Wow!

4.75🌟 I didn’t give it 5 stars only because I don’t imagine thinking about Boudicca over and over for years to come. However, I could be wrong!

In this character driven, historical fiction/ retelling, Cast does a brilliant job of bringing ancient characters who surround the infamous Queen Boudicca to life. Clearly, the author did extensive research to portray the Germanic queen that led a rebellion against Rome with as much accuracy as possible while creating a family that is both lovable and relatable.

I was invested within the first few pages. However, I will say that this book may not be for everyone. Trigger warnings for graphic violence, rape, torture and death. Often times the graphic descriptions go too far or are unnecessary for the storyline. This is not the case with Boudicca, rather it is these instances that create attachment to the people and places. It is through Boudicca’s pain and grief that show her greatness and kindness for her land, which makes her a leader to follow into battle. I too wanted to rally against Rome, pick up a sword and yell “Victory” while pounding on my shield.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but I struggled to want to make time to read this, and some of the relationships felt forced. As much as I was looking forward to this tale about the legendary Boudicca, I wish there were more personality built into the other characters so they stood out more than by what their roles were. I loved the fantasy element to the story, it played in very well with the story. It is clear that Cast did a great deal of research into the period, which I highly appreciated. But this novel didn’t quite fill my historical fiction loving cup.

P. C. Cast knows how to write an emotional book. I loved the history behind this one paired with some fictional adds to enhance the story. I wish there was a book two!

I actually really couldn’t get into this one - I think I made it to the 33% mark. I was disappointed because this should have been right up my alley, but I wonder if the writing style was a little too dry and succinct for me.

Fun ride i listened to the audio and it was a good time will keep reading her work and will reconmend to people in love with hmlong

Overall, I enjoyed the story and liked the creative liberties PC Cast took to take the story of Boudicca into a fantastical direction. I felt like the prose got really repetitive in many places and I struggled to stay in the story. I also think this book could really do with a comprehensive trigger warning list – I probably would have opted not to read and review if I were aware of the child sexual assault. I think it’s really irresponsible to have potentially harmful content without a warning and would hope the well-being of readers is a priority in the future.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

An intriguing historical fantasy! Written beautifully. I have always loved this author. She makes a historical Roman legendary! Fast paced! Must read!

Fascinating subject matter, but writing style wasn’t for me and made it hard to get into- more tell than show.

I have been obsessed with Boudicca since I was a little girl. Like I read all the books I could find at my local libraries and just made her one of my hyper fixations as a kid. She is SO COOL! And P.C. Cast brought that in this book. I was so excited to jump back into that love of this historical figure.

I am always blown away by historical women who become legends and the authors who bring their stories to life. Boudicca faced monumental odds and I love how accurate Cast worked to make this interpretation of her story

I was excited to read a story on a new to me historical figure. I wanted to feel like I was right alongside her, feeling her pain and rage to what lead her to her triumph. But this book was not that and did not deliver. The feministic language used is entirely too modern, the word "queen" is used an astronomical mount of times. I wound up almost and I mean ALMOST DNF'ing, but I trudged through. And the payoff was not there.

Historical Fantasy Fiction based on real events - following the Iceni warrior queen Boudicca as she fights against the Romans to protect her children and her tribe and get retribution for the brutal acts the Romans have committed against her family.

Pros:
- Bringing Boudicca's story to a new audience
- Incredibly vivid details and descriptions
- Gorgeous cover art
- Unique characters

Cons:
- It is not a romantasy - which is how it is marketed. It is a historical fantasy fiction based on real events. While there is a minor romance element, it does not have a true focus or impact on the story. Also, other than visions, there is very little fantasy as well.
- No content warnings - very early in the book there is brutal torture and gang r*pe of women and children. This was horrible to read with no warning and the expectation of an "epic, lusty, magic-filled romantasy."
- Very little actually happens - other than a couple of battles - there isn't much that happens in this long book.

I cannot, in good conscious, recommend this book. Maybe if it were marketed differently, I would have a different opinion. But going in and expecting a romantasy, I was tremendously disappointed and horrified by the torture and r*pe very early on in the book.

This retelling gains significance through its focus on a female military leader often marginalized in traditional historical accounts. By incorporating Celtic spiritual practices and supernatural elements, Cast creates space to explore questions of agency, destiny, and resistance that extend beyond purely historical treatment.
The "hidden valley" winter regrouping creates a narrative pause that allows for deeper character development and exploration of tribal dynamics before the final confrontation. This structural choice suggests a work interested in the human and cultural dimensions of resistance beyond battlefield tactics.
The narrative promises both the satisfaction of witnessing Boudicca's historically documented military successes and the tension of wondering whether Cast's reimagining might allow her character to escape her historically documented defeat—creating compelling uncertainty even for readers familiar with the actual historical outcome.

I expected better.
The disappointment hurt as P.C. Cast has written other amazing books.
The pacing was slow and everything was repetitive.
I feel the story did portray Boudicca well at all.

In this version, the legendary queen of the Iceni moves in and out of the otherworld, as she flees and fights brutal Roman legions. As the story opens, she feels a strong compulsion to go into the forest, where her goddess gives Boudicca a choice.

The queen returns to her people to face a brutal Roman lesson that has become part of history. She's flogged almost to death, her daughters raped, her people slaughtered. But they survive to ally with other tribes and take war to the Romans.

We know how the rebellion will end and that Rome will swallow their world. When it happens, a small remnant of Boudicca's people flee to Caledonia.

If you're into historical fiction that’s both gripping and empowering, Boudicca by P.C. Cast is definitely a must-read. I absolutely loved how Cast brought this legendary warrior queen to life. The way she weaves history with fiction makes the story feel so immersive, and Boudicca herself feels incredibly real and relatable, even though we’re talking about someone who lived over 2,000 years ago.

What I really appreciated about this book is how Cast doesn’t just focus on Boudicca as a fierce warrior, which she definitely was, but also explores her personal side. You get a deep look into her emotions, her struggles, and the tough decisions she had to make as a mother, wife, and leader. It made her feel so much more human and layered, which I loved.

If you're into stories of women who defy the odds and fight for what they believe in, this is totally the book for you. Highly recommend!

My initial, unfiltered reaction to this book is simple: I absolutely loved it. 5 stars! While I had heard of Boudicca before, my knowledge was limited to the fact that she was a British queen who led a failed revolt against the Romans. After doing a bit of research while reading, it seems P.C. Cast did a great job staying true to the few historical details we know about Boudicca. The book takes many creative liberties, but they never detracted from the story for me.

That said, I couldn't give this book a perfect 5-star rating because of the writing quality. While much of it was beautiful, there were instances of repetition and excessive exposition. My biggest issue with the repetition was within Boudicca's internal thoughts. At one point, the phrase "birth order" appeared three times in a single paragraph. That's a bit much! As for the exposition, I understand how some readers might find it off-putting, and I think there were subtler ways to convey information. Personally, though, I was so engrossed in the story that the exposition didn’t bother me at all.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a fictional retelling of Boudicca's life. Fans of Madeline Miller, Natalie Haynes, and others who write mythological or legendary retellings would also likely enjoy it, just know that the writing may not be quite on the same level as theirs.

Thank you to P.C. Cast and William Morrow via NetGalley for a free eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Let me just say, this may be the fact that I am not a mythological girl and I just KEEP TRYIN, but it took me quite a while to finish this book. However, I think the focus on a historical figure that is not spoken about much and adding twists and gore to make it more of a fictional read is a great way to get people interested in the true stories behind these inspirations.

Will definitely keep reading P.C. Cast!

thanks to netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for a review!

definitely more historical fiction than fantasy, and i think that diminished my enjoyment of it as was i was expecting more magic woven in based on the description of it. while boudicca is based in the history of rome colonizing britain, and it includes all of the horror that goes with it. the story kept me engaged and i enjoyed it, but it didn't blow me away.