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.

This book is bad. It’s insulting to the legacy and cultural memory of Boudicca, especially in the marketing of this retelling as “romantasy”. I was done 7% of the way through when Cast’s Boudicca has her “Why me?” moment in front of the Goddess. Cast has a poor understanding of pre-Roman societies, specifically how differently ancient people behaved, thought, and related. I’d go so far as to say Cast’s work here is insulting to the great legacy of writer-veterans. I look forward to her repentance.

I went into this book completely blind and was pleasantly surprised. I had never heard of Queen Boudicca before so it was nice to learn some things through this retelling of this part of history.

The author did a great job at setting up the scene for these characters and I truly felt transported there alongside them.

If you like revenge stories and books about historical characters consider picking this one up.

✨Make sure to check trigger warnings.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the #gifted copy of the book.

The author did a phenomenal job of merging history and mythology in this story. I’m familiar with this mythology and period in britains history and loved how the story integrated this source material into something entirely unique. From page one this was so immersive, with amazingly worldbuilding and historical detail. Despite its length I flew through this one.

I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, but Boudicca was phenomenal! P.C. Cast's storytelling is transportive, taking the reader back to a time when it was easy to believe that gods and goddesses walked the earth. Boudicca's strength, perseverance, love, and faith will endear any reader to her story!

3.5 stars

I first became fascinated with the legend of Boudicca when as a young girl I came across her name in an anthology of famous queens. That short caption about a warrior queen who led her people to defy and fight the Roman invaders captured my imagination. Seeing this book reignited that fascination.

Set during the Iron Age, a lot of what Cast introduces tracks with what’s recorded in history. I can’t help it; anything historical, and I have to look it up as I read along. Boudicca led a happy life with her husband and two young daughters until he passed away. She then became Queen of the Iceni tribe, and later the Romans attacked her village. Britain back then was at a crossroads with the various Celtic tribes staving off the Roman might as best they could. Boudicca wasn’t one to give up, and rallied allies together to push back.

I enjoyed this novel for providing more context to Boudicca’s life. I’m not sure how much truth is in the middle of Cast’s story. I know authors take some creative license with historic events, and I think she does here as well, anchoring it with what is known and researched. What is true of Celtic society is that women were a force to be reckoned with. They were leaders, healers, counselors, warriors. They contributed equally. The Romans couldn’t fathom that.

Highlights:
⚔️ Historical fiction, Iron-age Britain, druids, ancient Romans
⚔️Strong FMC, female rage, female leaders in various roles
⚔️ Mythology, magical realism

Be aware of: violence, pillaging, SA (of minor), misogyny

I was expecting the ending I knew, but Cast doesn’t go there, instead leaving it open ended. I think this book serves as a good gateway to learning more about Boudicca who continues to inspire awe and fascination.

My thanks to @williammorrowbooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗰𝗮 is available January 21

I knew nothing of who Boudicca was until after returning from my first trip to London and looking into the figure depicted in the statue that turned out to be a favorite of the many, many statues I got to see. Learning about who she was and what she accomplished (and what she failed to accomplish) became wrapped up in learning about Roman Britain in general (a difficult topic not to become fascinated by after visiting the Museum of London and Bath). When I saw that there was going to be a novel about Boudicca, I jumped at the chance to read it and, for the most part, I enjoyed P.C. Cast’s recent Boudicca, but going into reading it knowing even the barest outlines of what happened to her and her daughters also made it rather difficult to read. There was enough of a fantasy element laid over the story to keep it from being the bleakest version of the story, but the subject matter remains heavy and will linger with most readers.

After the death of her husband, Boudicca was named as the queen of her tribe, the Iceni. Her husband had been willing to deal with the Romans but, given the Romans’ low regard for women, it is hardly surprising that they decide to put Boudicca in her place. Attacking her village and her people when the bulk of their warriors are away for a gathering and celebration, Boudicca watches many of her tribe’s elders slaughtered including her own mother, her daughters are raped by Roman soldiers, and Boudicca herself is flogged to the point where she must choose to capitulate or be killed as an example. But bowing to the Romans in the moment means surviving to fight another day and that is just what Boudicca decides to do. With the support of her people’s patron goddess, Andraste, Boudicca spends months training with her soldiers to be able to lead her people into battle against the Roman forces occupying their land, building alliances with other tribes who have similarly had enough of Roman oppression. Leading a campaign seeking both vengeance and the removal of Romans from their land, Boudicca leaves a lasting impression on her foes as she leaves her mark on British history.

There is so much about the historical Boudicca and what she accomplished that is just ripe for a novel like this but when working within the bounds of history (even when weaving in fantasy elements as Cast does), there are also hurdles that can’t always be avoided. In Boudicca’s story the gap between the initial successes of the first year of the fight against Roman occupation and it all falling apart the next year is a difficult one to overcome. I think that Cast is largely successful in keeping the story compelling through the winter but explaining how Boudicca and her army go from where they left off against the Romans to that final battle feels a bit flimsy. I don’t blame Cast for this at all. From my understanding (which mostly comes from brief mentions of Roman Britain in Emma Southon’s A Rome of One’s Own), there are still a lot of big gaps in the historical record of that period and most of what we do have is, of course, the Romans’ biased perspective. It’s just one of the challenges of the genre.

There is a lot of trauma to go around from the earliest pages of Boudicca, from the initial attack and slaughter through the unexpected losses outside of the battles. One element that Cast captures wonderfully is the perseverance and coping through grief and trauma. The recovery of not just Boudicca and her daughters but of their community as they decide their path forward and prepare for the fight with Rome shows the stumbling blocks and setbacks that come with grief and healing as well as the ways that remembering and celebrating what was lost help as much as they hurt. How necessary it can be to find a purpose and setting down a path, whether it be for vengeance or simply survival.

Actual Rating: 2.75/5

P.C. Cast’s Boudicca is a historical fantasy retelling of the legendary warrior queen, following her rise after the death of her husband, Prasutagus. The novel starts off at a slow pace, taking time to establish historical context, which, while necessary, doesn’t immediately pull the reader in. As the story unfolds, supernatural elements come into play, adding a mystical layer to Boudicca’s journey—but not always in a way that feels essential to her already compelling real-life history.

The novel explores themes of vengeance and sacrifice, but some pivotal choices feel unconvincing, especially when considering how Boudicca’s real story ends. The emotional weight of these moments doesn’t fully land, making parts of the narrative feel flat despite its fascinating subject matter. Additionally, the pacing is uneven, with drawn-out planning sequences that lessen the impact of the eventual revenge, leaving the resolution somewhat underwhelming.

That said, the novel does have strengths. The depictions of pagan traditions, including Beltane and Samhain, are rich and immersive, adding authenticity to the setting. While the supernatural aspects may not feel entirely necessary, they do give the story a unique flavor that some readers may enjoy.

Ultimately, Boudicca is an ambitious blend of history and fantasy that, while interesting, doesn’t quite achieve the emotional depth or narrative momentum of similar stories like Clytemnestra. It’s a fine read for those intrigued by the legend, but it may not be the most memorable take on her tale.

I’m extremely grateful to NetGalley and William Morrow for this opportunity to read a digital ARC and provide my honest review.

TRUE RATING: 2.75 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC.

This book was written with so much love and that love leaps off the page. I can only feel a deep appreciation for that. This is a book that I wanted very much. Boudicca’s story is a story worth telling for reasons beyond counting. I squealed and bounced on my toes when I received the email informing me that I was chosen to review an arc of this work. I wanted to love it so much.

Unfortunately, I liked, but did not love this book.

My initial review included two long lists of things that I loved and things that I did not love. After I completed it and read it over, I realized that the root cause of my inability to love this book is simple. It did not give me what I needed from a Boudicca story.

Boudicca’s daughters are her cause. Her purpose. They are shadows in Cast's narrative, in a story that should be theirs as much as it is Boudicca's. They are forgettable child caricatures who never become fully fleshed out characters. Their bond with their mother should be the heart and soul of this book, because what happens to them is the heart and soul of Boudicca’s rebellion, but it is not. That bond is shoved aside in favor of fictional, lackluster, and extremely forced romance. Cast loses the plot to it; to her attempts to force it to the front and center of the narrative. She goes so far as to alter history to achieve this goal in a way that is, truly, nonsensical. I could probably ramble about that for a paragraph, but again, avoiding spoilers. Part III asks readers with historical knowledge to suspend their disbelief quite a bit.

Truth be told, there is a great deal that I could say about my personal dislike about the way this romantic subplot and its characters are handled, but I am attempting to avoid spoilers in this review. I will say, quite simply, that it was not for me.

In sum, I am of the opinion that any story about Boudicca is not good if her daughters are not the center. That is my main complaint and the biggest reason why I couldn’t love it. I have other complaints regarding the writing itself, but none of them were as make or break as this particular point is for me.

At the end of the day, this is a very slow-paced and romanticized telling of Boudicca’s story. If the romance was written better and her daughters were more prominent, it would’ve worked. I would’ve loved this book in the way that I set out to. For this reason, I encourage anyone who reads this to read this book for yourselves and make up your own minds. Just because these things did not work for me, that doesn't mean that they won't for you.

I want to end this with a statement of appreciation for two things that I did deeply love.

1. For the most part, I enjoyed Boudicca’s characterization immensely. This does suffer a little when Cast loses the plot in Part III, but overall I thought that she was just right for a modern audience. She is sympathic and she kicks ass at the same time.
2. It is obvious that so much love and research was put into this book. I appreciated her notes at the end about the changes she made, even if I ultimately didn’t like the changes, and her transparency about what little information we have about this time period. I wish that every historical fiction writer was that honest.


I didn't hate this book. But I didn't love it.

Yet another reminder of why I love Cast's writing so much. I was sucked into this story right from the beginning. I had heard of Boudicca mentioned in different history classes here and there, but this was my first dive into her story. I loved how strong she was in the face of things that would have definitely made weaker people fold. I thought that her love for her people and her daughters was lovely and transcended through her actions and the way that she led them against the Romans. This is a dense book and the world building is a lot so this is a book that I will be returning to at some point because I am sure that there will be pieces that I will discover that I missed the first time around.

I really struggled with how to give feedback for this book (which is why it has taken me so long to review it) because while I enjoyed it as a fantasy retelling of the past, I think it was marketed incorrectly.
I knew about Boudicca before reading this book which is why I was so interested in receiving an ARC, and while I was prepared for the more horrific elements of the story, I also was expecting more of a romantasy as that is how it's marketed. There is no romance in this book. Are there relationships with feelings? Yes, but not romance.
Let me preface by saying I love PC Cast. I have read her books for a long time, but I feel like her writing in this book was too juvenile for an adult book.

Boudicca 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.

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.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

P.C. Cast’s Boudicca is an ambitious reimagining of the legendary warrior queen’s story, blending historical inspiration with a strong, feminist narrative. The book shines in its vivid descriptions and emotional depth, bringing Boudicca to life as a fierce and determined leader.

However, while the premise is compelling, the execution feels uneven. Some sections are beautifully written and immersive, while others drag or feel too modern in tone for a historical setting. Additionally, character development—especially for the supporting cast—could have been deeper, making certain relationships and conflicts feel rushed.

Overall, Boudicca is an engaging read with a powerful protagonist, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. If you enjoy strong female leads and historical fiction with a touch of fantasy, it’s worth a read—but it may not leave a lasting impact.

Would you like me to tweak anything to better fit your experience with the book?

AD 60/61. Iceni chief Prasutagus is dead, his 33-year-old wife Boudicca now the accepted queen of Tribe Iceni. When tax collector Decianus and his centuria attack the Iceni settlement of Tasceni without warning, Boudicca is viciously flogged, her two young daughters brutally gang-raped, and the tribe is decimated. In the name of the tribe’s patroness, the goddess Andraste, Boudicca vows vengeance for her people. Acknowledged as a trained warrior and War Queen, she allies with the Trinovantes to lead successful attacks on Camulodunum, Londinium and Verulamium, then withdraws to prepare for all-out war to expel the Romans from Britain.

Cast’s epic story is crafted around events chronicled by Roman historian, Tacitus, whose father-in-law, Agricola, was an eyewitness to the uprising. Happily, the author doesn’t rely on modernisations, yet the story and its lessons are easily accessible to today’s audiences, as its characters bound with dynamic life. The thoughts and feelings of the tribe are felt through details of their life and culture told by Boudicca in her gripping story. Cast handles a long list of characters, tribes, towns and areas of ancient Britain with seeming ease, without need for introductory maps or indexes. Modern thinkers might tag this as feminist, but Boudicca’s life, in an age when warriors both male and female respected her leadership, meant they followed her unquestioningly into the face of death at her command. Female autonomy wasn’t something she needed to prove. As she emerges from queen of a peaceful, prosperous settlement to goddess-protected warrior, we walk with her daughters through their slow recovery from assault and degradation. The rape, flogging and subsequent healing journey are graphic but treated with great compassion. This is an exemplary work and one which helps us to truly appreciate Boudicca and the tribes of Britain’s enormous sacrifice. Few novels evoke the emotion that this does in its closing chapters.

I listen to the audio book version of this novel! I want to say well done to the narrator! Both the author and narrator did such incredible work! The descriptive writing was so eloquently worded, making me feel like I could close my eyes and see the scenes unfolding. There are some dark themes such as SA, violence, and grief… but I feel like the author did an excellent job writing these scenes that are dark and heart breaking! The story of Boudicca is not one for the faint of heart, and Cast brought her to life in this novel showing her strength, grief and fierce fighting spirit. Boudicca was a warrior Queen for the Iceni Tribe, and P. C. Cast was the perfect writer to breathe life into this epic retelling of one of the most legendary female warriors in history! Cast shows the depth of her character through the good and bad. I couldn’t put it down!!! I highly recommend this book!!!