Blog Tour: Vita and the Gladiator

I love historical fiction and have been a great admirer of Ally Sherrick’s writing since reading her debut, ‘Black Powder’, a fabulous adventure set at the time of the Gunpowder Plot. Today, I am delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for her new book, ‘Vita and the Gladiator’, a thrilling adventure set in Roman London.

Daughter of a high-born Roman, Vita lives a life of luxury and privilege. She longs to write plays like those she sneaks off to watch at the Forum, but is destined to marry the man chosen for her. When her father is murdered, her life changes completely. Taken for a slave, Vita ends up working at the gladiators’ arena, sharing a cell with female gladiator, Brea and her wolf. Both are seeking justice from a common enemy and form an unlikely pact as they work together to defeat him.

Ally Sherrick writes brilliant historical fiction, balancing factual details with exciting, immersive adventure. Set in Roman London in 125 CE, ‘Vita and the Gladiators’ also offers a gripping murder mystery to solve as Vita pieces together the events surrounding her father’s death.

The story is rich in detail, vividly contrasting Vita’s former life as a magistrate’s daughter with being a slave working with the gladiators. Appropriate vocabulary and terminology is used in context, enriching the reader’s experience and understanding of the period. The scenes of the gladiators training and fighting are well developed, emphasising the blood-thirsty nature of these events and their cruelty as well as the fascination they held for audiences. The story also explores the treatment the army meted out to those they conquered.

‘Vita’ would work extremely well as a read aloud or as a key text to inspire work. Not only is the story bursting with details about the period, it offers much to discuss and many opportunities for writing in role, research, drama and role play. Above all, it is a compelling, immersive read, skilfully written and well researched with notes from the author at the end.

Vita and the Gladiator Ally Sherrick

Chicken House ISBN: 978-1913696535

Thank you to Chicken House for asking me to take part in this tour. Make sure you continue to follow the tour with Books for Topics and Miss Cleveland tomorrow!