Colosseum: Blood and Roses by Lorraine Blundell is a brilliant action novel that transports readers into the times of ancient Rome. The narrative is alive with brave gladiators, brutal wars, and a variety of Roman emperors who continued outperforming their predecessors with grandiose public entertainment called “games.” The public recreation encompassed animal hunts, beast attacks, executions, spectacular gladiatorial combats, and mock naval battles, which are vividly portrayed via sharp writing and a wealth of metaphors to describe the epic battles with ample attention to the most intricate details.

During the Vespasian era in 79 A.D., the amphitheater was constructed via the blood and plunders of the Judaean war. The Colosseum is one of the most well-known architectural structures of ancient Rome and battles that took place within altered Roman culture and world history indefinitely.

The multifaceted characters provide several viewpoints to examine the history and making of the Colosseum from the perspective of Famulus, Rome’s most well-treasured Fresco-era painter, who guides the narrative with introspection and a reverence for Greek mythology and a penchant for detailing the gladiators’ combative skills in battle.

The novel chronicles the journey of Quintus, a young man training as a Retiarius, while he deals with the emotional damages from his mother’s death. Quintus’s determination to find and destroy his mother’s murderer and end his life in the act of retribution intertwined bravery and familial love into Quintus’s complexity. 

Author Lorraine Blundell combined historical accuracy within a fictional narrative that will educate readers on the Romanic history surrounding the world-renowned Colosseum via a detailed character list, glossary, and historical notes that guide the story. The multifaceted novel will undoubtedly foster the readers’ appreciation for the history of the Colosseum and broaden their understanding of ancient Rome. 

Pages: 358 | ASIN : B0C7TR81Y2