Boudica Britannia - Miranda Aldhouse-Green

Advantages: In-depth, gripping plot, well-developed characters, well researched
Disadvantages: A long read

...I picked this book up expecting a fairly dry, factual read. I'm happy to say that it is nothing of the sort. The story starts with an action scene where Boudica loses her mother and the story bounds on from there. Further in the story takes a natural fork and we are moved back and forth between the life of Boudica and of her younger brother. I am no expert on history, but the book certainly reads as though it has been well researched, bringing to life the characters and their struggles through the rituals, wars and politics of the day. It is a big book, so not a particularly easy or fast read, but the story flows along and there are plenty of sub plots and interweaving of stories to keep you interested. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was something of a shame to come to the end...... so happy to hear that the next in the series... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: good read
Disadvantages: no pics

...In this novel, the first of a trilogy depicting the life and edventures of the Brittanic heroine Boudica, Manda Scott has laid the foundations for an epic dramatisation of the life of a great historic figure. The author has cleverly taken the base of the story from history, researched the culture and lifestyle of the inhabitants of 'barbarian' northern Europe around the time of the Roman Empire and interspersed imagination and magic to create a vivid picture of Britain in these times, all in order to effect a fantastic location for the base of this story. The story of Boudica herself if widely known throughout the UK and history students around the world as one of the more dramatic thorns in the side of Roman expansion. But Manda Scott has very intelligently taken this factual base and brought it to life, without detracting from... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average not helpful

Advantages: Funny and immensely readable
Disadvantages: The heroine has weird hair

...be how Miranda reaches it that will be a mystery. I know it seems weird to pick on the heroine's hair as a disadvantage. But I couldn't think of another one. And I know that hairdressers are experimental and everything, but short and black with green streaks? I'm sorry, that just sounds strange to me. It made the character of Miranda sound weird-looking to me, which I don;t think was the author's intention, and I like my main characters to have nice hair (okay, so I'm weird, but it's fiction, I should be allowed to imagine what i like!) But apart from that, there were no disadvantages, and that was a fairly small one (which probably would not bother most normal people!). If you like Jill Mansell give this book a try. If you haven't ever read a Jill mansell book, this is one of the best ones to start with. If you want a light-hearted romantic... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful