for now - I love Roman history and I like the idea of telling a day in the life of an average pompeiian but I’m just not enjoying this style.
Thank you to author Dr. Jess Venner, Harper Collin’s publishers, and Goodreads for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to author Dr. Jess Venner, Harper Collin’s publishers, and Goodreads for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
April 25, 2026
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Thrilled to be sharing my review for The Lost Voices of Pompeii by @lifeinthepastlane_ @harpercollinsuk thanks to @tandemcollectiveuk
In 1999, @sk_xh558 and I visited Pompeii for the afternoon after visiting a museum in Naples first. The visit was fascinating and I’ve shared some photos here alongside images of the book.
We were lucky to have an excellent tour guide during our visit, but this stunning book goes much further. We are introduced to seven main characters based on the real people known to be living in Pompeii in 79CE.
The Slave - Petrinus
The Businesswoman - Julia Felix
The Everyman - Scarus
The Working Poor Family - Fortunata
The Innkeeper- Euxinus
The Priest of ISIS - Amisusius
The Politician - Pansa
Dr Jess Venner has woven the historical evidence beautifully with her skill as a storyteller to help the reader understand what life was like for the different groups of people in Pompeii. The level of detail is fascinating (and sometimes gruesome, or for those of us who work in education a modern safeguarding issue).
When visiting Pompeii, I never questioned how people would have been able to see in the dark travelling to the amphitheatre or what life was like for the ordinary people. Although the book looks at the aftermath of the eruption, it reminds us of what life was like in a town that had been repeatedly invaded and rebuilt, with a mixture of old and new traditions.
A stunning book, that deserves more than five stars. I now need to go back and visit again, to see the more recent excavations and to visit the areas brought to life in this book.
#bookreview #bookstagrammer #mudlarkbooks #drjessvenner #thelostvoicesofpompeii
Thrilled to be sharing my review for The Lost Voices of Pompeii by @lifeinthepastlane_ @harpercollinsuk thanks to @tandemcollectiveuk
In 1999, @sk_xh558 and I visited Pompeii for the afternoon after visiting a museum in Naples first. The visit was fascinating and I’ve shared some photos here alongside images of the book.
We were lucky to have an excellent tour guide during our visit, but this stunning book goes much further. We are introduced to seven main characters based on the real people known to be living in Pompeii in 79CE.
The Slave - Petrinus
The Businesswoman - Julia Felix
The Everyman - Scarus
The Working Poor Family - Fortunata
The Innkeeper- Euxinus
The Priest of ISIS - Amisusius
The Politician - Pansa
Dr Jess Venner has woven the historical evidence beautifully with her skill as a storyteller to help the reader understand what life was like for the different groups of people in Pompeii. The level of detail is fascinating (and sometimes gruesome, or for those of us who work in education a modern safeguarding issue).
When visiting Pompeii, I never questioned how people would have been able to see in the dark travelling to the amphitheatre or what life was like for the ordinary people. Although the book looks at the aftermath of the eruption, it reminds us of what life was like in a town that had been repeatedly invaded and rebuilt, with a mixture of old and new traditions.
A stunning book, that deserves more than five stars. I now need to go back and visit again, to see the more recent excavations and to visit the areas brought to life in this book.
#bookreview #bookstagrammer #mudlarkbooks #drjessvenner #thelostvoicesofpompeii
May 10, 2026
Though not quite what I was expecting, still interesting. Reads more like an interconnected collection of short fiction pieces set within Pompeii, with two nonfiction pieces at the beginning and ending to give context.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic example of the power of non-fiction storytelling!
I'm fascinated by Pompeii, and even more so since reading The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper. This takes a closer look at the history behind those stories, and the final days of the people who lived in Pompeii, irrespective of social class. I thought Dr Venner brought an intelligent and insightful perspective which demonstrated her understanding of ancient societies, including its distinctions from our own sensibilities. There was a great focus on the harsh truth of Pompeiian life, and the dichotomy of its cruel systems of slavery, and the city's enduring intrigue for people in the modern day.
Non-fiction can sometimes be a difficult genre for me - I use it more for study than entertainment! But this brings the stories to life in a way that blurs the boundaries between the genres, making it both interesting and highly informative. Dr Venner brings these histories to life. I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Books with a similar vibe - Mythica by Emily Hauser, Mythos by Stephen Fry, The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, and The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper.
What a fantastic example of the power of non-fiction storytelling!
I'm fascinated by Pompeii, and even more so since reading The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper. This takes a closer look at the history behind those stories, and the final days of the people who lived in Pompeii, irrespective of social class. I thought Dr Venner brought an intelligent and insightful perspective which demonstrated her understanding of ancient societies, including its distinctions from our own sensibilities. There was a great focus on the harsh truth of Pompeiian life, and the dichotomy of its cruel systems of slavery, and the city's enduring intrigue for people in the modern day.
Non-fiction can sometimes be a difficult genre for me - I use it more for study than entertainment! But this brings the stories to life in a way that blurs the boundaries between the genres, making it both interesting and highly informative. Dr Venner brings these histories to life. I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Books with a similar vibe - Mythica by Emily Hauser, Mythos by Stephen Fry, The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, and The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
The Lost Voices of Pompeii: Life and Death on Pompeii’s Final Day by Dr. Jess Venner is a compelling and deeply humanizing addition to the vast literature on the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. As Dr. Venner's debut book (released in April 2026 by HarperCollins), it stands out not as a dry academic treatise but as an immersive, narrative-driven exploration that breathes life into the people often reduced to plaster casts and tragic footnotes.Venner, an Oxford-based ancient historian and archaeologist specializing in Pompeii (with expertise in urban agriculture, post-earthquake resilience, and everyday Roman life), structures the book around the final 24 hours of the city through the eyes of seven diverse, real historical figures. Readers follow characters like Petrinus (a slave aspiring to freedom), Julia Felix (a prominent businesswoman), and others from various social strata—slaves, freedpeople, merchants, and more—as they go about what begins as an ordinary day in a bustling, vibrant Roman town. The narrative weaves their personal hopes, routines, relationships, and small dramas against the mounting signs of impending catastrophe, drawing on the latest archaeological evidence, inscriptions, artifacts, and scientific reconstructions.What makes this book particularly effective is Venner's skill in balancing rigorous scholarship with accessible, evocative storytelling. She avoids sensationalizing the disaster itself—instead, the focus remains on what was lost: not just buildings and bodies, but entire lives, dreams, and communities. The prose is vivid and richly descriptive, transporting readers to the noisy streets, fragrant gardens, busy taverns, and domestic spaces of Pompeii. By humanizing these individuals, Venner reminds us that the tragedy was profoundly personal, a poignant counterpoint to the more common focus on destruction and preservation.The book excels in its use of recent discoveries and interdisciplinary insights (from archaeobotany to spatial analysis) to paint a dynamic picture of a resilient, adaptive city still recovering from the AD 62 earthquake. Venner's background shines through in details that feel fresh and authoritative—opportunistic gardens springing up in repurposed spaces, commercial adaptations, and the everyday textures of non-elite life—without overwhelming the reader with jargon.For anyone fascinated by Pompeii, Roman history, or simply the power of narrative nonfiction, this is a standout read. It joins works like Mary Beard's Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town or Robert Harris's Pompeii but carves its own niche by prioritizing voices over volcanoes. It's both educational and emotionally resonant, leaving readers with a renewed appreciation for the humanity buried beneath the ash.Highly recommended—especially for those seeking a more intimate, character-centered perspective on one of history's most famous disasters. A strong 4.5 out of 5 stars for its originality, empathy, and scholarly depth wrapped in engaging prose. Pre-order or grab a copy; it's a worthy addition to any history enthusiast's shelf.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“The eruption of Vesuvius, one of the deadliest in history, consumed the city in less than 24 hours, silencing its streets and sealing his hopes, fears and ambitions beneath 6m of volcanic material. On that day, the people of Pompeii achieved the immortality they had long sought, but not in a way they could ever have imagined.”
As you read this quote from Jess’ book, images of Pompeii might pop into your mind. But I guarantee that they are of ruins and abandoned streets. I’d like to start by saying that this book is the absolute opposite of that. Instead of the absence of life, you see and hear life as it would have been in Pompeii before that infamous eruption!
This book is just absolutely incredible!
Imagine reading a non fiction book that reads like a novel. Where not only is it easy to turn the pages but where your mind is filled with the characters within it, characters you get to know by the end of the book. This is such book, which I think is so hard to achieve when writing a non fiction book. Often they’re clunky in the way they try to present facts and data, this is anything but!
At the start of the book, Jess gives us a short insight into Pompeii’s history and how it came to be part of the Roman Empire and then we meet seven individuals from different parts of the society and see how their final day in Pompeii enfolded. We see their paths cross and their reoccurrence in each other’s chapters gives us such a wonderful view, seeing them from different angles in their world.
Through their stories, we learn about everyday lives: people’s diet, how date and time was referenced, the ‘unseen’ presence of slaves and how they toiled away in the background to keep so many things running smoothly, the plants and animals you would have seen around, the thriving workshops, opulent villas and how their frescoes would have been created, funeral traditions and the role and lives of women are all woven into these stories too. We also get an excellent insight into the social hierarchy of the Pompeii of 79CE.
Whilst reading this book, you feel, hear and see Pompeii. The pictures, diagrams and footnotes are all useful extras in helping us build a full understanding of what it would have been like to walk the streets of Pompeii back in the 1st century. The final pages describing the eruption and its aftermath are both heartbreaking and frightening but beautifully and sensitively written.
Finally, what always amazes me about the Roman Empire of that time is how much of our today I can see in their present: from the human interaction in tavernas or quarrels between neighbours, to women using make up or perfume, to enjoying heated water and you will even learn about the very first evidence of “branding” (of fish sauce).
This book is an absolutely stunning recreation of Pompeii in 79CE, bringing the empty ruined streets we see today back to life and teaching us so much about all that was lost so many years ago!
As you read this quote from Jess’ book, images of Pompeii might pop into your mind. But I guarantee that they are of ruins and abandoned streets. I’d like to start by saying that this book is the absolute opposite of that. Instead of the absence of life, you see and hear life as it would have been in Pompeii before that infamous eruption!
This book is just absolutely incredible!
Imagine reading a non fiction book that reads like a novel. Where not only is it easy to turn the pages but where your mind is filled with the characters within it, characters you get to know by the end of the book. This is such book, which I think is so hard to achieve when writing a non fiction book. Often they’re clunky in the way they try to present facts and data, this is anything but!
At the start of the book, Jess gives us a short insight into Pompeii’s history and how it came to be part of the Roman Empire and then we meet seven individuals from different parts of the society and see how their final day in Pompeii enfolded. We see their paths cross and their reoccurrence in each other’s chapters gives us such a wonderful view, seeing them from different angles in their world.
Through their stories, we learn about everyday lives: people’s diet, how date and time was referenced, the ‘unseen’ presence of slaves and how they toiled away in the background to keep so many things running smoothly, the plants and animals you would have seen around, the thriving workshops, opulent villas and how their frescoes would have been created, funeral traditions and the role and lives of women are all woven into these stories too. We also get an excellent insight into the social hierarchy of the Pompeii of 79CE.
Whilst reading this book, you feel, hear and see Pompeii. The pictures, diagrams and footnotes are all useful extras in helping us build a full understanding of what it would have been like to walk the streets of Pompeii back in the 1st century. The final pages describing the eruption and its aftermath are both heartbreaking and frightening but beautifully and sensitively written.
Finally, what always amazes me about the Roman Empire of that time is how much of our today I can see in their present: from the human interaction in tavernas or quarrels between neighbours, to women using make up or perfume, to enjoying heated water and you will even learn about the very first evidence of “branding” (of fish sauce).
This book is an absolutely stunning recreation of Pompeii in 79CE, bringing the empty ruined streets we see today back to life and teaching us so much about all that was lost so many years ago!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. Potential readers should note the word “storytelling” in the description, as this is not a pure non-fiction work. Dr. Venner uses historical evidence to construct imagined narratives about the lives of several of Pompeii’s inhabitants, and she is very clear about the strengths and weaknesses of “critical fabulation” in the Introduction. What follows is a wholly immersive and enjoyable compendium of stories that serves to educate the reader about the reality of life in Pompeii before, during, and after the eruption of 79 CE. I expected Dr. Venner’s work to be well-researched, and it definitely met this expectation. Her introduction gives important context about the history of Pompeii as a city with a multicultural background still reeling from a major earthquake 17 years prior. She adeptly ties known evidence about locations and items identified in the ruins into her storylines, and helps the reader come to understand what life was like for all walks of life in pre-eruption Pompeii. Her footnotes were extremely helpful in further understanding the facts, but they are not necessary to sufficiently understand the history. More impressive is how well Dr. Venner writes the characters’ stories. She writes compelling, emotional narratives that could have come from a seasoned historical fiction writer, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed her writing. The characters Dr. Venner develops adequately demonstrate the variety of lives lived in an Ancient Roman community and gives the reader an accurate and rather comprehensive view of what life was like for both the upper and lower echelons of society. Her final chapter covering the characters’ fates during the eruption was wrenching, and sent this one from 4.5 to 5 stars for me. I would love to purchase a hard copy of this book so that I can reread it and reference the footnotes easily. I would recommend this for anyone who is a Pompeii geek and wants to hear the stories of the inhabitants in 79 CE from their own perspectives while also learning more facts about life there leading up to the eruption.
April 24, 2026
Firstly thank you to @harpernonfiction for reaching out to send me this book! I found using the audiobook alongside it pretty good….. it was read by the author!
Publisher - @harpernonfiction
release date - April 2026 ( out now!)
Author @lifeinthepastlane_
official blurb - We all know how the people of Pompeii died. But what about how they lived?
In 24 hours, Pompeii will vanish.
The morning of the eruption was a day like any other. Julia Felix opens her tavern for another day of business, defying every convention that says a woman can’t succeed alone. Petrinus, newly freed from slavery, wrestles with an impossible decision about his future. Politician Gaius Cuspius Pansa prepares to host the Plebian Games, a spectacle that will cement his power forever.
In 24 hours, seven lives will change forever.
Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, Dr Jess Venner brings the ancient streets to life through the eyes of those who lived, worked, loved and ultimately met their fate in Pompeii. Here is a community more complex, diverse and human than we ever imagined.
Pompeii is remembered for its destruction, but here we discover the vibrant lives that came before. Richly evocative and immersive, The Lost Voices of Pompeii vividly recreates the final twenty-four hours before the eruption, reminding us exactly what – and who – was lost in 79 AD.
This is the story of everything, and everyone, that was lost.
My thoughts - The author uses historical facts to bring to life people who lived and breathed in Pompeii. What she did was so clever and the characters well…… the slave broke my heart, the way they sold people like objects and how they were portrayed and spoken about was upsetting. Some of the things the people of Pompeii ate had me cringing 😬 This book was exceptionally well written. I loved history back at school and it still interests me hugely, I would not usually read about it but in doing so, learnt a lot. The sheer temperature and entire human experience of this natural disaster was frankly, shocking! The people must have been terrified. If history is your thing I would highly recommend! #bookreview #bookworm #pompeii
Publisher - @harpernonfiction
release date - April 2026 ( out now!)
Author @lifeinthepastlane_
official blurb - We all know how the people of Pompeii died. But what about how they lived?
In 24 hours, Pompeii will vanish.
The morning of the eruption was a day like any other. Julia Felix opens her tavern for another day of business, defying every convention that says a woman can’t succeed alone. Petrinus, newly freed from slavery, wrestles with an impossible decision about his future. Politician Gaius Cuspius Pansa prepares to host the Plebian Games, a spectacle that will cement his power forever.
In 24 hours, seven lives will change forever.
Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, Dr Jess Venner brings the ancient streets to life through the eyes of those who lived, worked, loved and ultimately met their fate in Pompeii. Here is a community more complex, diverse and human than we ever imagined.
Pompeii is remembered for its destruction, but here we discover the vibrant lives that came before. Richly evocative and immersive, The Lost Voices of Pompeii vividly recreates the final twenty-four hours before the eruption, reminding us exactly what – and who – was lost in 79 AD.
This is the story of everything, and everyone, that was lost.
My thoughts - The author uses historical facts to bring to life people who lived and breathed in Pompeii. What she did was so clever and the characters well…… the slave broke my heart, the way they sold people like objects and how they were portrayed and spoken about was upsetting. Some of the things the people of Pompeii ate had me cringing 😬 This book was exceptionally well written. I loved history back at school and it still interests me hugely, I would not usually read about it but in doing so, learnt a lot. The sheer temperature and entire human experience of this natural disaster was frankly, shocking! The people must have been terrified. If history is your thing I would highly recommend! #bookreview #bookworm #pompeii
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
The Lost Voices of Pompeii was a somewhat frustrating book for me. Being eager to learn about life in Pompeii in the days leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, I was excited to read it. Ever since learning about the destruction of the ancient city at some point in school, I had (wrongly) assumed that almost everyone died instantly. My favorite thing about this book was learning what life would have been like back then and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that many people did survive.
I had several problems with this book, starting with its categorization as non-fiction. In the early pages of the book, the author explains that her writing utilizes an evidence-based storytelling style. She calls this “critical fabulation” and explains it to be a methodology that uses what survives in records to expand how history is told. I am a big fan of non-fiction, and count both Erik Larson and Patrick Radden Keefe among my favorite authors. I do not remember previously reading anything called non-fiction and thinking “how could that be”, which I did here. I would have preferred the book to be called a work of fiction, albeit one based on real lives.
The book also distracted me too many times for me to truly enjoy it. I did not keep a pencil and notepad nearby to jot down the definition of every one of the (hundred or more?) italicized words. Each of these words would have been used and understood at that time but had no meaning for me. Sometimes there were two or more in one sentence. I would have loved having a dictionary for these historical terms in the back of the book. As it was, after a while, I quit caring what I was reading.
I congratulate the author on a book that many people will love and rate five-stars. She is clearly passionate about this subject, and I wish her the best of luck. Sadly, this book was not a match for me.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and William Morrow. The above opinions are my own.
I had several problems with this book, starting with its categorization as non-fiction. In the early pages of the book, the author explains that her writing utilizes an evidence-based storytelling style. She calls this “critical fabulation” and explains it to be a methodology that uses what survives in records to expand how history is told. I am a big fan of non-fiction, and count both Erik Larson and Patrick Radden Keefe among my favorite authors. I do not remember previously reading anything called non-fiction and thinking “how could that be”, which I did here. I would have preferred the book to be called a work of fiction, albeit one based on real lives.
The book also distracted me too many times for me to truly enjoy it. I did not keep a pencil and notepad nearby to jot down the definition of every one of the (hundred or more?) italicized words. Each of these words would have been used and understood at that time but had no meaning for me. Sometimes there were two or more in one sentence. I would have loved having a dictionary for these historical terms in the back of the book. As it was, after a while, I quit caring what I was reading.
I congratulate the author on a book that many people will love and rate five-stars. She is clearly passionate about this subject, and I wish her the best of luck. Sadly, this book was not a match for me.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and William Morrow. The above opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you HarperCollins for gifting me an early proof of this gorgeous book. The Lost Voices Of Pompeii is an absolute feast and gosh what a labour of love! It just pours with Jess’s usual warmth and Ancient mastery, in a way that had me swept up in the chapters. With careful research, this is a testament to lives richly lived. The last hours in a myriad of worlds.
This is life before the sky darkens, told imaginatively through the eyes of seven fictional characters ( some of them tied to real Pompeiians) who are the backbone of a great city at the mercy of Vesuvius. Small omens and tremors curling serpentine around their everyday lives. We may know the fateful story of 79 AD but do we know the people and living flesh? Now, thanks to this book, they survive both fire and forgetting. The slave, the businesswoman, the family father, the freewoman, the innkeeper, the priest and lastly the politician 🌋
Jess turns her gaze towards the overlooked and unveils the minutiae. Ubiquitous smells of exotic spices, garum (pungent fish sauce, god the fish sauce!) and sunlit honey. Hurried sandals scuffing against stone, the tired paws of Laconian hounds defending doorways, women at the columns of the Palaestra and the swelling heat of the Stabian Baths. Most importantly, the Roman voices lost to history and yet hiding in scraps of surviving inscription as well as excavated ruins. Jess not only has a gift for texture, but an innate ability to restore dignity to those very people who were part of the fabric and who would have placed hope and longing in the margins of their seemingly ordinary days. Her evocation of daily life is truly beautiful and one of her many strengths ✨
Jess’s characters for me, speak across almost two thousand years and I have never felt more connected to them than I am now. It has been a pleasure reading this historic wonder and I’m so excited to visit Pompeii myself in May.
The book is released on 23/4/26 and you need to get your hands on it.
This is life before the sky darkens, told imaginatively through the eyes of seven fictional characters ( some of them tied to real Pompeiians) who are the backbone of a great city at the mercy of Vesuvius. Small omens and tremors curling serpentine around their everyday lives. We may know the fateful story of 79 AD but do we know the people and living flesh? Now, thanks to this book, they survive both fire and forgetting. The slave, the businesswoman, the family father, the freewoman, the innkeeper, the priest and lastly the politician 🌋
Jess turns her gaze towards the overlooked and unveils the minutiae. Ubiquitous smells of exotic spices, garum (pungent fish sauce, god the fish sauce!) and sunlit honey. Hurried sandals scuffing against stone, the tired paws of Laconian hounds defending doorways, women at the columns of the Palaestra and the swelling heat of the Stabian Baths. Most importantly, the Roman voices lost to history and yet hiding in scraps of surviving inscription as well as excavated ruins. Jess not only has a gift for texture, but an innate ability to restore dignity to those very people who were part of the fabric and who would have placed hope and longing in the margins of their seemingly ordinary days. Her evocation of daily life is truly beautiful and one of her many strengths ✨
Jess’s characters for me, speak across almost two thousand years and I have never felt more connected to them than I am now. It has been a pleasure reading this historic wonder and I’m so excited to visit Pompeii myself in May.
The book is released on 23/4/26 and you need to get your hands on it.
May 1, 2026
‘Today, Pompeii is known for how it ended rather than how it lived'.
In October 79 CE, Mt Vesuvius not only erupted, it obliterated the town of Pompeii - so entirely that the once thriving city was buried under metres of ash and pumice and lay dormant for 16 centuries, until excavation finally began. What was uncovered was not only the remains of Pompeii, but a remarkably well preserved time capsule of Roman life. Dr Jess Venner brings this snapshot to life by following six individuals and one family through the 24 hours surrounding the catastrophe.
Walking alongside slaves, freed men and women, merchants, and civic officials gives the narrative a real sense of texture; you’re not just learning about Pompeii, you’re inhabiting it. These figures are either real individuals or composites drawn from names recorded within the city itself, and through their lives we experience the sights, smells, and rhythms of daily life. It’s deeply immersive.
The interwoven connections between individuals help create a cohesive narrative thread across different perspectives. That said, this structure does occasionally lead to some repetitiveness.
One aspect I really appreciated was the use of footnotes for supporting evidence and clarification, as well as interspersing relevant photographs. Keeping these on the page, rather than tucked away at the back, makes it easy to stay engaged while still accessing the scholarship behind the story. It makes a big difference to the reading experience.
Overall, this is a fantastic example of evidence-based storytelling done well. Venner strikes a careful balance between informed speculation and established fact, clearly signalling where interpretations are plausible rather than definitive. It makes the book both accessible to general readers and trustworthy in its handling of history.
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys narrative non-fiction, or even historical fiction, that feels both grounded and alive.
‘Then came the silence. The eerie, absolute stillness that followed the death of the city and everyone left in it’.
In October 79 CE, Mt Vesuvius not only erupted, it obliterated the town of Pompeii - so entirely that the once thriving city was buried under metres of ash and pumice and lay dormant for 16 centuries, until excavation finally began. What was uncovered was not only the remains of Pompeii, but a remarkably well preserved time capsule of Roman life. Dr Jess Venner brings this snapshot to life by following six individuals and one family through the 24 hours surrounding the catastrophe.
Walking alongside slaves, freed men and women, merchants, and civic officials gives the narrative a real sense of texture; you’re not just learning about Pompeii, you’re inhabiting it. These figures are either real individuals or composites drawn from names recorded within the city itself, and through their lives we experience the sights, smells, and rhythms of daily life. It’s deeply immersive.
The interwoven connections between individuals help create a cohesive narrative thread across different perspectives. That said, this structure does occasionally lead to some repetitiveness.
One aspect I really appreciated was the use of footnotes for supporting evidence and clarification, as well as interspersing relevant photographs. Keeping these on the page, rather than tucked away at the back, makes it easy to stay engaged while still accessing the scholarship behind the story. It makes a big difference to the reading experience.
Overall, this is a fantastic example of evidence-based storytelling done well. Venner strikes a careful balance between informed speculation and established fact, clearly signalling where interpretations are plausible rather than definitive. It makes the book both accessible to general readers and trustworthy in its handling of history.
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys narrative non-fiction, or even historical fiction, that feels both grounded and alive.
‘Then came the silence. The eerie, absolute stillness that followed the death of the city and everyone left in it’.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5
Unlike some of the earlier reviewers, the book showed up for me under historical, non-fiction, and historical fiction (I’m guessing the other categories were added later), and I do feel like I have to say something about the author’s stylistic choices in how this book is written, because I disagree with some of the others.
It opens with some background on the author, where she lays out her methodology and explains that she’s using critical fabulation, which has become quite popular among scholars working with history. Being a fellow historian, I’ve used a version of it myself in research. You can also tell she’s apparently quite popular on Instagram, so I understand why she chose this approach — it feels written for a broader audience, almost in an Instagram-story style, if that makes sense.
I’m not knowledgeable enough about Pompey to judge what’s fully accurate and what isn’t, but for me, the storytelling ended up taking over quite a bit, and the history faded into the background. And that’s coming from someone who literally makes a living from historical storytelling (I work as a tour guide). I was also hoping for a more extensive bibliography or list of sources used.
Overall, I would definitely recommend it if you are wondering about the lives of the Pompeians or if you are going to visit Pompei and want a different POV. If you are looking for pure historical research, this is not for you, but I doubt you'll be looking for it in a book like this to begin with.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the ARC
Unlike some of the earlier reviewers, the book showed up for me under historical, non-fiction, and historical fiction (I’m guessing the other categories were added later), and I do feel like I have to say something about the author’s stylistic choices in how this book is written, because I disagree with some of the others.
It opens with some background on the author, where she lays out her methodology and explains that she’s using critical fabulation, which has become quite popular among scholars working with history. Being a fellow historian, I’ve used a version of it myself in research. You can also tell she’s apparently quite popular on Instagram, so I understand why she chose this approach — it feels written for a broader audience, almost in an Instagram-story style, if that makes sense.
I’m not knowledgeable enough about Pompey to judge what’s fully accurate and what isn’t, but for me, the storytelling ended up taking over quite a bit, and the history faded into the background. And that’s coming from someone who literally makes a living from historical storytelling (I work as a tour guide). I was also hoping for a more extensive bibliography or list of sources used.
Overall, I would definitely recommend it if you are wondering about the lives of the Pompeians or if you are going to visit Pompei and want a different POV. If you are looking for pure historical research, this is not for you, but I doubt you'll be looking for it in a book like this to begin with.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
****thanks to Net Galley for the review copy****
Dr Jess Venner explores life in Pompeii on the day before the eruption of Vesuvius through the lives of one family and 6 individuals. I really enjoyed this for the story telling and the social and cultural history.
There are many books on Pompeii but this one stands out for its use of critical fabulation or evidence based story telling where silence is not considered to be the end, but an opportunity to imagine how people in the past thought, felt and behaved. This is a controversial method reading some of the reviews here as it involves imagined dialogue and so some may see this as fiction, however I think this makes for an engaging reading experience and achieve’s venner’s goal to bring Pompeii and its inhabitants to life rather than simply writing a catalogue of finds and archaeological excavations.
The research here is excellent and footnotes are included which makes it clear what there is direct evidence for and where gaps have been filled with wider evidence of the lives of romans at the time. Also it is great to read a narrative that contextualises so many aspects of Roman daily life including entertainment, religious festivals, politics, trade. I think this book would be especially interesting to those who like social and cultural history. I would highly recommend reading this.
Dr Jess Venner explores life in Pompeii on the day before the eruption of Vesuvius through the lives of one family and 6 individuals. I really enjoyed this for the story telling and the social and cultural history.
There are many books on Pompeii but this one stands out for its use of critical fabulation or evidence based story telling where silence is not considered to be the end, but an opportunity to imagine how people in the past thought, felt and behaved. This is a controversial method reading some of the reviews here as it involves imagined dialogue and so some may see this as fiction, however I think this makes for an engaging reading experience and achieve’s venner’s goal to bring Pompeii and its inhabitants to life rather than simply writing a catalogue of finds and archaeological excavations.
The research here is excellent and footnotes are included which makes it clear what there is direct evidence for and where gaps have been filled with wider evidence of the lives of romans at the time. Also it is great to read a narrative that contextualises so many aspects of Roman daily life including entertainment, religious festivals, politics, trade. I think this book would be especially interesting to those who like social and cultural history. I would highly recommend reading this.
April 23, 2026
📚 ARC / Tandem Book Club 📚
“Nothing lasts forever. Not names, nor monuments. Not even cities.”
When I was younger and I first heard about the devastation of Pompeii in early CE, I found myself constantly coming back to it.
It was such a huge disaster that I couldn’t wrap my head around. There was so many layers that came with a volcanic eruption, not to mention the lack of knowledge we had (more so back when I about 7) about the unfortunate people trapped in the city walls.
So when I saw that Tandem were running a book club ahead of The Lost Voices of Pompeii’s release, I knew I needed a place.
And I am so thankful that I was given one!
Dr. Venner uses critical fabulation, a process of using what survived in records to expand and challenge how the history is told, to explore the lives of seven different people who were a part of everyday Pompeiian life. She uses what we know to build upon their narratives leading up to the eruption, and she tells each story with such care and detail.
This was such an accessible, yet rich, history book. I’ve often found myself struggling to keep up if a non-fiction becomes too complex, but I never had that issue here. She does an amazing job of helping everyone to understand and experience what life in 79CE Pompeii might have been like.
A huge thanks to Tandem for letting me be a part of this, I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute!
“Nothing lasts forever. Not names, nor monuments. Not even cities.”
When I was younger and I first heard about the devastation of Pompeii in early CE, I found myself constantly coming back to it.
It was such a huge disaster that I couldn’t wrap my head around. There was so many layers that came with a volcanic eruption, not to mention the lack of knowledge we had (more so back when I about 7) about the unfortunate people trapped in the city walls.
So when I saw that Tandem were running a book club ahead of The Lost Voices of Pompeii’s release, I knew I needed a place.
And I am so thankful that I was given one!
Dr. Venner uses critical fabulation, a process of using what survived in records to expand and challenge how the history is told, to explore the lives of seven different people who were a part of everyday Pompeiian life. She uses what we know to build upon their narratives leading up to the eruption, and she tells each story with such care and detail.
This was such an accessible, yet rich, history book. I’ve often found myself struggling to keep up if a non-fiction becomes too complex, but I never had that issue here. She does an amazing job of helping everyone to understand and experience what life in 79CE Pompeii might have been like.
A huge thanks to Tandem for letting me be a part of this, I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The history of Pompeii is inextricably linked with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and Dr Venner’s new book explores what life was like in this vibrant ancient city in the hours leading up to that infamous catastrophe. Starting with the story of a slave and followed by that of a wealthy businesswoman, the cacophony of life in all its glory is explored through the stories of individuals and families. The approach taken is described as evidence-based storytelling, whereby lives are imagined using the historical record as a basis for the stories shared. This created an engaging narrative.
I felt that this book effectively bridged the gap between ancient and modern peoples. As those depicted dealt with the minutiae of day-to-day life in Pompeii, the panoply of the human experience was explored, with universally understood emotions – such as hope, grief and fear - transcending the stories.
Since reading Robert Harris’ fictional work, Pompeii, I have wanted to learn more about the lives of those who lived and worked in Pompeii prior to the volcanic eruption. The Lost Voices of Pompeii was exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK, Nonfiction | Mudlark and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
I felt that this book effectively bridged the gap between ancient and modern peoples. As those depicted dealt with the minutiae of day-to-day life in Pompeii, the panoply of the human experience was explored, with universally understood emotions – such as hope, grief and fear - transcending the stories.
Since reading Robert Harris’ fictional work, Pompeii, I have wanted to learn more about the lives of those who lived and worked in Pompeii prior to the volcanic eruption. The Lost Voices of Pompeii was exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK, Nonfiction | Mudlark and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
WOW! I absolutely loved this book!
I am a historian which drew me to the book in the first place but once I started reading it, I couldn't stop! It's the perfect mixture of historical fact and storytelling. From what I gather, this book is based on the author's PhD thesis. As a recently graduate of a PhD programme, I know how different writing your thesis is and I have the outmost respect for how Dr Venner turned hers into this fascinating book.
I did not know much about Pompeii before reading this book and, like Dr Venner points out in the introduction, like most people I had an idea about the tragedy of it but no further insight into life before the volcano eruption. This book changed my entire understanding of it. I particularly enjoyed knowing that while I was reading a partly fictional account, all of the facts and descriptions of buildings, cultural life and people were based on actual archaeological evidence.
As a public historian, I will be recommending this book to show how academic research and story-telling for the public go hand in hand. I can't wait to read more of Dr Venner's work!
I am a historian which drew me to the book in the first place but once I started reading it, I couldn't stop! It's the perfect mixture of historical fact and storytelling. From what I gather, this book is based on the author's PhD thesis. As a recently graduate of a PhD programme, I know how different writing your thesis is and I have the outmost respect for how Dr Venner turned hers into this fascinating book.
I did not know much about Pompeii before reading this book and, like Dr Venner points out in the introduction, like most people I had an idea about the tragedy of it but no further insight into life before the volcano eruption. This book changed my entire understanding of it. I particularly enjoyed knowing that while I was reading a partly fictional account, all of the facts and descriptions of buildings, cultural life and people were based on actual archaeological evidence.
As a public historian, I will be recommending this book to show how academic research and story-telling for the public go hand in hand. I can't wait to read more of Dr Venner's work!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The way this book was described I expected a narrative nonfiction about Pompeii and life in the town during its final days, and what the destruction might have been like. The Introduction gives some interesting history of the city, before becoming a Roman town, and the author has clear credentials and knows Pompeii.
But really the book is historical fiction. Each chapter tells a different person's story leading up to Vesuvius's eruption, then the last chapter covers the actual disaster and blends all the characters' as they try to escape. It was the final chapters that I found the most interesting and well-written. Others had a tendency to repeat themselves, wander a bit, and not always be interesting. But once disaster strikes everything gets focused and much more readable.
This book probably suffers from poor marketing-it is being marketed as nonfiction, so people like me go into it expecting one thing, but getting something else. Go into it expecting historical fiction, you'll appreciate it for that. Just not what I was expecting from this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
But really the book is historical fiction. Each chapter tells a different person's story leading up to Vesuvius's eruption, then the last chapter covers the actual disaster and blends all the characters' as they try to escape. It was the final chapters that I found the most interesting and well-written. Others had a tendency to repeat themselves, wander a bit, and not always be interesting. But once disaster strikes everything gets focused and much more readable.
This book probably suffers from poor marketing-it is being marketed as nonfiction, so people like me go into it expecting one thing, but getting something else. Go into it expecting historical fiction, you'll appreciate it for that. Just not what I was expecting from this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Book: The Lost Voices of Pompeii by Dr. Jess Venner
A humble slave, Petrinus, leads the reader into the historical world of Pompeii and his character of the last hours of Pompeii before the town is destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Throughout the fact-based story the reader learns about how the town's people, who ranged from wealthy Romans to humble slaves, dealt with their impending doom. Author Dr. Jess Venner uses historical records to create her characters and to describe how Pompeii's infrastructure was destroyed. Venner's book is an amazing book as her writing painlessly teaches factual history. If you like historical fiction, like I do, you should love her book as it shares historical facts much like a historical fiction book.
Highly recommend.
Publication Date: : May 11 2026
Review written after receiving a temporary ARC through NetGalley and the publisher William Morrow.
A humble slave, Petrinus, leads the reader into the historical world of Pompeii and his character of the last hours of Pompeii before the town is destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Throughout the fact-based story the reader learns about how the town's people, who ranged from wealthy Romans to humble slaves, dealt with their impending doom. Author Dr. Jess Venner uses historical records to create her characters and to describe how Pompeii's infrastructure was destroyed. Venner's book is an amazing book as her writing painlessly teaches factual history. If you like historical fiction, like I do, you should love her book as it shares historical facts much like a historical fiction book.
Highly recommend.
Publication Date: : May 11 2026
Review written after receiving a temporary ARC through NetGalley and the publisher William Morrow.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was quite young, maybe seven or eight, when I first saw some pictures of the victims of Pompeii in their lava casts. Then, many years later, I saw a documentary that focused on the other material remains that help us picture what life may have been like. So, I was hoping this book might fill out more details. It did not disappoint. The author has chosen to either fabricate details for the lives of some preeminent citizens or in the case of slaves and other less documented lives, she has invented entire biographies. She focuses on the last day in the lives of several people before the volcano erupted. The writing is crisp and detailed, full of information only deep research by an expert would reveal and yet her depiction of these ancient people is warm and human. My favorite type of history. It reminded me of A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, one of my favorite reads last year.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Lost Voices of Pompeii:
Life and Death on Pompeii’s Final Day by Dr. Jess Venner is a brilliant piece of historical storytelling. This work is written by an actual historian/archeologist who has a social media account that attempts to bring history to life. I was not familiar with her social media account but I do not find it surprising after reading this book. I started reading this book on vacation and could not stop. I’ve always loved history but I’ve never read history while on vacation until now. This book is absolutely mesmerizing and reads like a novel. I hope it is just the first of more to come. History deserves to be remembered with this level of interest and insight. I could not recommend it more. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
Life and Death on Pompeii’s Final Day by Dr. Jess Venner is a brilliant piece of historical storytelling. This work is written by an actual historian/archeologist who has a social media account that attempts to bring history to life. I was not familiar with her social media account but I do not find it surprising after reading this book. I started reading this book on vacation and could not stop. I’ve always loved history but I’ve never read history while on vacation until now. This book is absolutely mesmerizing and reads like a novel. I hope it is just the first of more to come. History deserves to be remembered with this level of interest and insight. I could not recommend it more. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy
Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, Dr Jess Venner brings the ancient streets to life through the eyes of those who lived, worked, loved and ultimately met their fate in Pompeii in 79 AD.
Through six individuals and one family and focusing in on all levels of society, Venner brings these personalities into vivid life. Told through reconstruction of the evidence and any gaps filled by careful imagining, Venner creates an immersive and evocative world that had no idea what was to come.
The Lost Voices of Pompeii’s worldbuilding is stunning, and the interiority of the people reimagined movingly recreates the final twenty-four hours before the eruption. The book is full of fascinating asides that explain the material sources, but it is the human stories told that stay with you.
Thank you to @tandemcollectiveuk and @harpercollinsuk for a gifted copy for review - The Lost Voices of Pompeii is out now!
Through six individuals and one family and focusing in on all levels of society, Venner brings these personalities into vivid life. Told through reconstruction of the evidence and any gaps filled by careful imagining, Venner creates an immersive and evocative world that had no idea what was to come.
The Lost Voices of Pompeii’s worldbuilding is stunning, and the interiority of the people reimagined movingly recreates the final twenty-four hours before the eruption. The book is full of fascinating asides that explain the material sources, but it is the human stories told that stay with you.
Thank you to @tandemcollectiveuk and @harpercollinsuk for a gifted copy for review - The Lost Voices of Pompeii is out now!
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