Burning Mountain begins with a flashback to AD79, where Gaius Justinius Aquila is surrounded by the screaming citizens of Herculaneum as Vesuvius erupts around them. Then the book switches to present day, where two children, Denise and Craig, meet a neighbor, Ms. Shepherd, who they think is loony. Denise and Craig have an older brother, Rich, serving in Afghanistan, and they haven’t heard from him in quite a while. Their father died in Iraq, and their mother works long hours as a nurse. Mrs. Shepherd tells stories of 1943 and of 15 year old Peter Schafer, who is a German paratrooper in Naples. While there, he meets Vittoria, a poor girl who steals to keep herself and a few orphans alive.
The alternating stories of wars then and now help the reader explore the effect of war on soldiers and their families. A bit tricky to follow unless you are a decent reader and highly interested in war stories, but quite enjoyable if you meet those criteria. ( )