Tiger, Tiger

This novel is by veteran author Lynne Reid-Banks who also wrote The Indian in the Cupboard series. It is set in ancient Rome and tells the story of two tiger cubs who arrive in Rome together but whose lives take very different paths. One of the cubs, Boots, becomes the pampered pet of Caesar's 12-year-old daughter, Aurelia. The other, Brute, is trained and honed into a finely tuned killing machine and becomes the star of the Roman circus. The story also deals with Aurelia's growing fondness for the slave Julius who is Boots' trainer, giving a "Romeo and Juliet" angle to the book. The climax of the book is exciting and satisfying, reuniting the two cubs and resolving the impossible Aurelia-Julius relationship at the same time.

The best thing about this book is the fascinating setting and the way the author describes the events at the Roman circus. My twelve-year-old son read it and was captivated by this aspect of the story. He really enjoyed the book and it has whet his appetite to learn more about Roman history. However, the descriptions of the circus are graphic and gory and this might disturb younger readers so I'd take that into account when recommending it.