Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii

by Vicky Alvear Shecter

When your world blows apart, what will you hold onto?

TAG is a medical slave, doomed to spend his life healing his master's injured gladiators. But his warrior's heart yearns to fight in the gladiator ring himself and earn enough money to win his freedom.

LUCIA is the daughter of Tag's owner, doomed by her father's greed to marry a much older Roman man. But she loves studying the natural world around her home in Pompeii, and lately she's been noticing some odd occurrences in the landscape: small lakes disappearing; a sulfurous smell in the air. . . .

When the two childhood friends reconnect, each with their own longings, they fall passionately in love. But as they plot their escape from the city, a patrician fighter reveals his own plans for them -- to Lucia's father, who imprisons Tag as punishment. Then an earthquake shakes Pompeii, in the first sign of the chaos to come. Will they be able to find each other again before the volcano destroys their whole world?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Romance, Fiction, Italy, Young Adult Historical Fiction

327 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2014

About the author

Vicky Alvear Shecter wishes she had a time machine to go back to the glory days of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Until she can find one, she writes about the famous and fabulous lives of the ancients and their gods instead. She is also a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

He shook his head. “Poor little rich girl,” he mumbled.
“I am not a poor little rich girl,” she shot back, frustration turning into anger. “I am being sold [into marriage] and used, and I don’t like it.”
“But you are still free,” he insisted.

I don't think I'm alone in being fascinated by Pompeii. It's the site of a vast volcanic eruption that happened in 79 A.D. The city and its inhabitants were caught mostly unaware. Many of them died right there, holding their loved ones. Buried and burned alive under a river of lava.

There are some pretty heartbreaking images.



I am a morbid mofo, so when I sought out a book set in Pompeii at the time of the Mt. Vesuvius explosion, I wanted explosions, fires, earthquakes, deaths.

Instead, I got a lot of details on how the upper-class people and gladiator slaves lived their lives, and not much more than that for the greater parts of the book.

The good:
1. It is historically accurate
2. Painstaking details on the lives of the lesser gladiators

The bad:
1. It is dull, there's a lot of historical details, and not much else
2. It has a character who is intrinsically naive and Too Stupid To Live towards the end; while it's not her fault that she's so sheltered, it's also doesn't make for very good reading
3. A love triangle with a twist
4. A paranormal "curse" element that just felt completely out of place in a historical novel

The Summary: Lucia's life doesn't seem that bad. Fine, she's a girl when her father wanted a boy, and he hates her for that, but her father is fairly well-off, and as an upper-middle class woman, she's got a leisurely life. So what's the big deal?

Lucia was sure that the white-haired gentleman reclining on the dining couch before her would make a delightful grandfather. As a future husband, though, he left a great deal to be desired.

Ick. Ok, that's pretty bad. Lucia's father has just given her away to a man old enough to be her grandfather. To make it worse, hubby-to-be is old-fashioned, and a non-believer in educating females. Lucia a Roman trophy wife.

But still, it's a better life than Tages (called Tag). He is her father's medical slave, a native Etruscan whose family have had their property taken away and given away in bondage as punishment. He has known nothing but slavery his whole life. Tag was sent away a few years back, and now he's returned, a handsome young man who captures Lucia's attention, as a man, not as a childhood playmate. He wants a chance at his freedom, and aspires to be a gladiator. And he's got to deal with an annoying new gladiator trainee, a pompous young patrician toff named Quintus.

The patrician untied his filigreed, embroidered belt and began shrugging out of his tunic. Tag noticed how carefully he protected his oiled curls as he pulled the tunic over his head. Gods, the other gladiators were going to eat him alive.

Meanwhile, strange things are happening in Pompeii. Earthquakes, tremors, animals being jittery. As a scholar, Lucia feels like something bad is going to happen, but nobody will listen to her, because she is young and female.

Lucia and Tag gradually fall in forbidden love, as another threatens their romance, and as the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius looms. I'm sorry, I can't make the book sound any more exciting than that, because it isn't.

The Background: I am not an expert on Roman culture, by any means, but I love my history and I can smell bullshit when I see it. This book felt both historically accurate and exceedingly well-researched. The details about the gladiator school are well-described, the everyday events of both the lives of Lucia the young mistress and Tages the slave were both well-depicted. History lovers will enjoy the minutiae.

The Characters:

“Lucia. Did you really bring me out here so that you could lecture me on how you marrying a rich man is like me being a slave?”

Lucia is an exceedingly frustrating one. She is naive, and since she is a young Roman woman, she should be. The thing is that she is so much so that I just wanted to shake her at times. For one, she doesn't realize the class difference between her and Tag until he points it out. She is SO privileged in comparison, and she hardly realizes it. Yeah, I know it sucks being betrothed to a much older man, but she's still going to have a life as a wealthy, pampered mistress.

Unlike Tages, Lucia still has her freedom. She will be free to walk around. She will never fear being whipped by an owner. She will never be a slave, and she can't wrap that concept around her head. She thinks she has it soooooooooooo bad, and Tages loses patience with her. I don't blame him one bit.

“Look, I don’t have the luxury of having a philosophical discussion about the nature of freedom. As a slave, it means only one thing to me — no longer being owned by another human being.”

Lucia really is a poor little rich girl. She is smart, but she is exceedingly dull. Book smart doesn't equal common sense, and Lucia has very little of the latter.

I wanted to smack Lucia on the head. She has a little girl's dream of running away without consequence, and she is, frankly, really, really dumb. All Lucia thinks about is herself, and what she wants. She wants Tag? Sure, the solution is to run away, who cares about his dad, who cares about her dad, who cares about the other slaves who might get hurt in the process?

And the eruption? Let's put it this way, let's pretend that I love you, the reader. No matter how much I love you, I will never rush into a burning town when the earth is rumbling and a volcano is about to explode. Why? Because this might happen to me.



Sorry, love of my life. You're on your own. I hope you don't suffer.

I'm sure there are more painful ways of dying than being buried alive in a volcano. I don't want to find out.

All quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.

[jv poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curses and Smoke sizzles, like the soles of the feet racing away from the viciously spewing Vesuvius. Packed with heat, this book engulfs the reader. With warmth and comfort, while experiencing the friendship between Lucia and her best friend, the very pregnant and central Cornelia. Often smoldering, as the relationship between the daughter of the hate-filled, bitter Gladiator School Owner, Lucia, and his Healer Slave, Tags deepens. Slow-burning admiration bordering on obsession adds flair as the spoiled-rich-man-playing-as-a-gladiator Quintus reveals his massive self-absorption and his desire for Tag’s approval.

Rumblings among this perfect blend of characters keep the pace moving as quickly as the animals fleeing Pompeii. Eruptions of anger, lewd displays of the overall disdain for women, and vile acts supporting and perpetuating the ignorance send red hot flames through the reader. Tension builds in direct correlation with the gathering of force within the earth and Cornelia’s expanding belly. Tender moments like those between Tags and his (self-appointed) assistant medicus, the young slave Castor; temper the heat quite kindly.

The interaction between the Roman and Etruscan humans create a spark. The author guarantees flames with her articulate presentation of both Roman and Etruscan gods and goddesses. Her knowledge of these histories, coupled with her clear understanding and empathy of the relationship the humans had with their gods and goddesses alludes to Ms. Shecter having had personal experience with her own goddess.

Divine assistance is the only explanation as to how Ms. Shecter brilliantly presents the geographical phenomena recorded during the weeks preceding the unfathomable eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, while encouraging fond recollections of Apollo, Hercules, Venus and Poseidon simultaneously introducing Mephistis, Samnite goddess of poisonous vapors, and Turan, the Etruscan goddess of love.

The author faced and conquered the formidable challenge of honestly portraying the ridiculous, inexcusable dismissal of females. She artfully hints at it with comments from the men in power: Lucia’s father, her “betrothed” and even Cornelia’s husband. The point is driven home in a heart-wrenching scene when Lucia confesses her consuming grief over the deaths of her baby sisters.

Throughout the engrossing story, there is hope. Genuine love, the true fondness for another person is rarely expressed as beautifully and sincerely. Decisions that Lucia and Tag are forced to make as the inevitable looms closer, demonstrate the kindness, generosity and support that we are all capable of.

Although only a small boy, Castor’s role is essential. He brings smiles, forces individuals to look deeply within and encourages the reader to keep perspective, while reminding us that there is always at least one reason to carry on.

I found this to be especially spectacular and I will be recommending it often.

This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog.

[Emmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Are you f-ing kidding me with that ending!? But more on that later.

At another time, I might have given this a 3, but it is what it is, and here we are. I'm fascinated by Pompeii so maybe I had unusually high expectations for this. But I didn't really feel a strong sense of the place. Throwing around a few latin words doesn't really cut it.

As for Lucia and Tag, I never really connected with either of them. There were a few occasions where I felt for them, but for the most part...eh.

Now for the ending. IF YOU ARE GOING TO KILL OFF A MAJOR CHARACTER AT THE VERY END OF A BOOK ABOUT POMPEII, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST DIE BY THE VOLCANO. Having Lucia stabbed by her father after Vesuvius erupted and once they had escaped felt a little ridiculous. The whole conclusion was just a fail. It ended up being a good thing I never connected with either characters or I would have lost my shit.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What we do in this life echoes into eternity."- Gladiator

Setting:Pompeii, Italy; 79 AD

Coverly Love?:Not particularly. Girl, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU WATCHING THE VOLCANO ERUPT? YOU SHOULD BE RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE!!!

Plot:Lucia Titurius is a beautiful but funny girl. Not content with doing the traditional tasks a Roman lady should, she would much rather be outdoors exploring the natural phenomena's of the world. All of that is about to change for her when she finds out that her father has betrothed her to a man twice her age. Not to mention that things get even more complicated with the return of her former childhood playmate Tages. Tages is a slave in her father's household and is the assistant healer for the gladiator school that her father runs. Slowly, these former childhood friends fall deeply in love. But with all the strange tremors hitting Pompeii and Lucia's impending marriage, will these two star-crossed lovers ever find a way to be together?

For those of you who don't know the heartbreaking story of Pompeii, here it is. In 79 AD Mt. Vesuvius exploded and covered the entire city in volcanic ashes. Everything and everyone was obliterated. They were abandoned afterwards until some archeologists found the remains of the forgotten city. You've probably seen some photos of the plaster casts of the unfortunate victims of the eruption.


It's rather heartbreaking, if you think about it. These people were just living their normal lives, and had absolutely no idea that they would probably be dead within hours, suffocated in volcanic ashes. There's such a fascination with this ancient mystery to this very day.

Anyhoo, I found this book to be very enjoyable. Granted, I'm probably biased because I'm a huge history buff, and this is one of my favorite periods of history to study and read about. I was the weirdo who watched history documentaries for fun, and wished that I could have my very own ACME chronoscimmer so I could travel back in time. However, if you're not a history buff, you probably won't like this book because nothing really exciting happens. Sure, the volcano does erupt, but it only takes up 10 of the pages. And if you're the type of person who wants to see a lot of people being covered by volcanic ash, you'll be disappointed. The eruption itself is rather underwhelming. The novel mainly focuses on the romance between Tag and Lucia, along with her various attempts of getting out of her arranged marriage. And... that's it.

Characters:As much as the author doesn't want us to believe that Lucia is your typical poor little rich girl, that's exactly what Lucia is. She has a tendency to be very selfish, and thinks of no one but herself, especially when it comes to running away with a certain handsome slave and former childhood friend. She thinks it's so simple just to pack up everything and run away. What about Tag's father who need him? What about the fact that Tag could be literally crucified if he gets caught? She thinks she has it rough. Other than the fact that her father is severely neglectful towards her and she's forced to marry a man, while old, will treat her with respect and dignity. She could have it a lot worse. And also, ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY RUN BACK TOWARDS AN EXPLODING VOLCANO TO SAVE YOUR BOY TOY. I don't care how hot he is, I'm saving my own butt.

Tages (or Tag, as he likes to be called), is a healer for the gladiators alongside his father Damocles. He yearns for his freedom, to fight as a gladiator in the hopes that his dream of not being a slave can come true. He's also hopelessly, desperately in love with Lucia. Tags was an honorable figure, hotheaded at times and stubborn to a fault. He's also the master of holding in breaths and releasing them. Seriously if I had a shot every time he "released a breath he hadn't realized he held", I couldn't be sitting here; I'd be in the ER for alcohol poisoning. Not to mention the poor boy couldn't keep his raging hormones in check for the life of him. I think Mr. Sex on Legs must have visited him or something and given him a few of his pointers.

Lucius is the owner of the local gladiator school and a tyrannical figure. He claims he only wants what's best for Lucia, but he is really a selfish, manipulative individual. He not only treats Lucia with indifference, but he killed five of his daughter because they were not the sons he desired. Unfortunately, this was not at all uncommon during that time period, but it makes him no less forgivable.. Castor, a new slave boy who becomes attached to Tag, was absolutely adorable!! Quintus is a poor little rich boy gladiator who also tries to win Lucia's affections. More on him later.

Pros:Extremely historically accurate. While most of the characters were not real people, they were based on some of the plaster casts the author observed, even down to Lucia's pet dog. Now that's what I call creative!!

Cons:I would have liked a little bit more action regarding the volcano eruption. I mean, it decimated an entire city! It killed thousands of people!! And we got a very watered down version of the events. Disappointing!! In addition, while the whole idea of the curse thing was interesting, I don't really see how it was supposed to play into the plot, other than the fact it reinforces the statement that the Romans were superstitious. And DON'T even get me started on the love square that wasn't really a square. That was SO not necessary.

Love Triangle?:Yes; Vitulus vs. Quintus vs. Lucia vs. Tag. Now this might look like a love square, but it sure doesn't act like a love square.

Instalove?:Yes, technically; even though Lucia and Tag were childhood playmates, they fell instantly in love when they meet again as teenagers. That technicality aside, I would have to say yes.

A Little Romance?:Here we go; Vitulus is Lucia's betrothed. He's a nice man and all that, but he's OLD. Tag reappears back into the picture after being sent away and falls in love with Lucia. She reciprocates those feelings. Quintus, the poor little rich boy gladiator, also falls in love with Lucia to a certain extent and tries to win her hand.

But...

BUT....

He's madly in love with Tag. What the actual fuck. Poor Tag has no idea what the hell is going on and has no freaking clue that Quintus is falling for him. Neither did I. If I was supposed to get any signs signaling this, than I guess I'm just really, REALLY dumb. Now, this was actually a common practice in Roman times, but I don't think that it fit this particular story very well.

Conclusion:The ending was a bit disappointing. One of the characters dies, but no by the volcano, but that stupid curse. Boo. Despite that, and some other technicality issues, I enjoyed this book very much. But be warned, that if you aren't a history buff or were looking for something a little more action packed with more people dying cause of the eruption, this probably isn't the book for you.

Watch This!:Want a cheesy 80's version of this book? Watch the 1984 miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii. Want a heavy CGI version of this story? Watch the 2014 film Pompeii. Seriously, these two versions both have rich girls falling for a gladiator. Apparently, that was a trend. Check it out!






Edit #3:
It looks like the publishers changed the cover for the book. Maybe they realized how similar it looked to the movie poster and decided to change it to avoid similarities.

Or maybe they read the review I wrote..... ;)


Edit #2:
Hold. up. HOLD UP. HOLD UP!!

The cover hasn't been posted on here yet, but I found it while perusing on Amazon and...




Somebody please tell me that this is the biggest coincidence ever.


Edit #1
So, this novel doesn't sound at all like a certain movie coming out February 21st....



Nope, not at all...

In all seriousness, though, I love historical fiction with just a touch of romance, so this is pretty much a must read in my opinion.

[Stephanie Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gladiators, forbidden love, and Pompeii... What's not to love?!

Curses and Smoke is a book I would have loved to read in junior high or high school, but that didn't stop me from devouring it even as an adult. The story of Tag and Lucia's romance really heats up (sorry, couldn't resist!) even as the signs of Vesuvius' imminent eruption make themselves plain. The action never stops and by the end I was tearing through pages, desperate to find out what would happen to the characters. Vicky Alvear Shecter paints with vivid detail life in the weeks before Vesuvius' eruption, from the countryside surrounding Pompeii to the sometimes painful details of living in ancient Rome.

This is an excellent YA read for anyone intrigued by Pompeii's tragic story. (And honestly, who isn't fascinated by Pompeii?)

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My little reader's heart is in pieces.

This book is equal parts beautiful and heart-breaking. Even more so when you read the authors notes and find that parts are based on real evidence from Pompeii for instance Cornelia being based on a pregnant women who didn't escape. Her death was so sad, yes she wasn't the best friend to Lucia at times but she always had her best interests at heart

The characters are really interesting and real. Castor is so sweet as they were escaping the though of Castor being Lucia and Tag's child warmed my heart and Tag's loyalty to his father is brilliant. Quintus is interesting, and I found the way his attraction (I think that is what it was) was shown to be really fascinating. I wouldn't have minded more of his story and to know what happened to him during the eruption. Lucia with her interest in the natural world and theories about what was happening in Pompeii. Most characters dismissed these because as a woman in those times it was not accepted that she could have a theory, but how different things could have been if they listened. Tag and Lucia's romance is one you will be rooting for, as they battle against the odds to be together. when they were saying goodbye after deciding not to run away, I got emotional, and then the ending when Tag is trying to save her and Castor says her 'lights have gone' is heartbreaking

This is a realistic depiction of life in Pompeii, and it is not a pretty one. It shows how slaves are treated, the complete lack of rights for women, how they are sold into marriage and then expected to given their husbands sons. It is eye opening. I think everyone has some sort of interest in the eruption, and the way the events int he run up to it are described show how far technology and knowledge of the natural world has come.

This book has it all, romance, shocking revelations, tragedy, high stakes action scenes. If that's the sort of thing you like then pick this up. I don't usually read historical fiction myself, so can say confidently that this book won't disappoint.

[Minni Mouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all its ridiculousness and similar plot elements, this book could have been the literary accompaniment to the 2014 Pompeii film starring Jack Bauer and Jon Snow. I was highly entertained by the film Pompeii, actually, and even though I was less so with this book it was still a light and fairly entertaining read.

THE STORY
There's a highborn girl, a slave-turned-gladiator boy, a forbidden lurve between said highborn girl and gladiator boy, a pesky arranged marriage that gets in the way of said arranged marriage, ominous rumblings from nearby Vesuvius that parallels the wedding countdown to said pesky arranged marriage, and the historical wipeout of Pompeii that gets in their way of said forbidden lurve, pesky arranged marriage, and paralleled wedding countdown.

THE GOOD
1) The plot moves pretty quickly because we don't delve too deep into any of the characters or plot elements. We see glimpses of political happenings in Rome and some tragic secret from the Titurius family...but never mind all that because it's apparently not important - Mt. Vesuvius has a pesky arranged marriage to ruin.

And I was all right with this, I suppose. If this book wasn't going to take itself and the real life happenings of Vesuvius and Pompeii seriously...then I suppose I'm all right with that. I don't mind targeting a more casual audience.

Ooh, look, Minos the dog! Puppy! Squee!

2) I liked how Vesuvius started getting restless around the 75% mark into the book with its tremors and spouting nasty, ashy smoke. It was both suspenseful and harrowing to read how people tried to hide from the smoke underground for a few hours...only to get decimated when the mountain ultimately erupted for real. Tragic and disturbing at the same time, especially with us knowing what ends up happening.

3) I liked that Lucia died. Granted, how she died had nothing directly to do with Mt. Vesuvius but if you're going to write a book about Pompeii then main characters better die.

THE BAD
1) If we're not taking this book too seriously (despite the actual events) then it almost isn't fair of me to point out how unrealistically simple these characters were. Almost.

“I can’t run away, Lucia,” he said.

She stared at him, dumbfounded. “What?” she finally managed.

“It was a beautiful fantasy, but I can’t do it. I can’t leave my father to be murdered for my actions. I can’t abandon him to your father’s wrath.”

Gods, she’d never even thought about Damocles. “Well then, we’ll just take him with us.”

Both y'all kids are dumb. They've been planning this epic getaway with each other for weeks but never once stop to consider Tag's father...or [gasp] even Lucia's dog. Really? These kids are eighteen, not eight. In the weeks during the planning of their great exodus, no person would never NOT once consider the actual logistics of running away from home...and what to do with the ones closest to them. I mean, shoot, Katniss and Gale even talked about how they were going to round up the Brady Bunch (plus Peeta) when they escaped District 13.

2) That love triangle...is some weirdly kinky, out-of-the-blue triangle. This "plot twist" did close to nothing to helping us empathize with the characters more, nor did it serve any real purpose. So...what are we supposed to do with this?

“Look, I know that you don’t care for me much, but over time, I believe that you will learn to like me,” Quintus said to him. “Maybe even love me. That you both will.”

Tag shook his head, hearing the words, but not understanding them.

“Don’t you see?” Quintus said, a pleading note creeping into his voice. “I don’t care if you love her as long as you’re with me. You’ll come to care for me. I know you will.”

Tag took a step back, confused. “But —”

“My feelings for you … They are a surprise?” Quintus asked, his face flushing. “Since the day you saved me from the other gladiators, I felt …” He swallowed. “I thought you knew. I thought you were only pretending not to notice or respond to me. But once you are part of my household, you will see. I will take care of you. Of both of you. You will come to care for me. I know it.”

3) Papa Titurius's demise was strangely reminiscent of the old hag from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves falling off a cliff. Boo for weak originality points, but giggles for a goofy way for the bad guy to go.

“No, please,” Titurius cried as he continued backing up. His back leg slid on some loose rocks, and his knee buckled under him. He tumbled backward, his arms waving as he tried to catch himself.

"No, please"? Come on. We're not even going to let the volcano melt him?

4) What happened to everyone? Did I skim it and miss it? Since Pompeii got destroyed, are we to assume that Quintus, Cornelia, Antyllus, Pontius, and the rest of the gang died there as well? Cornelia in particular was extremely pregnant...so...doubly tragic not to know what happened there.

And were we supposed to care that Tag's father died from a heart attack, unless it was a merciful sparing of a more brutal death from the volcano?

THE VERDICT
Meh. Why not? I neither loved this nor hated it. It's a forgettable book that was entertaining to skim.

[Josephine (Jo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. More of a romance with set in Pompeii than a more serious historical novel. The events and characters are all based upon what we know of the dreadful eruption of Vesuvius. All of the people in the story were imagined from the figures that have been unearthed by archaeologists in modern times. The author has brought them all to life with her reconstruction of what their daily life may have been like. Lucia is the daughter of Titurius, he is the owner of a gladiator school and therefore, despite the fact that he is wealthy, he is looked down on by the Patrician society. Titurius is arranging a marriage for Lucia to an old rich man whom she dislikes immensely. Tages is a young man who 'belongs' to Titurius, he has learnt the art of medicine from is farther who is also a slave. Tages or Tag is in love with Lucia and the feeling is reciprocated, the couple are desperate. Lucia's marriage is only two weeks away and she and Tag can see no hope of being able to spend their lives together.
It was a nice easy read and only one thing spoilt it for me, I know I have said this before but I hate the use of modern American grammar in historical books. The constant use of the word 'sure' in answer to a question such as ' Would you like some bread'? 'Sure'. was irritating and the word 'gotten' was also used several times. Lucia says 'I have gotten wine on my dress'. This jolts me straight out of Pompeii 79AD and right into the present day. As I child I would have been corrected for answering a question with 'sure' and I think it implausible that a rich Roman lady would have used the term.

[Grace Galinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just...why? Why did it have to end that way? Everything was going perfectly, they were going to be fine, and then that happens? Really!?

So this book was pretty good considering it's historical fiction. I really don't like historical fiction, like at all, but I think I'd read this book again, but only after I get over that ending. I mean that just wasn't fair.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've wanted to read a book about Pompeii for a very long time. I never really came across one (that wasn't non-fiction) until now. I've enjoyed other books by Vicky Alvear Shecter before so I've been really excited to read this book and I'm so glad it didn't disappoint at all. The ending broke my heart a bit but I thought Curses and Smoke was a fantastic read!

Tag and Lucia were perfection. I loved reading their points of view, I loved them as a couple and I loved them as singular individuals. They each had a story to tell and although they lead very different lives (with Tag being a slave and Lucia being the daughter of Tag's owner), they were really amazing together.

It's also obvious that a lot of research and effort were put in creating the best image of Pompeii as there could be. It shows through the writing —which was incredible by the way— and through the emotions I felt while reading the book. The author did a really great job in that department in my opinion.

I have to mention that I really liked how Pliny the Elder was mentioned a couple of times because he actually did excist. It was really nicely done by the author. Also, you should really read the 'author's note' at the end of the story if you decide to read this book because it's really interesting. Seriously, do it!

The ending was so freaking heartbreaking for me. But I kind of figured that it would end tragically. By the end I had tears in my eyes. But then again, those are the best books—the ones that bring out emotion.

Overall, Curses and Smoke is not just a book about the destruction of Pompeii. It's so much more. It's a love story, filled with intrigue and danger and I loved every part of it. I would recommend it to everyone I know!

[Kindra Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading so many depressing/tragically beautiful books in a row can really mess with your mental/emotional health. Oh well, no regrets. This book is worth reading<3

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: It’s clear that Shecter has done her research and enjoys writing about ancient civilizations. Curses and Smoke features some impressive plot twists and is overflowing with vivid descriptions of what life might’ve been like in Pompeii. Details like the types of food available to a patrician household, the religious rituals and the Greek vocabulary effectively bring the story’s setting to life. Regrettably, the only issue I had was that the abrupt delivery made me feel more like I was reading an assignment for a class than a passionate tale of two young people exploring a forbidden love.

Opening Sentence: Lucia was sure that the white-haired gentleman reclining on the dining couch before her would make a delightful grandfather.

The Review:

Lucia and Tag may live in the same space, but their realities are worlds apart.

As the only surviving child of the owner of a small gladiatorial school in Pompeii, Lucia has never given much thought to the slaves that make her life comfortable. She opts instead to devote much of her time studying the world around her, documenting what she sees and forming hypothesis about what is happening. That is until her father decides to marry her off to the highest bidder, a man from Rome who is at least three times her age and who certainly won’t allow her to indulge in her favorite pastime. Knowing that she has no control over her life, she instead chooses to spend the last few weeks of relative freedom getting reacquainted with Tag – one of her oldest friends who’s just returned to the school after being sent away following her mother’s death several years earlier.

Tag has never had choices. As a medical slave for the gladiatorial school, his life is dependent on a man who’d willingly kill him for something that happened when Tag was just a child. The only reason he’s been allowed to return is because the school is buying more gladiator slaves with the money from Lucia’s marriage and Tag’s father can no longer keep up with providing care for the fighters. He dreams only of two things that will never happen – winning his freedom in the gladiator arena and running away with the beautiful daughter of the man who owns him.

What begins as an act of rebellion for Lucia quickly develops into something more between them. Lucia’s privileged life means she doesn’t understand many of the dangers they face, but Tag does. He risks his life – and his elderly father’s – every time he’s alone with her. She’s been sheltered from every cruelty, especially her father’s, and Tag knows that their plan to run away together will never survive the reality of the world they live in. When Tag’s predictions begin to come true, the most unlikely solution becomes their only hope for survival.

Though the fate of Pompeii was kind of a given, I couldn’t help but hope for a happy ending for these two crazy kids.

Shecter did an impressive job turning Lucia into a sympathetic character even though she doesn’t change very much. The Lucia at the end of the story doesn’t fight for slave rights, doesn’t begin a campaign to free the slaves in her household or even really regret the life of comfort the slaves have provided for her. She is a girl who learns some hard lessons but comes out fiercely fighting for Tag and the chance at a guaranteed tough life ahead of them. Tag wasn’t as hopeful for their future, but it didn’t make him an unlikeable character. Unlike Lucia, he was used to thinking about the well-being of others. He had a lot to lose – a lot more than Lucia – and I couldn’t fault his determination to keep those he cared about safe from their choices.

Overall, this story reminded me of the time my high school English teacher had us watch the movie Clash of the Titans (the original one with the really bad Claymation and not the CGI remake with the infinitely more attractive Sam Worthington). Everyone in class was excited because 1) it was three glorious lecture-free days to pass notes under the cover of relative darkness; and 2) I kept hoping the male character’s toga would ride up or fall off completely when battling the myriad of baddies. Though I didn’t truly care at the time, the movie wasn’t a random choice. It coincided with our study of ancient Greek writers like Homer and was meant to enhance our understanding of themes like the hero’s journey. Chances are low I ever would’ve watched the original Clash of the Titans if it hadn’t been for that class. The character’s appearance, the mythology, even the language portrayed in the film would’ve been too outside my realm of understanding to fully appreciate if I hadn’t already been studying the time period.

I had a similar issue with Curses and Smoke. Generally, I enjoy historical fiction and the more authentic an author can make a story the better. Even though Shecter included a supplement documenting the historical context to satisfy people like me, I really would’ve appreciated a glossary of Greek terminology. Of course I was able to deduct the meaning of Domina but doing so weakened the fictional bubble that Shecter worked so hard to create through vivid descriptions.

A second issue I had is something that is strictly a personal preference and has nothing to do with how well the story was written. Telling the story in both Lucia and Tag’s voices was an effective way to prove just how different their lives were because of their statuses. However, the dual point of view resulted in an abrupt change that interrupted the story’s momentum every time I began a new chapter. Again, this is a personal preference but you may want to pass if you feel the same way about stories written in a dual point of view.

Otherwise, Curses and Smoke is an interesting story for readers who want a PG story within a historical context.

Notable Scene:

She stopped. “You hate my father that much?”

He ran a hand through his curls. “Do you want me to answer that honestly?”

“But all of your needs are met, aren’t they? You’re educated, clothed, you don’t suffer from hunger, you have a roof over your head, the respect of the other slaves –“

His eyes grew wide. “Are you suggesting that I should be happy to be a slave? That I should count my blessings rather than fight for the freedom that was stolen dishonorably from my family? Just because I am fed and watered and sometimes whipped like a dog – like Minos?”

FTC Advisory: Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic provided me with a copy of Curses and Smoke: A Novel of Pompeii. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never been so mad at an ending. Why had Lucia have to be killed by her father, why??? And this whole build up for the volcano, when she actually was freaking killed by her dad. I was rooting for a happy ending for Tag and Lucia

[Lianne Mei · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the historical context but I was not a huge fan of the romance. I liked reading about Tag training as a gladiator and reading about how he was a medical helper.I found that to be interesting but I was not interested in Lucia's viewpoint. Lucia was just talking about the tremors that were happening around Pompeii and not wanting to marry.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star-crossed YA romance between a medical slave, Tag, and his master's daughter, Lucia, set against the background of Pompeii: its earthquakes and eventual eruption of Vesuvius. The couple, along with a young boy slave, flee the city together. Lucia is escaping a hated marriage with an obnoxious patrician. Her fate is sad, and maybe unbelievable today, but her father was paterfamilias, having the power of life and death over his family. The notes after the story are priceless, giving much background of time and place. The story itself has many cultural details, cleverly worked into the text.

Highly recommended.

[Bayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Review of ARC*

Buzzwords: Pompeii, Slavery, Romance (forbidden love), Gladiators, ROle of Women

In Pompeii, not long before the volcano, Lucia is being married off by her father to a man she hates so he can have money to run his business, when all she wants is freedom to learn and expound her theories on the earth tremors. Tag, a slave and childhood friend of Lucia's, wants to train as a gladiator to fight for his freedom, so that he no longer is subject to the whims and brutality of his master, Lucia's father. When Tag and Lucia meet again, for the first time since their childhood, they recognize something in each other - but can their romance survive the rules of their society, the cruelty of her father,and the coming volcanic eruption?

Well this was depressing. So much to go wrong - not that I shouldn't have known that before I started the book, but even more than I thought would go wrong, did. Also, the characterizations felt somewhat flat to me, not fully developed - which, in turn, made me question Tag and Lucia's romance, her father's motivations, her friendship with Cornelia, Quintus's feelings towards Tag, etc. And the volcanic eruption, despite being led up to the entire book, felt abrupt - although I guess that's maybe a good thing, since it would have abruptly ended many of the plotlines in real people's lives.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Fairly disappointed to be honest as I didn't enjoy this title nearly as much as Cleopatra's Moon (which I highly recommend). Perhaps that one was more interesting to me because it had more of a 'historical' story to tell whereas this one was more of a romance set against the backdrop of Roman culture and the destruction of Pompeii. VAS does write beautifully about young women trapped in impossible situations, but I unfortunately never felt any attachment to Tag and Lucia. I'm not a big fan of the alternating his and hers chapters, and I find now it particularly doesn't work for me on audio. The production and story themselves weren't bad, just not for me. I've enjoyed other books about Pompeii (like Pompeii) more.

[Jenny Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Guest Post + Giveaway @ Let Them Read Books!(US/UK/CAN)

I am loving the increase in young adult historical fiction titles. I read a lot of YA, and I'm all for anything that gets kids interested in history. So when I saw Curses and Smoke by Vicky Alvear Shecter, whose debut novel, Cleopatra's Moon, has been on my wishlist forever, I had to read it. And I loved it--mostly.

This is the story of Lucia, a privileged young woman living in Pompeii. The only surviving child of the owner of a gladiator school, she is pretty much free to live and do as she pleases . . . until the day her father betrothes her to a man old enough to be her grandfather in exchange for an influx of cash into his struggling school. Despite her pending nuptials, she's determined to carry on as she always has while trying to come up with a scheme to get out of the marriage. She's very interested in the natural world and has been documenting a series of events and observations that trouble her: an increase in tremors, springs drying up, the smell of sulfur hanging in the air, behavioral changes in animals. She pores over her father's scrolls of Pliny's Natural History, even campaigning to get an audience with the great man himself to speak with him of her troubling discoveries. But no one will take her opinion, that of a woman and a young one to boot, seriously. Only Tag, a slave in her father's school and a childhood friend, lends any credence to her observations.

Tag knows he should stay away from Lucia--after all, her father has promised death to any man who touches her--but he can't resist the call of her beauty and brains, her tender heart, or the way she treats him like a human being worthy of respect. Trained as a medical slave, Tag yearns to fight alongside the gladiators he patches up to attain his dream of earning his freedom. Falling in love with Lucia was not part of the plan. But as her wedding draws near and she becomes increasingly more desperate to avoid it, the two form a plan of escape and begin to build dreams around the possibility of a totally new future free from all bonds. But trouble arrives in the form of Quintus, a haughty young patrician who comes to the school to play at being a gladiator, and who finds pleasure in flirting with and tormenting both Lucia and Tag. His meddling could unravel all of their carefully laid plans. And Tag has a secret. A burden he's been carrying since the death of Lucia's mother three years earlier. If Lucia ever finds out, she may never want to see him again, and he may not survive her father's wrath. And if all of that weren't enough, just when our young lovers seem to be on the verge of attaining everything they ever wanted, the mountain explodes, raining down ash, rock, and fire, and the world as they know it ceases to exist.

The first thing that struck me about this story was that Lucia is just like a typical teenager. Although thousands of years have passed between her time and ours, some things never change, and I loved this glimpse into what a teenager's life could have been like during this time period. Lucia visits with friends, goes shopping, spends a day at the spa, spends hours in her secret place writing in her journals . . . though the similarities end where she is forced into an arranged marriage to a much older man, and she has the shadow of Mount Vesuvius looming over her. The story is told in alternating viewpoints by Lucia and Tag in the month leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. This structure works wonderfully, allowing the reader to experience this time period from two very different walks of life while witnessing how they interacted with each other, and allowing the romance to develop beautifully, and the anticipation of the coming eruption to simmer until it reaches the boiling point. The story is rife with drama, and it has its fair share of melodramatic moments, but it is delicious! It's a historical tribute, a sweet and poignant love story combined with the action and excitement of an end-of-days tale.

All that being said, the novel is not perfect. At times I thought the dialogue felt too modern, and I felt like the development and resolution of the subplot with Quintus was a bit short-shrifted. And while I can look back now and appreciate the impact and beauty of the ending, when I first read it, I was not prepared for it, and I was not a happy camper! I'm still a little mad about it now, but I can admire the power of a story well told. But all of that aside, it was still a great read. Fast-paced, exciting, and romantic, and oozing with historical ambiance--perfect for fans of young adult and historical fiction alike.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me some serious Salt to the Sea feels.

I definitely enjoyed this book! I read it quickly - except for the week I was traveling - and devoured the last 70 pages because I HAD TO KNOW what was going to happen in the end. Mostly I needed to know because of all the other reviews, and I have to say, I agree with all of them!

Overall, these are great characters, and you can tell Vicky Shecter did her research on Pompeii. I've always been fascinated by that story, so it was wonderful to receive a type of history lesson with a love story mixed in. I also loved Castor and Quintus. They helped give this story even more layers.

This book gets 4 stars because I feel the ending could've been a bit better - not just the outcome, but just a bit more. I recommend this book to readers of Ruta Sepetys and other YA historical fiction. If you have recommendations, let me know!

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Curses and Smoke," author Vicky Alvear Shecter creates a wonderful young adult romance in the shadow of the famous destruction of the city of Pompeii by way of volcano. Lucia has lived a privileged life even if it is under the shadow of her very tough father, who seems both cool and distant when it comes to listening what Lucia wants for her future. He's just not that interested if it doesn't fall into the plans that he already has for her. Tag's life is limited by the fact that he's a slave and he just might have a curse on him. Lucia and Tag know that they should not want to be together but love is a strange thing that hits you when you least expect it.

I loved the love story between Lucia and Tag. Both of them are great characters. Lucia wants so much more for her life than just what her father wants for her. She wants to be educated and she wants to educate others. She wants to be happy and marry who she wishes instead of the old man (who may be cruel) that her father wishes for her to marry. Tag was especially interesting to me because he's a healer and he is also a slave. For what ever reason, I really, really like reading about healers and medics in historical fiction and non-fiction. I'm endlessly fascinated by what they practiced and what they thought about what would heal or hurt. I also thought it was so interesting to read about his slavery. In this day and age, doctors are revered and they make a ton of money. This is most definitely a severe contrast from Tag's day. I didn't really know that a healer would be part of the slave class and you all know how I love learning something new! Shecter had a really good way of engaging the reader with these characters and really making you care about them.

The historical detail in this book was really good as well. Pompeii is still very fascinating to so many people today. Next time I go to Italy, I would really like to go to Pompeii (no time last time!) to see the site. It was a true tragedy and Shecter captures that through her writing. I loved all of the different details, which really helped me to understand the event in a different way.

While I liked the story, I wished that the end of the story had some more concreteness to it. I really, really don't want to give anything away so allow me to be vague but I sort of wanted to know what happened after the book ended. And that's all I can really say because saying anything else would be giving too much away and you all should read this book... so... yeah!

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning about the ending: not a Happily Ever After ending - more of a My Heart Will Go On ending


‘Curses and Earthquakes’ would have been a better title because there are a lot more earthquakes here than actual smoke. This version of Pompeii’s last days advocates the theory that there were many, many natural signs beforehand that Vesuvius was about to blow its top.

My understanding is that most times volcano eruptions don’t give you a whole lot of advance warning, but it’s an interesting mix here of science, superstition and all the latest research on Pompeii. A fairly deft touch with that too, since it doesn’t feel too shoehorned in as the book’s events showcases daily life in an ancient Roman city.

The dialogue between the two main characters is somewhat stiff – very clipped and stilted in their exchanges. On the one hand sometimes it feels too modern, but on the other hand, they are two teenagers, choke full of newly developed hormones, struggling against a lifetime of lessons about class distinctions and convoluted family histories, so under those circumstances, a little awkwardness in their relationship is understandable.

I enjoyed seeing their young minds be both reaching for more knowledge about science and medicine and the natural world and politics and civil rights – but at the same time being utterly of their time, with their beliefs in the gods and signs and curses.

Loved, loved, loved that the female lead was a Pliny fangirl!

As the plot’s timeline gets closer and closer to the explosion, the tension ratchets up as the characters’ human problems get worse exponentially by the addition of what nature is capable of.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pompeii. The name says it all. We think of volcanic eruptions, Pliny, and the heartbreaking scenes we've seen from history shows on television and movies.

This book has much more to offer. We are introduced to Lucia. She is the daughter of Lucius, owner of a gladiator school in Pompeii. When we meet Lucia, she is becoming betrothed to a man 45 years older than herself. She will be the young trophy wife of an old man who can infuse money into her father's gladiator school. Sad but true, women were used in this manner. Lucia is a very sheltered young woman, educated but naive. She is in love with Tages (Tag) a medicus (healer) who happens to be a slave owned by her father. What, a slave? Yes. As you can probably guess, a slave and the daughter of the house is a no-no.

As their love blossoms, we are witness to tremors, earthquakes and finally, the eruption of Vesuvius. Mixed in with this is a romantic triangle involving a rich boy from Herculaneum. No spoilers, but this is quite a punch added to the story.

I enjoyed this book. I found it historically accurate and highly entertaining. Vicky Alvear Shecter is a fantastic author. The scenes of Vesuvius' eruption are spellbinding. I could not put this book down. The ending is heartbreaking, the descriptions of Pompeii during and after the eruption are just amazing. The author includes some historical information. For example, she places the eruption in October 79 CE, a date many scholars feel may be more accurate than August.

All in all, a fantastically written book, well researched and interesting to read.

[RitaSkeeter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've unintentionally ended up on a bit of a YA historical kick lately. As far as YA historicals go, this one was pretty decent. For adolescent readers it introduces the Roman empire, the issue around exposure of female infants, arranged marriage, gladiators, slavery, and of course - the disaster of Pompeii.

The author had completed her research, and I enjoyed the several pages of author's notes at the end that explained a little more of the historical context, and why she made particular choices as an author.

I am a little unsure what age group the book is pitched to. I would have said a young YA audience due to the syntax and because this provides only an introduction to the historical period. I would think those a little older, or with more knowledge of the period would perhaps gravitate to adult fiction due to the greater complexity, characterisation, and exploration of themes. What makes me hesitate to pinpoint this book as being for younger YA readers, is that there are some passages where, for example, Tag's gaze lingers over Lucia's body. I imagine there are conservative parents who would prefer books that are more 'chaste' for their younger readers.

I've alluded above to what didn't work for me with this book. It lacks characterisation and depth, and Tag and Lucia - to me - felt like 21st century kids in an historical setting. Their speech patterns, behaviours, they way they think, didn't work for me. But what this books sets out to do - to introduce younger readers to the Roman empire, specifically Pompeii, it does well. But it is, in my view, a book best for younger readers.

[Brenna]

Okay, first of all I loved Vicky Shecter's book, Cleopatra's Moon. Seriously, it was great. I'm into historical stories, and she does them so well for YA. (Fun fact: Cleopatra's Moon was one of the first books I reviewed on my blog.)

Secondly, this is POMPEII. Which is absolutely fascinating all on its own, but once you include that in a story? Historical fiction?

Sign me up right now, please!

[Tessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much romance, not enough plot. I quit when the insta-love turned into an insta-love triangle.

[Isabelle✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this??? I don't remember the reading part or even marking it as read on goodreads... hmm...

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Curses and Smoke by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC borrowed from a friend (thank you, Lena!)

Summary (from Goodreads):

When your world blows apart, what will you hold onto?

TAG is a medical slave, doomed to spend his life healing his master's injured gladiators. But his warrior's heart yearns to fight in the gladiator ring himself and earn enough money to win his freedom.

LUCIA is the daughter of Tag's owner, doomed by her father's greed to marry a much older Roman man. But she loves studying the natural world around her home in Pompeii, and lately she's been noticing some odd occurrences in the landscape: small lakes disappearing; a sulfurous smell in the air. . . .

When the two childhood friends reconnect, each with their own longings, they fall passionately in love. But as they plot their escape from the city, a patrician fighter reveals his own plans for them -- to Lucia's father, who imprisons Tag as punishment. Then an earthquake shakes Pompeii, in the first sign of the chaos to come. Will they be able to find each other again before the volcano destroys their whole world?

What I Liked:

I'm perfectly split on this book. I don't know if I liked it or disliked it, but that makes sense with the rating, right? I was super excited to read this book, when I first heard of it, because I LOVE the story of the destruction of Pompeii/the eruption of Vesuvius - it's always fascinated me. I love history in general, and historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I had high hopes for this book, especially since it was placed during one of my favorite historical events.

Lucia will be married soon, to an elderly man not of her choosing. She will leave Pompeii in a month, a married woman with no future of her own. And no romance - no Tag. She and Tag fall in love during this book, but it seems hopeless, since Tag is a slave, and she is his owner's daughter. But it's not just the romance that is important in this book - Lucia has been noticing strange things in nature. Things are vibrating, with no wind or shaking. There are more and more tremors in the earth. But no one wants to listen to Lucia's theories.

You'll see in the next section that I had a few problems with the "forbidden" part of the romance, but if you take "forbidden" out of "forbidden romance", then I had no problem with this romance. I really liked seeing Tag and Lucia fall in love - it was sweet and beautiful and a tiny bit heartbreaking. Honestly, I wanted to see more scenes featuring the two of them, more sneaking around, more slow-burn romance, but I liked the romance that was featured. Poor Lucia, for being given away to the richest man possible. Poor Tag, for being a slave and not being able to follow his heart.

Something that I really enjoyed about this book was the treatment of the historical aspect. I thought it was really great to see a different time period in history featured (not Edwardian or Victorian England, for example), especially one such as this one, during the time of the eruption of Vesuvius. Shecter incorporates Roman traditions such as the fighting of gladiators, the use of slaves, the sexism, and so on, to increase the authenticity of this book. Roman and Greek words are scattered throughout the novel (Greek in terms of the medical practices), which was awesome. I always analyze historical fiction novels in terms of their authenticity, and this book wasn't bad. See below though.

The plot of the book wasn't absolutely amazing, but I liked the story in general. The ending made me sad, but I was actually hoping for something worse, so I'm not sure if I would have preferred "my" ending, or the one the author created. I think this is a standalone novel, but I'm not sure (Goodreads doesn't mention a series, but in the title of this book is "A Novel of Pompeii", so…). I don't know how I would feel if this book were part of a series.

What I Did Not Like:

I think my expectations for this book were too high. I built this one up in my head, so when I read it, and it wasn't all that I wanted or expected, I was disappointed. I mean, it's not really my fault - I know a lot about Pompeii and Vesuvius (it's one of my favorite disasters in history), so I was really excited to see how this author would take this event and spin it into a love story. I'm not a huge fan of forbidden romance, but occasionally, a love story with forbidden love will catch my eye and twist my heart and I'll love it. I was hoping that this book would have that romance.

It didn't. I admit, I love the romance between Tag and Lucia, and I was totally rooting for them throughout the book, but for some reason, I wasn't feeling the "forbidden" aspect. Yes, he is a slave, and she is a domina, but for some reason, their relationship really didn't feel forbidden. I think the roman could have been drawn out more, in which they did more sneaking around or something. The forbidden aspect wasn't all there, and so, while the romance was great, it didn't have that edge that I was expecting. Keep in mind, this book is extremely short, for a Young Adult novel. That could have something to do with the lack of the forbidden aspect.

I also felt like the overall plot of this book was very dry and vague. Lucia had been noticing things in nature that weren't adding up, things that weren't quite natural, but no one would listen to her. Meanwhile, she's being sold off to the highest bidder (in terms of her marriage), so there's that. But she and Tag rekindle their friendship when Tag is sent back to Lucia's household to work as a medic. The friendship becomes romance. For some reason, the story and plot of this book didn't really have a spark. It didn't feel like time was running out, or that something enormous was going to happen by the end of the book. Meaning, there wasn't anything telling me that everything was coming down to the end of the book. We as readers already know that Vesuvius erupts, covering Pompeii, but I feel like Shecter didn't do a good enough job of foreshadowing this.

Like, Lucia was noticing the vibrations in the earth and whatnot, but it didn't feel like something was going to happen. You might think, oh, this could be a good thing, because then when something happens, SURPRISE! But when the climax DID come around, it was very… anticlimactic. I wasn't feeling it. Something at the VERY end happens that I didn't really expect, and that broke my heart a little bit.

Yeah. So. The climax is one thing. The ending is entirely another thing. I expected it, in a way, but not WHO. I'm trying to be super vague, but basically, the ending caught me off guard. I dislike it. I was expecting something else, because, you know, the entire city got covered. Well. I don't know if this book is part of a series, but I probably won't read the rest of the books in the series BECAUSE of this ending. Unless the books are companion novels. Then, maybe.

The speech is a bit anachronistic, in my opinion. I always look out for anachronisms, in historical fiction novels, and there are definitely modern-day colloquial phrases in this novel. I know that the author wants to make it easier for her audience to read a historical fiction novel, and that's great, but clean up the twenty-first century phrases, would you?

Would I Recommend It:

Hmm, even if you're a historical fiction fan, I can't say I'd really recommend this book. It doesn't really stick out to me as an AMAZING, awe-inspiring historical fiction novel, though I wanted it to be one. I wanted more from this book, but wasn't all that I expected. There wasn't anything remarkable or distinguishing about this book, unfortunately. You could skip this one and you wouldn't be missing out.

Rating:

3 stars. I enjoyed this book, and I really like the historical aspect of this book (this time period is one of my favorites), but I wanted more from this book. I don't think this book is part of a series (I have no idea though), but from the way this one ended, I don't think my heart could take it if I read more books from this series. Unless they were companion novels. Then, maybe.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was just a little bit giddy when the publisher approved me for CURSES AND SMOKE through NetGalley even though it was a month beyond the publication date. I love ancient Rome, I’m well-versed in the history of Pompeii, I’ve even been there, so I was super excited about this one. And I was absolutely NOT disappointed.

Probably the only down side to this book was that I just saw the movie, Pompeii, a couple weeks ago and I couldn’t stop myself from comparing the two. The book ended up being wonderful. The movie . . . is not. Just . . . not. Don’t waste your money on that one. Instead buy CURSES AND SMOKE. Much better love story, infinitely better written and rather heart-wrenching in an incredibly unexpected story of way.

From the second I started reading I was on board with the characters, the setting, the voice, everything. It’s written in such a way that it evokes the time it’s trying to portray. A bit more formal, a higher level of voice. But Shecter doesn’t overdo it, even when she swaps Tag’s slave POV to Lucia’s highborn POV. There isn’t any trying too hard or overly intellectual language going on. It’s realistic and I bought every second of it. I should go back to Tag’s POV for a second, though, to say that he and Lucia grew up together and that Tag is just as educated as Lucia. He’s a medicus (basically a healer/doctor), is proficient in Latin and Greek and had all the privileges Lucia did as a youth. He was lucky. So their voices didn’t really differ on an intellectual level but Tag maintained his intelligence even amongst the gladiators. There weren’t any slips and he wasn’t wearing two faces at all throughout the story. He was never trying to be something he wasn’t. He was just Tag.

Lucia’s situation was what kept bringing me back to the movie Pompeii because it’s similar; betrothed to an older man she doesn’t want to marry, falls in love with a slave and plans to run away with him (in the movie John Snuuuuhhh was a gladiator, but slave all around). But she was a much stronger character than the other chick whose name I can’t be bothered to remember. She was far more of a presence in her own story and did more than just get batted around from situation to situation. Lucia tried to maintain as much control as she possibly could within the confines of society and her rather dickhead father. And man, that guy was a dick until the very end. Unrelenting. Points for perseverance but he would have gotten farther in life on the wishes of goats for all his doings were worth.

Anyway, Lucia was a main character I could get behind, not just for her strength but for how honest of a character she was. She made stupid verbal slip-ups when talking with Tag indicative of her station and brought their love affair into stark reality a time or two. Most of the time she tries to see the good in people but she doesn’t ignore the evidence she’s being slapped in the face with. Except with her father. She’s a little more stubborn where he’s concerned but only just. Both she and Tag are weighed down by their places in life and neither can really understand the trials and tribulations of the other but they end up coming to a mutual understanding about it. Walk a mile in someone’s shoes and all of that.

Tag is optimistic about the situation but he’s also incredibly bitter. He knows things about Lucia’s life that even she doesn’t and even with that knowledge he resents her just a little bit. A healthy little bit for when she just doesn’t get some of his reasonings. He genuinely enjoys healing people and helping them but abhors the fact that he’s owned by someone, that he’s property. Yet that doesn’t affect the quality of his work. He knows when to shut his mouth and when to swallow his pride but even then sometimes it slips. These are both such tragic and flawed characters it’s difficult to not like them. Not that I actually tried to not like them. They clung in too hard and too fast for me to even consider that.

Shecter just nailed the setting. There was enough detail there to show that she definitely did her research but it wasn’t an overwhelming amount of information. It fit the story and I never felt anything was there for the sake of being there. I’ve been to Pompeii so visualizing the giant that is Vesuvius looming over the city isn’t difficult for me. It’s a daunting sight. (not the best quality photo, sorry) I’ve walked the streets and seen the homes and amphitheaters and forums. So it didn’t take much. But Shecter just brought it all to life and made it real in my head. I could visualize it when the city was still living (well, it’s still living today but it’s rebuilt around the ruins as opposed to a place like Rome where the past and present are far more integrated into each other). The sites, smells and tastes were just pulsing off of the page. The author really is an excellent historian.

The ending was the nail in the coffin for me. Just done. Just tear a piece of my soul off and set it on fire. I don’t want to give details because then it’ll just spoil it but the moment I realized what was going to happen, and that Shecter had told me what was going to happen the whole freakin’ time and I just didn’t realize it, I cried. I hate that. Crying. Especially since I was at work when it happened. I hate that too. Explaining things like that to co-workers.

CURSES AND SMOKE really needs to be read by as many people as possible for its adept storytelling, it’s precision with history and the far more sensical Romeo and Juliet love story (because Lucia and Tag have known each other most of their lives instead of three days). God, my heart hurts just thinking about it. I love finding books like this, that move me so. They’re rare but if you do find them, hold on to them as tight as you can. Needless to say I’ve added Shecter’s CLEOPATRA’S MOON to my reading list after this. With what she did with Pompeii, sweet baby Jesus, I can’t wait to see what she’s done with my love, Egypt.

4 1/2

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

This fascinating story set Pompeii is about the romance between two star crossed lovers - Lucia, daughter of Titarius Lucius, owner of gladiator school and Tages, a healer slave under Lucius' patronage.

I was disappointed because I didn't feel much of a connection between the two main characters, this was supposed to be a heartfelt romance instead literally every other element apart from this was more interesting than this "epic" love story. Tag and Lucia were as mismatched as a couple could me and there were instances when I was plain annoyed by Lucia's insistence on them running away in every circumstance. The most infuriating has to be the time when Titarius ordered Tag to be crucified and still all Lucia could think about was he'd probably stay alive for a few days and they can run away then, like seriously?

Then came the ending which was like a big f*ck you to all readers alike. I was so taken aback and felt betrayed that I invested so much of my time in this one. The only redeeming point I could come up with is how the destruction of Pompeii was showcased.

1.5 stars.

[Tien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curses and Smoke is a love story set moments before the explosion of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed the region. The tale begins 4 weeks prior to the explosion where Tag, a healer slave, just returned from Rome to find his childhood friend, Lucia, grown into a lovely young woman. Lucia, however, is also his owner's daughter and forbidden to him. Lucia, on the other hand, had never really seen Tag as a slave but a friend. She herself loves to read and has noticed changes in her surroundings yet been unable to raise anyone's interest in her observations. Even as they planned their future happiness, others conspired to tear these lovers asunder.

This was a comfortable read / listening for me -I liked the characters and the setting and I also loved the arguments about freedom. There were some twists in the story yet I did find that the author held back her punches 'til right at the end when I really did NOT want it (WTH was that Ending?! I demand a rewrite!).