What do you think?
Rate this book
Tiger, Tiger
Two tiger cub brothers are torn from the jungle and taken to Rome. The stronger cub is trained as a killer at the Coliseum. Emperor Caesar makes a gift of the smaller cub to his beautiful daughter, Aurelia. She adores her cub, Boots, and Julius, a young animal keeper, teaches her how to earn the tiger's trust. Boots is pampered while his brother, known as Brute, lives in a cold and dark cage, let out only to kill. Caesar trusts Julius to watch Aurelia and her prized pet. But when a prank backfires, Boots temporarily escapes and Julius must pay with his life. Thousands watch as Julius is sent unarmed into the arena to face the killer Brute.
195 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 30, 2004
56 people are currently reading
949 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Reid Banks
97 books401 followersLynne Reid Banks is a British author of books for children and adults. She has written forty books, including the best-selling children's novel The Indian in the Cupboard, which has sold over 10 million copies and been made into a film.
Banks was born in London, the only child of James and Muriel Reid Banks. She was evacuated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada during World War II but returned after the war was over. She attended St Teresa's School in Surrey. Prior to becoming a writer Banks was an actress, and also worked as a television journalist in Britain, one of the first women to do so. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, was published in 1960.
In 1962 Banks emigrated to Israel, where she taught for eight years on an Israeli kibbutz Yasur. In 1965 she married Chaim Stephenson, with whom she had three sons. Although the family returned to England in 1971 and Banks now lives in Dorset, the influence of her time in Israel can be seen in some of her books which are set partially or mainly on kibbutzim.
Banks was born in London, the only child of James and Muriel Reid Banks. She was evacuated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada during World War II but returned after the war was over. She attended St Teresa's School in Surrey. Prior to becoming a writer Banks was an actress, and also worked as a television journalist in Britain, one of the first women to do so. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, was published in 1960.
In 1962 Banks emigrated to Israel, where she taught for eight years on an Israeli kibbutz Yasur. In 1965 she married Chaim Stephenson, with whom she had three sons. Although the family returned to England in 1971 and Banks now lives in Dorset, the influence of her time in Israel can be seen in some of her books which are set partially or mainly on kibbutzim.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
February 25, 2008
I really enjoyed this book! It is historical fiction set in Rome around 3rd century AD. Two tiger cubs are captured and brought to Rome. One is given to the emperor's daughter to be raised as her pampered pet. The other brother is taught to be a vicious man-eating fighter at the Colosseum. While there is description of the gladiators and animals slaughtering each other, there is also innocent, forbidden love between the princess and a slave. It demonstrates the social structure of Rome very vividly and also shows how Christianity was viewed by the Romans. Tiger, Tiger would be excellent to use if you are teaching ancient Roman history with students.
February 13, 2013
Tiger, Tiger is historical fiction that while written with younger readers in mind, like the best middle grade works, is a book meant to be enjoyed by adults as well. The trick, as always, is a good story well-told, and content that would be of interest to any reader at any stage in their life.
It's obvious Banks means for children to read her book as she slows down for them on occasion:
To launch the entertainment, two tall, splendid gladiators were set to fight, one armed with a sword and the other with a net and a trident—a fork with spiked tines and a long handle.
Yet, for passages such as the one above, where definitions are made explicit for readers, what I admire most about this book is that it does not talk down to the reader. As is characteristic of her writing, Banks keeps the pace moving forward. She presents aspects of history, the relevant information the reader must know, and goes on with the story with remarkable speed.
And Tiger, Tiger contains a lot of complex themes and ideas. It's an epic tale of the Roman Empire, the beginnings of the Christian church (not exactly in favor of it), animal and women's rights, and true-to-life historical depiction. A lesser writer might've taken 600 pages to tell this story, but Banks trusts her reader to be smart enough to keep up with her. She insists children bring themselves to her level rather than lower herself to theirs and the result is wonderful book still being read and celebrated.
The main story of Tiger, Tiger is of two tiger cubs later named by two-legged masters Brute and Boots. In the opening pages, the cubs are stolen and their mother is killed. They're dragged back to Rome where Brute is trained to be a killer in the coliseum (can you really have a Roman epic without gladiators) and other is de-fanged and fixed like a house pet to live with a princess in her palace. Much of the novel is devoted to the tiger's experiences in their new lives:
On the fairly rare occasions when he was allowed into the arena, Brute killed again—not perhaps with the spectacular ferocity of the first time, but from the point of view of the spectators, satisfactorily enough. He developed, as man-eaters will, a taste for human flesh, which added to his enthusiasm for the occasions when he was allowed to hunt down and eat two-legged prey, and maintained his growing reputation as the sanguinary star of the circus.
Only for Boots, nothing changed. His fortunate, pampered life continued. Catlike, he was content with enough to eat, comfortable sleeping quarters, and the petting and affection of his mistress. He no longer missed his brother or the beautiful, savage world he had been bred in. If things had continued as they were, he might have lived out this placid, unnatural life until he died of old age.
But there were cataclysms ahead for him—for all of them.
I love that last line, which, naturally, precedes a break. Banks may be giving a history lesson, but she still keeps the reader hooked and keeps the pages turning first and foremost. Of course, the nice thing about history is its filled with necessary violence and taboos. There is plenty of horrendous violence sprinkled throughout, all of it historically accurate, which also helps to keep pages turning.
Over the course of the novel, Banks demonstrates her gift for putting the reader in the viewpoint of multiple characters both human and animal. What would it be like to be a nearly 13-year old princess in ancient Rome whom men thought eligible to be married? What pressures would that bring? Here is what the crowd has to say when poor princess Aurelia is dragged at last to the coliseum to witness for the the first time the slaughter of humans and animals for entertainment:
“How lucky we came today! Imagine how excited she must be, to see the circus for the very first time!” Many were remembering their own first visits. There was a general feeling of privilege and rejoicing, as if the daughter of Caesar were passing through a sort of initiation into the glorious state of being a full Roman citizen.
For much of Tiger, Tiger the reader comes to the story from the third person perspective of the tigers. They never talk nor have thoughts that a tiger couldn't conceivably have. Their take on the world around them in unique and interesting, but Banks makes no attempt to personify them. Instead, she presents their world as they would likely perceive it:
The smells were bad because there was no way to bury their scat. And there was the smell of other animals, and their fear. And there was a strange smell they didn't recognize, a salt smell like blood. But it wasn't blood. It was bad being enclosed. All the smells that should have dissipated on the wind were held in, close. Cloying the sensitive nostrils. Choking the breath. Confusing and deceiving, so that the real smells, the smells that mattered, couldn't be found, however often the cubs put up their heads and reached for them, sniffing in the foul darkness.
A coarse, loud voice shouted, “Quiet, you little brute, or I'll give you something to howl for!” The threat in it was unmistakable. The bigger cub urinated with fear, then found a corner, pressed himself tight to the cold wall, and lay down. He didn't sleep. He was too nervous. He shivered and all his striped fur stood on end. There had been something in that voice that filled him with dread.
Ultimately, of course, Tiger, Tiger is more about humans than tigers--nearly all stories written by humans are. By putting us in multiple perspectives, both human and animal, Banks is cultivating in her reader a historical perspective. After all, those who do not lean history are destined to repeat it. By presenting us with characters as they would've likely been in their time and place, we're able to consider who they were and thus who we were:
“All societies have hierarchies,” she was told. “All societies have higher and lower, masters and slaves.”
“It must be terrible to be a slave!”
“You must not entertain such thoughts. Waste no pity on slaves. They have no responsibilities, no traditions to maintain, no laws to make and keep. They have no concerns about food and shelter. They only have to do what they're told, and live out their simple lives in peace and order.”
In the end, Esteemed Reader, isn't gaining perspective why we read stories in the first place? We want to know how we're to live, so we look to stories to teach us. By consider humans through history, we can learn to be better humans now.
Tiger, Tiger is a wonderful tale sure to enthrall readers of all ages and teach them a few things they didn't know before while entertaining them. What more can a reader ask for? As always, I'll leave you with some of my favorite passages from Tiger, Tiger:
Julius swallowed hard. The pictures in his mind almost unmanned him.
Her mother smiled. “It should, perhaps, but it doesn't. People are bloodthirsty. It's the nature of simple folk. Blood excites them, and they love to be excited. It takes them out of their boring lives.”
...appealed to Aurelia about as strongly as being tied up in the arena and fed to the wild beasts, like those strange, death-inviting Christians
A spear that whistled past him— reminding him of his trainer's proddings—simply enraged him more, so that he pursued the thrower in an avenging bound, and tore out his throat. But after a few minutes of frenzied whirling, pouncing, rending, and clawing, Brute's killing urge left him. He remembered his hunger, lay down—but warily—beside his first victim, and began to eat the man's entrails.
Since he had held her in his arms he ached to hold her again. The little head he had pressed protectively to his chest had left an invisible imprint there that called insistently to be filled.
It's obvious Banks means for children to read her book as she slows down for them on occasion:
To launch the entertainment, two tall, splendid gladiators were set to fight, one armed with a sword and the other with a net and a trident—a fork with spiked tines and a long handle.
Yet, for passages such as the one above, where definitions are made explicit for readers, what I admire most about this book is that it does not talk down to the reader. As is characteristic of her writing, Banks keeps the pace moving forward. She presents aspects of history, the relevant information the reader must know, and goes on with the story with remarkable speed.
And Tiger, Tiger contains a lot of complex themes and ideas. It's an epic tale of the Roman Empire, the beginnings of the Christian church (not exactly in favor of it), animal and women's rights, and true-to-life historical depiction. A lesser writer might've taken 600 pages to tell this story, but Banks trusts her reader to be smart enough to keep up with her. She insists children bring themselves to her level rather than lower herself to theirs and the result is wonderful book still being read and celebrated.
The main story of Tiger, Tiger is of two tiger cubs later named by two-legged masters Brute and Boots. In the opening pages, the cubs are stolen and their mother is killed. They're dragged back to Rome where Brute is trained to be a killer in the coliseum (can you really have a Roman epic without gladiators) and other is de-fanged and fixed like a house pet to live with a princess in her palace. Much of the novel is devoted to the tiger's experiences in their new lives:
On the fairly rare occasions when he was allowed into the arena, Brute killed again—not perhaps with the spectacular ferocity of the first time, but from the point of view of the spectators, satisfactorily enough. He developed, as man-eaters will, a taste for human flesh, which added to his enthusiasm for the occasions when he was allowed to hunt down and eat two-legged prey, and maintained his growing reputation as the sanguinary star of the circus.
Only for Boots, nothing changed. His fortunate, pampered life continued. Catlike, he was content with enough to eat, comfortable sleeping quarters, and the petting and affection of his mistress. He no longer missed his brother or the beautiful, savage world he had been bred in. If things had continued as they were, he might have lived out this placid, unnatural life until he died of old age.
But there were cataclysms ahead for him—for all of them.
I love that last line, which, naturally, precedes a break. Banks may be giving a history lesson, but she still keeps the reader hooked and keeps the pages turning first and foremost. Of course, the nice thing about history is its filled with necessary violence and taboos. There is plenty of horrendous violence sprinkled throughout, all of it historically accurate, which also helps to keep pages turning.
Over the course of the novel, Banks demonstrates her gift for putting the reader in the viewpoint of multiple characters both human and animal. What would it be like to be a nearly 13-year old princess in ancient Rome whom men thought eligible to be married? What pressures would that bring? Here is what the crowd has to say when poor princess Aurelia is dragged at last to the coliseum to witness for the the first time the slaughter of humans and animals for entertainment:
“How lucky we came today! Imagine how excited she must be, to see the circus for the very first time!” Many were remembering their own first visits. There was a general feeling of privilege and rejoicing, as if the daughter of Caesar were passing through a sort of initiation into the glorious state of being a full Roman citizen.
For much of Tiger, Tiger the reader comes to the story from the third person perspective of the tigers. They never talk nor have thoughts that a tiger couldn't conceivably have. Their take on the world around them in unique and interesting, but Banks makes no attempt to personify them. Instead, she presents their world as they would likely perceive it:
The smells were bad because there was no way to bury their scat. And there was the smell of other animals, and their fear. And there was a strange smell they didn't recognize, a salt smell like blood. But it wasn't blood. It was bad being enclosed. All the smells that should have dissipated on the wind were held in, close. Cloying the sensitive nostrils. Choking the breath. Confusing and deceiving, so that the real smells, the smells that mattered, couldn't be found, however often the cubs put up their heads and reached for them, sniffing in the foul darkness.
A coarse, loud voice shouted, “Quiet, you little brute, or I'll give you something to howl for!” The threat in it was unmistakable. The bigger cub urinated with fear, then found a corner, pressed himself tight to the cold wall, and lay down. He didn't sleep. He was too nervous. He shivered and all his striped fur stood on end. There had been something in that voice that filled him with dread.
Ultimately, of course, Tiger, Tiger is more about humans than tigers--nearly all stories written by humans are. By putting us in multiple perspectives, both human and animal, Banks is cultivating in her reader a historical perspective. After all, those who do not lean history are destined to repeat it. By presenting us with characters as they would've likely been in their time and place, we're able to consider who they were and thus who we were:
“All societies have hierarchies,” she was told. “All societies have higher and lower, masters and slaves.”
“It must be terrible to be a slave!”
“You must not entertain such thoughts. Waste no pity on slaves. They have no responsibilities, no traditions to maintain, no laws to make and keep. They have no concerns about food and shelter. They only have to do what they're told, and live out their simple lives in peace and order.”
In the end, Esteemed Reader, isn't gaining perspective why we read stories in the first place? We want to know how we're to live, so we look to stories to teach us. By consider humans through history, we can learn to be better humans now.
Tiger, Tiger is a wonderful tale sure to enthrall readers of all ages and teach them a few things they didn't know before while entertaining them. What more can a reader ask for? As always, I'll leave you with some of my favorite passages from Tiger, Tiger:
Julius swallowed hard. The pictures in his mind almost unmanned him.
Her mother smiled. “It should, perhaps, but it doesn't. People are bloodthirsty. It's the nature of simple folk. Blood excites them, and they love to be excited. It takes them out of their boring lives.”
...appealed to Aurelia about as strongly as being tied up in the arena and fed to the wild beasts, like those strange, death-inviting Christians
A spear that whistled past him— reminding him of his trainer's proddings—simply enraged him more, so that he pursued the thrower in an avenging bound, and tore out his throat. But after a few minutes of frenzied whirling, pouncing, rending, and clawing, Brute's killing urge left him. He remembered his hunger, lay down—but warily—beside his first victim, and began to eat the man's entrails.
Since he had held her in his arms he ached to hold her again. The little head he had pressed protectively to his chest had left an invisible imprint there that called insistently to be filled.
February 7, 2017
Alright, this book was...odd. There's a lot about it I really liked, but the threads of plot seemed to sprawl around aimlessly instead of pulling together into any cohesive story. Sometimes that works for me, but in this book it just...didn't.
The premise itself is very, very cool. the story follows a pair of tiger cubs captured by Roman traders and sold seperately--one going to the arena, where it's trained up to be fierce, hateful, and aggressive, and the other given to the emperor's daughter as a spoiled pet. that contrast alone is enough to make the story interesting, and it's drawn out well.
Most of the story, though, revolves around the emperor's daughter, Aurelia, and her growing friendship with Julius, the slave charged with handling her new pet. I liked their friendship, though the hints of romance seemed a bit odd to me (Aurelia is all of twelve. I understand this is Rome, but that's still a tad creepy, no matter how innocent Julius's interest).
this more or less happy state of affairs is broken in upon by Marcus, a boy of a good patrician family who is Aurelia's 'friend' by virtue of the relative closeness of their parents. he's a bit of a bully, and, disliking the friendship between Julius and Aurelia, works to tear it apart. his efforts culminate in a prank that both he and Aurelia think harmless--hiding her now-grown pet tiger, Boots, in a cellar and trying to convince Julius that he's escaped. however, the tiger really does escape from the cellar; and Julius, responsible for the beast's safekeeping, is condemned to death for it--and is sent into the arena against none other than the famous Brute, Boots's long-lost brother.
There were a lot of things I loved in this book, and the character development is one of them. Oddly enough, Marcus is the character who grows the most over the course of the story--his redemption arc is one of the most realistic and beautiful I've ever read. Aurelia and Julius don't change quite so much as they grow, but their development cool too.
the climax of the book was fantastic, full of suspense and soaringly victorious. had it continued in that same tone, my rating would have been a lot closer to five stars--but ending really fell flat, seeming to undo any meaning that the climax could have had and making the whole story seem oddly pointless. it left a sour taste in my mouth, which was all the more frustrating because the rest of the book was so good.
on the whole, I think this is a book well worth the read, but it could have been a great deal better.
The premise itself is very, very cool. the story follows a pair of tiger cubs captured by Roman traders and sold seperately--one going to the arena, where it's trained up to be fierce, hateful, and aggressive, and the other given to the emperor's daughter as a spoiled pet. that contrast alone is enough to make the story interesting, and it's drawn out well.
Most of the story, though, revolves around the emperor's daughter, Aurelia, and her growing friendship with Julius, the slave charged with handling her new pet. I liked their friendship, though the hints of romance seemed a bit odd to me (Aurelia is all of twelve. I understand this is Rome, but that's still a tad creepy, no matter how innocent Julius's interest).
this more or less happy state of affairs is broken in upon by Marcus, a boy of a good patrician family who is Aurelia's 'friend' by virtue of the relative closeness of their parents. he's a bit of a bully, and, disliking the friendship between Julius and Aurelia, works to tear it apart. his efforts culminate in a prank that both he and Aurelia think harmless--hiding her now-grown pet tiger, Boots, in a cellar and trying to convince Julius that he's escaped. however, the tiger really does escape from the cellar; and Julius, responsible for the beast's safekeeping, is condemned to death for it--and is sent into the arena against none other than the famous Brute, Boots's long-lost brother.
There were a lot of things I loved in this book, and the character development is one of them. Oddly enough, Marcus is the character who grows the most over the course of the story--his redemption arc is one of the most realistic and beautiful I've ever read. Aurelia and Julius don't change quite so much as they grow, but their development cool too.
the climax of the book was fantastic, full of suspense and soaringly victorious. had it continued in that same tone, my rating would have been a lot closer to five stars--but ending really fell flat, seeming to undo any meaning that the climax could have had and making the whole story seem oddly pointless. it left a sour taste in my mouth, which was all the more frustrating because the rest of the book was so good.
on the whole, I think this is a book well worth the read, but it could have been a great deal better.
March 3, 2018
“She felt dimly that the true power was to withhold the death stroke, to let the creature go when you could have killed it.”
Princess Aurelia is presented with a tiger cub fresh from the jungle while its twin is sent off to the Colosseum. The slave and animal keeper Julian teaches her how to raise and understand the cub, now known as boots, and she soon grows to love her tiger. Meanwhile, in the Colosseum, Brute is trained to become a killer - Aurelia questions the justice in these two very different fates and indeed the Colosseum in itself. But even as his daughter, she knows it is dangerous to question Ceasar.
This was an unexpectedly thought-provoking book. I love watching historical movies - even so, I've always had a hard time with any scenes involving animals suffering, especially knowing that those scenes are more than accurate when it comes to reality. This book manages to present animal cruelty in a way I find much more graphic than seen in most movies. If you can't bear to watch such scenes, this book is not for you. In that regard, it was a real tough one to get through.
Animal cruelty is a big subject in this book. It is also about power and what people do with it, slavery and freedom and the differences between social classes and genders. We also get some gladiator scenes for action and it delves into matters of family, friendship and love. All in all, this book touches on many subjects within just about 200 pages without seeming overloaded.
Aurelia is an interesting and strong character. She is neither the helpless princess nor is she a so-called kick-ass (of which I believe are too many just for the sake of supposedly having a different kind of character...). I think she is a well-rounded character who is smart and recognises her own strengths and weaknesses. As the princess, she knows she has power. She also knows that her power can't overrule that of her parents, but that she can stand above most others around her. She is a very thoughtful character who asks many questions and wonders about how life and society work. She has her weaker sides in which she shows her spoiled upbringing and will hold a tantrum. But she knows her guilt when she makes mistakes and she never shirks from taking responsibility.
Julius shares similar opinions with Aurelia. But him being in the position of a slave makes it less interesting. He is a kind character and he has a talent for handling animals and - well, that's it. There's nothing really wrong with him but he is a pretty bland character when compared to Aurelia. Aurelia's cousin Marcus, on the other hand, is more interesting. While not always likeable, he has arguably the biggest character development throughout the story. He can be incredibly annoying at times but he gradually manages to redeem himself.
One thing I struggled with was how certain chapters were written from Boots' and Brute's point of view. Although interesting, I somehow don't like books that claim to know what exactly an animal is thinking. Reading an animal's movements is fine, but this book went too much into details of what I think is beyond what humans can know about animal thoughts.
The most irritating thing was the sudden inclusion of religion. I thought this was a fascinating book in terms of Roman history and showing how people lived. Not that I am particularly knowledgeable, but I believe this is a pretty accurate and reliable depiction of it. And all of a sudden, the author tosses in religious concerns into this already heavily loaded plot.
I myself am not religious but I am openminded and certainly don't mind seeing religious elements in stories. However, I do mind if it seems like the author is displaying one as better than the other. Although historically not inaccurate, it bothered me how the author used the leading characters to support the budding Christianity while forsaking their Roman gods. To me, this book had too much of a poor Christians and evil Romans vibe going on and, having read this out of an interest in Rome, I confess that I would have been much more interested in reading about the Roman gods and the practices around them.
Anyway, putting that aside, this is an unexpectedly good book and great if you're interested in Ancient Rome or Tigers. It's not perfect, but it has some very strong and unique points going for it!
August 15, 2015
I thought this was a decent YA book set in Ancient Rome. The beginning was a bit slow and I considered putting it aside. However, it is a short book so I decided to continue. I'm glad I did. The second half of the book was much more interesting to me.
I do recommend this book to anyone that likes YA and is interested in Roman stories and the Coliseum. I felt bad for the animals in the book and their were some mildly gory parts, as you would imagine. If you are very sensitive to animal cruelty or bloody scenes, this may not be the book for you.
3.5 stars
I do recommend this book to anyone that likes YA and is interested in Roman stories and the Coliseum. I felt bad for the animals in the book and their were some mildly gory parts, as you would imagine. If you are very sensitive to animal cruelty or bloody scenes, this may not be the book for you.
3.5 stars
March 18, 2016
This was historical fiction for kids. I could see my girls loving this if they were younger....princesses and tigers for pets. They would eat that up. This was a story of 2 tigers (brothers) and the different lives they led once they were captured. One was a pampered pet, the other was sent to fight for entertainment. The ending was not just a little vague, but a lot vague. For being a kids book, I would think it would have been wrapped up a little neater. Just sayin'. I would have been bombarded with questions about the ending from my girls if they'd ever read this.
April 29, 2025
Lectura triada per a 6è de primària. Està molt bé per iniciar l'alumnat en la novel·la històrica. Molts és la primera que llegeixen i els hi ha agradat força, com a mi. Bona ambientació en la Roma del s. III.
February 24, 2010
Listened to this book on c/d...wow!! The reader was fabulous!! I had the opportunity to visit the coliseum in Rome and reading this historical novel about the "entertainment" that went on in this arena was nothing short of amazing!! People are just down right bloodhthirsty...back in the time of ancient Rome and I'm sorry to say today also (look at TV and movies now!!). Although written for youth, the author did not sugar-coat the brutality of the "circus." Personally, it pretty much broke my heart on multiple levels. Very captivating story.
Read
October 28, 2014Loved this book. It reminds me a lot of the movie Two Brothers. Not sure if the film was based on this book or not but the stories are surprisingly similar. A great quick read for tiger fans!
February 10, 2018
Picked this book up because it was on a suggested additional readings list for studying ancient Rome. I didn't know much about it other than that (and the obvious title and cover image). A third of the way in, I flipped the book over to read the synopsis and realized maybe it was a little too intense for a whole family read... but my boys loved it and were captivated.
I was enthralled too. It was a great, easy historical fiction glimpse of Roman empire and what life may have been like for a daughter of a Caesar. It describes in detail happenings of the Colosseum but does so in a way exploring how good people could participate in it, how some people abhorred it in secret, and how Christianity was slowly embraced by people who had to do so secretly. There is a love story, tigers and their treatment, action, discussion of moral responsibility, and examining what it means to be born into power.
The listening library narrator (Jan Francis) was so lovely.
I was enthralled too. It was a great, easy historical fiction glimpse of Roman empire and what life may have been like for a daughter of a Caesar. It describes in detail happenings of the Colosseum but does so in a way exploring how good people could participate in it, how some people abhorred it in secret, and how Christianity was slowly embraced by people who had to do so secretly. There is a love story, tigers and their treatment, action, discussion of moral responsibility, and examining what it means to be born into power.
The listening library narrator (Jan Francis) was so lovely.
November 10, 2019
I read this as a kid and decided to re-read for nostalgia's sake. I find the Julius/Aurelia romantic angst to be much creepier as an adult (she is twelve! and they emphasize how much older she appears and acts! I realize this is early A.D. Rome but yikes!), but I have come to appreciate Marcus and his growth a lot more - it was perhaps a bit too complex for me when I first read this book, but now as an adult I find it brilliantly done. I know others who have read it that don't like the vague ending, but I think it fits, though the Julius stuff is again a bit dramatic and weird.
May 14, 2021
Los personajes están muy, muy bien escritos, no hay muchas interacciones entre ellos pero las que hay dicen mucho. Un libro agridulce. Lleno de sacrificios y sufrimiento, no mi tipo de historia, pero tiene cosas profundas y hermosas.
May 18, 2018
This book takes place in the Roman Empire Caesar's daughter Aurelia gets a present. The present is a tiger. I would love to have a tiger for a pet because they are my favorite animals, but I don't think I would because its wrong and they belong in the wild free.
May 18, 2025
no me esperaba el final 😭
May 28, 2023
me gustó más las dos primeras veces que lo leí, pero uffffff, me ha dejado mal de todas formas😔😔😔😔😔😔
March 28, 2021
6th grade assignment
October 21, 2014
I was actually pleasantly surprised with this book! Although the plot was predictable, I enjoyed it. However, its predictability made the ending slightly disappointing. It was really obvious when Aurelia and Marcus plotted to trick Julius that Boots was going to escape! And also when Julius was in the Colosseum, it was obvious that Boots wouldn't attack him; they had too close a relationship.
I also didn't like how it was narrated. It was fine, really, but it could've been so much better. It was in third person, occasionally switching the character it's talking about. I feel like the story/message would've been much more powerful if Banks used a first person POV, but still switching the characters' POV.
But, she did a very nice job of hooking in readers in the first chapter. Told from the tigers' POV, the emotions and details are so real and accurate, I felt more in the story than just reading it. Throughout the story, the characters' actions, feelings of doubt, fear, etc. were very well done also.
This story conveyed a great message as well; that even small, unintended actions can have catastrophic consequences, and also that love and kindness can go a long way. (the relationship between Boots and Julius saved his life)
Overall, I really do recommend this book for most ages; it gets a little graphic during the Colosseum scenes. I am really satisfied with it (you know, that feeling after you've read a good book), and I hope the rest of you will enjoy it too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2014
The Boo's review (7) ...I loved this book and I give it all 5 stars. It's really, really good because a princess gets to have a tiger as a pet. You may want to miss the arena chapters because they are really, really gross and it made me sad.....except for the end part at the arena, because that was cool. My favorite part was the ending and even if you skip the other arena stuff because it's gross...you shouldn't miss the ending because it works out great for the tiger. I learned that even though having a wild animal for a pet sounds good...in the end they are best left in the wild.
Mom's note...dang this was a gross book...involving hunting and capturing animals to be used in the arena for entertainment and the slaughtering of Christians. As an animal lover and not having a strong tolerance for the torture of humans and animals this was tough to get through. It also spurred conversations about slavery and owning people...and some people's beliefs that lives have more meaning based on wealth.
Mom's note...dang this was a gross book...involving hunting and capturing animals to be used in the arena for entertainment and the slaughtering of Christians. As an animal lover and not having a strong tolerance for the torture of humans and animals this was tough to get through. It also spurred conversations about slavery and owning people...and some people's beliefs that lives have more meaning based on wealth.
May 7, 2009
This is a super good historical fiction book taking place in ancient Rome. My concern is that I believe the title and cover will draw in animal lovers who would be mortified by the realistically brutal scenes in this book.
October 29, 2022
Una novela que no ha estado mal, quizás algo falta de madurez en el texto y más profundidad, pero que trata un tema original y del que merece la pena saber un poco más.
Reseña completa: http://paseandoentrepaginas.blogspot....
Reseña completa: http://paseandoentrepaginas.blogspot....
February 3, 2014
It was nice, the book really got you to worry about whats gonna happen next. You got dragged into it.. I liked this book.
January 1, 2018
Tiger, Tiger's cover shows a young girl lying in bed with a tiger wearing a jewel encrusted collar, that says," Author of The Indian In the Cupboard."
I like animals. I enjoyed the Indian in the Cupboard. What could go wrong?
I guess a lot. Tiger, Tiger's plotline begins with a painfully slow crawl to nowhere. Lynne Reid Banks takes her time with the plot, forcing the reader to take the long way around, when a short cut would have been kinder.
I'm glad I slogged through the beginning, and was relieved when the plot line picked up, but quickly my relief turned to disbelief, and horror. The abuse two tigers go through during and after they are caught, one to be a "pampered" pet, and one to kill other animals and humans in the coliseum made my heart pound with dread. The author spares no gory detail and leaves little to the imagination, so I would recommend Tiger, Tiger for readers fifth grade and up. I also think the book is perfect for (younger readers) of YA and adults.
Another thing going for the book is the historical fiction. Lynne got that right. Aurelia, the twelve year old daughter of the Emperor, Caesar has her head on her shoulders amid her royal surroundings, and comes to question her father's and country's way of life. This is very much a coming of age story and no matter if you live in Roman times or the present, and young adults will identify with the book's deep emotional content.
The romantic themes in the book between slave and royalty intrigued me. And Aurelia's cousin disgusted me. Aurelia's parents were believable, and not "too over the top." Again, Lynne got the characters right.
Tiger, Tiger's ending was vague. Aurelia, and her cousin grew as characters, as human beings do. They both came to view the world differently, and sought to change their reality.
Could Aurelia in real life have changed Rome in an instant? Probably not. What Lynne Reid Banks seeks to do is to have Aurlia force change upon her parents, and she gets her way (for the moment.)
As an adult (and I won't do a spoler review) I think the author seeks to be kind to younger readers.
You get to make up your mind what happens to the slave and tigers in the end. Are they caught and murdered by Caeser? Did they live out their lives together beyond Rome? Did the slave go home to his family? Are the tiger brothers reunited? Tiger, Tiger's ending reminds me of "Life of Pi." You get to decide .
I'm glad I kept going and read the whole book, even if it is not for the faint of heart (like me.)
I like animals. I enjoyed the Indian in the Cupboard. What could go wrong?
I guess a lot. Tiger, Tiger's plotline begins with a painfully slow crawl to nowhere. Lynne Reid Banks takes her time with the plot, forcing the reader to take the long way around, when a short cut would have been kinder.
I'm glad I slogged through the beginning, and was relieved when the plot line picked up, but quickly my relief turned to disbelief, and horror. The abuse two tigers go through during and after they are caught, one to be a "pampered" pet, and one to kill other animals and humans in the coliseum made my heart pound with dread. The author spares no gory detail and leaves little to the imagination, so I would recommend Tiger, Tiger for readers fifth grade and up. I also think the book is perfect for (younger readers) of YA and adults.
Another thing going for the book is the historical fiction. Lynne got that right. Aurelia, the twelve year old daughter of the Emperor, Caesar has her head on her shoulders amid her royal surroundings, and comes to question her father's and country's way of life. This is very much a coming of age story and no matter if you live in Roman times or the present, and young adults will identify with the book's deep emotional content.
The romantic themes in the book between slave and royalty intrigued me. And Aurelia's cousin disgusted me. Aurelia's parents were believable, and not "too over the top." Again, Lynne got the characters right.
Tiger, Tiger's ending was vague. Aurelia, and her cousin grew as characters, as human beings do. They both came to view the world differently, and sought to change their reality.
Could Aurelia in real life have changed Rome in an instant? Probably not. What Lynne Reid Banks seeks to do is to have Aurlia force change upon her parents, and she gets her way (for the moment.)
As an adult (and I won't do a spoler review) I think the author seeks to be kind to younger readers.
You get to make up your mind what happens to the slave and tigers in the end. Are they caught and murdered by Caeser? Did they live out their lives together beyond Rome? Did the slave go home to his family? Are the tiger brothers reunited? Tiger, Tiger's ending reminds me of "Life of Pi." You get to decide .
I'm glad I kept going and read the whole book, even if it is not for the faint of heart (like me.)
December 8, 2025
Tigre Tigre, un libro con una premisa tan cautivadora, es una historia que sigue a dos tigres gemelos capturados por el Imperio Romano. Uno de los tigres es enviado al circo, el Coliseo Romano, en donde es entrenado para atacar y ser salvaje; el segundo es obsequiado a la princesa y es tratado como un gato doméstico.
Lo que más me gusta del libro es que la autora logró capturar con mucho éxito cómo el ser humano trata a los animales, cómo la mayoría le teme a las bestias salvajes y cómo no las apreciamos, sino que las tratamos con desprecio y les faltamos el respeto. Tenemos casos especiales como Aurelia y Julius, los cuales los respetan. Aurelia los "quiere" de manera ingenua ya que no es consciente de que son depredadores y que ellos no son capaces de demostrar amor; Julius se lo demuestra en reiteradas ocasiones.
El libro hace una buena interpretación de cómo a un animal salvaje los humanos lo manipulan con su naturaleza para conseguir lo que nosotros queremos: quieres que un animal sea salvaje, lo recompensas que favorezcan ese comportamiento; quieres que un animal sea dócil, castígalo cuando haga un mal comportamiento. Ambos tigres son amaestrados a su manera con diferentes perspectivas de "lo que se esperaba de ellos".
La proyección del pueblo Romano es muy interesante ya que podemos ver un mundo en donde la violencia reina, en donde ser despiadado y sanguinario es celebrado, y la compasión y la empatía están vistas como "débiles".
Hay una frase dentro del libro que define lo que es el circo y dice así: "Al fin y al cabo, el circo no es más que eso: es el poder que el fuerte ejerce sobre el débil, la dominación que el hombre ejerce sobre la naturaleza, expresados en la batalla y el derramamiento de sangre".
El final fue muy entretenido, sin embargo, personalmente esperaba leer emociones más intensas, más desgarradoras ante la situación que sucedía; es un final feliz y bonito que carece de intensidad.
Es un gran libro, es una lectura ligera y bien escrita.
Lo que más me gusta del libro es que la autora logró capturar con mucho éxito cómo el ser humano trata a los animales, cómo la mayoría le teme a las bestias salvajes y cómo no las apreciamos, sino que las tratamos con desprecio y les faltamos el respeto. Tenemos casos especiales como Aurelia y Julius, los cuales los respetan. Aurelia los "quiere" de manera ingenua ya que no es consciente de que son depredadores y que ellos no son capaces de demostrar amor; Julius se lo demuestra en reiteradas ocasiones.
El libro hace una buena interpretación de cómo a un animal salvaje los humanos lo manipulan con su naturaleza para conseguir lo que nosotros queremos: quieres que un animal sea salvaje, lo recompensas que favorezcan ese comportamiento; quieres que un animal sea dócil, castígalo cuando haga un mal comportamiento. Ambos tigres son amaestrados a su manera con diferentes perspectivas de "lo que se esperaba de ellos".
La proyección del pueblo Romano es muy interesante ya que podemos ver un mundo en donde la violencia reina, en donde ser despiadado y sanguinario es celebrado, y la compasión y la empatía están vistas como "débiles".
Hay una frase dentro del libro que define lo que es el circo y dice así: "Al fin y al cabo, el circo no es más que eso: es el poder que el fuerte ejerce sobre el débil, la dominación que el hombre ejerce sobre la naturaleza, expresados en la batalla y el derramamiento de sangre".
El final fue muy entretenido, sin embargo, personalmente esperaba leer emociones más intensas, más desgarradoras ante la situación que sucedía; es un final feliz y bonito que carece de intensidad.
Es un gran libro, es una lectura ligera y bien escrita.
July 24, 2024
This goes into my top 10 fiction books I have ever read. I was surprised that I had never heard of it --until I spotted it on the library shelf in my small Christian school's library. The author also wrote The Indian in the Cupboard.
I listened to this in the car with two of my children-- 9 year old and 12 year old. My 9 year old had just studied Ancient Rome in third grade, so I was excited to find a book that connected to that history. She was able to make connections, which was fun to observe.
This book has tigers, Gladiators in the arena, animals fighting other animals in the arena. Honestly if this book was a movie, it would be rated R for the arena scenes. Due to the intense violence, my 9-year-old asked me to finish one arena scene without her and then tell her what happened. It also mentions slightly awkward things (for children) like de-masculating a tiger. I just kept the CDs rolling and didn't say anything. They never asked for clarification or made comments about it.
It is so well written. I brought the CD inside so we could finish it. For the last 45 minutes, I could not get my kids to multitask at all. (There was laundry to be folded right next to them, lol.) They just sat and listened, transfixed by the story. I was on the edge of my seat; I could not believe how into it we all were.
I recommend for adults, teens, and preteens. If you have a 9 or 10-year-old who is interested in Ancient Rome, I suggest you read it to them, so you can skip the arena scenes as necessary. And if your 9 year old is particularly sensitive, wait on this one.
I listened to this in the car with two of my children-- 9 year old and 12 year old. My 9 year old had just studied Ancient Rome in third grade, so I was excited to find a book that connected to that history. She was able to make connections, which was fun to observe.
This book has tigers, Gladiators in the arena, animals fighting other animals in the arena. Honestly if this book was a movie, it would be rated R for the arena scenes. Due to the intense violence, my 9-year-old asked me to finish one arena scene without her and then tell her what happened. It also mentions slightly awkward things (for children) like de-masculating a tiger. I just kept the CDs rolling and didn't say anything. They never asked for clarification or made comments about it.
It is so well written. I brought the CD inside so we could finish it. For the last 45 minutes, I could not get my kids to multitask at all. (There was laundry to be folded right next to them, lol.) They just sat and listened, transfixed by the story. I was on the edge of my seat; I could not believe how into it we all were.
I recommend for adults, teens, and preteens. If you have a 9 or 10-year-old who is interested in Ancient Rome, I suggest you read it to them, so you can skip the arena scenes as necessary. And if your 9 year old is particularly sensitive, wait on this one.
May 27, 2020
What an unexpected surprise. I've had this book on my TBR for ages, and I finally decided to take a look. Since it was only available through my library as an audiobook, I was able to enjoy the narration of Jan Francis, a new-to-me narrator. Her voicing was easily distinguishable, and she read smoothly and well. At first I thought it was a little odd to have a British accent telling the story of Ancient Rome, but I soon got used to it. The story began when two tiger cubs were captured, and we (as they) didn't know what to expect. But soon we realized that one was meant to be an exotic pet for the Emperor's daughter, while the other was destined to be a ferocious fighter in the Colosseum. We get to know Aurelia (the daughter) and her cousin/playmate Marcus. They frequently get together, playing with the tame tiger, watched over by the animal-keeper, Julius. In a catastrophic moment, Julius falls asleep and Aurelia and Marcus decide to play a trick on him and hide the tiger. Unfortunately, Boots (the tiger) gets out and things go downhill from there, soon out of their control. There's an exciting confrontation at the end and a satisfactory epilogue. (It's a young adult book, after all.) It was fascinating to read about the way of life from that time period--the overwhelming rule of the emperor, the brutality of the Circus at the Colosseum, the vast difference between royalty and slaves and the disregard of the first for the latter. I enjoyed it very much.
December 10, 2021
La historia la leí cuando tenía 15 años y la he vuelto a leer puesto que le tenía mucho cariño y la verdad me ha gustado mucho 💜💜💜 Tigre Tigre es una historia de dos tigres que son separados cuando eran cachorros donde cada uno corre una suerte distinta, uno se va con la hija del Cesar y se convierte en manso mientras el otro es obligado a ser feroz y salvaje.
🧡A lo largo de la historia existe una atracción entre Aurelia y Julius pero es un amor imposible y oues no dicdn nunca la edad de Julius puesto que Aurelia era muy chica 13 14 años. Tambien tenemos a Marcus que es su primo teniendo importancia en la historia y la nodriza de Aurelia que es clave para la liberación de Julius.
💙 Es una historia lindaaaa, fácil de leer lo lei en 2 días. Nos enseña con respecto al poder que tienen algunas personas sobrw otras, obviamente en nuestra actualidad no estamos de acuerdo con algunas acciones de esa época puesto que hay escenas crueles no sólo con respecto a los animales sino tambien con hombres inocentes.
🧡A lo largo de la historia existe una atracción entre Aurelia y Julius pero es un amor imposible y oues no dicdn nunca la edad de Julius puesto que Aurelia era muy chica 13 14 años. Tambien tenemos a Marcus que es su primo teniendo importancia en la historia y la nodriza de Aurelia que es clave para la liberación de Julius.
💙 Es una historia lindaaaa, fácil de leer lo lei en 2 días. Nos enseña con respecto al poder que tienen algunas personas sobrw otras, obviamente en nuestra actualidad no estamos de acuerdo con algunas acciones de esa época puesto que hay escenas crueles no sólo con respecto a los animales sino tambien con hombres inocentes.
January 15, 2023
Is my rating primarily rooted in nostalgia? Probably.
I first read this when I was maybe 13/14 and it left such a lasting impression in me that I've picked it up 17 years later.
There's a lot to think about in this book and I remember grasping the core themes pretty well even as a young teen. As you can imagine there's discussions of animal cruelty and the cruelty of the arena in general. But also ownership and power and wealth.
The main character Aurelia has a very spirited personality and being with her while she learns about the world is somewhat heart breaking as she comes to understand what we all must. That are guardians are not infallible, that the world can be unkind, consequences, guilt and grief.
An overall moving take with excellent core messaging and set against the wonderful backdrop of ancient Rome.
CW: animal cruelty, slavery, abuse, violence, suggestion of a romance between a young adult man and a 12/13 year old girl - nothing physical and sort of in keeping with the setting but warning for regardless.
I first read this when I was maybe 13/14 and it left such a lasting impression in me that I've picked it up 17 years later.
There's a lot to think about in this book and I remember grasping the core themes pretty well even as a young teen. As you can imagine there's discussions of animal cruelty and the cruelty of the arena in general. But also ownership and power and wealth.
The main character Aurelia has a very spirited personality and being with her while she learns about the world is somewhat heart breaking as she comes to understand what we all must. That are guardians are not infallible, that the world can be unkind, consequences, guilt and grief.
An overall moving take with excellent core messaging and set against the wonderful backdrop of ancient Rome.
CW: animal cruelty, slavery, abuse, violence, suggestion of a romance between a young adult man and a 12/13 year old girl - nothing physical and sort of in keeping with the setting but warning for regardless.
August 9, 2022
Two Tigers are captured in the wild and taken to Rome in the late 300s. Caesar gives one to his daughter Aurelia and the other is sent to the Colosseum to be brutalised into killing and eating humans: Christians. Julius the slave is in charge of Aurelia's tiger, Boots.
It's a little stereotypical. Aurelia is flirting with Christianity, her father is a thug Caesar, but the brutality of the time is real.
However Tigers don't purr, they 'chuff'. The only big cat that purrs is the cheetah. So a lack of research here.
There is a 'happy' ending. Aurelia marries her cousin Marcus, not a love match though (and 2 of her children are born defective and die), her son becomes Caesar, the tigers are put in the arena before all this, to kill Julius but as he knows them and how tigers think and react, they don't kill him. Julius is freed in the arena and walks the tigers out and Caesar can't stop him. So an interesting children's tale but it pays to check facts first.
It's a little stereotypical. Aurelia is flirting with Christianity, her father is a thug Caesar, but the brutality of the time is real.
However Tigers don't purr, they 'chuff'. The only big cat that purrs is the cheetah. So a lack of research here.
There is a 'happy' ending. Aurelia marries her cousin Marcus, not a love match though (and 2 of her children are born defective and die), her son becomes Caesar, the tigers are put in the arena before all this, to kill Julius but as he knows them and how tigers think and react, they don't kill him. Julius is freed in the arena and walks the tigers out and Caesar can't stop him. So an interesting children's tale but it pays to check facts first.
November 26, 2022
CALIFICACIÓN REAL: 3,65/5
Dos cachorros de tigre son capturados y enviados a Roma, adonde a uno, Cafre lo entrenan para matar en el Circo del Coliseo y al otro, Botas, le quitan los colmillos y se lo regalan a Aurelia, la hija del César. Aurelia ama a Botas y empieza a enamorarse de Julius, su entrenador, hasta que Botas se escapa como resultado de una broma infantil. César castiga a Aurelia pero guarda la peor sentencia para Julius y Botas, a quienes los condena a pelear en el Coliseo. Una emocionante historia del valor, la muerte y el abuso del poder, esta novela cautivará a los jóvenes.
Seamos realistas los circos son lo peor del mundo y más cuando tienen a los animales encerrados y maltratados, aunque llore con esta historia más de una vez, no me conmovió tanto como debía.
Si mayor tema es la historia de como era la antigua Roma, además de su amor prohibido no tiene tanta profundidad.
Es una historia entretenida y rápida de leer.
Dos cachorros de tigre son capturados y enviados a Roma, adonde a uno, Cafre lo entrenan para matar en el Circo del Coliseo y al otro, Botas, le quitan los colmillos y se lo regalan a Aurelia, la hija del César. Aurelia ama a Botas y empieza a enamorarse de Julius, su entrenador, hasta que Botas se escapa como resultado de una broma infantil. César castiga a Aurelia pero guarda la peor sentencia para Julius y Botas, a quienes los condena a pelear en el Coliseo. Una emocionante historia del valor, la muerte y el abuso del poder, esta novela cautivará a los jóvenes.
Seamos realistas los circos son lo peor del mundo y más cuando tienen a los animales encerrados y maltratados, aunque llore con esta historia más de una vez, no me conmovió tanto como debía.
Si mayor tema es la historia de como era la antigua Roma, además de su amor prohibido no tiene tanta profundidad.
Es una historia entretenida y rápida de leer.
January 2, 2020
Just finished this book. Somewhere between 4 and 5 stars. Second half of book is captivating and parts are hard to put down. I learned a lot about the era and culture and now want to learn more. Hard to believe so many people are so heartless and support such atrocities. If the leadership weren't so oppressive young people not yet hardened could form a force to fight it and spread the word. I wonder what percent of the population refused to go to the circus and partake.
I have to warn people that even though this has preteen characters and is supposedly written for youth, it contains descriptive violence. This makes the book more engaging, notable and compelling in its goal of showing the true brutality of the arena. However, readers should be warned. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.
I have to warn people that even though this has preteen characters and is supposedly written for youth, it contains descriptive violence. This makes the book more engaging, notable and compelling in its goal of showing the true brutality of the arena. However, readers should be warned. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews