Name: Rome Reframed
Author: Amy Bearce

Category: Review

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, To-read

Lucas Duran has been on the trip of a lifetime—six months traveling through Europe with his parents and two younger brothers. That is, the trip of a lifetime for someone else. Lucas wants nothing more than to be home in Austin, Texas, with his friends, and it shows in his schoolwork that he’s been emailing to his teachers. He can't wait to get out of Rome, the last stop on their trip. When his teachers give him an ultimatum—either turn in a phenomenal last project or you’ll fail the eighth grade—Lucas is going to have to decide whether to give up or to give in to the mystery of Rome. And after a cryptic palm reader hands him a weird-looking coin to throw in the Trevi Fountain, Lucas finds himself transported to ancient Rome at each new tourist destination. As his hops back through time become more personal, it seems the magic of Rome is determined to help Lucas gain more than an A+ project, too. Can he fix his future before his time in the past is over?

I found Amy Bearse’s “Rome Reframed” to be an enjoyable and interesting read, taking me back through time, similar to the main character, Lucas, and his travels to ancient Rome. Lucas’ parents took him and his two brothers from their hometown of Austin, Texas, to spend six months in Europe, writing their book. His parents didn’t see that Lucas wasn’t the academic that the rest of the family was.

Near the end of the trip, Lucas is given a coin by a gypsy palm reader and discovers his life being turned around when he travels through time, thanks to the coin.

Lucas is joined on his journey by a pretty Italian girl who ‘re-shows’ him her beloved city of Rome. Along with learning local history, first hand, Lucas learns about life and himself.

It’s also a great historical-fiction account of ancient Rome.

Rome Reframed

Rome Reframed

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