While lengthy, I could definitely see this playing out as a movie. I love the strength and humanity of Solina.

This fabulous historical fiction novel tells the story of the famous warrior Queen Boudicca who was Queen of the Iceni Tribe. She was living proof that a woman could be a standalone ruler. However despite this accomplishment she wasn't successful when it came to putting out a uprising against the ancient roman empire. This story. mainly focuses on her daughter Solina and how she tries to rebuild her life after the death of her family.
Overall I thoight that this was a very facinating story and brought out how brutal it was living in this time period. It was amazing how medieval times it was frowned upon for a woman to be in this sort of leadership role. I will admit there is some triggers of SA against women so please proceed with caution if you are reading this book. Overall I was glad that I took the opportunity to read it.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

Elodie Harper once again writes a story that ate without leaving a SINGLE crumb.

Boudicca is an ancient queen of the British Iceni tribe who led a failed uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire (source - this book and Wikipedia). However, this standalone novel chronicles her daughters’ journeys through wartime and subsequent loss.

Basically, Boudicca’s Daughter has everything that makes me love historical fiction: gorgeous writing, nuanced characters and their relationships, lessons of love and loss, scheming and plotting, strong women, violence and war, ANCIENT ROME AND BRITAIN, truly the list goes on.

Love that the story takes place over probably around a decade (this needs fact checking) and is split into multiple parts so we get quick pacing and a substantial plot. In addition, the interludes of third person character perspectives strengthen the overall storytelling.

I think Harper writes about difficult topics in such a sensitive yet realistic way (e.g., grief, physical/emotional/sexual violence, PTSD, survival, revenge, guilt, etc.).

Thank you Net Galley for the arc!

This book was genuinely beautiful. I was initially drawn to this book because of Boudicca’s name, and had no idea what it would be about. Elodie Harper explored an incredibly complicated relationship with such depth and lore. The small triumphs for Solina in continuing her traditions in subtle ways felt so meaningful, and shone a light on such a dark part of our history. Whilst this book is ultimately a love story, it’s not between Solina and paulinus, it was between Solina and her family - especially her mother. This book had me in TEARS. - “dearer than oak” set me off again after Solina birthing her son (without the support of her family), and again at the end. I’ve never read Elodie Harper’s work before, but I will absolutely be recommending this to everyone (and reading everything else she’s ever written).

Whatever Elodie Harper writes, I will read. She could rewrite the dictionary and I would read it. I've been a fan of Elodie Harper since I read The Wolf Den series and fell in love with how she weaves together history and storytelling so beautifully.
Harper transports you to the time she is writing about and you can clearly imagine yourself walking down the streets of Rome. Boudicca's Daughter is no different. You are immersed into the different cities that the story is set whether it is in the saltmarshes or in Rome. Harper's attention to detail and in-depth research make this book feel all the more real. She also has the gift to make you feel what the people in the story feel-she shows rather than tells which a lot of authors have not yet mastered.

I liked the alternating POVs from Solina to Catia to Paulinus and how only Solina's chapters were in 1st person while the others were in 3rd person because ultimately, this is Solina's story and the story focuses on her and what she experiences. How Harper writes about trauma and the aftereffects of it was gutwrenching and you feel the pain that these characters feel and the anger and the hurt.

During the temple burning, Harper is also able to humanize Catia/Boudicca and her daughters and in Boudicca's last moments, she refers to herself as Catia and the mother of Solina.

The relationship between Solina and Paulinus was so beautifully written. The conflict of their feelings for the other, how they're both hurting and seeking solace in the other-it was heartbreaking but beautiful. One thing that really got me was that Solina held onto Paulinus because he knew her as Boudicca's daughter and he knows her past so she holds onto him as one of her last links to who she was before. Also loved how she manipulated him to secure her freedom but how that love grew. She was still very cautious despite Paulinus declaring his love for her and that I understood.

The last 50-60 pages of the book had me STRESSING! MISS HARPER-MY HEART ALMOST STOPPED A COUPLE OF TIMES!!

The last part of the book really got me: Solina, while she loves Paulinus, can never forgive him for what he had done. That really just sat with me. Because I know that had to have hurt him, as it should, worse than if she had rejected him.

Overall, all the stars to this book! I love it and it really played on my heartstrings and now I'm sad it's over. Thank you to NetGalley and Elodie Harper for allowing me to read the ARC!! I can't wait to see what else Elodie has in store!

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Fans of Harper’s previous books, the Wolf Den trilogy, will certainly find a lot to like here as well. We begin in Britain, a Britain mostly conquered by Rome, and here starts our story - the beginnings of Boudicca’s rebellion and how her daughter rises through it, and the choices she must make in order to survive.
At the heart of Harper’s writing are solid characters who are grounded and very real for the reader - we travel through Roman Britain and beyond, and everyone we meet is a fully rounded, fleshed out character who serves to take us further in that journey.
An excellent read, and I’ll certainly be looking out for more from Harper.

4.5 ⭐️s. Anyone who knows me knows that The Wolf Den trilogy is one of my all time favorite series, so when I received an early copy of Boudicca’s Daughter I was absolutely thrilled. Boudicca’s Daughter is about a girl named Solina daughter of Catia (later known as Boudicca) and the rebellion they lead against Rome. It was so great to see a few crossover characters from The Wolf Den (especially Pliny my neurodivergent king 👑 🫶). I love how thought provoking Elodie’s work is. This book specifically dealt with many heavy topics including the realities of war, loss, guilt, and survival. One thing I wasn’t expecting was the romance arc. It’s a very messy romance under the circumstances our characters are in, but it felt so real and believable. The beginning of this book starts quite slowly but you are soon thrown into the action of the story and the ending was so impactful (it left me staring at the wall 😭). Thank you NetGalley, Elodie Harper, and Union Square for the opportunity to read this ARC. Boudicca’s Daughter releases on Aug 28th.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this as I absolutely loved Wolf Den but not so much the books that followed. This was a slow paced read which read a little like non fic in parts but I did really like the relationship between Mother and Daughter and the strong female characters that we encounter. A good read for Historical fic fans!