A compelling 5* story from McKay.

Lucia is a slaves tale told from the very beginning when she is brutally taken from her family and those she loved left for dead.

Quickly Lucia learns her new place in life but struggles with the horrible Paltucca.. an evil manageress who never seems to be happy with the work no matter the standard.

Her master Castus is an enigma or sorts at first.. as a Roman officer he’s not always at home but when he is the wine and food flows.. some of his guests are less than delightful and their urges quite abhorrent.

Castus shows himself to be a good master at times ensuring the youngest slaves aren’t unduly harmed but as time goes on he himself changes…his own deprived tastes come to the fore and Lucia feels the brunt of his affections for a time.

While Lucia learns to deal with her masters demands she proves to be a good slave.. she’s part of a family. Of course she hates those who oppress her and she swears one day to get vengeance on all those who have wronged her.

As time goes on some important events happen to Lucia and her fellow slaves..the most important is her saving the estate from thieves. It’s a catalyst which sees Lucia’s fortunes change.

To say Lucia is a tough read is an understatement… don’t get me wrong.. this tale is gripping and it’s tough to put down.. what I mean is it’s harrowing… real heart wrenching.. to see someone downtrodden..treated like they don’t matter.. it’s hard to imagine a time when slaves were common place. The hardships these people suffer arent easy to forget.

Along the way we see friendships forged..and tested. Sennianus wants nothing more than to live an easy life with Lucia but she’s broken…Senni stands by her but struggles at times to accept the situation.

Regalis is the biggest character for me and plays a pivotal part.. he’s a slave but also has the job of delivering punishments on behalf of Paltucca…the thing is everyone likes the man.. he’s as honest as they come and is just doing as commanded by his master.. there’s no malice in his actions.

Sosthenes, while not very well liked he knows his place. There’s a moment your feelings for him change as you see the man in a different light.
Dentatus, a horrible creature of a man who will do anything if it sees him in the good books of the manageress.

The point I hope I’ve made clear is that this story is not just of Lucia.. yes the main focus is on her life but there’s so much more going on.. each member of the cast play their part and stay with you… they each have their own motivations and you can’t help but feel for them all. Some find it easier to adapt to their new lives than others but under everything they are humans..and their lives are worth more..

Lucia is an Audible book only and the narrator Imogen Church did superbly at making me commit to Lucia with everything I had. I like audio but can get distracted easily..Imogen Church commands your attention.. her tone perfect for each character.. emphasis just when you’d expect.

A compelling 5* story from McKay, an author who continues to amaze me with his writing.

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4 people found this helpful

slow to start

not bad, kept expecting more. then the ending came and it was extremely disappointing. just boom. it's done. what?! not happy. disappointed.

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Revenge before freedom

Another brilliant piece of exciting literature and craftsmanship from the Author Steven A Mckay ( forest lord series ) Lucia has great characters who you love or hate? The author has done some serious research into life in Roman Britain, and what life may have been like for a slave.. its a great book enhanced by the narration of Imogen church

a great and unique tale that is never predictable, tells the story of a young girl age eight whos life is turned upsidedown when the Romans slaughter her family and she is captured. and so begins her life of servitude, cruelty, and abuse for a roman master in Britannia.
she vows to have her revenge before she tastes freedom
does she get it , well you will have to read it to find out

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I couldn't stop listening

An engaging story , with relatable characters . It is enjoyable even though it tackles difficult subjects.

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Hell hath no fury like a slave woman scorned...

They say revenge is best served cold but this is something else. Spanning the life of Germanic girl Lucia taken to Briton when she was but a child and put to work for her Roman master. Learning to obey and please through gritted teeth, as well as avoiding the dangers of a life where you can be flogged, maimed or killed unexpectedly just on a whim. Her journey into womanhood and progression through a life whilst harbouring her ultimate desire for complete revenge when the time is right. This is the Shawshank Redemption of revenge stories.

The narrator, Imogen Church, is superb and lifted the great story and dialogue and really did the prose justice. Perfectly capturing the heartache, camaraderie and fragility of slave life and her telling of a couple of tragedies in particular is emotional and moving. After the Wolf Lord books and the Druid, McKay changes gear and slips easily into a different world and commands it from the start. No wonder Audible picked it - it’s a seriously recommended listen.

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6 people found this helpful

Hmmmmmmmm

I cant help but feel annoyed by the way this book panned out. Not to give too much away, but too much was left unsaid, undone, and I searched for book two....sure that there would be a sequel to answer all those questions. No such luck. It ended abruptly and left me irritated!
The characters however are well described and the actual storyline is good. Theres a lot that could have been delved into deeper though. Lucias thoughts about the actual night Paltucca made the decision she did that ruined her life..... the storyline totally bypassed what actually happened from the female side its bizzare. I cant say too much without spoilers. Uts just all a but unsatisfactory and I feel like ive listened to half a book

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4 people found this helpful

A great book

A great tale about a young girl taken as a slave and her life growing to maturity in a Roman villa

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3 people found this helpful

Good book spoilt by over-narration

Having read the description of this book, I bought it immediately without checking the narrator or listening to a sample. My mistake!
A potentially good book was spoilt by over-narration. Imogen Church reads in an exaggerated manner far more suited to children’s books, and her narration style doesn’t suit the tone/theme of the story. Despite enjoying the story, I couldn’t persevere beyond the first few chapters and returned the book. I’ll try and find the Kindle version to finish it.

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3 people found this helpful

Really great listen!

You really feel for the characters and get a good idea of what they are going through each character is well described

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Excellent

A good story, well narrated by imogen Church. Very unusual to have a female slave as the lead character. A stroke of genius. Great plot the story kept you interested all of the time. Unexpected ending. I especially like the part of the novel when the master of the house became a Christian. Things did change tor the better. However luccia used this to her advantage. Great novel, it would highly recommend this novel if you like historical fiction. The novel does not disappoint.

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