Review Detail

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston is a YA historical fiction about Fallon, a girl of the Cantii tribe whose dream is to enter in her tribe’s war band, but her father has other ideas for her.
After the death of the eldest daughter Sorcha, a warrior who died freeing her father from the Romans’ grasp, on Fallon’s 17th birthday, her father announces he decided to marry her to Aeddan Ironhand, her childhood friend, but also the brother of the boy she supposedly loves : Maelgwyn Ironhand.
Mael, who wanted to tell her father about their relationship, is angry with his brother, so he faces Aeddan in a duel, but he’s accidentally killed by him.

Fallon wants to revenge Mael by killing Aeddan, so she follows him, but in the forest she is captured.

After being captured, she is taken to Rome by a slave trader and becomes a Gladiatrix.

I don’t have a very good opinion of the protagonist, she doesn’t act as a real person would. What most disappointed me was that Fallon should have been in love with Mael, but she fell too easily in love with Decurion Caius Antonius Varro. Moreover, I think that it seemed the author had thrown here and there the heartache Fallon felt for the death of Mael.

On the contrary, I think Cai is to die for. He’s sweet and caring and helps several times the girl he loves. He’s strong and intelligent.

Another character I was very fond of is Charon, the slave trader. I don’t know the particular reason, maybe beacuse he’s a person in love whose feeling aren’t recpirocate. Or simply beacuse I love his kindness with Fallon even though he is the one who sold her. ?

The writing style is good and linear, but I think the plot was too rushed in some parts, though I enjoyed the story.

I suggest it to those who like reading historical fiction, like me, and fight scenes.