I love this book. As a house slave in Pompeii, Miranda sees household life in the ancient world from an intimate, Upstairs/ Downstairs point of view. As she gets more involved with other members of the household, she finds both love and danger. The stories she tells, drawn from everthing from fairy tales to modern films, give her a way to make points about human rights - and a way to interfere with events, such as plans for a marriage for the daughter of the house. Marcus Tullius is a different kind of hero: strong, sensitive and honorable; and this is a different, tender and intelligent, kind of love story. The historical background is vivid and accurate, but the main focus is on the interactions among interesting characters, and a plot that takes some unexpected twists. It's a quick but memorable read.