The end is coming. The gods are watching. This thrilling historical fantasy set in the days before Mount Vesuvius destroys Pompeii is a meet cute with an explosive fallout.
Clever thief Felix slips from city to city to survive the present and escape a past he can’t remember. When Felix steals a divine artifact—Mercury's helmet—from a temple in Pompeii, pieces of his forgotten past begin to surface.
Loren, an ambitious temple attendant, has seen Felix in his apocalyptic nightmares for years. The last thing Loren expects is for his dream to stumble headfirst through his temple doors, moments after an earthquake rocks the city.
When Felix shows Loren the helmet, Loren sees the world coming to an end. He knows they have mere days to uncover Felix’s ties to the relic and to Loren’s visions if they have any hope of saving the city. But Ancient Rome is ruled by bloody politics and unstoppable destinies, and now that Loren and Felix are intertwined, their lives aren’t all they risk losing. When all has turned to ash and rubble, the boys will have to piece together their fates to make it out of a burning city alive.
An exploration of ambition and class, autonomy and religion, survival and love, Vesuvius combines the romantic angst of They Both Die at the End and the blended magic and history of The Song of Achilles to show readers that it is never too late to change your fate—or change the world.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Clever thief Felix slips from city to city to survive the present and escape a past he can’t remember. When Felix steals a divine artifact—Mercury's helmet—from a temple in Pompeii, pieces of his forgotten past begin to surface.
Loren, an ambitious temple attendant, has seen Felix in his apocalyptic nightmares for years. The last thing Loren expects is for his dream to stumble headfirst through his temple doors, moments after an earthquake rocks the city.
When Felix shows Loren the helmet, Loren sees the world coming to an end. He knows they have mere days to uncover Felix’s ties to the relic and to Loren’s visions if they have any hope of saving the city. But Ancient Rome is ruled by bloody politics and unstoppable destinies, and now that Loren and Felix are intertwined, their lives aren’t all they risk losing. When all has turned to ash and rubble, the boys will have to piece together their fates to make it out of a burning city alive.
An exploration of ambition and class, autonomy and religion, survival and love, Vesuvius combines the romantic angst of They Both Die at the End and the blended magic and history of The Song of Achilles to show readers that it is never too late to change your fate—or change the world.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Praise for this book
"Brimming with myth and mystery, Vesuvius instantly pulls you into a whirlwind of heart-stopping action and romance and will keep you guessing until the very last page. This is a gripping debut you truly won't want to miss." - Alex Crespo
"Stunning prose meets heart-pounding thrills in this tense, fast-paced work of art. A must-read for lovers of history, fantasy and thriller connoisseurs, and those who prefer their romances burning." - Sophie Gonzales
"A compulsive read with an explosive finish, Biehn's debut is a gorgeous historical fantasy with a stirring love story made of haunting grief, and desperate dreams." - Michelle Kulwicki
"A beautiful tale of love and self-discovery set against the fall of Pompeii, Vesuvius is equal parts heart-wrenching and healing. Cass Biehn's stunning debut is sure to cement itself in reader's hearts for years to come." - Pascale Lacelle
"Delightful characters and a wonderful queer love story that explodes with heart." - C S Pacat
"A smart, tender, queer love story set on the precipice of one of the greatest natural disasters in history, Vesuvius seethes with tension, magic, longing, and mystery. I loved the beautifully reimagined world of Pompeii, and I was absolutely rooting for Loren and Felix, two broken boys who find a home in each other, despite the apocalyptic times they find themselves in." - Jamie Pacton
"Vesuvius is breathtaking and atmospheric, replete with secrets, hauntings, and tender longing. Readers will love this whirlwind visit to Pompeii, and they will fall in love with Felix, Loren, and their dreams--to survive, to remember, and to belong." - Jen St Jude
"Felix and Loren are your next obsession! Weaving myth and mystery with prose defter than a pickpocket's fingers, Biehn guides readers through lively Roman streets, two boys excavating shadowy histories to find their own fortunes, and what matters most when the world is ending. Vesuvius sings--not of distant heroes but piercingly human defiance, ambition, protectiveness, and a love eternal as any epic." - Leanne Schwartz
"Biehn has pulled off a tremendous feat: crafting a tumultuous and aching romance set in one of the most doomed places of the known world. Vesuvius is for every reader who loves bittersweet boys prying happiness out of the uncaring hands of fate." - Andrew Joseph White
"Stunning prose meets heart-pounding thrills in this tense, fast-paced work of art. A must-read for lovers of history, fantasy and thriller connoisseurs, and those who prefer their romances burning." - Sophie Gonzales
"A compulsive read with an explosive finish, Biehn's debut is a gorgeous historical fantasy with a stirring love story made of haunting grief, and desperate dreams." - Michelle Kulwicki
"A beautiful tale of love and self-discovery set against the fall of Pompeii, Vesuvius is equal parts heart-wrenching and healing. Cass Biehn's stunning debut is sure to cement itself in reader's hearts for years to come." - Pascale Lacelle
"Delightful characters and a wonderful queer love story that explodes with heart." - C S Pacat
"A smart, tender, queer love story set on the precipice of one of the greatest natural disasters in history, Vesuvius seethes with tension, magic, longing, and mystery. I loved the beautifully reimagined world of Pompeii, and I was absolutely rooting for Loren and Felix, two broken boys who find a home in each other, despite the apocalyptic times they find themselves in." - Jamie Pacton
"Vesuvius is breathtaking and atmospheric, replete with secrets, hauntings, and tender longing. Readers will love this whirlwind visit to Pompeii, and they will fall in love with Felix, Loren, and their dreams--to survive, to remember, and to belong." - Jen St Jude
"Felix and Loren are your next obsession! Weaving myth and mystery with prose defter than a pickpocket's fingers, Biehn guides readers through lively Roman streets, two boys excavating shadowy histories to find their own fortunes, and what matters most when the world is ending. Vesuvius sings--not of distant heroes but piercingly human defiance, ambition, protectiveness, and a love eternal as any epic." - Leanne Schwartz
"Biehn has pulled off a tremendous feat: crafting a tumultuous and aching romance set in one of the most doomed places of the known world. Vesuvius is for every reader who loves bittersweet boys prying happiness out of the uncaring hands of fate." - Andrew Joseph White
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