I want to start off by saying I don't believe I was the target audience for this book. I also prefer vulnerability, character development, world building (and just descriptions of what's going on) and strong female characters. I love historical fiction that gives you a look at what these people might have been like but I didn't get that from this book. This felt very two dimensional for me and it took forever to read because it didn't give me anything to latch onto. Elodia is a strong female character if there ever was one, but the whole book I was left wondering 'who is Elodia?'.

I don't have much knowledge of this time period and it was interesting to learn a little about what was going on in the world at that specific time. It felt very historically accurate and that was probably to only good takeaway. I feel like the author could have gone more in-depth into the thought process of some of the characters. I mean, look at Elodia she went from being a slave to being a leader and played on men's own narcissisms to further herself and find a better life for her people. BUT THERE WAS HARDLY ANY OF THAT IN THE BOOK. WHERE WAS HER MOMENT?

Anyway, I'm sorry again I really don't think I am the target audience

Set in the 4th century, this is a story of a young woman who fights for survival during the bitter clash between the Romans and Goths.

Overall, this story has all the elements of a meaty historical fiction read; from romance, to conflict, to battle scenes and politics. There are some grisly scenes where Phillips does not hold back, which gives voice to how brutal this conflict was and gives the novel a strong grounding in reality.

Although Elodia is the protagonist, there are other voices throughout the story which portray the struggles from both sides. This really helped me understand the motives of both sides, and humanised the Romans and Goths. I found I enjoyed the wider story more than Elodia’s personal one. Although she’s a strong character, personally, I engaged more with the wider context and hearing the story through other perspectives. This may be due to it being a new historical setting and an area of history I’m not as clued up on, so I found the history element intriguing.

There were a few occasions when the prose felt a bit clunky and not as well-paced as other parts. In these instances, the writing felt a bit cliched, which led to lulls in the story. However, the story always picked back up and I was thrown once more into the action and wanted to continue reading.

Overall, this is worth a read if you want to learn more about the 4th century conflict between Romans and Goths, and explore the world around the Danube. It’s also recommended if you enjoy fast-paced battle scenes and conflict.