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Boudicca's Daughter

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Boudicca's Daughter

By: Elodie Harper
Narrated by: Elodie Harper, Nathalie Emmanuel
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Bloomsbury presents Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper, read by Nathalie Emmanuel with an introduction read by Elodie Harper.

'Boudicca’s Daughter is Elodie Harper’s masterpiece.' Costanza Casati, bestselling author of Babylonia
'A beautiful, breathtaking novel... pre-order it immediately!' Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne
'One of the best books I have ever read.' Bea Fitzgerald, Sunday Times bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen

Boudicca. Infamous warrior, queen of the British Iceni tribe and mastermind of one of history’s greatest revolts. Her defeat spelled ruin for her people, yet still her name is enough to strike fear into Roman hearts.

But what of the woman who grew up in her shadow?

The woman who has her mother’s looks and cunning but a spirit all of her own?

The woman whose desperate bid for survival will take her from Britain’s sacred marshlands to the glittering façades of Nero’s Roman Empire…

Born to a legend. Forced to fight. Determined to succeed.

Meet Solina.

Boudicca’s Daughter.

*CRITICS LOVE ELODIE HARPER*
‘Magnificent’ Observer
’A triumph’ The Times
‘Dazzling’ Daily Mail
‘Gripping’ Independent
'One-of-a-kind' Red Magazine
'Captivating' Heat Magazine

*AUTHORS LOVE ELODIE HARPER*
‘Phenomenal’ Jennifer Saint
‘Extraordinary’ Costanza Casati
'Beautiful' Susan Stokes-Chapman
‘Tender… powerful’ Samantha Shannon
‘Richly imagined' Louise O'Neill
'Spellbinding' Anna Mazzola

*READERS LOVE ELODIE HARPER*
’Elodie's writing style is a dream’
’Enlightening… transports you back in time’
’A work of art. I will read absolutely anything Elodie Harper writes’
'I have loved every page of this wonderful story’
’Essential reading for fans of historical fiction’©2025 Elodie Harper (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Ancient Historical Fiction Motherhood Parenting & Families Relationships Rome Women Heartfelt Royalty
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Critic reviews

I was bereft when the Wolf Den trilogy ended, but with her hotly anticipated new standalone, Boudicca’s Daughter, Elodie has surpassed herself. A beautiful, breathtaking novel about what it takes to survive in the shadow of legend, Boudicca’s Daughter is a furious page-turner, a raw, emotional journey, and a profound meditation on family and legacy. I loved this novel – pre-order it immediately! (Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne)
Elodie Harper continues her legacy of writing powerful, complex women with the story of Solina, daughter of history’s favourite heroine Boudicca. What struck me most about this story is the precision to detail, along with the lyricism which brought such rich depictions to life. There is a deeply introspective nature in Harper’s exploration of antiquity, in particular in her writing of relationships between men and women, oppressors and the oppressed. Without a doubt, Harper is one of the most important writers working in historical fiction today and we are all richer for the existence of her work. (Nikita Gill, author of Hekate)
'I am trying to find words to express how much I adored BOUDICCA'S DAUGHTER. Elodie Harper is the most magnificent writer and this is her best book yet. Immersive, captivating, heart-breaking, BOUDICCA'S DAUGHTER is brilliantly propulsive, bringing ancient Britain and crumbling Rome to roaring life. Solina is the most brilliantly, fiercely wonderful woman. I loved watching her grow and change, and the way Elodie is able to let contradictory feelings and urges sit side by side: her characters are so wonderfully real and fully realised. This is certainly my book of the year. (Caroline Lea, author of The Glass Woman)
Boudicca’s Daughter is Elodie Harper’s masterpiece. A story of the infamous rebellion led by the British queen and its aftermath, it is narrated from the perspectives of the women who suffered, then made the Roman empire bleed. From the forests of Roman Britain to the glittering palaces of the empire’s capital, the novel is a shocking reflection on the relationship between virtue and power, honour and vengeance. And its heart is Solina, a woman left unknown by Roman historians and yet whose resilience and cunning Elodie conjures with such skill – her strength, her vulnerability, her desire for freedom and love but, most of all, her will to survive. (Costanza Casati, author of Clytemnestra)
Elodie Harper is a master storyteller with an extraordinary gift for recreating the past.... Solina is a character you can’t help but love. Defined by her courage, moral complexity and heartfelt goodness, I defy anyone not to be completely beguiled by her and the world in which she exists. This is historical fiction of the highest quality. (Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Disobedience)
All stars
Most relevant
Love this author, her immersive writing creates a world you can see and even smell. Brilliant strong characters and fantastic plots. After the Wolf Den trilogy, this didn’t disappoint.

Fantastic read

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After reading the wolf den trilogy and absolutely loving it, I was concerned this wouldn’t live up the same experience. I was a total fool to question this, such a wonderful story and so immersive. Patiently awaiting Harpers next novel!

An emotional rollercoaster

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I listened to the novel on Audible and thought “it’s pretty good, like 4 stars”. Then, because I was doing the washing up when the actual novel ended I let it play on & heard the author’s notes. Now I admire it. It has principle: Harper choosing to illuminate the seldom-heard though common life story of a noblewoman captured and enslaved by the Roman Empire. It’s rather scholarly: paying due attention to proper histories and archaeology. I’m a bit particular with my 5 star ratings. I reserve them for books which I enjoy, but which I also think are important in some way, and just. This book meets all those criteria - meets them but doesn’t absolutely smash them, which is how come it’s only getting 4 stars.
I expected a revisionist, feminist warrior who really stuck it to the men in a wish-fulfilling kind of way. That is not at all what I got. At the start of the novel Boudicca’s daughter, Solina, is certainly a warrior; half way through, and at the end, she’s still pretty handy with a sword or a spear. But has been very thoroughly subjugated. Fear not, ladies, Solina does manage some pretty impressive poisoning of the Empire from within - using her long, slow, feminine wiles. Its a long slow love story too, though. Here’s a quote from late in the book which, I think, kind of sums up Solina’s story: talking of her man she says: “He faces a choice without honour. Whatever he chooses it will be dishonourable. He is not used to thinking of himself that way. I do not add that I am used to it; that much of my life has been about making appalling choices”.
Obviously there is truly grisly violence but Harper does an excellent job of keeping it off-screen. We go very close, it really hurts. The emotional scars never heal, in fact the whole book might be described as PTSD. Well done Elodie Harper, very cleverly written.
As a man, I got tired, really, of all the feelings and emotions. I wanted physical objects and activities. Early in the book there is a scene in which Solina takes her sister into the house of a woman who offers to treat the sister’s head-wound. The house is in a town which is in the process of being sacked, and the householders are technically the enemy. While the nice woman is treating Solina’s sister the three women go through various sets of strong feelings about each other, and say things that cause hurt or whatever. There’s meant to be an elderly sick relative in the house, but we never meet him. If a man were writing this scene it would be full of physical objects and actions. Solina would case the joint, checking it for hostiles. She would overturn things, break locks, check lines of sight, get onto the roof, etc etc. The objects in this book are mostly charms or keepsakes, freighted with emotions, causing people to gush or yearn. Not quite my style.
Nonetheless, a great book.

Almost 5 Stars

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After devouring The Wolf Den trilogy last year, I was keen to read this - and it didn't disappoint. As The Wolf Den painted a picture of ancient Pompeii in a way I'd never before been able to envisage, so she does her for Boudica's Isynai warrior family. Solina is a vivid, strong likeable character. I greatly enjoyed going on this journey to Rome with her, and learning more about that point in history though Harper's creative lens.

Brings ancient history vividly to life; A wonderful read

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Like the author, I vividly remember seeing the incredible statue of Boudicca on her chariot on the banks of the Thames and thinking how fabulous it was to have such an impressive, powerful monument to a female warrior amongst a history full of men.
Elodie has chosen to imagine this pivotal moment in British history (&, arguably, in history of the role of women) through the eyes of her daughter. It is a very personal perspective, exploring what it must have been like to have Boudicca as a mother, how could she survive the decimation and subjugation of her people, and could she ever exact any retribution or hold on to their legacy.
At its heart this is a journey of survival under unimaginable circumstances, love and eventually finding some kind of peace... "my pain is my past but it does not define me".
It does not dwell on the savagery and brutally exacted by both sides, or the day to day hardships of the times. At first this felt an unrealistic interpretation, but reading on I realised graphic descriptions of horrific events would not have added to this tale.
The narrative is split into parts, to reflect the different points in Solina's life and switches between 1st and 3rd person to allow the voices of Boudicca and the Paulinus to describe events beyond Solina's perspective.
The audio is excellent.

Insightful imagining of one of histories overlooked women

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