I am hemming and hawing trying to figure out what to say about this book. Something was just missing for me? I know Elodie Harper has the writing ability, I loved her Wolf Den series so much. So when I finished this one I sat back and went "huh".

Of course her writing is super atmospheric, no matter the setting whether the wilds of Britain, the harsh Italian sunlight in the palace of Emperor Nero or the soft pines, the sharp cliffs and playful breezes of Paulinus's childhood home.

I think there wasn't as much heart that went into these characters like she did with the Wolf Den Series. Starting with Prasutagus, Boudicca, Bellania and Solina. This family unit was well written, the family bonds, favoritism and bantering was very realistic. I also like the fact that we don't get a freaking laundry list of WHY Rome is so horrible we actually SEE the way's of how they are. Elodie doesn't shy away from writing devastating, traumatic events and that is admirable in the retelling of the harsh brutalities of the time. Nothing watered down. Innocents were harmed in this rebellion, women and children were not spared, in war there is gore and rage. Iceni were ruthless and she really preserved that in this book.

Catia's POV (Boudicca) was good, but there was alot of inner monologue and back and forth on her thoughts of her daughters. Her warfare was brutal but justified in her mind.

Solina was an enigma to me. She seems the more restrained of the two daughters but after the events that happened to her and her sister, her personality flared into existence. Her traits seemed somewhat surface level, hatred of Rome, love for her people, guilt, need to survive etc. The "romance" between her and Paulinius just did NOT make sense to me. I think it was the way it was written. Obviously yes it was Paulinius that destroyed the Iceni but you get this montage of moments where he is really sweet to her. Makes you forgot about what happened towards the beginning of the book. He likes and eventually loves her because she is so different, a warrior, stubborn and wild. Once in Rome though he has her cover her tattoo's and hair. Doesn't want her to go out as much for fear of what people will think.

And then Solina see's Paulinius as a way out of captivity, understandable of course. I think that is a natural reaction. Her push and pull with him gives me whiplash. I felt guilty that I would almost forgot about what happened to her family. Solina is strong though, she faces so much adversity and prevails. I love that she eventually got to fight with Paulinius, I was like "FINALLY!" The ending scene didn't really clear up the romance for me, very much like looking at swamp water. You know something is there but it's too murky to make out what it is.

It has been a minute since I read Wolf Den Series and maybe Pliny is a popular Roman name but I think he might have made an appearance in this book which was a surprise!

She wrote Boudicca's bloodlust well, the setting was incredibly well written. Solina and Paulinius apart were also well fleshed out, but I couldn't quite make sense of them being together. Other then forced proximity and survival.

Mild spoilers below.

I’ve always been a fan of Boudicca, a fierce Celtic warrior, for as long as I can remember. When I was in middle school I couldn’t find many books about her. So when this popped up on social media, I was instantly intrigued and requested an ARC.

The story starts slowly and I found myself having difficulty connecting with the characters. Having the chapters alternate their focus between Solina and her mother Boudicca/Catia was jarring as it took longer to get invested in either of their stories. Once the story focused primarily on Solina, this issue was ameliorated.

I found the themes of the book to be complicated and intriguing. In a real enemies to lovers to maybe actual love trope, the story portrays a very intricate relationship between Solina and the Roman who defeated her mother and destroyed her people. I felt Harper dealt with that intricacy carefully and made the story feel more grounded and realistic.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but there were elements I felt could be improved upon. I never formed a deep connection with any of the characters and ultimately it was the plot that pushed me through to the end.

There are honestly no words that could fully express the experience that is Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper. I won't go into too much detail, as I believe this book should definitely be experienced on your own.

While told through multiple perspectives, the story follows Solina, Boudicca's daughter, through the events that led up to her mother’s failed rebellion against Rome to Solina's enslavement. As Solina learns how to navigate her new life in captivity, she must decide not only how to survive, but also how to take back control of her life in a foreign city at the height of political discontent in Rome.

To say that this book is a part of me doesn't quite explain how amazing this book is. It's raw. It's gritty. It's full of so much tragic emotion and pain, and yet, it is probably one of the most beautiful historical fiction novels I have read. I don't think I have ever cried throughout a novel before, or while writing a review. Definitely towards the end for sure, but this one (as a good friend once said) is just "gut punch after gut punch," but somehow in the best way possible.

Solina's story is something that will stay with me for years to come. I am thrilled I pre-ordered this book, because I cannot wait to reread it with a fresh perspective. Harper's writing is beyond masterful. She manages to incorporate historical events in a way that makes me believe Solina was a real person. In a way, with this novel, she is, and I hope one day to have the opportunity to visit the statue of Bouddica in London that helped inspire this story, or traverse the legendary path along which Bouddica led her rebellion to fight against her enemies.

If you enjoy heart-wrenching historical retellings, then Boudicca's Daughter is a must-read. I know I'm definitely gonna be reading Harper's Wolf Den series, and anything else she writes. Instant fan. 5⭐️

Thank you to Elodie Harper, Bloomsbury Publishing, and NetGalley for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Solina is the daughter of the druid king Prasugatus and warrior queen Catia of the Iceni tribe. A client king of Rome, Prasugatus maintains peace with their conqueror when his wife would rather go to war. When Prasugatus dies and names his daughters his heirs in his will, not only does Rome refuse to honour his wishes, they come to his home to violate his grieving widow and children. Catia and her daughters take up arms against the men who harmed them and the rest of the Iceni follow suit. Catia becomes Boudicca, a merciless warrior who will stop at nothing to erase the Roman presence from her island. While Solina is out for blood, her sister Bellenia wonders whether the cost of war is worth it.
The rebellion fails. Solina is taken captive by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus , the legate of Britain. To save her life Solina seduces him and she is taken back to Rome as his concubine. In Rome Solina discovers just how tightly and terrible Rome is and the lengths she is willing to go to survive.
Boudicca's Daughter is a powerful novel about war, survival, love and grief. Elodie Harper brings history to life and gives voice to the voiceless daughter of one of Britain's most famous queens. A true enemies to lovers novel, but there is nothing trope=y about it. Boudicca's Daughter explores the complicated bond between captive and captor, the strong relationship that blossoms between them and the lingering feelings of guilt, mistrust, anger and love. Utterly beautiful, heartbreaking but hopeful, another great book by Elodie Harper!

An inventive and engaging take on the possible fate of one of Boudicca’s daughters, this novel crosses lands and empires, exploring the pain and suffering endured on both sides of the battles between Britannia and their Roman oppressors, and also the civil wars caused by the treachery between various emperors of Rome. Soling, the name given by the author to one of Boudicca’s daughters, is fierce and vulnerable throughout the story, often showing immense courage in the face of endless adversity, but also revealing a raw innocence to the reader, making her a character that it’s easy to engage with. The story weaves into its fabric a range of themes, including an impossible love story, grief and loss, revenge and treachery, all rolled into a wealth of historical knowledge, which makes the reader want to find out more about these turbulent times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Boudicca remains, even in the modern era, a symbol of resistance and hope in the face of insurmountable odds. She has since passed more into myth than reality, so it is wonderful to see a book grounded in the realism of her story rather than the versions of her that have been spat out afterwards.

We follow (for the most part) her daughter, Solina, throughout this book as she is cast into Roman slavery and slowly makes her way through the trappings of Roman society. From the side of the positives, this reads as a strong historical fiction piece that makes it feel like you’re actually in the story. The writing is well done, and the descriptions are enough to feel real without feeling flowery.

Solina is a strong character and, indeed, a strong woman. She is not so headstrong as to compromise her position, and she’s strategic in how she approaches her trials, which is wonderful. I really enjoyed her POV sections in particular.

I do think that there were definitely sections that could have done with a bit more detail, and others that could have done with less. The end of the book goes very rapidly without providing too much information about the events, particularly from the perspective of the Emperor succession line. I feel like the ending was a bit too neat, and I have to wonder in real life how much discontent Solina would have felt. The line between retaining your identity and coming into a new one could have just been a little more cohesive.

Boudicca’s Daughter plunged me into an emotionally charged and vividly rendered historical world. Elodie Harper’s lyrical yet unsparing prose captured the stark brutality and unexpected tenderness of ancient Britain and Rome.

Solina’s perspective offers a compelling lens through which themes of loyalty, survival, and rebellion are explored. However, the novel’s pacing and structure felt a little off to me. The frequent shifts in point of view and rapid historical transitions felt disorienting and occasionally distracted from the emotional pull of Solina’s journey.

The novel truly shines is in its portrayal of female resilience and complex moral choices. Harper excels in building a cast of richly drawn women and exploring their relationships with nuance and depth. For those who enjoy ambitious, character-driven historical fiction with a strong feminist core, Boudicca’s Daughter offers a rewarding, reading experience. I’m looking forward to seeing how Harper develops these themes further in her future work.

Boudicca's Daughter is beautifully written and rich with historical details. That being said, I had a hard time keeping up with the many characters and didn't feel attached to any of them.

I loved this book I have not read anything about Boudicca before. I know this was about her daughter but the descriptions about britain during the Boudicca rebellion were brilliant.
I have never read anything by this author but look forward to reading more
Come back to your Review on the pub date, Aug 28 2025, to post to

I couldn't have loved the Wolf Den trilogy more, so I was really, really excited for this one. It was good, and felt educational and illuminating, but I never got attached to the characters quite as much. We pass through a LOT of time, and it felt too broad.

I don't even have words to describe how much I loved this book. I kept putting off finishing it because I didn't want it to be over, and honestly, I am still reeling from it.

My favorite part of Elodie Harper's novels is the characters. They are so complex and flawed that it makes it possible to love them and be critical of their choices at the same time. This novel does an excellent job of exploring Boudicca's rebellion as well as the year of four emperors through varied perspectives that make it impossible to view any of the main characters as entirely good or evil. This book is the most beautiful shade of grey, and I loved every moment of it.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year - I loved Elodie Harper’s writing in The Wolf Den and she didn’t disappoint with Boudicca’s Daughter.

It took a little while for me to get used to Solina & Catia’s world, but I was soon hooked on their story. I loved Elodie’s approach to multiple POVs in the story, with Solina’s written in first person and other characters in third person, and found the pacing was perfect for me, focusing on the most eventful times of Solina’s life and not lingering on everyday life for long enough for the reader to lose interest.

The writing style is easy to read without taking away from the more emotional moments of the book, and I appreciated the way Solina’s trauma and grief was referenced throughout rather than being something she moved on from. She also described the political events in the book in a way that’s easy to understand with little to no knowledge of the time period, though it definitely left me wanting to learn more about it in my own time.

I was shocked to find out afterwards how little about the main characters of this book is actually known, as Elodie Harper writes about them so vividly and they feel so fleshed out. She writes complex characters and relationships so well, and I appreciate how carefully she wrote about Solina’s feelings and her eventual relationship, without forgetting about everything she had been through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the digital arc! Boudicca’s Daughter will be published on August 28th ❤️

A searing exploration of legacy, resistance, and survival in the shadow of empire.

In Boudicca’s Daughter, Elodie Harper turns her formidable narrative talents to one of history’s most explosive rebellions—and the young woman left in its aftermath. Told through the eyes of Solina, the youngest daughter of the legendary warrior queen, this novel is not a simple retelling of Boudicca’s revolt. It is a profound, character-driven reimagining of what happens when the fires of resistance die down… and a daughter must forge her own path through the ashes.

The historical grounding here is exceptional. As someone who has studied this period in depth, I was particularly impressed by the book’s nuanced portrayal of Roman Britain: the brutal clash of cultures, the calculated imperial cruelty, and the shifting boundaries of identity for women caught between resistance and survival. Harper captures the harshness of Roman conquest without romanticising the tribal past—what emerges is a layered portrait of power, displacement, and the cost of empire.

Solina’s journey—from sacred marshlands to the political theatre of Nero’s Rome—is both sweeping and intimate. She is not simply her mother’s heir, but a fully realised character whose internal struggle with vengeance, belonging, and agency becomes the emotional core of the novel. Her relationship with Paulinus, the ruthless Roman general responsible for her family’s downfall, is particularly compelling—rooted in trauma, but never simplistic. Power, gender, and manipulation dance uneasily through every interaction.

At its heart, Boudicca’s Daughter asks what it means to resist when the war is lost. What does survival look like when your very existence is politicised? And how do women—so often erased from recorded history—carve out autonomy in the belly of the empire that consumed their people?

Richly atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and sharply intelligent, Harper’s latest is both a gripping novel and a vital act of historical reimagining. Fans of Circe and Clytemnestra will find much to admire here—but Solina’s voice is strikingly her own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — A triumph of historical fiction. Urgent, unflinching, and utterly unforgettable.

Well what can I say.
I was hooked from the off. With a very basic knowledge of Boudicca and the rebellion.
But this book had high hopes and it delivered. I feel Solina being torn in her feelings and honour. Sometimes the book was hard to read but not out of terrible writing but from raw emotion.
What a book. Amazing. I would like to know more of what happens in the future for the characters. But honestly my first Elodie harper book. And it won't be my last

‘Boudicca’s Daughter’ is divided into four parts, each being almost like a book on its own. Lots of things happen, we’re starting with a deep dive into this world after which the suspense is expertly and swiftly building and doesn’t leave until the end. I really enjoyed that as it made it tough for me to put the book down. You’ll not easily be able to anticipate where it’ll lead you next, which added to the suspense and readability.
I really liked Solina. She felt like a mix of Amara and Britannica from the Wolf Den. Time wise the events from this book happen about 15ish years before the Wolf Den. There are some customs, words and a tribe we know from being mentioned in the Wolf Den as well. So it was fun reading them at the same time. If you haven’t read the Wof Den yet, I think it may also be fun to read Boudicca’s Daughter first and then the Wolf Den, in chronological order.
If you’re not a history geek and not too fond of this time period, I’m not sure if you’re fully going to appreciate the sheer amount of research that went in this and how layered and detailed the story is.
Elodie Harper has cemented herself as one of my new favorite authors and auto-buy authors. I will absolutely pick up ‘Boudicca’s Daughter’ once it’s published as a bookcase trophy. This belongs in my collection.
The only thing I didn’t really like, was the romance part of this book. I understood it to an extent, but it was tough to relate to and accept at times. Though I think that was totally the point.
The characters feel super real, well fleshed-out and layered, like those in all Harper’s books. The character development was so interesting. I really loved reading a multiple POV book by her, this was so well done.
I rated it 4,25 stars. Absolutely loved it!

Of fucking course I loved it! Strong contender for best book of the year for me.

You will love it too if you like:
❤️‍🔥True enemies to lovers love stories (yes, they want to kill each other)
⚔️ Rebellion, political intrigue, and civil war
♀️ Women who refuse to behave
🫂Deep examination of family, honor, and forgiveness
🗺️ Exploring the wide world of the Roman Empire

THE FULL TEA:
In an interesting twist, this is a love story at its core. While it still focuses on women, their survival, and the many ways they rebelled against their circumstances, Harper took on a much grander scope and theme in this book than in her Wolf Den series. I loved her take on how empires crush even the people dedicated to upholding them and the way humanity grows outside the boxes society assigns it.

Where the Wolf Den is driven by stakes so incredibly personal it almost gave me an ulcer, Boudicca's Daughter pushes much more into the political drama of this tumultuous time. Solina, Boudicca, and Paulinus (all POV characters) are well aware of the history and legacy they are wrapped up in. For me this made it a more interesting read, but one that did not have the same un-put-downable quality as the first series.

I loved how much more of the Roman Empire we got to see in this book. From Briton to Gaul to Italy, Harper's beautiful writing lets us peer into the palace and battlefields and Pliny's library. With each new place, we meet friends and villains, all spun from her signature shades of gray. Harper also weaves a familiar cast of side characters into Boudicca's Daughter that will delight Wolf Den fans. Special shout out to Senovara and Pliny being an insufferable ass (yet still lovable). He got easy treatment in Wolf Den but Solina really holds him to the fire.

My biggest qualm with this book is the same with Harper's others: Some parts of the beginning felt slow. It all comes together nicely in the end, but her other books have a clear driving question (e.g. will Amira gain her freedom?) that is lacking in this one. With Boudicca's Daughter, I struggled to understand where the story was going after the 30% mark, even though I ultimately loved the ride. I think the tense changes with Boudicca's and Paulinus' parts exacerbated this by making them feel more removed.

All in, Harper has gained my unwavering trust. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone (so long as they are comfortable reading about sexual assault).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review

Often we think about how we might operate in times of tragedy, horror, war, and how we might have fared during historically significant events - we think we might have been survivors, or fighters, or lovers, or cowards or conspirators; that we might have made braver or weaker choices that the characters we read about. Elodie Harper's writing gets to the absolute heart of the human condition and allows us to really understand what people would have done in those life-altering circumstances. Elodie Harper did this so masterfully in the bestselling Wolf Den series, but her writing in Boudicca's Daughter takes this to another level.

Starting with the story of the legendary Boudicca herself, Harper tells us of the Iceni rebellion against Rome and then follows the story of Solina, Boudicca's daughter through her capture and subsequent life in Rome. Set amidst the backdrop of Ancient Rome and its countless political plots and coups, it brings to life one of history's most interesting periods and places.

The central theme of the book of 'survival' is reminiscent of The Wolf Den trilogy, and fans of that series will love this book, I am sure. For the entirety of the book, you are gripped by the decisions Solina makes to survive. Never have a felt so attached to the choices a historical character would have made in times of war - I found myself constantly thinking through the decisions Solina made, understanding just how inherently human her choices were and whether I could be as brave.

The book was slightly less anxiety inducing than the Wolf Den, though that did mean there were slightly fewer plot points that really tested the full range of my emotions.

The characters were so compelling throughout, from Boudicca herself, her transformation from a woman and mother to the famous warrior, to Solina and Paulinus as the storytellers. BUT of course the most critical character appearances were Senovara and my boy, Pliny (a total grouch and I love him for it!).

I can't wait to get the physical copy in my hands so I can read it again with a clearer sense of where I am at in the book which helps with pacing (in a way the digital book can't) and so I can go back to some early reference points while reading.

Looking forward to Boudicca's Daughter to be released officially in the UK on August 28th, and in the US on Sept 2nd; I'll be seated in the audience for one of many anticipated events on the release book tour!

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the e-ARC - my most anticipated read of the year!

I finished the Wolf Den Trilogy last year, and instantly knew Elodie Harper's new release would be my next most anticipated release. I can now confirm that this woman does not miss!

Boudiccas Daughter takes place some years prior to the events of the Wolf Den, where we follow our main character Solina, her mother Boudicca and Roman captor Paulinus. Boudicca was the warrior queen of Britain that lead the (failed) rebellion against the Roman occupation, and Solina was her daughter that gets captured and taken to Rome. The atmosphere was refreshingly different from the Wolf Den, and it was so exciting to get a well written historical fiction about Britain's history. Then of course in Rome, we lao over to the exciting (and terrifying) court politics and setting we found in the WD trilogy, which I was very excited to be back in.

While I think the wolf den was very atmospheric and used a lot of side characters to build up the story which I loved, I think this book took a deeper depth into character development and arcs, that I believe I missed in the Wolf Den. I feel really connected to Solina as a character, and we also go really great insight to Boudicca and Paulinus that made me feel a bit more emotionally connected to their story. There way it explored the love in family bonds, romance, trauma and heritage was really devastating and clever, and I felt much more understanding to Solinas reasoning than I did in the other books.

I think Elodie Harper does historical fiction as it should be, with well researched details to paint up the setting in what comes off in such effortless way, even though you can clearly see the tremendous work she must have put in behind it. The writing is also very accessible to all readers, making her books so enjoyable for a wider audience.

The pacing slowly speeds up, and at the end of the book I could not put it down. I could have easily continued to read about Solinas story for many pages still. Safe to say Elodie Harper is now an auto-buy author, and I will be purchasing this book as soon as it comes out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Union Square & Co. for this ARC, and to Elodie Harper for a new favorite book.

Thank you to Elodie Harper, Union Square & Co., and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review

The Wolf Den Trilogy was one of my favourite books I read last year and Boudicca’s Daughter has definitely not disappointed! I loved the inclusion of characters from the trilogy, such as the fan favourite Senovara - a brave young child caught up in the Iceni rebellion.

The book has multiple POVs and flips between Solina (Boudicca’s daughter) in first-person and other characters in third person. The storytelling was compelling, immersive, and well-paced with great characterisation and plot. I thought at the start the prose could feel a little young adult but it matured progressively. With hindsight, I believe it was more to reflect the age of the character. Although the book stands at over 400 pages, I found it to be a quick and easy read due to the short chapters and seamless sentence structure.

I can’t wait to read more from Elodie Harper!

"Boudicca’s Daughter" is an engaging work of historical fiction that breathes life into the shadowy corners of ancient British history. In this novel, Elodie Harper reimagines the fate of the Iceni princess, creating a story that is both richly detailed and emotionally wrenching. With vivid world-building, Harper captures the spirit of a young woman shaped by rebellion, loss, and resilience.

I appreciated Harper's skill in blending historical fact with creative storytelling. She gives voice to a figure who is essentially a footnote in Roman histories by crafting a heroine who is fierce and complex. The cultural and political tensions of Roman Britain—and the Roman Empire itself—are brought to life, transporting the reader from the misty forests of southeastern Britannia to the bustling, colourful streets of Rome.

I recommend it to fans of historical fiction, especially those drawn to stories of powerful women lost to time.