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Boudicca
From P. C. Cast, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the landmark House of Night urban fantasy series, comes an epic, lusty, magic-filled romantasy about British warrior queen Boudicca. Perfect for fans of Sue Lynn Tan and Madeline Miller!
In Roman-occupied Britain, the Iceni tribe crowns an extraordinary new queen. Tall and flame-haired, Boudicca is devoted to Andraste, the Iceni’s patron goddess, known for her raven familiar, her fierceness and her swirling blue tattoos. Boudicca and her two young daughters will carry the tribe forward in dangerous times.
Roman tax collector Catus Decianus, expecting weakness in a female ruler, launches a devastating attack on the tribe’s stronghold. Boudicca and her family barely survive—but they refuse to bend the knee. She calls a war council, bringing together her most trustworthy allies, including her childhood friend Rhan, now a powerful Druid seer, and the horse master Maldwyn, whose devotion to Boudicca runs deeper than a warrior to a queen.
Surprising the Romans, Boudicca’s armies sack the wealthy cities of Camulodunum, Londinium and Veralamium. As the snow falls, the Celts retreat to a hidden valley to plot their assault on the remaining Roman legions, determined to force the invaders from Britan.
But in the jagged ice of winter the Druid Rhan foresees a tragic end to Boudicca’s rebellion. Although the defeat of the Iceni is spelled out in signs sent by the gods, Rhan swears she will alter the future and save her queen. Now the battle-hardened Boudicca must put her trust in the powers of the otherworld to save her from both the traitors in her midst and from Rome’s mighty legions.
Inspired by the rich history of Boudicca’s attack on Roman Britain, bestselling author P. C. Cast crafts an epic, mythic retelling of one of time’s most legendary female warriors.
In Roman-occupied Britain, the Iceni tribe crowns an extraordinary new queen. Tall and flame-haired, Boudicca is devoted to Andraste, the Iceni’s patron goddess, known for her raven familiar, her fierceness and her swirling blue tattoos. Boudicca and her two young daughters will carry the tribe forward in dangerous times.
Roman tax collector Catus Decianus, expecting weakness in a female ruler, launches a devastating attack on the tribe’s stronghold. Boudicca and her family barely survive—but they refuse to bend the knee. She calls a war council, bringing together her most trustworthy allies, including her childhood friend Rhan, now a powerful Druid seer, and the horse master Maldwyn, whose devotion to Boudicca runs deeper than a warrior to a queen.
Surprising the Romans, Boudicca’s armies sack the wealthy cities of Camulodunum, Londinium and Veralamium. As the snow falls, the Celts retreat to a hidden valley to plot their assault on the remaining Roman legions, determined to force the invaders from Britan.
But in the jagged ice of winter the Druid Rhan foresees a tragic end to Boudicca’s rebellion. Although the defeat of the Iceni is spelled out in signs sent by the gods, Rhan swears she will alter the future and save her queen. Now the battle-hardened Boudicca must put her trust in the powers of the otherworld to save her from both the traitors in her midst and from Rome’s mighty legions.
Inspired by the rich history of Boudicca’s attack on Roman Britain, bestselling author P. C. Cast crafts an epic, mythic retelling of one of time’s most legendary female warriors.
480 pages, Hardcover
Published January 21, 2025
146 people are currently reading
11529 people want to read
About the author
P.C. Cast
170books28kfollowersPC was born in the Midwest, and grew up being shuttled back-and-forth between Illinois and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). After high school, she joined the United States Air Force and began public speaking and writing. After her tour in the USAF, she taught high school for 15 years before retiring to write full time. PC is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today Best-Selling author and a member of the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Oklahoma Book Award, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, Romantic Times Reviewers� Choice Award, the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers� Best, and the Laurel Wreath. PC is an experienced teacher and talented speaker. Ms. Cast lives in Oregon near her fabulous daughter, her adorable pack of dogs, her crazy Maine Coon, and a bunch of horses. House of Night Other World, book 4, FOUND, releases July 7th, 2020. More info to come soon about the HoN TV series!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
April 1, 2025
The very mention of Boudicca’s Revolt is enough to thrill even the most casual fan of British history. Boudicca was the queen of the Iceni, a tribe of native Britons who chafed under Roman colonization. After the death of Boudicca’s husband King Prasutagus, Rome violated the terms of the will he had made that was meant to give half of his kingdom to his daughters. After Boudicca was flogged and her daughters assaulted by Roman troops, Boudicca united several neighboring British tribes and led a violent revolt that destroyed several settlements and nearly drove Rome out of Britain. The revolt ultimately failed, however, when the British army engaged the Roman army on Rome’s terms. We don’t know what happened to Boudicca and her daughters afterward. The few records we have of the event come from Rome well after the fact, and the primary accounts� that of Tacitus and Cassius Dio- conflict with each other on multiple points. But whatever the details, most will agree that the story of Boudicca’s Revolt is a fascinating tale that would make for an exciting novel.
Unfortunately, PC Cast’s Boudicca is not that novel.
Though it is somewhat historically accurate, pulling its plot points primarily from Tacitus� account of Boudicca’s Revolt (which was written down just a handful of years after it happened), that is the best I can say about this book. It is both over-written and badly written, with clunky dialogue more reminiscent of a thirteen-year-old’s first fanfiction than an author with multiple books already under her belt. It reads like Cast was trying for ‘ye olden times�, but doesn’t have the writing chops to pull it off. We are treated to such phrases as “The ancient servant’s words caused Arianell to share a smile with me, and I hastily returned the conversation to our topic� or “My hand fisted around a fallen branch�. The word ‘Iceni� appears 397 times, and is used to describe everything from an Iceni queen to Iceni chickens, as though Cast thought her audience wouldn’t be smart enough to remember what tribe Boudicca was part of if she didn’t mention it a few hundred times, as well as making it seem like there would be a drastic difference between Iceni chickens and the neighboring Catuvellauni chickens.
The magical elements are poorly done as well. In this fantastical version of the past, the ancient British gods are real. Andraste, goddess of victory, exists and influences the lives of her people, and Boudicca is her special girl, while the Iceni are her special people. It’s too bad that she’s only willing to actually aide her people when they decide, for some reason, to travel nearly 200 miles across the entirety of the island of Great Britain to, essentially, vacation in Wales in the middle of their great revolt. Andraste helps them fast travel there, but when it comes to the Iceni’s dire need at the end, she throws up her hands and effectively says, “It’s a canon event and cannot be changed�. So much for the great and powerful gods of Britain. Andraste might be beloved of the Iceni, but in the end she only cares about her one special girl.
And while this book is listed as a “romance�, the romantic elements are about as strong as the fruit flavor in a LaCroix sparkling water- like someone suggested romance in an adjacent room. The romantic elements fall out like this: Boudicca is attracted to a man, so she sleeps with him. Boudicca is attracted to a woman, so she sleeps with her. The end.
Had I not received the ARC for this book, I would have quit reading within the first twenty percent. Alas, I felt obligated to complete this slog of a novel and so I dragged myself through it to the bitter end.
Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni has inspired people to fight for their freedom for centuries. Though we don’t know a lot about her, her story is fascinating and deserves far better than this.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a free review copy.
Unfortunately, PC Cast’s Boudicca is not that novel.
Though it is somewhat historically accurate, pulling its plot points primarily from Tacitus� account of Boudicca’s Revolt (which was written down just a handful of years after it happened), that is the best I can say about this book. It is both over-written and badly written, with clunky dialogue more reminiscent of a thirteen-year-old’s first fanfiction than an author with multiple books already under her belt. It reads like Cast was trying for ‘ye olden times�, but doesn’t have the writing chops to pull it off. We are treated to such phrases as “The ancient servant’s words caused Arianell to share a smile with me, and I hastily returned the conversation to our topic� or “My hand fisted around a fallen branch�. The word ‘Iceni� appears 397 times, and is used to describe everything from an Iceni queen to Iceni chickens, as though Cast thought her audience wouldn’t be smart enough to remember what tribe Boudicca was part of if she didn’t mention it a few hundred times, as well as making it seem like there would be a drastic difference between Iceni chickens and the neighboring Catuvellauni chickens.
The magical elements are poorly done as well. In this fantastical version of the past, the ancient British gods are real. Andraste, goddess of victory, exists and influences the lives of her people, and Boudicca is her special girl, while the Iceni are her special people. It’s too bad that she’s only willing to actually aide her people when they decide, for some reason, to travel nearly 200 miles across the entirety of the island of Great Britain to, essentially, vacation in Wales in the middle of their great revolt. Andraste helps them fast travel there, but when it comes to the Iceni’s dire need at the end, she throws up her hands and effectively says, “It’s a canon event and cannot be changed�. So much for the great and powerful gods of Britain. Andraste might be beloved of the Iceni, but in the end she only cares about her one special girl.
And while this book is listed as a “romance�, the romantic elements are about as strong as the fruit flavor in a LaCroix sparkling water- like someone suggested romance in an adjacent room. The romantic elements fall out like this: Boudicca is attracted to a man, so she sleeps with him. Boudicca is attracted to a woman, so she sleeps with her. The end.
Had I not received the ARC for this book, I would have quit reading within the first twenty percent. Alas, I felt obligated to complete this slog of a novel and so I dragged myself through it to the bitter end.
Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni has inspired people to fight for their freedom for centuries. Though we don’t know a lot about her, her story is fascinating and deserves far better than this.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a free review copy.
January 27, 2025
Very good, in spite of a touch of license taken on the woo-woo bits.
Queen Boudicca is one of my favorite female historical figures, right up there with Joan d'Arc. If you're not familiar with her story, check out this novelization of the Iron Age warrior-leader who united the tribes of her people to stand against the savage might of Rome.
Queen Boudicca is one of my favorite female historical figures, right up there with Joan d'Arc. If you're not familiar with her story, check out this novelization of the Iron Age warrior-leader who united the tribes of her people to stand against the savage might of Rome.
February 12, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc.
this retelling/expansion of warrior queen boudicca is an instant five stars for me. this was a very brutal and traumatizing retelling, so please be sure to check trigger warnings before reading or listening.
this is very much a retelling that emphasizes survival in all aspects: death and war, off-page rape and assault (especially the brutalization of her daughters, which was very hard and heartbreaking to read), and losing one’s culture. despite all of this violence and trauma, boudicca, her two daughters, and their tribe succeed in extracting their revenge against the roman empire, but also practice mercy and kindness.
i also listened to the narrator, and it was a phenomenal addition to my reading experience.
this retelling/expansion of warrior queen boudicca is an instant five stars for me. this was a very brutal and traumatizing retelling, so please be sure to check trigger warnings before reading or listening.
this is very much a retelling that emphasizes survival in all aspects: death and war, off-page rape and assault (especially the brutalization of her daughters, which was very hard and heartbreaking to read), and losing one’s culture. despite all of this violence and trauma, boudicca, her two daughters, and their tribe succeed in extracting their revenge against the roman empire, but also practice mercy and kindness.
i also listened to the narrator, and it was a phenomenal addition to my reading experience.
January 4, 2025
Sadly, I quit reading at 30%.
Boudicca is a new historical figure to me, and I was so excited to read a story about her. I wanted to be plunged into this world, feel the pain and rage and love for her people right alongside her.
Unfortunately, this book did not deliver. From the beginning the prose felt stiff and repetitive. The same events were rehashed for different characters or the reader was reminded of something not long after first reading it. The fact that the book uses the word “queen� 645 times � more times than there are pages in the book � is bonkers. I get that her rank is a significant part of the conflict in the story, but these characters do not know how to speak like humans and simply repeat the same dialogue over and over. “Yes, my queen.� “How can I serve my queen?� “Fetch my queen the cheese and bread.� “Scent my queen’s bath with the lavender and goat’s milk as my queen likes.� These are supposed to be a loving, passionate, connected community, and yet they speak to each other with cardboard-thin depth.
Then, on the flip side, Boudicca’s perspective is unrealistically progressive and feminist. I fully believe she was a powerful leader and fierce in her convictions, but the words she uses to dissect what is happening around her feel steeped in modern therapy-speak. At one point she talks herself down from a shame spiral with affirmations that she is one person and cannot know everything. This feels like a mantra a modern therapist would teach, not the phrasing a bronze-age queen would use. At one point she even mentally rants about the Roman patriarchy—a word that didn’t exist in that form until the 1600s. The language in these instances feels so pointedly progressive, and slapped together with the rest of the wooden, uninspired prose, it just plain does not work.
What worked? The source material is great. There’s a lot to work with in Boudicca’s story. And occasionally the setting was described well. But I am loathe to celebrate much else when the book was such a slog.
I am grateful the publisher granted me and ARC to review. I wish I had been able to find more positive things to say about it
Boudicca is a new historical figure to me, and I was so excited to read a story about her. I wanted to be plunged into this world, feel the pain and rage and love for her people right alongside her.
Unfortunately, this book did not deliver. From the beginning the prose felt stiff and repetitive. The same events were rehashed for different characters or the reader was reminded of something not long after first reading it. The fact that the book uses the word “queen� 645 times � more times than there are pages in the book � is bonkers. I get that her rank is a significant part of the conflict in the story, but these characters do not know how to speak like humans and simply repeat the same dialogue over and over. “Yes, my queen.� “How can I serve my queen?� “Fetch my queen the cheese and bread.� “Scent my queen’s bath with the lavender and goat’s milk as my queen likes.� These are supposed to be a loving, passionate, connected community, and yet they speak to each other with cardboard-thin depth.
Then, on the flip side, Boudicca’s perspective is unrealistically progressive and feminist. I fully believe she was a powerful leader and fierce in her convictions, but the words she uses to dissect what is happening around her feel steeped in modern therapy-speak. At one point she talks herself down from a shame spiral with affirmations that she is one person and cannot know everything. This feels like a mantra a modern therapist would teach, not the phrasing a bronze-age queen would use. At one point she even mentally rants about the Roman patriarchy—a word that didn’t exist in that form until the 1600s. The language in these instances feels so pointedly progressive, and slapped together with the rest of the wooden, uninspired prose, it just plain does not work.
What worked? The source material is great. There’s a lot to work with in Boudicca’s story. And occasionally the setting was described well. But I am loathe to celebrate much else when the book was such a slog.
I am grateful the publisher granted me and ARC to review. I wish I had been able to find more positive things to say about it
September 28, 2024
OMG this book was sooooooo good! I don't think I have read aything by this author before but man! they can write! I knew who Boudicca was before going into this and knew some of her story. The writing is so good, it pulls you in and you become part of this world, part of the tribe. A friend was lucky enough to get approved for this ARC and we read it together. She liked it too. I am recommending this to all my friends and if I ever get another cat, I am naming her Boudicca. Ty so so so much for this ARC!
April 18, 2025
I don't think I've read anything by PC Cast before, but after reading this, I have a very high opinion of this author. The way history and fiction intertwined, her perspectives on researching and interpreting research for this book, the whole thing was very impressive.
Though the story is long and you know it will end in some kind of heartache (afterall, the Briton tribes don't beat Rome off the island do they?) the plot and characters still take the reader in so entirely you can't help but read to the end. It was incredibly interesting to experience history from this side, and the sacred paranormal aspects were fascinating, but my favorite thing about Boudicca is that it focuses mainly on the very best of the human spirit. Though the conflict is that of colonization, oppression, and the violent erasure of culture, those are only the spark. The flames of revenge and revolution are fed by strength of character and resilience, by strong ties of community, and by the unwavering belief in something bigger than ourselves. It wasn't so much that the story is inspirational, as that if reminds me how good people can be.
I recommend Boudicca to readers who like historical fiction, but with less drama and more character driven stories.
Though the story is long and you know it will end in some kind of heartache (afterall, the Briton tribes don't beat Rome off the island do they?) the plot and characters still take the reader in so entirely you can't help but read to the end. It was incredibly interesting to experience history from this side, and the sacred paranormal aspects were fascinating, but my favorite thing about Boudicca is that it focuses mainly on the very best of the human spirit. Though the conflict is that of colonization, oppression, and the violent erasure of culture, those are only the spark. The flames of revenge and revolution are fed by strength of character and resilience, by strong ties of community, and by the unwavering belief in something bigger than ourselves. It wasn't so much that the story is inspirational, as that if reminds me how good people can be.
I recommend Boudicca to readers who like historical fiction, but with less drama and more character driven stories.
Want to read
January 6, 2025Woah....Boudicca like from Green Lantern....
January 17, 2025
Many thanks to NetGalley and to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I grabbed this book purely because of Boudicca herself. She was a figure of interest to my dad for a bit when I was a child, so I actually knew generally who she was and what she was about. I thought this would be fun, and figured it was supposed to be of a type with all those Greek mythology retellings ( being the OG, but including everything from to ). I have genuinely (sadly) read none of those, and can't really compare them at all practically.
Alas, I was mostly bored. My favorite parts were probably during the chapters where they were camped for the winter, and everyone was just kind of vibing in the snow, and everything was cozy and safe. On the whole, the pacing was incredibly slow, and the story was repetitive. And when I say it was slow, I'm not saying it was atmospheric, or character driven, because I was not picking up on much atmosphere, and the only things the characters were driving were ME, INSANE. Legit like three or four things happened in the whole book. Not just big, plot things. Things, total. Period.
I didn't click with the characters either. Boudicca herself was competent enough, but everytime she had to make a decision everyone around her was all "ooooh Boudicca you're some hot stuff you're the bomb diggity" and she'd be all like "ha haa, you're so right, I am The Most Competent"
Repeat ad nauseum. I wasn't very annoyed by it, it just wasn't interesting. Boudicca started out awesome and ended the story being awesome (kinda sorta, we'll get to that). The other characters fared similarly - there was no change, and they ended the book (or their lives I guess 🙃) in the exact way that they started.
There was some romance, which I anticipated because of the blurb and because of the current publishing climate. Even aside from those things though, it was painfully obvious who the romantic interests would be, although I have to say I wasn't entirely expecting that both options would be correct at the same time. No surprise threesomes though; here's hoping my friends and I have left that behind in 2024
And then the romance was bland and weird and I didn't get either vibe at all. I would have rather Cast filled her sex quota by including some flashbacks of the dead husband, who was by far the more interesting romantic partner for Boudicca.
I should also add that the book basically opens with the Roman attack on her village, which includes . The fact that it was included isn't my issue per se, but the amount of times it was brought up after the fact made it feel like it was being used for shock value. How does one manage to lessen the ? Somehow it happened. I don't even know what to say. It was unexpectedly awful, and then I went on to read a consistently boring story. Boudicca brought the incident up every time she saw her daughters or her guard, and she mentioned it several times (including once to everyone in the village, if I remember correctly), but it started to lose its potency. Just like everyone cheering "Victory!!!" whenever she made a speech. The first time was grand. The twenty times after that were too much.
Anyway I'm sad I didn't like this. The coolest parts were probably the descriptions of the historical cities (including/especially Londinium). Again, I also kind of liked the bit where they all just vibed in a snowy mountain valley. The ending was disappointing, if not somewhat expected (again, I knew a bit of Boudicca and her story). I hoped for more from the setting as well - Britain can be an incredibly evocative setting in the right hands; I felt more connected at the start, but once they left the village we could've been geographically anywhere. If anything, this book made me want to learn more about the true story of Boudicca and her people. Man I'm glad it's over.
I grabbed this book purely because of Boudicca herself. She was a figure of interest to my dad for a bit when I was a child, so I actually knew generally who she was and what she was about. I thought this would be fun, and figured it was supposed to be of a type with all those Greek mythology retellings ( being the OG, but including everything from to ). I have genuinely (sadly) read none of those, and can't really compare them at all practically.
Alas, I was mostly bored. My favorite parts were probably during the chapters where they were camped for the winter, and everyone was just kind of vibing in the snow, and everything was cozy and safe. On the whole, the pacing was incredibly slow, and the story was repetitive. And when I say it was slow, I'm not saying it was atmospheric, or character driven, because I was not picking up on much atmosphere, and the only things the characters were driving were ME, INSANE. Legit like three or four things happened in the whole book. Not just big, plot things. Things, total. Period.
I didn't click with the characters either. Boudicca herself was competent enough, but everytime she had to make a decision everyone around her was all "ooooh Boudicca you're some hot stuff you're the bomb diggity" and she'd be all like "ha haa, you're so right, I am The Most Competent"
Repeat ad nauseum. I wasn't very annoyed by it, it just wasn't interesting. Boudicca started out awesome and ended the story being awesome (kinda sorta, we'll get to that). The other characters fared similarly - there was no change, and they ended the book (or their lives I guess 🙃) in the exact way that they started.
There was some romance, which I anticipated because of the blurb and because of the current publishing climate. Even aside from those things though, it was painfully obvious who the romantic interests would be, although I have to say I wasn't entirely expecting that both options would be correct at the same time. No surprise threesomes though; here's hoping my friends and I have left that behind in 2024
And then the romance was bland and weird and I didn't get either vibe at all. I would have rather Cast filled her sex quota by including some flashbacks of the dead husband, who was by far the more interesting romantic partner for Boudicca.
I should also add that the book basically opens with the Roman attack on her village, which includes . The fact that it was included isn't my issue per se, but the amount of times it was brought up after the fact made it feel like it was being used for shock value. How does one manage to lessen the ? Somehow it happened. I don't even know what to say. It was unexpectedly awful, and then I went on to read a consistently boring story. Boudicca brought the incident up every time she saw her daughters or her guard, and she mentioned it several times (including once to everyone in the village, if I remember correctly), but it started to lose its potency. Just like everyone cheering "Victory!!!" whenever she made a speech. The first time was grand. The twenty times after that were too much.
Anyway I'm sad I didn't like this. The coolest parts were probably the descriptions of the historical cities (including/especially Londinium). Again, I also kind of liked the bit where they all just vibed in a snowy mountain valley. The ending was disappointing, if not somewhat expected (again, I knew a bit of Boudicca and her story). I hoped for more from the setting as well - Britain can be an incredibly evocative setting in the right hands; I felt more connected at the start, but once they left the village we could've been geographically anywhere. If anything, this book made me want to learn more about the true story of Boudicca and her people. Man I'm glad it's over.
April 27, 2025
Kisah perjuangan Ratu Iceni (Sekarang disebut Norfolk) dari Britain sekitar AD61 bernama Boudicca yang melawan bangsa Romawi, sudah jadi incaranku sejak aku tahu cuplikan kisah hidupnya. Berawal dari seorang janda istri kepala suku dan ibu pelindung dua anak perempuan yang masih kecil, dia bermetamorfosis sebagai jendral perang, pemersatu aneka suku bangsanya untuk berjuang melawan penjajahan.
Novel ini sangat berpotensi sayangnya tidak bisa mencapai harapan dan nama besar karakter yang menjadi fokus ceritanya. Gaya berceritanya sangat datar dan plotnya lambat. Sisi positifnya aku jadi belajar tentang mitologi.
Buku ini adalah contoh nyata tipe buku yang oversharing semua detail kecil tak penting, tapi hanya menceritakan sekilas dengan cepat moment besar yang penting. Banyak adegan dan percakapan sangat repetitive.
Disatu sisi aku merasa standalone sangat kurang untuk menggambarkan karakter perempuan yang inspiratif ini, tapi aku juga tak tahan membayangkan harus membaca seri panjang yang berisi momen yang gampang dilupakan.
Perkembangan para karakter terutama Boudicca harusnya bisa tampil lebih menarik, tapi penggambarannya terlalu dua dimensional. Bahkan sangat mudah ditebak pergerakannya.
Sisi romancenya juga minim eksplorasi membuat buku ini terasa datar tanpa chemistry yang bisa dipercaya.
Novel ini sangat berpotensi sayangnya tidak bisa mencapai harapan dan nama besar karakter yang menjadi fokus ceritanya. Gaya berceritanya sangat datar dan plotnya lambat. Sisi positifnya aku jadi belajar tentang mitologi.
Buku ini adalah contoh nyata tipe buku yang oversharing semua detail kecil tak penting, tapi hanya menceritakan sekilas dengan cepat moment besar yang penting. Banyak adegan dan percakapan sangat repetitive.
Disatu sisi aku merasa standalone sangat kurang untuk menggambarkan karakter perempuan yang inspiratif ini, tapi aku juga tak tahan membayangkan harus membaca seri panjang yang berisi momen yang gampang dilupakan.
Perkembangan para karakter terutama Boudicca harusnya bisa tampil lebih menarik, tapi penggambarannya terlalu dua dimensional. Bahkan sangat mudah ditebak pergerakannya.
Sisi romancenya juga minim eksplorasi membuat buku ini terasa datar tanpa chemistry yang bisa dipercaya.
April 2, 2025
you know when you hype up a book so so much in your hear because you love the concept and the cover is amazing but it just falls a bit short? That is unfortunately how I felt with this one.
Boudicca is one of my favourite female historical figures of all time (along with Cleopatra and Joan of Arc but I digress), the warrior queen of the Iceni tribe who fought against the Romans, and had one of the coolest songs in Horrible Histories, I was SO SO excited when I saw there would be a historical fiction regarding her story. And although it was a generally easy read there was just something about the writing that just fell a bit flat to me idk I honestly think it might just be because I hyped it too much in my head? Do people know what I mean there I hope i don’t sound crazy.
ALSO there was one scene that put me a LITTLE off which was an intimate scene right after a big battle which just sorta gave me the ick. Personally, “moans of pleasure� should never really be drowning out “cries of pains in war� IDK PERSONALLY i feel like it happens a lot in fantasy wars recently there’s a graphic sex scene after a battle in the tent (*cough ACOWAR cough*) and it’s like was that necessary ? Idk maybe its historically accurate but somehow I doubt that�
ANYWAY i think it’s probably a good starting point if youre wanting to know more about Queen Boudicca and her story and it’ll make you interested to find out more. However as someone who already knows her story I think I just hyped it a bit too much in my head sigh.
Boudicca is one of my favourite female historical figures of all time (along with Cleopatra and Joan of Arc but I digress), the warrior queen of the Iceni tribe who fought against the Romans, and had one of the coolest songs in Horrible Histories, I was SO SO excited when I saw there would be a historical fiction regarding her story. And although it was a generally easy read there was just something about the writing that just fell a bit flat to me idk I honestly think it might just be because I hyped it too much in my head? Do people know what I mean there I hope i don’t sound crazy.
ALSO there was one scene that put me a LITTLE off which was an intimate scene right after a big battle which just sorta gave me the ick. Personally, “moans of pleasure� should never really be drowning out “cries of pains in war� IDK PERSONALLY i feel like it happens a lot in fantasy wars recently there’s a graphic sex scene after a battle in the tent (*cough ACOWAR cough*) and it’s like was that necessary ? Idk maybe its historically accurate but somehow I doubt that�
ANYWAY i think it’s probably a good starting point if youre wanting to know more about Queen Boudicca and her story and it’ll make you interested to find out more. However as someone who already knows her story I think I just hyped it a bit too much in my head sigh.
Read
February 4, 2025JUSTICE FOR BOUDICCA
I cannot be the only here who is sighing and putting the book down, rubbing my forehead going "WTF is this?"
A.D Rhine or Elodie Harper please please tell Boudicca's story, the real story. The heartbreak, the turmoil, the RAGE and the even SWEETER VICTORIES.
P.C. Cast rubs me the wrong way, her stories are like fighting against hurricane winds. Stories should be easy enough to get into. To become invested into the characters and the atmosphere.
NOT tripping over Queen or Iceni for what feels like a billion times in almost 60 pages. We get it.. Boudicca is queen.. of the wait for it... ICENI tribe. Yeah we get it!
Also seems like my favorite line "Oh my goddess" made it into this book too.. fabulous.
Boudicca's story is one that should be retold. Poems and songs are made of her savagery, her tenacity. Willing to go through whatever it takes to get some sort of justice for what happened to her and her tribe.
This book is NOT it. But who knows maybe the next 405 pages bring it back.. I admire those of you who continue to wade through the swamp.
I cannot be the only here who is sighing and putting the book down, rubbing my forehead going "WTF is this?"
A.D Rhine or Elodie Harper please please tell Boudicca's story, the real story. The heartbreak, the turmoil, the RAGE and the even SWEETER VICTORIES.
P.C. Cast rubs me the wrong way, her stories are like fighting against hurricane winds. Stories should be easy enough to get into. To become invested into the characters and the atmosphere.
NOT tripping over Queen or Iceni for what feels like a billion times in almost 60 pages. We get it.. Boudicca is queen.. of the wait for it... ICENI tribe. Yeah we get it!
Also seems like my favorite line "Oh my goddess" made it into this book too.. fabulous.
Boudicca's story is one that should be retold. Poems and songs are made of her savagery, her tenacity. Willing to go through whatever it takes to get some sort of justice for what happened to her and her tribe.
This book is NOT it. But who knows maybe the next 405 pages bring it back.. I admire those of you who continue to wade through the swamp.
January 11, 2025
Okay, I see what’s going on here. Review to come! 🗡�
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a wonderful reimagining of the life of Britain’s great Iron Age Queen and namesake of the book. This is being marketed as a romantasy which I think is giving people the wrong idea because it’s more of a historical fantasy than anything. 🌀
The story drops the reader in Boudicca’s life a few months into her reign and the day she, her daughters, and her tribe are attacked by the Ninth Legion. I kind of wished we could’ve gotten a little more into her background other than descriptions or reminisces from other characters just to get a clearer sense of Boudicca as her own character and later on ruler. While the r@p� of her daughters (and potentially her lead guard, Briallen) is done “off screen,� the reader can understand the horror and traumatic guilt that Boudicca goes through thinking of her girls in this situation. Her grief over her tribe is also well done I think and really paints Rome in a way that not many people are willing to do so which is brutal and with a superiority complex that rivals even the gods. I think this is what I was hoping to get out of The Wolf Den but felt like Amara complains more than does really does anything compared to Boudicca who I thought was more proactive in her case. 😬
While the romance felt like an added bonus that I personally could’ve done without, I did like how Cast portrays Briton women as being more in control of their lives and sexual needs. I still think this should be the basis to type this book as a romantasy outright because Boudicca has agency over her desires and body. 💋
The other thing that I wish we got just a smidge more of was the fantasy/supernatural element. I would’ve liked more interactions between Boudicca and the gods of the Britons not only because I love it, but also because it would’ve added more to the story itself. 🐦⬛
All in all, while the ending felt rather abrupt, I still had a pretty good time with this read. Thank you goes out to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Cast, for bringing a new life and perspective to this incredible warrior queen. ❤️
Publication date: January 21!
Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a wonderful reimagining of the life of Britain’s great Iron Age Queen and namesake of the book. This is being marketed as a romantasy which I think is giving people the wrong idea because it’s more of a historical fantasy than anything. 🌀
The story drops the reader in Boudicca’s life a few months into her reign and the day she, her daughters, and her tribe are attacked by the Ninth Legion. I kind of wished we could’ve gotten a little more into her background other than descriptions or reminisces from other characters just to get a clearer sense of Boudicca as her own character and later on ruler. While the r@p� of her daughters (and potentially her lead guard, Briallen) is done “off screen,� the reader can understand the horror and traumatic guilt that Boudicca goes through thinking of her girls in this situation. Her grief over her tribe is also well done I think and really paints Rome in a way that not many people are willing to do so which is brutal and with a superiority complex that rivals even the gods. I think this is what I was hoping to get out of The Wolf Den but felt like Amara complains more than does really does anything compared to Boudicca who I thought was more proactive in her case. 😬
While the romance felt like an added bonus that I personally could’ve done without, I did like how Cast portrays Briton women as being more in control of their lives and sexual needs. I still think this should be the basis to type this book as a romantasy outright because Boudicca has agency over her desires and body. 💋
The other thing that I wish we got just a smidge more of was the fantasy/supernatural element. I would’ve liked more interactions between Boudicca and the gods of the Britons not only because I love it, but also because it would’ve added more to the story itself. 🐦⬛
All in all, while the ending felt rather abrupt, I still had a pretty good time with this read. Thank you goes out to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Cast, for bringing a new life and perspective to this incredible warrior queen. ❤️
Publication date: January 21!
Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️
January 16, 2025
Thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this! I really only vaguely knew about Boudicca, but she fascinated me, so I was eager to listen to this story. It follows the her life from the time she claims leadership to her final battle with the Romans.
It’s a mix of everyday life for the Britons, Boudicca’s campaigns against the Romans, and some romance mixed in. I was sucked in for every bit of it. A ton of my enjoyment was helped by the excellent narration from Ell Potter. She’s one of my favorite narrators, and just does a fantastic job here.
I liked the hopeful ending, and would definitely recommend the audiobook for the story!
I really enjoyed this! I really only vaguely knew about Boudicca, but she fascinated me, so I was eager to listen to this story. It follows the her life from the time she claims leadership to her final battle with the Romans.
It’s a mix of everyday life for the Britons, Boudicca’s campaigns against the Romans, and some romance mixed in. I was sucked in for every bit of it. A ton of my enjoyment was helped by the excellent narration from Ell Potter. She’s one of my favorite narrators, and just does a fantastic job here.
I liked the hopeful ending, and would definitely recommend the audiobook for the story!
January 11, 2025
4.5 stars. This book is absolutely captivating. I, like the author, have been lowkey obsessed with Boudicca since learning of her. I enjoyed the characters and how the author mixed historical with our modern understanding. Cast does a great job of recreating this world and immersing us in it. I had to actively stop myself from reading this nonstop.
I recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction with amazing badass women at the helm.
Thank you to NetGalley, P. C. Cast, and William Morrow for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction with amazing badass women at the helm.
Thank you to NetGalley, P. C. Cast, and William Morrow for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2024
3.5/5.
The Vibes:
𱹱Բ
—female rage (but legit)
—prophecy and "the gods are real" style mythology
—I mean... it's Boudicca
The Review:
So here's what I'll say about this one: I suspected that advertising it as a romantasy would perhaps underscore exactly why I complain about the romantasy marketing scheme... Because this isn't at all a romance.
Nor is it a fantasy.
It is, simply put, a pretty solid if not spectacular historical fiction novel that I think could've been spectacular, but settles for "solid". Aside from some things you may or may not be able to see coming and the interference of the gods, this really is a historical fiction novel. I mean, I've actually read a lot of historical fiction in the past wherein the gods in which the leads believe are real and involved. Where prophecy is real. They just weren't marketed as fantasy, because the genre lines were more solidly drawn at that time—in my opinion.
This is romantasy in the way that Margaret George's Helen of Troy is a romantasy, in that it is a) not b) about a heavily mythologized (if, in this case, based more on reality and fact) controversial woman reclaiming her story c) there is a romantic subplot, it's not huge, but it offers our heroine some depth and additional motivation.
While the action and the drama of it all stayed on point, and I do think Cast dealt with some pretty hard content sensitively (TW TW TW TW all around for this—please read up on the history of the real Boudicca if you have questions as to why) the character depth was lacking. I didn't object to either of Boudicca's love interests...
Because yes! She has more than one, and not in a "love triangle" way in a "non-monogamy" way. Which I liked a lot. However, because neither of those love interests was particularly well-developed, I kinda felt like "... okay cool I guess" about the relationships themselves. And that was where the impact of the book generally fell for me. I just didn't care as much about these people as I wanted to.
But it could be a taste thing, it could be because I as a romance reader want a bit more OOMPH to my emotional drama. And a lot of people will probably enjoy what was done here. I liked it; I just felt like something couldn't taken it to another level.
That said, the me of 8ish years ago who read nothing but woman-centric sometimes-mystical historical fiction? Probably would've loved this.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Vibes:
𱹱Բ
—female rage (but legit)
—prophecy and "the gods are real" style mythology
—I mean... it's Boudicca
The Review:
So here's what I'll say about this one: I suspected that advertising it as a romantasy would perhaps underscore exactly why I complain about the romantasy marketing scheme... Because this isn't at all a romance.
Nor is it a fantasy.
It is, simply put, a pretty solid if not spectacular historical fiction novel that I think could've been spectacular, but settles for "solid". Aside from some things you may or may not be able to see coming and the interference of the gods, this really is a historical fiction novel. I mean, I've actually read a lot of historical fiction in the past wherein the gods in which the leads believe are real and involved. Where prophecy is real. They just weren't marketed as fantasy, because the genre lines were more solidly drawn at that time—in my opinion.
This is romantasy in the way that Margaret George's Helen of Troy is a romantasy, in that it is a) not b) about a heavily mythologized (if, in this case, based more on reality and fact) controversial woman reclaiming her story c) there is a romantic subplot, it's not huge, but it offers our heroine some depth and additional motivation.
While the action and the drama of it all stayed on point, and I do think Cast dealt with some pretty hard content sensitively (TW TW TW TW all around for this—please read up on the history of the real Boudicca if you have questions as to why) the character depth was lacking. I didn't object to either of Boudicca's love interests...
Because yes! She has more than one, and not in a "love triangle" way in a "non-monogamy" way. Which I liked a lot. However, because neither of those love interests was particularly well-developed, I kinda felt like "... okay cool I guess" about the relationships themselves. And that was where the impact of the book generally fell for me. I just didn't care as much about these people as I wanted to.
But it could be a taste thing, it could be because I as a romance reader want a bit more OOMPH to my emotional drama. And a lot of people will probably enjoy what was done here. I liked it; I just felt like something couldn't taken it to another level.
That said, the me of 8ish years ago who read nothing but woman-centric sometimes-mystical historical fiction? Probably would've loved this.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 10, 2025
A thick story of plain bread and cheese to drudge through. I am glad to be done.
To be honest, I picked up this book with knowing little about it. I simply knew that I liked to read, and that I was interested in the story of Boudica/Boudicca, and I was excited that a book was written about this fascinating historical figure.
....
Spoilers: --enter at your own risk--
This novel had so much potential. I kept reading it because I wanted it to be better (and because I have to finish books I start).
First off, Cast repeated words a lot. In general, there was a lot that she would continually repeat, making for a clunky, chunky book that didn't need to be this way.
The times that "bread and cheese", "queen", "I was glad", "thick", and "Iceni" were repeated was a bit of a headache. She must have been really chuffed with "as you ask, so shall I do", because that made an appearance on almost every page, it seemed. I especially tired of hearing the word "thick" used to describe things over and over. Everyone had thick arms and legs, and broad shoulders. And everyone was strong. "Strong" was most definitely overused. It is nice to call other people strong, but in a novel, it doesn't have to be the one of three adjectives always used. And you cannot forget "victory". Cast spent so much time on writing that Boudicca is victory, and her being the warrior queen, it was reminiscent of one trying to convince another of something by repeating it over and over. She also liked to repeat how proud she was of her people and how fast they were, how passion was viewed. It became tiresome. Also, how well Maldwyn and Rhan got along. It's like she was trying to convince us, her readers, and herself, and even the characters. You only needed to say so once.
The repetition of certain words goes hand-in-hand with Cast's reduced vocabulary--there are so many words to use! And along with the reduced vocabulary was the reduced amount of depth overall in what should have been a wonderful story. The characters were uninteresting and bland, the dialogue lackluster. The Iceni were good and the Romans were bad. There was no nuance, which is quite disappointing. It was almost like the Iceni were a utopic society and everything bad came from without, except for Boudicca's husband making a destructive decision. Yes, the Romans are the bad guys in this tale, and yes, overall, their views about women could have been much, much better, but it sure was cringy, and again disappointing, to read them so one-dimensional. With how much the Britons claimed the Romans to be stupid and arrogant, I found myself on the cusp of being glad that the Romans were victorious in the final battle, which could not have been Cast's intended effect.
Then, there's the romance. I don't even want to get into that, other than saying that for a romantasy, the romance was very jarring in that there was little chemistry among those involved, and it was cringy. (It's also jarring when you didn't realize the book you pick up is a romantasy heheh.) Oh, and I will also add that the detailed sex scenes intermixed with an immature writing style makes for an awkward composition. It didn't meld well.
Now, concerning the plot. Not really that much happened in the book, not much of importance anyway, considering the length of it. There were a lot of points that seemed contrived and fit oddly in the story, including the random deprecating comments about Rome and their views on women. They would just come around and hit you, to remind you how the Romans think women are weak and Roman women are weak. It was also very considerate of the Romans to conveniently talk about military plans out in the open while walking about. That was very nice of them. Oh, and it was also very nice of the ravens to always be flying around Boudicca, and for the wind to pick up at the right moments for dramatic effect. Seriously, though, the constant contribution of the ravens making meaningful appearances and flight patters was a little cheesy. Once or twice would have had more effect, but its effect was diluted over the course of the book.
On to my last major point: the author's historical accuracy and research. The addition of fantasy elements do notify readers that it's not necessarily historically accurate…but I was hoping for more. At first, it was evident how much research had done for this novel. We were taken through the village as she went through it (along with the continual use of 'Iceni' in case we forgot which tribe's settlement we were in) following Andraste's compulsion. It was cool. I, personally, was vibing with it. The names were alright too, although names like Briallen probably weren't used in that time period, but I was not taking it seriously, and, again, it's obvious that the story isn't supposed to be accurate...But when she brought up the names of the wolf pups Sunne and Mona, I broke. Something inside me shriveled, and the little amateur scholar in my head began to bang its head on the walls of my skull, and all the naming inaccuracies then onwards were glares of disappointing light. She specifically states that Sunne and Mona mean "sun" and "moon" respectively, and they sure do...in Old English. As Cast states in the Author's Notes, the language Boudicca would have spoken would have been a precursor to modern day Welsh, so an early Brittonic language. The names could have been more like Old Welsh loyr for "moon" and something like Welsh haul or Proto Brythonic *howl for "sun" (which would actually work very well for a wolf...). Okay, but could the Iceni have borrowed the names from the Germanic tribes, from whence Old English came? It doesn't seem very believable. Two reasons for that thought. Firstly, Cast makes it blatantly obvious how proud the Iceni are Iceni, and how the Britons want to retain their culture. Yes, they would have learned the languages of the Romans and people they traded with, or at least enough words to make interaction more feasible, but how Cast paints the tribes of Britain, makes it seem very unlikely that they would have adopted the names of outside tribes...because they are all proud and that, and Iceni this and Iceni that. It just doesn't sit well in the novel. Secondly, some Germanic people could have sailed over to Britain, but Boudicca lived up to 60-ish AD. The Germanic tribes didn't really start to come into the picture until the end of the Roman occupation, so about the 5th century. Sure, Sunne and Mona probably sounds better to most readers than the alternative, especially since she probably wants this book to ride in the mainstream, but it would have made a lot more sense if she did not pull from a whole set of different people and their language, and instead stuck with Brittonic names.
Here are some names that wouldn't have worked: Deorwine, Leofric, Osberth, and Wulffaed are all Old English. Then there are Ennis, Finley, and Ashlynn. These are names from the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. (Basically, Insular Celtic branched into the Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish-Gaelic, etc.) and Brythonic languages (Common Brittonic--> Welsh, etc.)). Again, Boudicca and co would have spoken something like Common Brittonic, so a Brythonic language, not Goidelic. Again, they could have said hey and all with the peoples of ancient Ireland, changed names, but now I'm just irked. Especially since those three names, Ennis, Finley, and Ashlynn, are all modern variations. Actually, Ennis isn't too bad, because it's related to Welsh ynys, and Old Welsh Inis, which is used in this story for the isle of the druids. Oh, and Ravenna is a nice name, particularly with the raven theme, but the name most likely has nothing to with ravens and comes from a city in Italy. A little ironic considering the Romans and Rome...and Italy. Anyway.
I went a little off the rails there, but I really needed that issue with her naming scheme off my chest. Who knows, maybe someone who reads this review learned something they may think is interesting.
(P.S.: Cast also used 'rabbit' at least once when talking about hares. Hares and rabbits are completely not the same species. It could almost be like calling a Roman an Iceni...).
The long and the short of it, Cast's use and abuse of Boudicca was worse than the snively Roman guy's was. If the story were half its length and if Casts utilized a thesaurus, this would have been a much richer and palatable tale. Even the ancient Britain cooking, with their limited spices, would have been more flavourful and exciting than this story is. *sigh*
To be honest, I picked up this book with knowing little about it. I simply knew that I liked to read, and that I was interested in the story of Boudica/Boudicca, and I was excited that a book was written about this fascinating historical figure.
....
Spoilers: --enter at your own risk--
This novel had so much potential. I kept reading it because I wanted it to be better (and because I have to finish books I start).
First off, Cast repeated words a lot. In general, there was a lot that she would continually repeat, making for a clunky, chunky book that didn't need to be this way.
The times that "bread and cheese", "queen", "I was glad", "thick", and "Iceni" were repeated was a bit of a headache. She must have been really chuffed with "as you ask, so shall I do", because that made an appearance on almost every page, it seemed. I especially tired of hearing the word "thick" used to describe things over and over. Everyone had thick arms and legs, and broad shoulders. And everyone was strong. "Strong" was most definitely overused. It is nice to call other people strong, but in a novel, it doesn't have to be the one of three adjectives always used. And you cannot forget "victory". Cast spent so much time on writing that Boudicca is victory, and her being the warrior queen, it was reminiscent of one trying to convince another of something by repeating it over and over. She also liked to repeat how proud she was of her people and how fast they were, how passion was viewed. It became tiresome. Also, how well Maldwyn and Rhan got along. It's like she was trying to convince us, her readers, and herself, and even the characters. You only needed to say so once.
The repetition of certain words goes hand-in-hand with Cast's reduced vocabulary--there are so many words to use! And along with the reduced vocabulary was the reduced amount of depth overall in what should have been a wonderful story. The characters were uninteresting and bland, the dialogue lackluster. The Iceni were good and the Romans were bad. There was no nuance, which is quite disappointing. It was almost like the Iceni were a utopic society and everything bad came from without, except for Boudicca's husband making a destructive decision. Yes, the Romans are the bad guys in this tale, and yes, overall, their views about women could have been much, much better, but it sure was cringy, and again disappointing, to read them so one-dimensional. With how much the Britons claimed the Romans to be stupid and arrogant, I found myself on the cusp of being glad that the Romans were victorious in the final battle, which could not have been Cast's intended effect.
Then, there's the romance. I don't even want to get into that, other than saying that for a romantasy, the romance was very jarring in that there was little chemistry among those involved, and it was cringy. (It's also jarring when you didn't realize the book you pick up is a romantasy heheh.) Oh, and I will also add that the detailed sex scenes intermixed with an immature writing style makes for an awkward composition. It didn't meld well.
Now, concerning the plot. Not really that much happened in the book, not much of importance anyway, considering the length of it. There were a lot of points that seemed contrived and fit oddly in the story, including the random deprecating comments about Rome and their views on women. They would just come around and hit you, to remind you how the Romans think women are weak and Roman women are weak. It was also very considerate of the Romans to conveniently talk about military plans out in the open while walking about. That was very nice of them. Oh, and it was also very nice of the ravens to always be flying around Boudicca, and for the wind to pick up at the right moments for dramatic effect. Seriously, though, the constant contribution of the ravens making meaningful appearances and flight patters was a little cheesy. Once or twice would have had more effect, but its effect was diluted over the course of the book.
On to my last major point: the author's historical accuracy and research. The addition of fantasy elements do notify readers that it's not necessarily historically accurate…but I was hoping for more. At first, it was evident how much research had done for this novel. We were taken through the village as she went through it (along with the continual use of 'Iceni' in case we forgot which tribe's settlement we were in) following Andraste's compulsion. It was cool. I, personally, was vibing with it. The names were alright too, although names like Briallen probably weren't used in that time period, but I was not taking it seriously, and, again, it's obvious that the story isn't supposed to be accurate...But when she brought up the names of the wolf pups Sunne and Mona, I broke. Something inside me shriveled, and the little amateur scholar in my head began to bang its head on the walls of my skull, and all the naming inaccuracies then onwards were glares of disappointing light. She specifically states that Sunne and Mona mean "sun" and "moon" respectively, and they sure do...in Old English. As Cast states in the Author's Notes, the language Boudicca would have spoken would have been a precursor to modern day Welsh, so an early Brittonic language. The names could have been more like Old Welsh loyr for "moon" and something like Welsh haul or Proto Brythonic *howl for "sun" (which would actually work very well for a wolf...). Okay, but could the Iceni have borrowed the names from the Germanic tribes, from whence Old English came? It doesn't seem very believable. Two reasons for that thought. Firstly, Cast makes it blatantly obvious how proud the Iceni are Iceni, and how the Britons want to retain their culture. Yes, they would have learned the languages of the Romans and people they traded with, or at least enough words to make interaction more feasible, but how Cast paints the tribes of Britain, makes it seem very unlikely that they would have adopted the names of outside tribes...because they are all proud and that, and Iceni this and Iceni that. It just doesn't sit well in the novel. Secondly, some Germanic people could have sailed over to Britain, but Boudicca lived up to 60-ish AD. The Germanic tribes didn't really start to come into the picture until the end of the Roman occupation, so about the 5th century. Sure, Sunne and Mona probably sounds better to most readers than the alternative, especially since she probably wants this book to ride in the mainstream, but it would have made a lot more sense if she did not pull from a whole set of different people and their language, and instead stuck with Brittonic names.
Here are some names that wouldn't have worked: Deorwine, Leofric, Osberth, and Wulffaed are all Old English. Then there are Ennis, Finley, and Ashlynn. These are names from the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. (Basically, Insular Celtic branched into the Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish-Gaelic, etc.) and Brythonic languages (Common Brittonic--> Welsh, etc.)). Again, Boudicca and co would have spoken something like Common Brittonic, so a Brythonic language, not Goidelic. Again, they could have said hey and all with the peoples of ancient Ireland, changed names, but now I'm just irked. Especially since those three names, Ennis, Finley, and Ashlynn, are all modern variations. Actually, Ennis isn't too bad, because it's related to Welsh ynys, and Old Welsh Inis, which is used in this story for the isle of the druids. Oh, and Ravenna is a nice name, particularly with the raven theme, but the name most likely has nothing to with ravens and comes from a city in Italy. A little ironic considering the Romans and Rome...and Italy. Anyway.
I went a little off the rails there, but I really needed that issue with her naming scheme off my chest. Who knows, maybe someone who reads this review learned something they may think is interesting.
(P.S.: Cast also used 'rabbit' at least once when talking about hares. Hares and rabbits are completely not the same species. It could almost be like calling a Roman an Iceni...).
The long and the short of it, Cast's use and abuse of Boudicca was worse than the snively Roman guy's was. If the story were half its length and if Casts utilized a thesaurus, this would have been a much richer and palatable tale. Even the ancient Britain cooking, with their limited spices, would have been more flavourful and exciting than this story is. *sigh*
February 15, 2025
As Boudicca's story is, or I suppose should be, well known I'm not going go into the synopsis because this is just a fictional work of her life, and it is a damn good fictional look at her life.
Cast relies heavily on two things in this story: 1. The reliance on not just her faith but the Britons' faith in their goddesses.
2. The role women played in Iron Age Britain as well as a very clear and truly uplifting message of women helping women.
This is the first fictional account of Boudicca's life I have ever read and to be honest I had expected this to focus much more on the battles than it did, and I am extremely glad it did not. It would be almost impossible for Boudicca's beliefs in her goddesses to have not played a large role in her decisions. To discount that entire portion of Iron Age Briton is like saying the Greeks weren't bugging one god or another for every little thing. And, no we can't say for certain how large of a role Boudicca's faith in Andraste played in her decision making process, I don't believe it's going out on a limb to say that Cast is probably pretty close to the mark here.
The women in this book play just as large of roll if not larger than her faith. One scene that I will not feel bad spoiling is after Boudicca's daughters emerge from their "ordeal" (I'm sorry I will be uploading this review to Amazon and they are not fans of words like rape even though that's exactly what happened to her daughters and in every account of ever read non fiction wise points to this being one of the main causes of her rebellion) the women of the Iceni line the way for the girls to make sure that they do not have to encounter men as they make the way to the funeral pyre for their grandmother. It was painful, it was beautiful, and I think it is an excellent example of the role the women of the Iceni will play in Boudicca's life from that moment on. But it is also one I believe that each of us can identify with, the strength that we find in the women around us. Especially in times or crisis.
Overall, Cast's Boudicca is not just a testament to what an amazingly badass woman she was, but it is a reminder that long before the Roman's, the Norman's, or Christianity the Britons had their own culture, rich in diverse gods and goddesses that embraced the feminine in a manner that allowed a woman to bring a group of invaders to their knees.
Cast relies heavily on two things in this story: 1. The reliance on not just her faith but the Britons' faith in their goddesses.
2. The role women played in Iron Age Britain as well as a very clear and truly uplifting message of women helping women.
This is the first fictional account of Boudicca's life I have ever read and to be honest I had expected this to focus much more on the battles than it did, and I am extremely glad it did not. It would be almost impossible for Boudicca's beliefs in her goddesses to have not played a large role in her decisions. To discount that entire portion of Iron Age Briton is like saying the Greeks weren't bugging one god or another for every little thing. And, no we can't say for certain how large of a role Boudicca's faith in Andraste played in her decision making process, I don't believe it's going out on a limb to say that Cast is probably pretty close to the mark here.
The women in this book play just as large of roll if not larger than her faith. One scene that I will not feel bad spoiling is after Boudicca's daughters emerge from their "ordeal" (I'm sorry I will be uploading this review to Amazon and they are not fans of words like rape even though that's exactly what happened to her daughters and in every account of ever read non fiction wise points to this being one of the main causes of her rebellion) the women of the Iceni line the way for the girls to make sure that they do not have to encounter men as they make the way to the funeral pyre for their grandmother. It was painful, it was beautiful, and I think it is an excellent example of the role the women of the Iceni will play in Boudicca's life from that moment on. But it is also one I believe that each of us can identify with, the strength that we find in the women around us. Especially in times or crisis.
Overall, Cast's Boudicca is not just a testament to what an amazingly badass woman she was, but it is a reminder that long before the Roman's, the Norman's, or Christianity the Britons had their own culture, rich in diverse gods and goddesses that embraced the feminine in a manner that allowed a woman to bring a group of invaders to their knees.
January 21, 2025
This is where I start telling myself, “Just because it has a redhead on the cover, does not mean I need to read it…�
Growing up being a huge fan of the 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒩𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 series, I was very excited to receive this book as an arc, but I’ll admit, that’s where the excitement stopped.
I am all for feminine rage and women sticking it to the man, but I’m not sure this gave Boudicca justice. I was not familiar with her story before this, so I cannot speak for any historical accuracies. I can say however, that the writing was extremely repetitive and had more of a “say instead of show� type storytelling.
I also recommend that you read any and all trigger warnings before reading this. It’s not that any of them are extremely descriptive, it’s just that the bad things that happen are also along the repetitive side. They get mentioned over and over and over again, almost to the point that you just get desensitized by the whole thing. It takes away from the rage you are suppose to feel along with Boudicca for all the cruel things that were done to her, her family, and her tribe.
If I didn’t have an advance copy of this one, I probably wouldn’t have finished it in all honesty. It just was not for me sadly�
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an eARC copy of this book.
Growing up being a huge fan of the 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒩𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 series, I was very excited to receive this book as an arc, but I’ll admit, that’s where the excitement stopped.
I am all for feminine rage and women sticking it to the man, but I’m not sure this gave Boudicca justice. I was not familiar with her story before this, so I cannot speak for any historical accuracies. I can say however, that the writing was extremely repetitive and had more of a “say instead of show� type storytelling.
I also recommend that you read any and all trigger warnings before reading this. It’s not that any of them are extremely descriptive, it’s just that the bad things that happen are also along the repetitive side. They get mentioned over and over and over again, almost to the point that you just get desensitized by the whole thing. It takes away from the rage you are suppose to feel along with Boudicca for all the cruel things that were done to her, her family, and her tribe.
If I didn’t have an advance copy of this one, I probably wouldn’t have finished it in all honesty. It just was not for me sadly�
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an eARC copy of this book.
January 19, 2025
Boudicca, queen of the British Iceni tribe, led an uprising against the Romans in 60-61 CE.
I love this kind of reimagining of a historical character, and PC Cast spent significant time researching not only Boudicca, but the Romans and Celts of the time. It shows in her worldbuilding, which had the right level of description and development through character and plot.
It's not too much of a spoiler - it did happen IRL 2000 year ago - to know that Boudicca's uprising is not successful. HEA chasers, you should know that going in. Her story is inspirational, and Cast makes her warrior queen, strong mother, and lover. I was impressed with the depth of character that Cast was able to portray. The book is a little on the long side, clocking in at 18 hours on audio, but I was riveted.
Check CWs on this one. Cast does not shy away from war and all that goes with it on page, and there is a historically accurate (at least according to Roman historian Tacitus) accounting of death and assault early on in the book.
I love this kind of reimagining of a historical character, and PC Cast spent significant time researching not only Boudicca, but the Romans and Celts of the time. It shows in her worldbuilding, which had the right level of description and development through character and plot.
It's not too much of a spoiler - it did happen IRL 2000 year ago - to know that Boudicca's uprising is not successful. HEA chasers, you should know that going in. Her story is inspirational, and Cast makes her warrior queen, strong mother, and lover. I was impressed with the depth of character that Cast was able to portray. The book is a little on the long side, clocking in at 18 hours on audio, but I was riveted.
Check CWs on this one. Cast does not shy away from war and all that goes with it on page, and there is a historically accurate (at least according to Roman historian Tacitus) accounting of death and assault early on in the book.
January 24, 2025
I'm having a hard time figuring out what I want my final rating for this book to be. On one hand, I enjoyed reading a historical fiction story from the perspective of a famed woman warrior. On the other hand, I think the writing gets choked by the sheer amount of phrase repetition to the point that if you removed the phrases "As you say, so will I do" and "Inceni ___" you would have a strikingly shorter book. Maybe repetition isn't one of your literary icks, and if not, I think this is an interesting time period to explore. However if you're like me when it comes to quirks in writing quality, this book may ping-pong somewhere between a 2.5 star rating and a 3. Even as I'm writing this, I'm still not sure how I feel.
Ultimately, I wanted to like this book far more than I did, though I didn't hate it either. I enjoyed the mythological elements like seeing Boudicca interact with goddesses or the role of the Druids in the overall story. While I wouldn't categorize this as a romance or a romantasy, I did like the small elements of romance in the story, though they also didn't feel super necessary. Without offering specific spoilers, I also thought the ending was too vague and abrupt to give our characters closure. So, again, I feel like I'm ping-ponging back and forth on what was meh and what was good enough to keep going for.
It's also worth noting that this book deserves a hefty dose of trigger warnings within the first fifty or so pages. I'll hide them with spoiler warnings but I was startled by the to the point that I nearly put the book down before completing the first act. While the story doesn't forcibly linger over those traumas beyond their narrative relevance it was still something that took me off guard. I wouldn't say these elements lessened my personal ability to get invested in the story over time, but please use your discretion here, folks!
I received an eARC of Bouddica from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ultimately, I wanted to like this book far more than I did, though I didn't hate it either. I enjoyed the mythological elements like seeing Boudicca interact with goddesses or the role of the Druids in the overall story. While I wouldn't categorize this as a romance or a romantasy, I did like the small elements of romance in the story, though they also didn't feel super necessary. Without offering specific spoilers, I also thought the ending was too vague and abrupt to give our characters closure. So, again, I feel like I'm ping-ponging back and forth on what was meh and what was good enough to keep going for.
It's also worth noting that this book deserves a hefty dose of trigger warnings within the first fifty or so pages. I'll hide them with spoiler warnings but I was startled by the to the point that I nearly put the book down before completing the first act. While the story doesn't forcibly linger over those traumas beyond their narrative relevance it was still something that took me off guard. I wouldn't say these elements lessened my personal ability to get invested in the story over time, but please use your discretion here, folks!
I received an eARC of Bouddica from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2025
I loved being lost in this world and as soon as I finished the book, I was deeply sad to leave it. Cast did such a great job portraying a truly matriarchal society and honoring the legacy of Boudicca and the other Iron Age Britons who fought valiantly to rid their lands of the invading Romans. Vivid imagery, and a masterful exploration of a culture that they tried to erase but could not. May we all remember the valiance and courage of the ancient British tribes and of Boudicca! I also loved the side characters so much, and the queer representation!
February 9, 2025
4.5 � This book was an ARC read given in exchange for an honest review.
Wow oh wow! The insane level of research that was needed for this book, alone deserves five stars! The story is thought-provoking and very politically complex for the time. Pacing is a little off, but it gives you more time to know the characters. Even though we kind of know what happens in the end historically, it doesn’t make it any easier. Although some of the story was fictionalized for entertainment and storytelling purposes, PC did her best to remain as true to the characters and the true story as possible. The writing of this book is different than other pieces done by PC, this is very similar to a Pierce Brown writing style in the matter of a fact, straightforward writing. I love PC’s other works, so it’s interesting to see her explore a different side of writing.
Overall, I love the telling of Boudicca’s story and the effort that was shown throughout the book, to honor the original historical figures.
Wow oh wow! The insane level of research that was needed for this book, alone deserves five stars! The story is thought-provoking and very politically complex for the time. Pacing is a little off, but it gives you more time to know the characters. Even though we kind of know what happens in the end historically, it doesn’t make it any easier. Although some of the story was fictionalized for entertainment and storytelling purposes, PC did her best to remain as true to the characters and the true story as possible. The writing of this book is different than other pieces done by PC, this is very similar to a Pierce Brown writing style in the matter of a fact, straightforward writing. I love PC’s other works, so it’s interesting to see her explore a different side of writing.
Overall, I love the telling of Boudicca’s story and the effort that was shown throughout the book, to honor the original historical figures.
February 19, 2025
Boudicca, you deserve a much better novelization.
Cast just brought absolutely no nuance to the table. The Romans are all bad and weak and violent. Which, okay, it's narrated from Boudicca's perspective, she wouldn't exactly have a balanced perspective. But then the British tribes generally, and the Iceni specifically, are comically utopian. From Cast's telling, the tribes are completely violence- and crime-free. Surely in bringing this many people from so many various tribes together, there would be at least some theft or opportunistic corruption or SOME sort of conflict that would demand Boudicca's attention that didn't come from a Designated Villain?
Unsurprisingly, this falls into the common failing where it feels like the Iceni all just stepped out of a twenty-first century gender studies course. At one point Boudicca literally rages against The Patriarchy. These are first-century people who led very different lives than ours. They should feel different and strange. And yeah, probably a bit backward.
A great example of the messiness of it all is when Boudicca encounters a British woman who is a prostitute in a Roman city she is scouting to attack. The woman challenges Boudicca for judging her for her profession. Boudicca says she would never judge a woman for how she made her living like the good university feminist she is but then proceeds to judge her for letting herself become Roman without considering that a British woman prostituted by the Romans probably doesn't have a lot of agency over her life. Boudicca willfully traps this woman with the Romans before immolating them because she must die like the Romans she has chosen to unite with, but then when Designated Villain wants to loot the Britons who allied with the Romans, she's horrified that he wouldn't have mercy on his countrymen. Make it make sense.
There was an opportunity for an interesting exploration of all these contradictory elements of Boudicca's character at the end when she receives a private omen given that Boudicca takes pride in always being public and honest about massages from the Iceni goddess, especially in contrast to other tribal leaders. But nope, no introspection that might ruin the mirage of perfection. (Also, how do we get to the ending we know is coming from the history? The British deities just decide it doesn't actually matter that much at the last minute and Boudicca's legacy is enough?)
The writing is clunky and trying way too hard. The romance is just bad all the way around.
Oh, and at various points we get the Britons literally chanting Bou-di-cca, so there's that.
Cast just brought absolutely no nuance to the table. The Romans are all bad and weak and violent. Which, okay, it's narrated from Boudicca's perspective, she wouldn't exactly have a balanced perspective. But then the British tribes generally, and the Iceni specifically, are comically utopian. From Cast's telling, the tribes are completely violence- and crime-free. Surely in bringing this many people from so many various tribes together, there would be at least some theft or opportunistic corruption or SOME sort of conflict that would demand Boudicca's attention that didn't come from a Designated Villain?
Unsurprisingly, this falls into the common failing where it feels like the Iceni all just stepped out of a twenty-first century gender studies course. At one point Boudicca literally rages against The Patriarchy. These are first-century people who led very different lives than ours. They should feel different and strange. And yeah, probably a bit backward.
A great example of the messiness of it all is when Boudicca encounters a British woman who is a prostitute in a Roman city she is scouting to attack. The woman challenges Boudicca for judging her for her profession. Boudicca says she would never judge a woman for how she made her living like the good university feminist she is but then proceeds to judge her for letting herself become Roman without considering that a British woman prostituted by the Romans probably doesn't have a lot of agency over her life. Boudicca willfully traps this woman with the Romans before immolating them because she must die like the Romans she has chosen to unite with, but then when Designated Villain wants to loot the Britons who allied with the Romans, she's horrified that he wouldn't have mercy on his countrymen. Make it make sense.
There was an opportunity for an interesting exploration of all these contradictory elements of Boudicca's character at the end when she receives a private omen given that Boudicca takes pride in always being public and honest about massages from the Iceni goddess, especially in contrast to other tribal leaders. But nope, no introspection that might ruin the mirage of perfection. (Also, how do we get to the ending we know is coming from the history? The British deities just decide it doesn't actually matter that much at the last minute and Boudicca's legacy is enough?)
The writing is clunky and trying way too hard. The romance is just bad all the way around.
Oh, and at various points we get the Britons literally chanting Bou-di-cca, so there's that.
April 12, 2025
“𝘛𝘩� 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘪 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺.�
“𝘕𝘰�, 𝘮𝘺 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝙧𝙪𝙣!�
•Ģ�
tw: war violence, death, SA (off the page) + the aftermath
•Ģ�
I struggled to rate this book because numbers cannot quantify the complexity of my feelings about this book.
The story of Boudicca retold by P.C. Cast is undoubtedly enthralling. You’re immediately whisked into the beginning of a mythological and historical war story placed in Roman-occupied Britain. You’re there for the plot, and it’s SO GOOD (for the most part but don’t let that deter you just yet). This was the first book I’ve read that is both extremely enjoyable and intellectually stimulating despite being completely plot-focused.
The plot ramps up until 275 pages in (60%). Our characters quite literally slow down for the next 100 pages (for legitimate reasons). While I do think that bringing down the tension was necessary for the dynamics of this story, as a reader, I genuinely would have preferred slightly faster pacing.
The romance piece also becomes a larger focus in this section, which was nice but not completely necessary IMO. As the first half of the story had so much battle preparation and so little character work, it almost felt weird to go from “FIGHT� to “these people bring me comfort.� I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t need it.
𝗠𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿-𝘆. 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’� 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 😶
I always appreciate historical accuracy, but the ending felt like a slap to the face. Yes, If this is how things happened in history, then this is how it needed to happen in the book. I don’t demand happy endings. The issue is that when that fmc is literally named victory by the war goddess and that fact is repeatedly CONSTANTLY throughout the story, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. So I pushed through the slow section only to be met with total devastation, followed by an insubstantial explanation for how this devastating end could have been in any way a true victory. All the excitement I had? Gone. I saw it coming too but hoped that it wouldn’t turn out as I predicted. So no, I wasn’t mad - just disappointed.
“𝘕𝘰�, 𝘮𝘺 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝙧𝙪𝙣!�
•Ģ�
tw: war violence, death, SA (off the page) + the aftermath
•Ģ�
I struggled to rate this book because numbers cannot quantify the complexity of my feelings about this book.
The story of Boudicca retold by P.C. Cast is undoubtedly enthralling. You’re immediately whisked into the beginning of a mythological and historical war story placed in Roman-occupied Britain. You’re there for the plot, and it’s SO GOOD (for the most part but don’t let that deter you just yet). This was the first book I’ve read that is both extremely enjoyable and intellectually stimulating despite being completely plot-focused.
The plot ramps up until 275 pages in (60%). Our characters quite literally slow down for the next 100 pages (for legitimate reasons). While I do think that bringing down the tension was necessary for the dynamics of this story, as a reader, I genuinely would have preferred slightly faster pacing.
The romance piece also becomes a larger focus in this section, which was nice but not completely necessary IMO. As the first half of the story had so much battle preparation and so little character work, it almost felt weird to go from “FIGHT� to “these people bring me comfort.� I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t need it.
𝗠𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿-𝘆. 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’� 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 😶
I always appreciate historical accuracy, but the ending felt like a slap to the face. Yes, If this is how things happened in history, then this is how it needed to happen in the book. I don’t demand happy endings. The issue is that when that fmc is literally named victory by the war goddess and that fact is repeatedly CONSTANTLY throughout the story, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. So I pushed through the slow section only to be met with total devastation, followed by an insubstantial explanation for how this devastating end could have been in any way a true victory. All the excitement I had? Gone. I saw it coming too but hoped that it wouldn’t turn out as I predicted. So no, I wasn’t mad - just disappointed.
March 27, 2025
In Boudicca, #1 New York Times bestselling author P.C. Cast breathes myth and magic into the bones of history, conjuring a vivid retelling of the legendary Iceni queen who dared to challenge the might of Rome. Cast, widely known for the House of Night series, pivots from urban fantasy to historical romantasy with assured command, channeling her signature flair for female empowerment, goddess worship, and immersive worldbuilding.
Rich with druidic lore, feminine strength, and the chilling allure of destiny, Boudicca straddles the liminal line between myth and memory. The novel offers both immense strengths and noticeable structural weaknesses. What emerges is a lush and impassioned portrait of a queen caught between the divine and the damned.
Plot Overview: Of Blood, Betrayal, and Burning Blue Tattoos
The novel opens in the spring of 60 CE, in Roman-occupied Britannia, where the flame-haired Boudicca has newly ascended to the throne of the Iceni tribe following the death of her husband, Prasutagus. With her two daughters and her fiercely loyal guards, she walks a delicate line between peace and rebellion. But when the Roman tax collector Catus Decianus brutally betrays the Iceni’s trust—defiling their queen, slaughtering her people, and assaulting her children—Boudicca answers not with submission, but with fury.
Guided by the war goddess Andraste and joined by her childhood friend, the Druid seer Rhan, and her quiet but steadfast horse master, Maldwyn, Boudicca rallies a rebellion that shakes the empire. They sack Roman cities—Camulodunum, Londinium, Verulamium—but as the snow of winter falls and the vision of fate darkens, the battle-hardened queen must face a brutal truth: glory often walks hand in hand with sacrifice.
While the bones of the plot align with the historical accounts of Boudicca’s uprising, Cast injects mythic grandeur, emotional intimacy, and romantic mysticism into every scene, elevating the novel beyond textbook retelling.
Character Study: Queens, Seers, and Shadows of the Divine
Boudicca: The Flame-Haired Phoenix
Cast’s greatest triumph lies in the depiction of Boudicca herself. This is not merely a queen forged in rage, but a woman carved from grief, loyalty, and divine fire. Her voice—at once poetic and primal—pulses with purpose. In her, we find not only a warrior, but a mother, a widow, a priestess of her people. Her bond with her goddess Andraste is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the novel, transcending standard tropes of divine intervention and entering the realm of sacred contract.
“With three words I changed the course of the world: I choose vengeance.�
It is through Boudicca’s lens that readers experience not just the horrors of imperial cruelty, but the aching cost of resistance.
Rhan: The Seer and the Sister of Spirit
Rhan, the Druid seer, embodies the mysticism that defines the book’s spiritual undercurrent. Her visions, rituals, and fierce love for her queen are portrayed with subtle queer longing and quiet tragedy. She is not merely an oracle; she is the second heart that beats beside Boudicca’s.
Maldwyn: The Silent Strength
As the horse master whose loyalty turns romantic, Maldwyn is the novel’s emotional ballast. He doesn’t overshadow Boudicca—he steadies her. Their relationship simmers with mutual respect and a slow-burn tenderness that never veers into melodrama. While the romance remains secondary, it adds emotional texture that amplifies, rather than distracts from, the plot.
Catus Decianus: The Monster in Bronze
Cast offers no redemption for the Roman antagonist. Catus is depicted as emblematic of Roman cruelty—arrogant, sadistic, and grotesquely amused by suffering. His portrayal, while effective in inspiring outrage, lacks the nuance of the novel’s protagonists. He is more symbol than man.
Writing Style & Structure: Lyrical, Lush, and Occasionally Overwrought
Cast writes in a style that blends mythic lyricism with visceral urgency. Her prose is evocative and poetic, especially in moments of ritual, prophecy, and divine communion. Sentences often echo with spiritual cadence, emphasizing elemental imagery—fog, fire, blood, blue woad tattoos, and the whisper of gods.
Yet this lyrical richness occasionally becomes a double-edged sword. There are stretches—particularly in the early middle—that veer toward over-description or delayed momentum. Scenes of internal dialogue or spiritual visions, while beautifully rendered, can feel repetitive or overwrought when not grounded by external action.
Still, when Cast writes battle, heartbreak, or divine intervention, her pen feels touched by Andraste herself.
Themes: Vengeance, Faith, Femininity, and the Weight of Choice
At its core, Boudicca is a book about choice in the face of chaos. Every major beat—the decision to rebel, to trust the gods, to love again—is framed through a lens of agency, particularly feminine agency.
Key Themes Include:
1. The Sacred Power of Women - Cast celebrates not just female strength, but matriarchy, community, and motherhood as divine forces. Boudicca’s power comes not in spite of her womanhood, but because of it.
2. Spiritual Warfare - The novel is imbued with Celtic mysticism—Andraste, Brigantia, sacred harts, raven familiars, and the veil between worlds. Religion is not ornamental here; it shapes fate, fuels vengeance, and determines life or death.
3. Colonial Violence - The assault on the Iceni is rendered with restraint but emotional intensity. Cast does not shy from the trauma of colonization, especially sexual violence and generational ruin. Her depiction is empathetic, careful, and meaningful.
4. Prophecy and Free Will - Through Rhan’s visions and Boudicca’s divine encounters, Cast continually interrogates whether fate can be altered—or must be accepted.
Praise & Strengths: Why This Book Deserves Attention
- Feminist Retelling with Gravitas: Boudicca’s story has long deserved a mythic, woman-centered treatment—and Cast delivers.
- Worldbuilding: From the fog-shrouded forests of Iceni territory to the shimmering veil of Annwn (the Otherworld), the sense of place is immersive and sacred.
- Spiritual Realism: The gods are not abstract deities; they are characters with presence, personality, and palpable power.
- Emotional Resonance: The grief, the rage, the maternal love—it all lands with weight and authenticity.
- Faithful to History, Enriched by Myth: While not bound to historical literalism, Cast keeps the spirit of Boudicca’s rebellion alive and grounded in truth.
Critiques: Where the Blue Paint Cracks
Despite its strengths, Boudicca is not without fault.
1. Pacing Wobbles - Some sections—especially in Part II—drag due to repetitive inner monologues or lengthy spiritual visions. Tighter editing might have sharpened the book’s momentum.
2. Villain Flatness - Catus Decianus, though loathsome, lacks complexity. As a historical antagonist, he functions well; as a character, he borders on caricature.
3. Underdeveloped Side Characters - While Boudicca, Rhan, and Maldwyn are richly drawn, many supporting figures—like the Iceni council or other tribes—feel blurred or forgettable.
4. Romance Remains Subdued - Readers expecting a full romantic arc might be underwhelmed. The love story, while tender, is secondary to spiritual and political themes.
Verdict: A Warrior’s Cry that Echoes Through Time
Boudicca is not a perfect novel, but it is an essential one—a testament to womanhood, war, and worship. P.C. Cast resurrects a queen from the ashes of time and paints her in woad and firelight, asking us what we would do if the gods whispered vengeance in our ears.
Would we choose peace? Or, like Boudicca, would we choose the storm?
Rich with druidic lore, feminine strength, and the chilling allure of destiny, Boudicca straddles the liminal line between myth and memory. The novel offers both immense strengths and noticeable structural weaknesses. What emerges is a lush and impassioned portrait of a queen caught between the divine and the damned.
Plot Overview: Of Blood, Betrayal, and Burning Blue Tattoos
The novel opens in the spring of 60 CE, in Roman-occupied Britannia, where the flame-haired Boudicca has newly ascended to the throne of the Iceni tribe following the death of her husband, Prasutagus. With her two daughters and her fiercely loyal guards, she walks a delicate line between peace and rebellion. But when the Roman tax collector Catus Decianus brutally betrays the Iceni’s trust—defiling their queen, slaughtering her people, and assaulting her children—Boudicca answers not with submission, but with fury.
Guided by the war goddess Andraste and joined by her childhood friend, the Druid seer Rhan, and her quiet but steadfast horse master, Maldwyn, Boudicca rallies a rebellion that shakes the empire. They sack Roman cities—Camulodunum, Londinium, Verulamium—but as the snow of winter falls and the vision of fate darkens, the battle-hardened queen must face a brutal truth: glory often walks hand in hand with sacrifice.
While the bones of the plot align with the historical accounts of Boudicca’s uprising, Cast injects mythic grandeur, emotional intimacy, and romantic mysticism into every scene, elevating the novel beyond textbook retelling.
Character Study: Queens, Seers, and Shadows of the Divine
Boudicca: The Flame-Haired Phoenix
Cast’s greatest triumph lies in the depiction of Boudicca herself. This is not merely a queen forged in rage, but a woman carved from grief, loyalty, and divine fire. Her voice—at once poetic and primal—pulses with purpose. In her, we find not only a warrior, but a mother, a widow, a priestess of her people. Her bond with her goddess Andraste is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the novel, transcending standard tropes of divine intervention and entering the realm of sacred contract.
“With three words I changed the course of the world: I choose vengeance.�
It is through Boudicca’s lens that readers experience not just the horrors of imperial cruelty, but the aching cost of resistance.
Rhan: The Seer and the Sister of Spirit
Rhan, the Druid seer, embodies the mysticism that defines the book’s spiritual undercurrent. Her visions, rituals, and fierce love for her queen are portrayed with subtle queer longing and quiet tragedy. She is not merely an oracle; she is the second heart that beats beside Boudicca’s.
Maldwyn: The Silent Strength
As the horse master whose loyalty turns romantic, Maldwyn is the novel’s emotional ballast. He doesn’t overshadow Boudicca—he steadies her. Their relationship simmers with mutual respect and a slow-burn tenderness that never veers into melodrama. While the romance remains secondary, it adds emotional texture that amplifies, rather than distracts from, the plot.
Catus Decianus: The Monster in Bronze
Cast offers no redemption for the Roman antagonist. Catus is depicted as emblematic of Roman cruelty—arrogant, sadistic, and grotesquely amused by suffering. His portrayal, while effective in inspiring outrage, lacks the nuance of the novel’s protagonists. He is more symbol than man.
Writing Style & Structure: Lyrical, Lush, and Occasionally Overwrought
Cast writes in a style that blends mythic lyricism with visceral urgency. Her prose is evocative and poetic, especially in moments of ritual, prophecy, and divine communion. Sentences often echo with spiritual cadence, emphasizing elemental imagery—fog, fire, blood, blue woad tattoos, and the whisper of gods.
Yet this lyrical richness occasionally becomes a double-edged sword. There are stretches—particularly in the early middle—that veer toward over-description or delayed momentum. Scenes of internal dialogue or spiritual visions, while beautifully rendered, can feel repetitive or overwrought when not grounded by external action.
Still, when Cast writes battle, heartbreak, or divine intervention, her pen feels touched by Andraste herself.
Themes: Vengeance, Faith, Femininity, and the Weight of Choice
At its core, Boudicca is a book about choice in the face of chaos. Every major beat—the decision to rebel, to trust the gods, to love again—is framed through a lens of agency, particularly feminine agency.
Key Themes Include:
1. The Sacred Power of Women - Cast celebrates not just female strength, but matriarchy, community, and motherhood as divine forces. Boudicca’s power comes not in spite of her womanhood, but because of it.
2. Spiritual Warfare - The novel is imbued with Celtic mysticism—Andraste, Brigantia, sacred harts, raven familiars, and the veil between worlds. Religion is not ornamental here; it shapes fate, fuels vengeance, and determines life or death.
3. Colonial Violence - The assault on the Iceni is rendered with restraint but emotional intensity. Cast does not shy from the trauma of colonization, especially sexual violence and generational ruin. Her depiction is empathetic, careful, and meaningful.
4. Prophecy and Free Will - Through Rhan’s visions and Boudicca’s divine encounters, Cast continually interrogates whether fate can be altered—or must be accepted.
Praise & Strengths: Why This Book Deserves Attention
- Feminist Retelling with Gravitas: Boudicca’s story has long deserved a mythic, woman-centered treatment—and Cast delivers.
- Worldbuilding: From the fog-shrouded forests of Iceni territory to the shimmering veil of Annwn (the Otherworld), the sense of place is immersive and sacred.
- Spiritual Realism: The gods are not abstract deities; they are characters with presence, personality, and palpable power.
- Emotional Resonance: The grief, the rage, the maternal love—it all lands with weight and authenticity.
- Faithful to History, Enriched by Myth: While not bound to historical literalism, Cast keeps the spirit of Boudicca’s rebellion alive and grounded in truth.
Critiques: Where the Blue Paint Cracks
Despite its strengths, Boudicca is not without fault.
1. Pacing Wobbles - Some sections—especially in Part II—drag due to repetitive inner monologues or lengthy spiritual visions. Tighter editing might have sharpened the book’s momentum.
2. Villain Flatness - Catus Decianus, though loathsome, lacks complexity. As a historical antagonist, he functions well; as a character, he borders on caricature.
3. Underdeveloped Side Characters - While Boudicca, Rhan, and Maldwyn are richly drawn, many supporting figures—like the Iceni council or other tribes—feel blurred or forgettable.
4. Romance Remains Subdued - Readers expecting a full romantic arc might be underwhelmed. The love story, while tender, is secondary to spiritual and political themes.
Verdict: A Warrior’s Cry that Echoes Through Time
Boudicca is not a perfect novel, but it is an essential one—a testament to womanhood, war, and worship. P.C. Cast resurrects a queen from the ashes of time and paints her in woad and firelight, asking us what we would do if the gods whispered vengeance in our ears.
Would we choose peace? Or, like Boudicca, would we choose the storm?
arc-netgally
December 26, 2024_A Historical Fiction with Unfulfilled Promise_
While this book exhibited tremendous potential, I regret to say that it fell short of my expectations. I would advise prospective readers to familiarize themselves with the content warnings, as the narrative tackles sensitive subjects and features graphic depictions of battle and war.
The story revolves around the fascinating historical figure of Boudicca, who led a rebellion against the Romans. Given the richness of this historical backdrop and the intriguing mythology surrounding Boudicca's existence, I had anticipated a more engaging narrative. Unfortunately, it took some time for the story to gain momentum, and I struggled to become fully invested in the characters and their struggles.
Despite this, I acknowledge that this book may resonate with readers who appreciate historical fiction, particularly those who enjoyed "The Song of Achilles." The author's exploration of Boudicca's legend may appeal to readers interested in mythology-inspired fiction.
In conclusion, while this book did not entirely meet my expectations, it may still be of interest to readers who appreciate historical fiction and strong female protagonists.
I appreciate NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
While this book exhibited tremendous potential, I regret to say that it fell short of my expectations. I would advise prospective readers to familiarize themselves with the content warnings, as the narrative tackles sensitive subjects and features graphic depictions of battle and war.
The story revolves around the fascinating historical figure of Boudicca, who led a rebellion against the Romans. Given the richness of this historical backdrop and the intriguing mythology surrounding Boudicca's existence, I had anticipated a more engaging narrative. Unfortunately, it took some time for the story to gain momentum, and I struggled to become fully invested in the characters and their struggles.
Despite this, I acknowledge that this book may resonate with readers who appreciate historical fiction, particularly those who enjoyed "The Song of Achilles." The author's exploration of Boudicca's legend may appeal to readers interested in mythology-inspired fiction.
In conclusion, while this book did not entirely meet my expectations, it may still be of interest to readers who appreciate historical fiction and strong female protagonists.
I appreciate NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
dnf
February 13, 2025Boudicca by P.C. Cast is not the right book for me. After picking it up and putting it back down several times, I dnf'ed this at just 15%.
I wanted to love this book, the premise sounds amazing and the author is one I was extremely fond of growing up, with the House of Night Series. Unfortunately, Boudicca missed the mark. The prose and the dialogue felt extremely stiff, jilted, and repetitive right off the bat. It is told in first person POV through Boudicca, but there is no sense of connection with the character. We watch her do things but do not get her inner workings and a real sense of her. What you do get is things repeated right after they are introduced, as if the reader is too dumb to pick up what the aujthor is putting down and needs to be reminded of it constantly. Especially that Boudicca is QUEEN and rules over the ICENI, two things we are reminded of more often than there are pages in the book.
However, if these things do not bother you, be warned that there is violence and sexual assault in this book, as there is in the history of Boudicca. Cast does seem to be doing a good job of making the historical accurate where possible and including interesting deities from the time with a dash of fantastical elements. If that sounds appealing to you and you aren't as bothered by repetitiveness and clunky writing as I am, definitely give this book a try!
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing the e-ARC of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.
I wanted to love this book, the premise sounds amazing and the author is one I was extremely fond of growing up, with the House of Night Series. Unfortunately, Boudicca missed the mark. The prose and the dialogue felt extremely stiff, jilted, and repetitive right off the bat. It is told in first person POV through Boudicca, but there is no sense of connection with the character. We watch her do things but do not get her inner workings and a real sense of her. What you do get is things repeated right after they are introduced, as if the reader is too dumb to pick up what the aujthor is putting down and needs to be reminded of it constantly. Especially that Boudicca is QUEEN and rules over the ICENI, two things we are reminded of more often than there are pages in the book.
However, if these things do not bother you, be warned that there is violence and sexual assault in this book, as there is in the history of Boudicca. Cast does seem to be doing a good job of making the historical accurate where possible and including interesting deities from the time with a dash of fantastical elements. If that sounds appealing to you and you aren't as bothered by repetitiveness and clunky writing as I am, definitely give this book a try!
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing the e-ARC of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.
March 2, 2025
Boudicca is a historical fantasy retelling of Queen Boudicca of the ancient British Iceni tribe, who led a failed uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61.
This retelling incorporates Gods, Spirituality and Omens which were prevalent and highly guarded in that era. This story is about revenge against the Romans after they pillaged her tribe and then r*ped her daughters. This story is about taking back power and the strength of women in leadership.
P.C. Cast has written an immersive retelling with such a bold and empowering character. I loved that at no point did Boudicca's tribe ever doubt her. They respected her highly and followed her command against the Romans. The author has done an immense amount of research around this story and has done an incredible job of incorporating fantasy and the Gods while paying homage to the original story of Boudicca. This book is very political and is a very linear story which can be interpreted as a high fantasy.
One thing I am annoyed by (not the authors fault) is that some people are marketing this story as a 'romatasy.' This story is very much not a romantasy in fact the romance isn't even a subplot. I really hope people aren't misled and disappointed when they read this incredible story only to find that there's very little romance in this.
Overall this was a great read and very insightful. Definitely more of a serious tone of a story but all the more incredible.
This retelling incorporates Gods, Spirituality and Omens which were prevalent and highly guarded in that era. This story is about revenge against the Romans after they pillaged her tribe and then r*ped her daughters. This story is about taking back power and the strength of women in leadership.
P.C. Cast has written an immersive retelling with such a bold and empowering character. I loved that at no point did Boudicca's tribe ever doubt her. They respected her highly and followed her command against the Romans. The author has done an immense amount of research around this story and has done an incredible job of incorporating fantasy and the Gods while paying homage to the original story of Boudicca. This book is very political and is a very linear story which can be interpreted as a high fantasy.
One thing I am annoyed by (not the authors fault) is that some people are marketing this story as a 'romatasy.' This story is very much not a romantasy in fact the romance isn't even a subplot. I really hope people aren't misled and disappointed when they read this incredible story only to find that there's very little romance in this.
Overall this was a great read and very insightful. Definitely more of a serious tone of a story but all the more incredible.
March 16, 2025
I have had a fascination with Boudicca ever since I first heard about her in Year 11 Ancient History. I then went on the write my Year 12 Ext History major project about her in 2020. I have dreamed of a historical fiction novel about her ever since.
It started off quite good and seemed to follow the order of events (mostly) faithfully, however, it bothered me from the start that it was written in first person. One of the bigger debates regarding Boudicca has been about whether or not she was crazy. By writing in first person, the author basically took away our opportunity to objectively see what she was doing and recount multiple perspectives. The other thing I noticed straightaway was how the author heavily leaned into the ‘magical� side of this history, regarding the Druids, goddesses, and omens. It went far enough to affect every warfare decision that was made, even her eventual death. Of course, we do not definitively know how Boudicca died, so I was curious to see what the author might come up with. But it was heavily overshadowed by her pregnancy (which again is not historically accurate), and became a result of difficult labour rather than a warfare move.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, though the author could have definitely paced it up a bit.
It started off quite good and seemed to follow the order of events (mostly) faithfully, however, it bothered me from the start that it was written in first person. One of the bigger debates regarding Boudicca has been about whether or not she was crazy. By writing in first person, the author basically took away our opportunity to objectively see what she was doing and recount multiple perspectives. The other thing I noticed straightaway was how the author heavily leaned into the ‘magical� side of this history, regarding the Druids, goddesses, and omens. It went far enough to affect every warfare decision that was made, even her eventual death. Of course, we do not definitively know how Boudicca died, so I was curious to see what the author might come up with. But it was heavily overshadowed by her pregnancy (which again is not historically accurate), and became a result of difficult labour rather than a warfare move.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, though the author could have definitely paced it up a bit.
September 4, 2024
It only took me two months but we have finished it. Let me say that this solidified that I am not a mythology girly, but if you are, chances are you will love this. It is a brutal feminist tale about what Boudicca will do to protect her community and her children. Now let me say that I also had never heard of Boudicca before reading this, so I am not sure how accurate this story is. I did like the amount of gore/description, and of course, the all-around bad-assery and respect given to women in this book. This would definitely make a kick-ass movie too.
The reason I requested this from NetGalley is because of the author. As a pre-teen, I read the House of Night books and I ate that shit up. Forcing my mom to take me to Barnes and Noble to get the next book was a core memory of mine and honestly established my love for reading. P.C Cast's writing in Boudicca is completely different than in House of Night. The writing in Boudicca is strong and complex, and not that her writing is bad in her other books, this one is just exceptional.
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for providing this advanced copy.
The reason I requested this from NetGalley is because of the author. As a pre-teen, I read the House of Night books and I ate that shit up. Forcing my mom to take me to Barnes and Noble to get the next book was a core memory of mine and honestly established my love for reading. P.C Cast's writing in Boudicca is completely different than in House of Night. The writing in Boudicca is strong and complex, and not that her writing is bad in her other books, this one is just exceptional.
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for providing this advanced copy.
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