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Persona Non Grata

A Novel of the Roman Empire

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Persona Non Grata

By: Ruth Downie
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

 At long last, Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, are headed home - to Gaul. Having received a note consisting only of the words "COME HOME!" Ruso has (reluctantly, of course) pulled up stakes and brought Tilla to meet his family. But the reception there is not what Ruso has hoped for: no one will admit to sending for him, and his brother Lucius is hoping he'll leave.

With Tilla getting icy greetings from his relatives, Lucius's brother-in-law mysteriously drowned at sea, and the whole Ruso family teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, it's hard to imagine an unhappier reunion. That is, until Severus, the family's chief creditor, winds up dead, and the real trouble begins.

Engrossing, intricate, and - as always - wonderfully comic, Ruth Downie's latest is a brilliant new installment in this irresistible series. This is everything we've come to expect from our charming, luckless hero.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend us your ears: listen to another Novel of the Roman Empire.©2009 Ruth Downie (P)2009 Tantor Historical Mystery Fiction

Critic Reviews

"This lively sequel to Medicus and Terra Incognita continues Downie's delightful historical series.... Highly recommended." ( Library Journal)
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Three books in and I've enjoyed this one the most so far in the series. The development of the main characters and their relationship is frustratingly enjoyable, not something I'd say often. The plot itself was intriguing, and the writing is serious when needed, clever and witty when called for.
Highly recommend this series to lovers of crime drama and historical fiction, with a bit but not too much romance thrown in. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

This series keeps getting better!

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I'm still impressed at the different angle on the Roman story this series takes. The characters are really becoming familiar and their relationships developing nicely. It's a refreshingly different series, haphazard and comedic

Developing nicely

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I was very disappointed in this addition to the series.

Ruth Downie squanders the previous quirkiness of the characters and their relationships; Ruso, Tilla and Valens.

Ruso and Tilla go from quirkily mismatched to frustratingly uncommunicative; and it doesn't work. Tilla is forever being tricked into foolishness, sneaking away, behaving like a naive idiot (uncharacteristically - even given the new location); things between Ruso and Tilla are forever being "misunderstood"; mainly because Ruso is busy with his internal dialogue and Tilla is consumed with doubt about her status. Her spunk has been stripped away to be replaced with a sort of dumb petulance. My god I was wishing someone would clip all the players over the head; and not wishing in a good way.

All the characters are unlikable, and willfully stupid; it seems that's the main contrivance to drive the plot.

Ruso spends the book fixated on his inner dialogue; mulling over ALL the possible outcomes via endless internal questioning; while at the same time missing key conversations because he has stopped listening ... then the conversations either prove pivotal, and he missed it; or have to be repeated when Ruso "realises he's been asked a question but wasn't listening".

The rehashing, and the repeating of relationship interactions (how many times do we have to have the conversation, internal and external, with his step mother going over the same attitudes; or with his brother?).

Simon Vance's narration, so good previously, doesn't help.

Vance has radically changed his approach. Tilla, Ruso and Valens are all different voices; as is the "Narrator". The style was so different, and poorer, I had to check the other book I have to see if was the same reader.

Sadly the basic plot could have done without all this squandered opportunity. It didn't need padding, nor contrivances. It would work without them.

It was frustratingly tedious. I persevered for about half the book then jumped to the last hour to get the ending.

I hope the next installment gets back to value. I'll have a listen and see.

Relocation to Gaule & the Family

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