The Last Days of Pompeii Book

A sympathetic book for teenagers from 11 years old. It is difficult to get in the Pompeian world of the year 79 AD. The author describes little clothing, architecture, or daily life of the inhabitants of Pompeii. I guess it must be difficult to immerse yourself in Pompeii of the 1st century if you do not already know History.
To the credit of the author who wrote this book in the 19th century, we now know now a lot more about this period, so he did with the docs he had, I guess. For example, I visited the Coliseum in Rome last year. I learned a lot about gladiators, and that's different from what Mr. Bulwer-Lytton shows.
This said, the story is nice and the characters are good. It's worth meeting Julia, Glaucus, Ione…
Nydia, the young blind slave is an interesting girl.
The Egyptian priest Arbaces is an awful villain who does not believe in the Gods which he wants people to believe in. He manipulates the people. He says:
« I give to the world wisdom, to myself freedom »
But his tricks in his temple seemed to me like cardboard 50's Hollywood decor.

A weird thing I noticed…
« The Titan wine-vender seized the hand extended to him, and griped it in so stern a vice that the blood spirted from the fingers' ends over the garments of the bystanders. »
Is this really possible ? I can't say… unless one of you would like to let me try with his hand ?
… and a beautiful one :
« Like the rainbow, Peace rests upon the earth, but its arch is lost in heaven. Heaven bathes it in hues of ligh t' it springs up amidst tears and clouds ' it is a reflection of the Eternal Sun ' it is an assurance of calm ' it is the sign of a great covenant between Man and God. Such peace, O young man! is the smile of the soul; it is an emanation from the distant orb of immortal light. PEACE be with you! »

Finally, I couldn't get into this story. Maybe I'm too tired, these days, I don't know.
But I couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful Arria Marcella by Théophile Gautier. Nothing can be compared to this, but nothing can be compared to Theophile Gautier, so… ! 😊