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Song for a Dark Queen
This series of contemporary plays includes structured GCSE assignments for use by individuals or groups. These include questions which involve close reading, writing and discussion. This play is an account of Boudicca's rebellion against the Romans.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
11 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Sutcliff
86 books678 followersRosemary Sutcliff, CBE (1920-1992) was a British novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults. She once commented that she wrote "for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 3, 2024
In many a wonderful Sutcliff Roman Britain-era book, including “The Eagle of the Ninth,” “The Silver Branch,” and “The Lantern Bearers,” the protagonists and the emotional sympathy are on the Roman side. In this one, she flipped the script to make the reader positively despise the Romans and their actions in the subjugation of ancient Britannia.
This is the imagined story of the historical Boudicca, the fierce Queen of the Iceni people and her revolt against the Roman occupation in the years 60-61 CE. It is beautifully written, emotional, engaging, violent, powerful, and heartbreakingly tragic—a sublime masterpiece, like most of Sutcliff's works. This just might be my new favorite of hers, and given the excellence of her output, that’s really saying something. Deserving of 6 stars.
This is the imagined story of the historical Boudicca, the fierce Queen of the Iceni people and her revolt against the Roman occupation in the years 60-61 CE. It is beautifully written, emotional, engaging, violent, powerful, and heartbreakingly tragic—a sublime masterpiece, like most of Sutcliff's works. This just might be my new favorite of hers, and given the excellence of her output, that’s really saying something. Deserving of 6 stars.
March 25, 2021
From the author's note, page 175:
"It was in two books of T. C. Lethbridge's, 'Witches' & 'Gog-Magog', that I first came upon the theory that the Iceni were a matriarchy: the royal line, and with it the life line of the tribe, descending from the mother to daughter. So that Boudicca was their Queen in her own right and Prasutagus their King only because he was her husband.
That was often the way, among the older Iron-Age peoples. And if it was so in this case, then, to the tribe's way of thinking, it would turn the Romans' treatment of the Queen and princesses from brutal tyranny into something much worse, into sacrilege against the Life itself. And it would turn what followed from tribal revolt into Holy War; which of all wars is the most savage and merciless kind.
Also, in some odd way, it seemed to me to turn Boudicca into more of a real person. And real people, lost behidn their legends have always fascinated me."
This, then, is the central 'argument' of Sutcliff's story, which informs and infuses the whole drama. Her choice of the fictional Harper to the Queen, Cadwan, is a masterstroke. As bard, he would always have been present to record events and his knowledge of the Queen from childhood (those details, too, being an invention of Sutcliff's, I presume) enriches the story. Likewise his knowledge of customs, rites and lore of the Iceni people and other Brythonic tribes.
Reading this with knowledge of what is to happen, how it is to end, is difficult emotionally. Boudicca has long been a hero of mine - her spirited resistance against Roman oppression and fight for her people's freedom is inspirational. Despite being cognisant of the eventual outcome, I found myself still rooting for her, longing for a miracle, a victory against the occupying forces which I knew would never come, but yearned for just the same. One assumes our history would have been vastly different had she been successful.
Song for a Dark Queen won Children's Book of the Year in 1978. However, it is very much the Young Adult age group, since it deals with adult themes. While Sutcliff does not enter into graphic details, she does not shy away from the issues - there is both a hint at a sex scene (with a strong emphasis on consent) and an indication that Boudicca's daughters are raped. Consequently, I would recommwnd this for readers aged 13+ and that parents are prepared to talk through the issues highlighted if necessary.
Vividly written, very much ina folklore vein, this is a beautiful, entertaining, empowering and educational book. It is a pity that it has not (to my knowledge) been dramatised, for the pictures it conjured were both rich and film-like. Although it is a short book, I deliberately took my time with it to savour the experience and eke out the enjoyment. I believe it is one which will remain with me for a long time to come.
If you enjoy historical fiction, folklore and strong female characters, you will love 'Song For a Dark Queen', I guarantee it. Don't be put off by the children's book tag, it is an immensely satisfying read for grown-ups too.
"It was in two books of T. C. Lethbridge's, 'Witches' & 'Gog-Magog', that I first came upon the theory that the Iceni were a matriarchy: the royal line, and with it the life line of the tribe, descending from the mother to daughter. So that Boudicca was their Queen in her own right and Prasutagus their King only because he was her husband.
That was often the way, among the older Iron-Age peoples. And if it was so in this case, then, to the tribe's way of thinking, it would turn the Romans' treatment of the Queen and princesses from brutal tyranny into something much worse, into sacrilege against the Life itself. And it would turn what followed from tribal revolt into Holy War; which of all wars is the most savage and merciless kind.
Also, in some odd way, it seemed to me to turn Boudicca into more of a real person. And real people, lost behidn their legends have always fascinated me."
This, then, is the central 'argument' of Sutcliff's story, which informs and infuses the whole drama. Her choice of the fictional Harper to the Queen, Cadwan, is a masterstroke. As bard, he would always have been present to record events and his knowledge of the Queen from childhood (those details, too, being an invention of Sutcliff's, I presume) enriches the story. Likewise his knowledge of customs, rites and lore of the Iceni people and other Brythonic tribes.
Reading this with knowledge of what is to happen, how it is to end, is difficult emotionally. Boudicca has long been a hero of mine - her spirited resistance against Roman oppression and fight for her people's freedom is inspirational. Despite being cognisant of the eventual outcome, I found myself still rooting for her, longing for a miracle, a victory against the occupying forces which I knew would never come, but yearned for just the same. One assumes our history would have been vastly different had she been successful.
Song for a Dark Queen won Children's Book of the Year in 1978. However, it is very much the Young Adult age group, since it deals with adult themes. While Sutcliff does not enter into graphic details, she does not shy away from the issues - there is both a hint at a sex scene (with a strong emphasis on consent) and an indication that Boudicca's daughters are raped. Consequently, I would recommwnd this for readers aged 13+ and that parents are prepared to talk through the issues highlighted if necessary.
Vividly written, very much ina folklore vein, this is a beautiful, entertaining, empowering and educational book. It is a pity that it has not (to my knowledge) been dramatised, for the pictures it conjured were both rich and film-like. Although it is a short book, I deliberately took my time with it to savour the experience and eke out the enjoyment. I believe it is one which will remain with me for a long time to come.
If you enjoy historical fiction, folklore and strong female characters, you will love 'Song For a Dark Queen', I guarantee it. Don't be put off by the children's book tag, it is an immensely satisfying read for grown-ups too.
May 22, 2024
Rosemary Sutcliff imagines the British Iceni tribe as a matriarchy and gives Queen Boudicca a fictional harper who narrates the story of her life and her failed rebellion against Roman oppression. The author mixes the fictional life story well with what little is actually known about the historical Boudicca, telling a moving and exciting story.
The writing is beautiful. It’s lyrical and poetic, whether describing nature, moments of reflection, or scenes of violence. The story is ultimately tragic and heartbreaking but it’s told so well. This was my first Rosemary Sutcliff book, it won’t be my last.
The writing is beautiful. It’s lyrical and poetic, whether describing nature, moments of reflection, or scenes of violence. The story is ultimately tragic and heartbreaking but it’s told so well. This was my first Rosemary Sutcliff book, it won’t be my last.
November 10, 2011
I found, in a corner of my university library I'd never seen before, a couple of Rosemary Sutcliff's books I hadn't read. This was one of them -- the story of Boudicca, as told by her harper, interspersed with extracts from the letters of a Roman soldier to his mother. I think this is maybe the most female-centric of Sutcliff's books that I can think of, and yet it's told in the voice of a man, so there's that. As with all Sutcliff's books, it was readable and well-paced, and well-researched: there's a poetry to it, too. The end made me choke up a little, even.
I don't know why I didn't like it more. I think there was just something eroticised about Boudicca's war-making, something discomforting -- which is appropriate, in a way, for a dark queen... But why does her power come most when she's eroticised and her children violated?
In that sense, too, I found it more violent than most of Sutcliff's work -- more adult, I guess. There's references to rape, seemingly on both sides, and there's a lot of blood and guts.
I rarely give advice to parents in my reviews, but this time I feel it's warranted. I wouldn't go so far as to say prevent your children from reading it, but I do think you should read this one first and assess whether your child would be alright with reading it. It discomforts me, as an adult woman; as a child, I don't know whether the references would have gone over my head or not, but I think I would have caught the horror of it anyway.
I don't know why I didn't like it more. I think there was just something eroticised about Boudicca's war-making, something discomforting -- which is appropriate, in a way, for a dark queen... But why does her power come most when she's eroticised and her children violated?
In that sense, too, I found it more violent than most of Sutcliff's work -- more adult, I guess. There's references to rape, seemingly on both sides, and there's a lot of blood and guts.
I rarely give advice to parents in my reviews, but this time I feel it's warranted. I wouldn't go so far as to say prevent your children from reading it, but I do think you should read this one first and assess whether your child would be alright with reading it. It discomforts me, as an adult woman; as a child, I don't know whether the references would have gone over my head or not, but I think I would have caught the horror of it anyway.
July 12, 2015
The problem with growing up under the earnest tutelage of people like Spielberg and Lucas is you come to believe that the world is split into Good people and Bad people and that the Good people will always win.
But, far more often than admitted, each side is neither good nor bad, just different, and equally culpable, equally capable of cruelty, and equally able to grant mercy.
With the Roman Empire and her detractors, boil it down and on hand you have indoor plumbing, and on the other you have no orders from a foreign government. (And I think all of us can admit there are times when a little compromised civil liberty would be worth a hot bath.)
Here Sutcliff presents in very graphic detail two equally barbaric groups, each willing to commit the most grievous hostile acts in order to be in charge of domestic affairs.
I would have liked a female perspective, but I did like getting both sides of the battles with the two narrators.
No happy endings here, but an excellent depiction of what England was like during the Pax Roma.
Also, the whole time every horrible thing happened, I kept thinking: Wow – and things are going to get worse after Rome leaves!
Read
July 12, 2015When I was eleven, I read almost a book a day and logged them meticulously. I decided to go back and add that data here, just for record-keeping purposes. I almost never wrote anything other than "started X" and "finished Y," but this one has a note: "It was very sad." So this apparently left more of an impression than almost anything else I read that year.
February 8, 2008
Christ, Rosemary Sutcliff. CHRIST. The story of Boudicca, depressing and angsty and torturous.
July 26, 2017
I associate Rosemary Sutcliff with historical fiction that isn't afraid to be dark and realistically intense - this isn't historical fiction that necessarily makes you wish you lived long ago, but you end up feeling like you got an honest picture of the time. The characters never feel modern, the endings aren't necessarily happy, but you feel like you met the real Boudicca.
Told primarily from the point of view of Boudicca's harpist, the story follows the queen from her childhood. I don't know what kind of research Sutcliff did, or what her background is, but all the details of her way of life add up to a believable picture of early Britain. Interspersed are letters from a Roman soldier to his mother in Gaul, giving some bigger picture information and providing a fascinating contrast in viewpoints. We understand Boudicca's reasoning through her harpist, and we see how the Romans viewed this local uprising through the solider's letters.
A captivating story, but ultimately it was (understandably) difficult to feel much connection to the characters. What can I say, I'm a character-driven reader.
Told primarily from the point of view of Boudicca's harpist, the story follows the queen from her childhood. I don't know what kind of research Sutcliff did, or what her background is, but all the details of her way of life add up to a believable picture of early Britain. Interspersed are letters from a Roman soldier to his mother in Gaul, giving some bigger picture information and providing a fascinating contrast in viewpoints. We understand Boudicca's reasoning through her harpist, and we see how the Romans viewed this local uprising through the solider's letters.
A captivating story, but ultimately it was (understandably) difficult to feel much connection to the characters. What can I say, I'm a character-driven reader.
November 17, 2018
Interesting to view the story from the Iceni point of view and their maltreatment by the Roman conquerors who ignore Prasutagus’ will, rape and flog his family and reap the whirlwind when Boudicca gathers the tribes together to take on Rome. Only the Romans’ superior military tactics keep them out of her reach and bring about her inevitable defeat. She appears to be strong and indestructible and a great leader who unifies her people against the invader. Fascinating read for background into tribal Britain versus Imperial Rome.
.
.
January 26, 2008
A tragic tale, but well-written, as are all of Sutcliffe's stories. The story of Boadiccea of more or less well known-
this version is aimed towards the young adult group, though these days it might be considered a bit violent.
Must admit, the first time I read it, it moved me to tears.
this version is aimed towards the young adult group, though these days it might be considered a bit violent.
Must admit, the first time I read it, it moved me to tears.
February 20, 2022
Chronicles the life of Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni and her battle and ultimate defeat by the Romans.
January 7, 2025
Interesting depiction of Boadicea and the time period
Note...not a children's story
Note...not a children's story
September 4, 2011
Fascinating tale of early Britons fighting to maintain their freedom under Roman rule. It's the story of Queen Boudicca of the Iceni (horse tribe) leading the disjointed tribes into unity in a last grand stand against the Roman army. Sutcliff does a masterful job in the storytelling, which comes from the POV of the queen's harper.
I am a home educator, and we are currently studying early Britain and the fall of the Roman Empire. My 12.5 yo daughter and I were instantly compelled when we read about Queen Boudicca elsewhere, and I had hoped to share Sutcliff's novel with her as an enrichment to our studies. This novel won the Children's Book Award of 1978, but alas... in my opinion it is NOT FOR CHILDREN.
There are some early references to sex when Boudicca is married to Prasutagus of the Parisi tribe. She tells him she's not going to have sex with him and places a sword between them in the bed, which is passable-- but then he goes on to tell her that she'll change her mind soon, and how many girls have come willingly to bed with him in the past.
Towards the end of the book the royal daughters are raped. While Sutcliff doesn't go into great detail over it, thank goodness, it's quite obvious what has happened and it is revisited over again when they are mentioned as defiled, and then hinted at when the tribes do something vile and unnameable to Roman girls and women that they capture.
Aside from the sex, it's a book about bloody warfare and Sutcliff spares us nothing. Heads are getting hacked off, and blood is splattering all over the place. There are even references to mothers killing their own children. The stark realities of such bloody battles and barbarism are too much to expect of children to process. They are certainly not images I want my child to hold in her heart... there is time enough for that. Childhood is too short as it is.
I am a home educator, and we are currently studying early Britain and the fall of the Roman Empire. My 12.5 yo daughter and I were instantly compelled when we read about Queen Boudicca elsewhere, and I had hoped to share Sutcliff's novel with her as an enrichment to our studies. This novel won the Children's Book Award of 1978, but alas... in my opinion it is NOT FOR CHILDREN.
There are some early references to sex when Boudicca is married to Prasutagus of the Parisi tribe. She tells him she's not going to have sex with him and places a sword between them in the bed, which is passable-- but then he goes on to tell her that she'll change her mind soon, and how many girls have come willingly to bed with him in the past.
Towards the end of the book the royal daughters are raped. While Sutcliff doesn't go into great detail over it, thank goodness, it's quite obvious what has happened and it is revisited over again when they are mentioned as defiled, and then hinted at when the tribes do something vile and unnameable to Roman girls and women that they capture.
Aside from the sex, it's a book about bloody warfare and Sutcliff spares us nothing. Heads are getting hacked off, and blood is splattering all over the place. There are even references to mothers killing their own children. The stark realities of such bloody battles and barbarism are too much to expect of children to process. They are certainly not images I want my child to hold in her heart... there is time enough for that. Childhood is too short as it is.
October 25, 2021
What an amazing, heroic, and devastating story. So beautifully written.
I love this woman's skill. Evocative, poetic, searing writing. Have read only a few of her books for young people this far and found her books enlightening, enchanting and so mature. She never writes 'down' to young people. She writes with great clarity and gives an amazing DOSE of history to all of those who read her books. .I love that we get both perspectives , the conqueror, and the conquered. Empathy, pride, sympathy, a real feeling of knowledge about how each side felt and their loyalties and love.for y their own families and people, their friends and animals, their distrust of others who would oppose them...are clearly shown to be both necessary and in some ways valid...if we could only get to know one another better could the conquering and killing stop? I love her books especially now when lies, deceit, fake news seems to be the rule of the day for a good number of our "leaders" ; to hold on to power and wealth seems to motivate those we cannot trust to see to caring for all of us. It is prescient the history this author relates to all of those who read her interpretation of history Will understand is nothing new. Wow . Worth reading. Worth thinking about. Worth sharing. Worth discussing. I love this book as I have all her others I have read so far. The themes are the same, in a way, and the prose very similar in all of them and yet each story, the characters, and the reason for sharing each story seem unique unto themselves. I look forward to reading more of her work...even though it can be wrenching! Her writing is so thought provoking it is worth the close look at our collective history.God save the Queen.
I love this woman's skill. Evocative, poetic, searing writing. Have read only a few of her books for young people this far and found her books enlightening, enchanting and so mature. She never writes 'down' to young people. She writes with great clarity and gives an amazing DOSE of history to all of those who read her books. .I love that we get both perspectives , the conqueror, and the conquered. Empathy, pride, sympathy, a real feeling of knowledge about how each side felt and their loyalties and love.for y their own families and people, their friends and animals, their distrust of others who would oppose them...are clearly shown to be both necessary and in some ways valid...if we could only get to know one another better could the conquering and killing stop? I love her books especially now when lies, deceit, fake news seems to be the rule of the day for a good number of our "leaders" ; to hold on to power and wealth seems to motivate those we cannot trust to see to caring for all of us. It is prescient the history this author relates to all of those who read her interpretation of history Will understand is nothing new. Wow . Worth reading. Worth thinking about. Worth sharing. Worth discussing. I love this book as I have all her others I have read so far. The themes are the same, in a way, and the prose very similar in all of them and yet each story, the characters, and the reason for sharing each story seem unique unto themselves. I look forward to reading more of her work...even though it can be wrenching! Her writing is so thought provoking it is worth the close look at our collective history.God save the Queen.
March 23, 2015
Rosemary Sutcliff is a deep and evocative writer. She uses words as a master smith, weaving pictures and emotions together to create a riveting experience that touches one's soul.
In this story, she turns her power to a fascinating time of history, and explores the depth of human depravity.
Song for a Dark Queen is aptly titled. With her words, Sutcliff does create a song. It is a poem, but not one of beauty. A song, but not for pleasure. The golden rays of sunshine that peer through the forest leaves in the early chapters fade away. Black night seeps through until no more light can be seen. Innocent childhood is destroyed by horrific depravity. Good motives and familial love is swallowed up in ruthless hatred. The world is evil without redemption.
A song with no hope: its end is darkness, death, and despair.
In this story, she turns her power to a fascinating time of history, and explores the depth of human depravity.
Song for a Dark Queen is aptly titled. With her words, Sutcliff does create a song. It is a poem, but not one of beauty. A song, but not for pleasure. The golden rays of sunshine that peer through the forest leaves in the early chapters fade away. Black night seeps through until no more light can be seen. Innocent childhood is destroyed by horrific depravity. Good motives and familial love is swallowed up in ruthless hatred. The world is evil without redemption.
A song with no hope: its end is darkness, death, and despair.
January 13, 2019
I loved the Celtic setting which felt completely real, but the narrator is very much that - someone who barely features in the story except as an observer, until the end. The writing is beautiful and richly evocative of a past age.
March 5, 2012
Wonderful dramatic story of the warrior queen who beat the Romans. Some mature content but a wonderful depiction of a woman's strength.
May 22, 2014
One of my favorites from adolescence...used to read it over and over.
queued
July 11, 2024'I suppose if she has the victory tomorrow, they'll make a song about her to sing for a thousand years...'ISBN0340248645, with an alternative cover to the one currently shown. This has Boudicca/Boadicea wearing a two-pointed helmet, a flowing red cape, yellow and red chcked dress, looking out and away over a sunrise/set with both human and animal skulls impaled on posts on her chariot/dias (?), tall spears, and surrounded by her army.
So wrote the young Roman, Julius Agricola, on the eve of the great battle which was to change the face of the future. For 'she' was none other than Boudicca, or Boadicea, defiant queen of the Iceni, who had already led her small British tribe in rebellion against the dark might of the Roman invaders. Now she had summoned the War Host together, from all over Britain, determined to lead them towards the light, to freedom...
Rosemary Sutcliff is one of today's foremost historical novelists. SONG FOR A DARK QUEEN won the 1978 Other Award for 'a non-biased children's book of literary merit'.
'Superbly exciting . . . masterly . . . skilful' - The Times Literary Supplement
January 30, 2022
Told from the point of view of harpist Cadwan, this is the story of Boudicca - Queen of the Iceni and leader of the great uprising of the native tribes against the Romans in AD 60. The story follows her from childhood, barefoot and stubbornly trying to follow her father's hunting party, through to her marriage and motherhood before the yoke of the Romans grows too heavy; and finally to the bitter, bloody end.
I knew how this story would go but it still involved me emotionally and then destroyed me totally as Sutcliff can do. Like so many of her stories it evokes such a vivid sense of time and place - the way she describes nature, the way she talks about war - and locates these legendary, mythologised yet so very fallible and human characters in them. The very sense of inevitability to it all makes it so much more tragic.
I knew how it would end! And Boudicca does terrible things in her revenge too. But I still wish it could end differently.
CW rape violence etc. It's historical!
I knew how this story would go but it still involved me emotionally and then destroyed me totally as Sutcliff can do. Like so many of her stories it evokes such a vivid sense of time and place - the way she describes nature, the way she talks about war - and locates these legendary, mythologised yet so very fallible and human characters in them. The very sense of inevitability to it all makes it so much more tragic.
I knew how it would end! And Boudicca does terrible things in her revenge too. But I still wish it could end differently.
CW rape violence etc. It's historical!
November 9, 2023
A tragic historical novel best suited for a YA and adult audience.
As an interesting writerly note, Boudicca's character arc is a really well written example of a negative arc.
Content:
Much violence/killing. Rape (offscreen), unwanted advances.
Talk of wedding night traditions for the tribe; talk of a husband and wife's physical relationship
Mentions of men being with women they aren't married to
Suicide, self-harm
*None of this is overly detailed
As an interesting writerly note, Boudicca's character arc is a really well written example of a negative arc.
Content:
Much violence/killing. Rape (offscreen), unwanted advances.
Talk of wedding night traditions for the tribe; talk of a husband and wife's physical relationship
Mentions of men being with women they aren't married to
Suicide, self-harm
*None of this is overly detailed
June 28, 2017
Rosemary Sutcliff does not pull her punches. Brutal fare for any story, especially a children's book, but I guess (spoiler!) Boudicca's story isn't really all sunshines and rainbows. I recommend parents having honest discussions with their kids about the horrors of war after reading this. It's a good book, but it's definitely not going to be one I want to re-read any time soon.
July 8, 2023
Historical fiction about the revolt Boddicea led against the Romans. Well written with much description about how the tribes might have lived and the evils of the Roman colonization.
This is a standalone novel.
This is a standalone novel.
June 20, 2021
Great version of the Boudicca story.
March 20, 2017
Always a privilege to find a Sutcliff I've never read before.
This book took me approximately eight hundred hours to read for no discernible earthly reason.
This book took me approximately eight hundred hours to read for no discernible earthly reason.
December 21, 2016
As other reviewers have mentioned, it's dark. Very dark. That's quite apart from the obvious fact that Boudicca and her tribe are doomed, because of course we know the ending (or at any rate you should do). Rosemary Sutcliff seems to have a penchant for retelling heroic, fated enterprises of this sort! The writing is, as always, excellent, if not (in my opinion) quite as mature as some of her other works.
There is nothing explicitly "graphic" in this book, at least not in terms of the gratuitous sex, violence, etc. in many of today's (IMO undeservedly) popular books. However, Sutcliff's masterful, evocative handling of what she does tell and the riveting historical and psychological insight she displays most definitely make areas of this book deeply unsettling, perhaps even more so because she often only hints at what is happening. Imagination is a powerful tool. There is an almost tangible sense of darkness and sorcery, especially in terms of (unspecified) unmentionable deeds and sensual pacts made with pagan goddesses, that could very possibly foster an unhealthy fascination and appreciation of such horrors. I know I found those parts both quite disturbing and strangely compelling, certainly not in a way that accords with Paul's exhortation in Philippians 4:8 (to think upon things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, etc.).
In my view, therefore, this is not a book for younger and/or easily impressionable readers/children. Naturally, in the fullness of time, they will have to come to terms with the existence of such things, but this dark and vivid exploration of pagan Britain and the war atrocities perpetrated by both sides is not in my opinion a suitable introduction.
These concerns aside, Song For A Dark Queen is a wonderfully descriptive retelling of the uprising of Boudicca and the tribes of Britain against the Romans, portrayed with Sutcliff's customary sensitivity and emotion. Few of the characters, particularly the Princesses Essylt and Nessan, have the depth of character that both Sutcliff's protagonists and secondary characters in the Eagle of the Ninth series and other books such as Mark of the Horse Lord have, and is one of the reasons I have rated it 4/5 rather than 5/5. It would also be nice, as a previous reviewer noted, if the story had lasted a little longer, but overall this is a worthy (if exceptionally dark) Rosemary Sutcliff that will particularly appeal to readers who enjoyed Sword At Sunset.
There is nothing explicitly "graphic" in this book, at least not in terms of the gratuitous sex, violence, etc. in many of today's (IMO undeservedly) popular books. However, Sutcliff's masterful, evocative handling of what she does tell and the riveting historical and psychological insight she displays most definitely make areas of this book deeply unsettling, perhaps even more so because she often only hints at what is happening. Imagination is a powerful tool. There is an almost tangible sense of darkness and sorcery, especially in terms of (unspecified) unmentionable deeds and sensual pacts made with pagan goddesses, that could very possibly foster an unhealthy fascination and appreciation of such horrors. I know I found those parts both quite disturbing and strangely compelling, certainly not in a way that accords with Paul's exhortation in Philippians 4:8 (to think upon things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, etc.).
In my view, therefore, this is not a book for younger and/or easily impressionable readers/children. Naturally, in the fullness of time, they will have to come to terms with the existence of such things, but this dark and vivid exploration of pagan Britain and the war atrocities perpetrated by both sides is not in my opinion a suitable introduction.
These concerns aside, Song For A Dark Queen is a wonderfully descriptive retelling of the uprising of Boudicca and the tribes of Britain against the Romans, portrayed with Sutcliff's customary sensitivity and emotion. Few of the characters, particularly the Princesses Essylt and Nessan, have the depth of character that both Sutcliff's protagonists and secondary characters in the Eagle of the Ninth series and other books such as Mark of the Horse Lord have, and is one of the reasons I have rated it 4/5 rather than 5/5. It would also be nice, as a previous reviewer noted, if the story had lasted a little longer, but overall this is a worthy (if exceptionally dark) Rosemary Sutcliff that will particularly appeal to readers who enjoyed Sword At Sunset.
September 26, 2010
Historical fiction based on a true story: The story of Boudicca, a queen of one of the British tribes during the period when the Romans were first invading the isles. Her tribe had agreed to live peaceably under Roman hegemony (paying taxes, etc., but still free). When her husband died, his will left half his holdings to the Romans, the rest to his children (two daughters). The Romans claimed all of his wealth and declared that since the king had died with no male heirs, the kingdom would be dissolved and become part of Rome. When the Boudicca refused, they whipped her and raped her daughters (the eldest was perhaps 12 or 13 at the time). Boudicca organized the tribes into a major rebellion against Rome that at first was successful but that ultimately failed. All of this is in the historic record, but the specifics beyond this are unknown.
The book offers one theory for the reaction of the British to what the Romans did to Boudicca and her daughters. Sutcliff follows the theory of one historian who believed that, as was common for many iron age tribes of the time, lineage was matriarchal; in other words while the male was king, he was chosen for that rank based on intelligence and military prowess. It was only by being married to the queen (who was a sort of high priestess to the moon, the feminine gods) that he obtained that rank. Therefore by beating Boudicca and raping her daughters (the holders of the royal blood) the Romans had committed sacrilege against the British gods.
The book is kind of exciting, and the rapes occur 'off camera' so to speak. Should be appropriate reading for a mature middle schooler or older.
The book offers one theory for the reaction of the British to what the Romans did to Boudicca and her daughters. Sutcliff follows the theory of one historian who believed that, as was common for many iron age tribes of the time, lineage was matriarchal; in other words while the male was king, he was chosen for that rank based on intelligence and military prowess. It was only by being married to the queen (who was a sort of high priestess to the moon, the feminine gods) that he obtained that rank. Therefore by beating Boudicca and raping her daughters (the holders of the royal blood) the Romans had committed sacrilege against the British gods.
The book is kind of exciting, and the rapes occur 'off camera' so to speak. Should be appropriate reading for a mature middle schooler or older.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2015
Considering the ripe market for Xena-Warrior-Princess-type juvenile fiction, it is rather astounding that Song for a Dark Queen has never been reprinted. With a sleek new cover a la Keira Knightley from "King Arthur" and a small publicity push, this novel would do quite well. Not only is this story more plausible than those found in the usual girl power paperbacks, it is rooted in historical fact.
This is the story of Boudicca (Boadicea), the Iceni queen who led the revolt that very nearly ended the Roman Empire's domination of Britain. It is told in the first person by Cadwan, harpist to the queen, who loves Boudicca without being blind to her faults. Because of his position within the royal household, Cadwan possesses an intimate knowledge of the Iceni's last queen and an understanding of her greater than anyone in the tribe besides only that of Boudicca's nurse Rhun.
As a character, Boudicca is aloof. She is tragic, noble, and fearless in a manner very similar to Tolkien's elves. Rosemary Sutcliff gives Boudicca four very human moments: one as a young girl trailing after her father's war host, one as a young bride, one as a new widow, and one as a fallen queen being brought home after her final battle. The author reveals just enough to prevent her from becoming a cold cardboard figure, but Boudicca is always encircled with the mystique of legend, distanced from everyone else in the tale. In contrast, Cadwan is warm, though reserved, with an unflinching devotion to his queen and a heartbreaking bond with her doomed youngest daughter Nessan.
This is the story of Boudicca (Boadicea), the Iceni queen who led the revolt that very nearly ended the Roman Empire's domination of Britain. It is told in the first person by Cadwan, harpist to the queen, who loves Boudicca without being blind to her faults. Because of his position within the royal household, Cadwan possesses an intimate knowledge of the Iceni's last queen and an understanding of her greater than anyone in the tribe besides only that of Boudicca's nurse Rhun.
As a character, Boudicca is aloof. She is tragic, noble, and fearless in a manner very similar to Tolkien's elves. Rosemary Sutcliff gives Boudicca four very human moments: one as a young girl trailing after her father's war host, one as a young bride, one as a new widow, and one as a fallen queen being brought home after her final battle. The author reveals just enough to prevent her from becoming a cold cardboard figure, but Boudicca is always encircled with the mystique of legend, distanced from everyone else in the tale. In contrast, Cadwan is warm, though reserved, with an unflinching devotion to his queen and a heartbreaking bond with her doomed youngest daughter Nessan.
October 29, 2015
As Queen Boudicca of the Iceni tribe leads her warriors victory to victory against the Romans, Cadwan the Harp keeps record for his queen. But one terrible day, they are defeated and Queen Boudicca, rather than fall prey to the Romans, poisons herself in shame. The characters are in depth, and none are flawless - but some (Boudicca's daughters, for example) are different to how they were in other books I have read.
It took me a while to get into this book. It is written in great detail, and some things I didn't understand, but because I have been reading books about history and fairly recently watched the film The Eagle of the Ninth, so I managed to get the gist of the first few chapters about Queen Boudicca's childhood. After pushing myself a bit, I was able to read the rest with little struggle and enjoy it.
It took me a while to get into this book. It is written in great detail, and some things I didn't understand, but because I have been reading books about history and fairly recently watched the film The Eagle of the Ninth, so I managed to get the gist of the first few chapters about Queen Boudicca's childhood. After pushing myself a bit, I was able to read the rest with little struggle and enjoy it.
November 15, 2025
Good history book for young girls. I loved Sutcliff's historical novels as a child and young teenager, she was one of my favourite authors. I am not going review them all individually because all her books are good. If your looking for children's historical novels, just start at the beginning of her books and read them all. This is how I learned British history.
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