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aeb3's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but primarily because of the setting (first century roman outpost in Britain). Other elements were less notable.
Three stars since I overall enjoyed the read.
Three stars since I overall enjoyed the read.
jrenee's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
acorngirl121's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. It was long, and I, unfortunately, didn't see how long it'd be on my kindle before starting. I don't mind length, but the current time in my life, I needed something short and mindless. I think if I read this over the summer I'd have been able to enjoy it more. There's so much going on, and so many characters, I had a difficult time keeping up with it, only reading a few pages a night...
It wouldn't turn me away from reading her next one, though....just need to be able to devote more time to it!
It wouldn't turn me away from reading her next one, though....just need to be able to devote more time to it!
samhl's review against another edition
4.0
An unexpected delight. I enjoyed getting to know both main characters and wanted to spend more time with both of them. The mystery drew me in but the characters and their stories kept me reading.
leahegood's review against another edition
Summary
Russo is trying to be a curmudgeonly miser ... and failing rather spectacularly. As much as he tries to mine his own affairs and turn a blind eye to what doesn't concern him, he can't prevent himself from trying to help. And look where it's gotten him. Unable to pay his debts and trying to care for an injured slave on top of his already crippling tower of responsibilities. Unfortunately, he hasnt learned his lesson. When prostituted slave girls from one particular bar keep turning up dead and no one seems to be investing the matter serious, Russo finds himself asking questions even though he knows he shouldn't.
What I Thought
This was a surprisingly wholesome story for a book featuring a brothel. Russo is a gentleman, even to slaves, and scenes with situations that are less innocent are kept to a PG-13 level of descriptiveness.
I came across this book because I wanted a story set in Eboracum (now York, England) and this book came up because it contains numerous references to the Eboracum Road. The historical component is more set dressing than anything else, a fact the author addresses in the end note. It's not meant to be overly historically accurate or educational. It's just a fun setting for the story she wanted to tell.
The story she wanted to tell brings me back to the brothel setting and plot relevance of prostituted slaves. The author used the end note to draw attention to the topic of modern slavery and girls unwillingly trapped into lives of prostitution. Since this is something I care about, I appreciate the heart behind it, and it lends extra depth to Russo's integrity throughout the story.
Beyond these points, the story had the vibe of a cozy mystery. The mystery element was not too intense and was accompanied by a subplot interpersonal relationships. Overall it was an interesting but slightly meandering read.
Content
Sexual: Multiple characters are prostituted slaves. Several scenes show them seductively working a crowd or trying distract Russi from his questions by seducing him. One girl is groped, though this is very minimally explained. Characters talk very casually about bedding slaves. Overall, taking sexual advantage of enslaved persons is consistently present throughout the book but handled in a non-gratitouous manner.
Violence: Murdered bodies are discovered, deaths occurr in the course of Russo's work as a medicus, characters are injured, etc. This is all minimally described and very non-graohic.
Swearing: Occasional uses of bl**dy. D*mn and h*ll may also be present but I don't specifically remember.
Religion: Russo is a religious sceptic but occasionally prayer to a Roman deity, just in case. Tilla is very devoted to "The Goddess" and Russo at one point prays to Tilla's goddess, just in case. At one point Russo muses that no one comes back from the dead, regardless of the rumors about a Judean carpenter.
Russo is trying to be a curmudgeonly miser ... and failing rather spectacularly. As much as he tries to mine his own affairs and turn a blind eye to what doesn't concern him, he can't prevent himself from trying to help. And look where it's gotten him. Unable to pay his debts and trying to care for an injured slave on top of his already crippling tower of responsibilities. Unfortunately, he hasnt learned his lesson. When prostituted slave girls from one particular bar keep turning up dead and no one seems to be investing the matter serious, Russo finds himself asking questions even though he knows he shouldn't.
What I Thought
This was a surprisingly wholesome story for a book featuring a brothel. Russo is a gentleman, even to slaves, and scenes with situations that are less innocent are kept to a PG-13 level of descriptiveness.
I came across this book because I wanted a story set in Eboracum (now York, England) and this book came up because it contains numerous references to the Eboracum Road. The historical component is more set dressing than anything else, a fact the author addresses in the end note. It's not meant to be overly historically accurate or educational. It's just a fun setting for the story she wanted to tell.
The story she wanted to tell brings me back to the brothel setting and plot relevance of prostituted slaves. The author used the end note to draw attention to the topic of modern slavery and girls unwillingly trapped into lives of prostitution. Since this is something I care about, I appreciate the heart behind it, and it lends extra depth to Russo's integrity throughout the story.
Beyond these points, the story had the vibe of a cozy mystery. The mystery element was not too intense and was accompanied by a subplot interpersonal relationships. Overall it was an interesting but slightly meandering read.
Content
Sexual: Multiple characters are prostituted slaves. Several scenes show them seductively working a crowd or trying distract Russi from his questions by seducing him. One girl is groped, though this is very minimally explained. Characters talk very casually about bedding slaves. Overall, taking sexual advantage of enslaved persons is consistently present throughout the book but handled in a non-gratitouous manner.
Violence: Murdered bodies are discovered, deaths occurr in the course of Russo's work as a medicus, characters are injured, etc. This is all minimally described and very non-graohic.
Swearing: Occasional uses of bl**dy. D*mn and h*ll may also be present but I don't specifically remember.
Religion: Russo is a religious sceptic but occasionally prayer to a Roman deity, just in case. Tilla is very devoted to "The Goddess" and Russo at one point prays to Tilla's goddess, just in case. At one point Russo muses that no one comes back from the dead, regardless of the rumors about a Judean carpenter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Child abuse, Medical content, and Pregnancy
topdragon's review against another edition
3.0
Set in Roman Britannia at the time of Hadrian succeeding Emperor Trajen, this series opener introduces Doctor (Medicus) Gaius Petreius Ruso who has reluctantly transferred to an Army unit in this faraway outpost. He is deeply in debt, mostly through circumstances beyond his control, but is dedicated to helping those in need of his skills. In a moment of weakness, he finds himself rescuing a slave girl from an abusive situation, thinking he can always sell her at a profit and pay off some debt. But other girls are showing up dead or missing and despite his best efforts, Ruso gets drawn into solving the mystery of who’s behind it all.
I’m a bit mixed on my opinion of this first book in the series. Ruso is an interesting character in many ways even though he tends toward a doom and gloom outlook on life. The writing style was fairly absorbing and I found myself wanting to see what happened next. But I found the mystery elements to be less than I’d hoped for. Just not too much to it and, frankly, the romance plot overshadowed the mystery plot. The author also committed one of the cardinal sins of mystery stories (at least for me) when Ruso gets to learn of the identity of the culprit from a messenger but we readers don’t get to hear it. He then acts on this new information, leaving us in the dust. A fair-play mystery, this is not. But it really didn’t matter at that point as the bad guy was pretty evident by then.
The other problem I had was the details of the setting, or lack thereof. This takes place in Roman Britain! What a great setting! But it could have taken place almost anywhere and at any time in history for all the details we are provided. There were a few mentions of Roman lifestyles and culture but the modern-day language used throughout kept putting images of a more current era in my head. In most historical mysteries I’ve read the setting is vibrant and almost becomes another character in itself. A missed opportunity methinks.
Still, there was enough here to coax me to go ahead and try the next in the series. I am cautious but hopeful.
I’m a bit mixed on my opinion of this first book in the series. Ruso is an interesting character in many ways even though he tends toward a doom and gloom outlook on life. The writing style was fairly absorbing and I found myself wanting to see what happened next. But I found the mystery elements to be less than I’d hoped for. Just not too much to it and, frankly, the romance plot overshadowed the mystery plot. The author also committed one of the cardinal sins of mystery stories (at least for me) when Ruso gets to learn of the identity of the culprit from a messenger but we readers don’t get to hear it. He then acts on this new information, leaving us in the dust. A fair-play mystery, this is not. But it really didn’t matter at that point as the bad guy was pretty evident by then.
The other problem I had was the details of the setting, or lack thereof. This takes place in Roman Britain! What a great setting! But it could have taken place almost anywhere and at any time in history for all the details we are provided. There were a few mentions of Roman lifestyles and culture but the modern-day language used throughout kept putting images of a more current era in my head. In most historical mysteries I’ve read the setting is vibrant and almost becomes another character in itself. A missed opportunity methinks.
Still, there was enough here to coax me to go ahead and try the next in the series. I am cautious but hopeful.
cavecattus's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
The start of the Gaius Petreius Ruso series, think of it as an ancient version of CSI, is set in ancient Britain (specifically in the area of modern-day Chester) while it's under Roman rule. Trajan has just died and the post is abuzz with the doubled bonus that the new emperor has promised. Unfortunately, there's no buzz for the drowned woman who is brought in for an autopsy where we are introduced to our title character, Medicus Ruso.
Only two weeks on the job in Britain and Ruso gets caught up in the mystery of where and why this woman was tossed in the river. But he's not really interested in why or where, not really. Please, no. Ruso has enough on his mind with his recent divorce, his new posting to Britain, and the problems caused by his father's death. This posting is supposed to be a lark...at least that's what his friend, fellow medicus Valens has been writing...Only, it seems that Valens has been lonely and given to hyperbole so now Ruso is stuck with his ex-wife's nagging in his head, an OCD administrator, army officers more interested in a good time, and the mysterious deaths of three ladies of the evening.
I liked Downie's writing. The setting and the dialog felt very realistic right down to that lumpy mattress! The characters certainly seemed very contemporary!
Unexpectedly funny, Medicus is a very enjoyable read with its life and times of a Roman legion in hostile territory, especially when personalized with the stumbling adventures of a confused medicus as he attempts to satisfy family, play military politics, and carve out a life for himself. I'm looking forward to Terra Incognita. I gotta know what happens next for Ruso.
Only two weeks on the job in Britain and Ruso gets caught up in the mystery of where and why this woman was tossed in the river. But he's not really interested in why or where, not really. Please, no. Ruso has enough on his mind with his recent divorce, his new posting to Britain, and the problems caused by his father's death. This posting is supposed to be a lark...at least that's what his friend, fellow medicus Valens has been writing...Only, it seems that Valens has been lonely and given to hyperbole so now Ruso is stuck with his ex-wife's nagging in his head, an OCD administrator, army officers more interested in a good time, and the mysterious deaths of three ladies of the evening.
I liked Downie's writing. The setting and the dialog felt very realistic right down to that lumpy mattress! The characters certainly seemed very contemporary!
Unexpectedly funny, Medicus is a very enjoyable read with its life and times of a Roman legion in hostile territory, especially when personalized with the stumbling adventures of a confused medicus as he attempts to satisfy family, play military politics, and carve out a life for himself. I'm looking forward to Terra Incognita. I gotta know what happens next for Ruso.
karrama's review against another edition
3.0
It's funny that I liked this book so much that I loaned it out! The characters were solid. I still look at it as a bunch of negatives. It's Perry Mason, but he has no intention of solving the crimes brought before him. It's MASH without the maudlin/zany bi-polar-ness we see celebrated by robots on Futurama. It's Grey's Anatomy if Merideth Grey was a man whose baggage still allowed him to have a life outside himself. Fun book, actually. Ruso's a medic for the roman army at the eve of Trajan's death as Hadrian takes over. He finds connections between some deaths and is compelled to solve them.