Review: Surprising and unexpectedly fulfilling
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 4, 2014
Reviewed by Bridgetfor TheRomanceReviews.comAncient Rome is becoming an increasingly popular setting for historical romances, with gladiators, unsurprisingly, playing a prominent role. Nevertheless, Cassandra Dean's Roman romance is in many ways a unique love story, one that is as surprising and unexpected as it is fulfilling, that challenges a lot of conventions, and remains utterly touching and memorable throughout every tense, emotionally-packed scene.Lucia has always been something of an outsider--a scholar and a student of her people's myths and folklore, she's remained unmarried and not even courted long after many of her age have been wed. But this makes her the ideal tutor for her father's newest slave. A trainer of gladiators, Lucia's father is determined to create the greatest warrior ever seen, which includes instilling in him a knowledge of the gods and their own glorious victories.Having never seen a gladiator competition in person, Lucia is initially terrified of her pupil and the mask of utter disregard he wears in her presence. But day by day, week by week, she begins to see something else indeed beneath his stoic stance and furious glares. In the course of their lessons, Marcus reveals not only a sharp intellect, but also a genuine regard for his tutor, and a gentle sense of humor that lights up Lucia's world. But in many ways, Lucia's fate is as structured and controlled as Marcus', and no matter how much she might yearn to share more with him than their lessons, a life beside her gladiator is nearly impossible...The language and narrative of the book are meant to sound more authentic and can occasionally slow down the reading process, however, these characters shine through, complete, vivid, and deeply emotional. Lucia's innocence and isolation make her a unique observer to Marcus' plight and the society around her. Her compassion makes her a very sympathetic heroine; though I usually have issues with self-sacrificing heroines, it was very clear why Lucia made the choices she did, and that she was aware of the cost of each decision.As for Marcus, it was easy to understand the welter of emotions that lay just under the surface of his hard exterior. The more he spoke, and the more he revealed about himself to Lucia, the harder I fell for him. His kindness and devotion to those he loves is impressive, and the lengths he is willing to go for love (and the courage he gives others) amazed me.The world of this story is immersive and detailed, and will absolutely appeal to history buffs and fans of all those lovely cable series set in the same period. Cassandra Dean does an excellent job showing that, though the trappings of this universe might be different and the language sometimes strange, at its heart, love, lust, greed, betrayal, and all the emotions that make human interactions so compelling never change that drastically. The emotions that drive this plot are wholly recognizable and sustain this plot through all the twists and turns.Perhaps most surprising, this book spans decades, telling the tale of a love story that truly defines two lives. The power of the love that Lucia and Marcus share make them who they are, and watching their lives unfold, both together and apart, makes for an incredibly moving, sometimes difficult, read. The jumps and time lapses did feel a little jarring in places, but when taken as a whole, the various scenes work, culminating in an epilogue that was simple, understated, and thoroughly touching.Cassandra Dean has done a remarkable job bringing the ancient past to live in this novella, but most of all, she has crafted two completely absorbing, empathetic and heartrending characters. Their journey, and their development are the heart and soul of this book, and will not fail to delight fans and new readers alike.