In my experience, the best historical fiction involves stories that show the more things change, the more they stay the same. After all, people are people throughout history, just occasionally with better hygiene. Valerius is the highlight of this extended cast of characters for a story in which Burke effortlessly blends modern voice with a historical setting to create an accessible peek into a world both different but so similar to our own. This murder mystery might be set a few thousand years ago, but for each element of Valerius’s life that is different from a modern 23-year-old’s, the way people interact with those in and out of their class and social circles is incredibly familiar.
This book is packed with characters from every social class, in an era in which massive households and intricate social and political maneuverings were common. Burke immediately infuses even the most minor characters with enough quick individuality that I never once felt overwhelmed. Our narrator Valerius is a ridiculous delight as our accidental detective, an innocent bystander for the initial crime and swept up in events mostly because he needs something to keep him busy until he’s old enough to take the proper place in the Roman social hierarchy to which he is intended. Luckily, he is assisted in this investigation by a working-class citizen competent enough for the job but needing Valerius’ social connections to open certain doors. Together, they make a solid team, likely surprising themselves most of all. The dynamic between Valerius and Atreus, as it grows from a working relationship to a tentative friendship, is compelling enough that I was never once bored during the drudgery of clue-gathering. Though this book has no more than a hint of romance, the way Valerius crushes on Atreus is both sweet and a lovely way to characterize his overall youth despite his interesting backstory.
Half the fun of reading a mystery is trying to solve the crime before the heroes. I made some solid guesses at about the 60% mark, but I was incredibly satisfied by both what I got wrong and what I caught, especially since Burke makes excellent use of red herrings. Even my correct guesses were much more intricate than I anticipated, making the story even more enjoyable. She also interweaves each component of this mystery with integral elements of Roman society, using her knowledge of various aspects of Roman civilian and military life to craft deft plot twists. I’m pretty sure my knowledge of that place and time has increased a thousand-fold after reading this book, but everything is presented smoothly and at the appropriate time, with nary an info dump to be seen. I especially appreciated that Burke doesn’t sugarcoat the established and accepted slavery elements of this world; the darker parts of Roman life are acknowledged but never erased, nor glamorized.
Much like Valerius, I almost forgot until closer to the end that he’s not the only main character of this story. Atreus lives a different but equally intricate life, and one of his subplots allows for excellent character development for Valerius. Burke treads a delicate line between allowing for representation in both of these characters (because queer people have always existed) while still rooting the story firmly in the world’s existent views on homosexuality. The poignant moments between Valerius and Atreus that hint at something more are never center-stage but remain important for the overall relationship I look forward to seeing develop in further books—primarily as investigative partners solving more Roman crimes of high society but possibly with a subtle dash of something more.
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
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