Starred review from August 1, 2005
British actress Francis gives a crisp and skillfully shaded reading ofthis thought-provoking story about love, political intrigue and nature vs. nurture set in ancient Rome. Her accent and generally bright delivery help balance the accessible themes and exotic background. Two lion cubs snatched from the jungle are taken to Rome where one becomes a brutal fighter in the Colosseum and the other becomes the pampered pet (called Boots) of Aurelia, daughter of Caesar. As Aurelia's 12th year progresses she explores her feelings for Julius, the slave and keeper of Boots, and comes to understand the mighty power her father holds. When Boots escapes and Julius is falsely blamed, Aurelia must face some awful truths—about humans and lions, too. Francis gives Aurelia the kind of authentic emotional depth that will keep listeners hooked on this exciting drama. Ages 12-up.
Starred review from June 27, 2005
"She felt dimly that the true power was to withhold the death stroke, to let the creature go when you could
have killed it." This observation by Aurelia, Caesar's daughter, aptly summarizes the central theme of Banks's (The Indian in the Cupboard
) gripping, tantalizing examination of power, sacrifice and mercy. At the novel's start, two brother tiger cubs are taken from their native land and brought to ancient Rome. The older, larger one becomes a celebrated killer in the circuses held at the Colosseum, while the younger becomes the pampered and adored pet of Aurelia, who names him Boots. Aurelia's warm feelings soon extend to the cub's keeper as well, a handsome young slave named Julius. But even the novel's most idyllic scenes, set in the sheltered luxury of the Emperor's palace, are infused with a nearly unbearable slow-boiling sense of anxiety, thanks to the ominous shadow of the brutal circus. When Aurelia's weak and selfish cousin Marcus devises a prank to play on Julius and Boots, he sets into motion a series of events that forever changes the lives of the three youngsters and the tiger brothers. Thrilling in its compassion and tinged with bittersweetness, the novel's conclusion leaves plenty of questions enticingly unanswered, providing ample material for thoughtful readers to ponder. Ages 12-up.