Tony Bradman, Revolt Against the Romans, Bloomsbury/Allen & Unwin, June 2017, 128pp., $10.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781472929327
12 year old Marcus yearns for the love and approval of his father, a high-ranking official in the Roman civil service, and he is excited to be invited to travel to Britannia to be with him. But Marcus’ travels are fraught with danger. All Romans had been taught that Britannia is a savage place, an island at the edge of the world where the Britons are tattooed savages, refusing to surrender to the rule of Rome. On his journey, Marcus is captured by Caractacus, a barbarian chief, and his original beliefs about Britons and his tenuous conviction that his father loves him change forever.
This book shatters my modern illusions of Britain and gives me a history lesson I will not forget. Tony Bradman is an author of great skill, taking his reader on a journey between 47-51AD during the Roman conquest of Britain. A story filled with conflicting patriotic duties and family loyalties. The characters’ emotions are intense and the scenery is vivid in the mind.
Teachers looking for a story with a young male protagonist who develops strength and courage through personal struggle will find their readers enthralled. Recommended for 10yrs+
Reviewed by Sharon Smith
