Vita Brevis by Ruth DownieMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ruso and Tilla are in Rome and it is a hot crowded city where they are having trouble fitting in. Of course there is a mystery for the two to solve. Turns out that Rome just is not for them. I enjoyed seeing Ruse and Tilla again. It has been several years since I finished the rest of the series. One of my favorite parts of the series is the interaction between the two. There was less of that this time but they still have that push/pull relationship. There was a note from Downie at the end explaining that she was bound by facts about ancient Rome when writing the book making it harder as a author to fit the story with the recorded history. Roman Britannia has left little history and in previous books she could fill in the blanks as she wished.
Memento Mori by Ruth DownieMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
After a trip to Rome Tilla and Ruso are back in Britannia living with Tilla's family when a call comes for help. Valens' wife Serina has been murdered and Valens is the prime suspect. I loved the setting. After the call for help Tilla, Ruso, the baby Mara and the slaves set out for Aquae Sulis (modern-day Bath). The plot is very complicated and I really had no idea who did what until the very end. It was fun watching Tilla do the exact opposite of what Ruso asks. There is that familiar push/pull between the two. Ruso continues to realize what a gem he has in Tilla but that does not stop the tension between the two when Tilla goes off on her own. At the same time Tilla values being the wife of Ruso. The setting was interesting as some of the Roman building can still be seen at Bath and they play a big part in the story. The reader did a good job of bringing the story to life adding to how much I enjoyed the book. More Till and Ruso please.
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