Rachel Wade
The novel by Manda Scott that lets you live the Celtic life of Boudica - otherwise known as perfection.
Great tales of Boudica have been retold ever since her legendary leadership in the rebellion against the Romans around 60-61 AD. It was known that just before the momentous battle, Boudica rode up and down the ranks in a war chariot, driving high morale through the many troops. Although her death remains indefinite, several accounts link the cause to Boudica poisoning herself prior to the clash with the Romans to avoid possible enslavement - as her daughters and several family members previously were. Once vital evidence of these accounts by Tacitus (a Roman historian 56 AD - 120 AD) were uncovered in the Tudor period, Boudica’s story flowed into Britain and created new knowledge of the Celtic era which was once unknown. From the 18th Century, she became known as ‘Boadicea an Ode’, as ‘bleeding from the Roman rods’. Certainly, her story has become one of great admiration - yet, Manda Scott’s ‘Boudica: Dreaming The Eagle’ brings an incredibly unique reimagination through the eyes of the fictional adolescent: Breaca.
With parallels to Boudica herself, Breaca is the notable warrior of the Eceni tribe around the 1st century AD - her power recognised after spearing the warrior responsible for the death of her mother. This was when she was only twelve years old, just to add. Manda Scott does not divert attention away from the historical accuracy of the Celts. The portrayal of the druids, tribes, rituals, and the realistic gore of hand-to-hand combat automatically compels the experience of reading it into something addictive. The details of the forests, the night sky, the ambiance around a fire, the interrelationships of characters and the knowledge they share makes it persuasive that Manda Scott is a reincarnated Celt.
A great majority of historical books from the perspective of a woman will never fail to mention gender inequality, so it was almost refreshing to read very little of such societal stereotypes. To be historically accurate, the Celtic era did not see a certain gender as inferior - the basis of physical strength simply being the determining way of you becoming a warrior. It explains why there were so many warriors who were female - indeed Boudica’s warriors she fought alongside were a mixture of both men and women. This book doesn’t boast about this equality, instead demonstrating it in a natural way through the eyes of Breaca who only knows of the societal structure in her lifetime.
Praise could not come any higher; quite rightly, it truly felt like a masterpiece. The physical format of the book upon first glance had made me procrastinate trying it due to almost 700 small pages of tiny writing. But I practically inhaled it in the span of a week. Each personality of the characters is not slapped in your face, instead drops of character tendencies are stirred into each chapter. Details of each day, even of the oatcakes they eat, is added in for the extra immersion. Sometimes, when such unnecessary information is included, I feel the need to skim past it, but Manda Scott ties it all together in the details to produce a scene you can visualise and escape to in your head during the day. I was certainly guilty of that.
Even if you have little knowledge of the Celts, this book will certainly educate you on one of the most interesting historical periods. Their beliefs of spiritual worlds, almighty beings and of intangible inheritance of powers will make you second guess it for a fictional fantasy world. Take the symbolic Tree Of Life as an example, which you may be familiar with on modern-day jewellery or paintings; it has been known that the Celts would chop down trees when creating new homes but keep only one in the centre. This centre tree would be the source of their connection to the spirits of their ancestors: those who created things such as the alphabet and the calendar. It would also be the space for essential meetings, for instance, when a chieftain of the tribe (a tribal chief or village head) would be appointed under that tree’s branches.
Whether you are looking for a book of escapism and a world to daydream of being in, or to satisfy any curiosity of the Celtic world and tribes you may have, Manda Scott has got you covered.
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