The Sirens of Surrentum

Inspiring kids to read these days is no mean feat in the wake of crumbling educational systems. One is considered lucky if one's child buys into the global media hype of Harry Potter. Even luckier, supposedly, are those who start studying Elvish at the behest of Tolkien. I am not myself a parent, but I wonder offhand if there is something better to inspire children than overblown fantasy epics. Were I to have kids, I'd want to teach them something more valuable. I'd want them to learn history, to taste of the knowledge and glory of our illustrious cultural forebears. In so many words I'd want to groom them for Romanophilia. Gone is the dark age when little Johnny and Sara found themselves bereft of reading material suited to their age. Someone gifted by the Muses has come to change all that. Caroline Lawrence is the author of a burgeoning series of juvenile fiction set in Ancient Rome. Four intrepid young sleuths travel about the empire, solving mysteries in their own little way. But, and more importantly for our purposes, contained within these novels is a compelling slice of Roman life and history that serves to nourish and inspire a young reader. The novel is set a few years after the eruption of Vesuvius, in a Roman villa by the Bay of Naples. Flavia Gemina, the Nancy Drew of Antiquity, recites choice quotes from The Aeneid. Class differences in the ancient world are ever present, as Flavia is an equestrian whereas she interacts with many patricians and slaves. Present in a book, via character conversations, is as good an overview on Stoicism and Epicureanism as I have ever seen anywhere. As a background to the story, the history of Nero and his mad reign is illuminated. Finally, as a nice touch, Flavia is betrothed to a young Suetonius, history's principle witness to the early empire. The story itself is entertaining enough on its own merits. The idea of four pre-teens solving crimes is of course a bit ludicrous, but this is a children's book after all. Once you get past that, there are some adult themes displayed. Passion versus reason, indulgence versus fidelity, innocence versus maturity. I particularly liked how Flavia is counseled by an elder not to indulge fleeting lust over more stable relationships. Her hero Aeneas is presented as the triumph of duty over passion. This is something many pre-teens need to hear judging by the number of teen pregnancies. Amazingly the book is written in a clear yet intelligent prose which can convey classical civilization to a young mind while still holding an adult's attention. The initial maps and drawing of the villa are a nice visual introduction to the setting. The glossary of words at the back are priceless; I learned a new expression: "euge" ("hurray!" in Latin). All in all, a great achievement. [...]

When it comes to accurate historical detail and convincing depiction of ancient Roman society, author Caroline Lawrence knows whereof she writes. Before becoming a children's book author, Caroline Lawrence was a student of Classics at Berkeley and later at Cambridge, as well as a teacher of Latin at a small London primary school. I am a librarian by profession and have read all of the books in Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries series. The Sirens of Surrentum is one of her best. The protagonist of the story, Flavia Gemina, is about to celebrate her 11th birthday and is just one year away from being of marriageable age (!) by ancient Roman custom. Readers around the same age as Flavia (perhaps age 10 and older being the best age level for the younger readers of this book) will laugh at the foolishness of boys, as well as learn the valuable life-lesson that one can be too young for love. There is delicious danger in the story, as we follow the young adventurers to the villa of a famous poisoner in their quest to solve the mystery. And, as with all of Caroline Lawrence's books, we learn a few fascinating facts of Roman history and culture along the way, such as the story related by the Roman philosopher Seneca about the German barbarian who killed himself with a sponge-stick (an object customarily employed for more mundane purposes). Wittily written, NEVER condescending to young readers, and an absolute delight even for adult enthusiasts of stories set in ancient Rome and its environs, The Sirens of Surrentum is a gem from start to finish!

The Sirens of Surrentum is another excellent book in the Roman Mysteries series. I read this and all the previous books in this series to my 7 year old daughter, who has thoroughly enjoyed them. The books should be read in order, as significant events occur in each book and each book builds upon the previous books. The Sirens, like the other books in this series, has an interesting story line that will interest juvenile detective fans. The mysteries are more realistic and multi-dimensional than books like the Three Investigators and Nancy Drew. The Roman Mysteries also have a strong educational theme in that they are set in the context of the first century Roman world. In a very compelling and interesting manner that sparks the interest of myself and my daughter, the author weaves the history and myths of the Rome, Greece, and the first century Jews and Christians into the books. The books provide a good, if slightly unrealistic, portrayal of the diverse life in the Roman world as the four main characters include a wealthy Roman girl, her slave, a Jewish/Christian boy, and a homeless beggar boy. The characters have real depth, unlike many children's books. The author also introduces numerous historical figures. Some of the books in the series are fairly light hearted mysteries, but others address important topics like slavery, children coming of age, religious persecution, and revenge. The author has a Christian perspective regarding forgiveness and compassion which is brought into the books in a non-preachy format. The first book has the most strongly Christian theme. This is appropriate as Christianity was spreading in the Empire at this time. The author addresses these "heavy" issues in an age appropriate way, without unduly sanitizing the books. I believe the Sirens has the most "adult" theme of any of the books in that it addresses the issue of a woman becoming marriageable and falling in love for the first time, which happened early for Roman girls. The issues are addressed deftly by the author and the book was highly appropriate to read to my seven year old daughter.