Customer Reviews

The Silver Branch

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I found this book to be fantastic. I love the time and setting, but it was much more than that. The characters are all so real and alive, the historical events are so accuratly portrayed, and, most of all, the writing is excellent. Rosemary Sutcliff has fast become one of my very favorite authors, and I would definately reccommend this book to almost anyone, especially if you have any interest in the Roman Empire or Britian/early British history. (I only might not reccommend this to some kids, because the writing isn't always so easy, and they might get bogged down or confused)

Want a riveting historical-fiction novel with a plot that is better than most? If so, the Silver Branch is a book for you. Set in Roman Britan, over a century after the first book in the series, The Eagle of the Ninth, the book paints a picture of the life of two Romans, who seek to overthrow a tyrannical emperor who has separated himself, and Britan, from Rome. Rosemary Sutcliff has indeed woven a story whose plot is exceedingly diverse and well thought-out. The book gives the reader a gripping plot in which the reader is given a picture of the Roman world. The book paints a vivid picture of a Roman town, Legion, a gladiator fight, and the Roman's enemies the Saxon barbarians. Rosemary Sutcliff has the gift of being able to write very good historical novels.

I first read this book over 20 years ago--it was probably my first Rosemary Sutcliff. I loved it then and I love it now. It's a great read! I've always loved the way Sutcliff brings her ancient British settings to life.

I read this book when I was thirteen. I saw it reissued recently and picked it up. It was as good as I remmebered. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Roman history. A good, engaging lightweight read!Get it for your kids.

I would have given this book 4 stars but I don't think it deserves these really bad reviews. it's a great book. But you have to know about the late Roman Empire to explain why its so confusing. IF YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF THE PLOT IT IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN! I like this book more than the others of this really great series the reason being that the 1st book is superb but seems hazy and that the 3rd book is a materpiece but so hopelessly depressing, this book seems more alive than the others . The reason i would give this book 4 stars is because this story badly needs an epilouge even though you know where the 2ndary character lands. I like how the author chooses a family failure as a character. MY ADVICE IS TO FOLLOW THE BOOK CLOSELY AND IT WILL BECOME A FAVORITE.

This is the second in a loosely linked trilogy (the 1st and 3rd books are 'Eagle of the Ninth' and 'The Lantern Bearers'), and is arguably the best of the three. Sutcliff's narrative is evocative and colorful, and the story is both engaging and full of surprises. If the book has any fault it is in a certain license taken with actual historical events, but since the setting is a very obscure period of Roman-occupied Britain, the liberty is easily overlooked. If you are a Sutcliff fan (and I have yet to meet anyone who has read her who isn't!) you will love this book!

Having read Eagle of the Ninth and the LanternBearers,I was most anxious to read Silver Branch. It was as spellbounding and informative as the first 2 I read.Outcast and Tristan and Iseult are the next on my list. As a 6th grade student at Princeton Montessori School our teachers have given us a wide choice of books for summer reading but Sutcliff is definitly my favorite.

When I read this book, from the beginning I had no idea what was going on and I still didn't at the end. I knew random parts but I did not know why they were in a war in the first place.
This is the worst book I have ever read!

This confusing,bad book is the WORST book in history!Sorry Rosmary Sutcliff.

This book was extremely incomprehensable!!!It was BORING and it kept bringing new characters in without introducing them or anything.I'm not a stupid person and I'm not to young to read this "hard" book,but it simply was a bad book!!!