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Wolf Den Trilogy #1
The Wolf Den
Sold by her mother. Enslaved in Pompeii's brothel. Determined to survive. Her name is Amara. Welcome to the Wolf Den...
Amara was once a beloved daughter, until her father's death plunged her family into penury. Now she is a slave in Pompeii's infamous brothel, owned by a man she despises. Sharp, clever and resourceful, Amara is forced to hide her talents. For as a she-wolf, her only value lies in the desire she can stir in others.
But Amara's spirit is far from broken.
By day, she walks the streets with her fellow she-wolves, finding comfort in the laughter and dreams they share. For the streets of Pompeii are alive with opportunity. Out here, even the lowest slave can secure a reversal in fortune. Amara has learned that everything in this city has its price. But how much is her freedom going to cost her?
Set in Pompeii's lupanar, The Wolf Den reimagines the lives of women who have long been overlooked.
Amara was once a beloved daughter, until her father's death plunged her family into penury. Now she is a slave in Pompeii's infamous brothel, owned by a man she despises. Sharp, clever and resourceful, Amara is forced to hide her talents. For as a she-wolf, her only value lies in the desire she can stir in others.
But Amara's spirit is far from broken.
By day, she walks the streets with her fellow she-wolves, finding comfort in the laughter and dreams they share. For the streets of Pompeii are alive with opportunity. Out here, even the lowest slave can secure a reversal in fortune. Amara has learned that everything in this city has its price. But how much is her freedom going to cost her?
Set in Pompeii's lupanar, The Wolf Den reimagines the lives of women who have long been overlooked.
488 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2021
3111 people are currently reading
119822 people want to read
About the author
Elodie Harper
10 books1,554 followersElodie Harper is a journalist and prize winning short story writer.
Her story 'Wild Swimming' won the 2016 Bazaar of Bad Dreams short story competition, run by The Guardian and Hodder & Stoughton and judged by Stephen King.
She is currently a reporter and presenter at ITV News Anglia, and before that worked as a producer for Channel 4 News.
Her story 'Wild Swimming' won the 2016 Bazaar of Bad Dreams short story competition, run by The Guardian and Hodder & Stoughton and judged by Stephen King.
She is currently a reporter and presenter at ITV News Anglia, and before that worked as a producer for Channel 4 News.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,461 reviews
May 24, 2021
the best thing this book has going for it is its candidness. this does not shy away from the blunt, violent, explicit living conditions of a brothel slave. i think it would have done a disservice to the story and characters had it been sugarcoated. but in the midst of that brutal honesty, this is also a story about friendship and sisterhood, rising after hardships, the value of humanity and self-worth, and the price of freedom. amara is definitely a character worth rooting for.
the thing that bothered me is how modern the story feels. while i do want accuracy with historical fiction, i dont expect the writing to necessarily reflect the time period (ie. a story set in the 1500s doesnt need to be written in old shakespearean english). but with this, if it hadnt been explicitly stated that this is set in first century pompeii, i would have never believed it. there are just so many things about the writing and characters that make this feel like a contemporary romance, rather than historical fiction. every day events, modern language, the characters behaving as if they were living in todays world. maybe its meant to make the story more accessible, but it often took me out of the moment. there are also a few things that are left unresolved at the end, which is annoying.
but i did enjoy the story for the most part. i think there are some pretty relevant themes and a good commentary on the role of women. i would be willing to read more books by this author.
↠ 3.5 stars
the thing that bothered me is how modern the story feels. while i do want accuracy with historical fiction, i dont expect the writing to necessarily reflect the time period (ie. a story set in the 1500s doesnt need to be written in old shakespearean english). but with this, if it hadnt been explicitly stated that this is set in first century pompeii, i would have never believed it. there are just so many things about the writing and characters that make this feel like a contemporary romance, rather than historical fiction. every day events, modern language, the characters behaving as if they were living in todays world. maybe its meant to make the story more accessible, but it often took me out of the moment. there are also a few things that are left unresolved at the end, which is annoying.
but i did enjoy the story for the most part. i think there are some pretty relevant themes and a good commentary on the role of women. i would be willing to read more books by this author.
↠ 3.5 stars
March 22, 2022
Four stars for the captivating story of the ‘lone’ and ‘hungry’ she-wolf. A woman in service. A slave. !!!
”Either we choose to stay alive, or we give up. And if it's living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.”
One woman’s life whose future depends on her ability to perform, act, and use her mind and resourcefulness to ultimately free herself from slavery. A life she is forced to live, after the death of her esteemed father, where women are dehumanised and seen as objects of pleasure until their usefulness ceases, but more importantly a life with no way out for the ‘she wolves’.
The Wolf Den is the ultimate story of survival in an unforgiving and rigid world for those in service, oppressed and enslaved. Powerful, evocative and sometimes graphic but ultimately rewarding in some ways.
The Plot
Tethered to the Lupanar in Pompeii, a brothel or in translation the ‘wolf-den’, Amara is a prostitute and one of the ‘she wolves’ owned by a harsh master, Felix. A man sculpted by his violent past, but underneath the brutality there is something almost human about him as he struggles to suppress his emotions because the wolf den is no place for romanticism or sentiment.
Amara’s life is shaped by misfortune. Her father, a doctor, dies prematurely and so she is sold by her widowed mother who can no longer afford to keep her. Amara’s value rests with how many customers she can satisfy and how much money she can generate but her real worth sits within her head.
A great mind, a woman different from the others who understands finance, who can read and is intelligent and resourceful. Ultimately, she needs to develop a plan and strategy to free herself from a life of slavery but at a cost.
Review and Comments
Things I liked about this book. First of all, Wolf Den is a perfect combination of tragedy, hope and intrigue as Amara must learn to balance her desire to gain her freedom with the need to keep her pimp and her band of friends on side. I found the story thrilling as Amara navigated her way through the intricacies and complexities of her position in the Wolf Den to secure her independence. The tension held through the book because you felt at any moment any progress could be undone in a minute and for most of the story freedom never felt achievable.
The setting was also excellent. The vivid descriptions of Pompeii conjured up the images of an era with so much mystery, mystic, and history, with its ancient walls and cobbled streets creating the perfect ambiance for a book of this nature.
The unapologetic language of the brutality and abuse that the women were subjected to made for uncomfortable reading at times but credible and authentic. The author also did well to highlight the vast differences in this society between the ‘have’s and the have-nots’ and the distribution of wealth between the lives of the rich and those in a life of servitude tending to their every needs.
Whilst the setting was excellent, I felt the author could have added more layers to the story and woven the historical context into the narrative a lot more. Instead, it was used to create the backdrop rather than historical events being integral to the story.
If you want a story of courage, determination, friendship, and a book that is evenly paced and intriguing then this might be for you. I thoroughly enjoyed.
”Either we choose to stay alive, or we give up. And if it's living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.”
One woman’s life whose future depends on her ability to perform, act, and use her mind and resourcefulness to ultimately free herself from slavery. A life she is forced to live, after the death of her esteemed father, where women are dehumanised and seen as objects of pleasure until their usefulness ceases, but more importantly a life with no way out for the ‘she wolves’.
The Wolf Den is the ultimate story of survival in an unforgiving and rigid world for those in service, oppressed and enslaved. Powerful, evocative and sometimes graphic but ultimately rewarding in some ways.
The Plot
Tethered to the Lupanar in Pompeii, a brothel or in translation the ‘wolf-den’, Amara is a prostitute and one of the ‘she wolves’ owned by a harsh master, Felix. A man sculpted by his violent past, but underneath the brutality there is something almost human about him as he struggles to suppress his emotions because the wolf den is no place for romanticism or sentiment.
Amara’s life is shaped by misfortune. Her father, a doctor, dies prematurely and so she is sold by her widowed mother who can no longer afford to keep her. Amara’s value rests with how many customers she can satisfy and how much money she can generate but her real worth sits within her head.
A great mind, a woman different from the others who understands finance, who can read and is intelligent and resourceful. Ultimately, she needs to develop a plan and strategy to free herself from a life of slavery but at a cost.
Review and Comments
Things I liked about this book. First of all, Wolf Den is a perfect combination of tragedy, hope and intrigue as Amara must learn to balance her desire to gain her freedom with the need to keep her pimp and her band of friends on side. I found the story thrilling as Amara navigated her way through the intricacies and complexities of her position in the Wolf Den to secure her independence. The tension held through the book because you felt at any moment any progress could be undone in a minute and for most of the story freedom never felt achievable.
The setting was also excellent. The vivid descriptions of Pompeii conjured up the images of an era with so much mystery, mystic, and history, with its ancient walls and cobbled streets creating the perfect ambiance for a book of this nature.
The unapologetic language of the brutality and abuse that the women were subjected to made for uncomfortable reading at times but credible and authentic. The author also did well to highlight the vast differences in this society between the ‘have’s and the have-nots’ and the distribution of wealth between the lives of the rich and those in a life of servitude tending to their every needs.
Whilst the setting was excellent, I felt the author could have added more layers to the story and woven the historical context into the narrative a lot more. Instead, it was used to create the backdrop rather than historical events being integral to the story.
If you want a story of courage, determination, friendship, and a book that is evenly paced and intriguing then this might be for you. I thoroughly enjoyed.
July 27, 2021
i’m kinda scared to say this, but i thought this book was mediocre in all aspects
this was one of my most (if not most) anticipated release of 2021, probably mainly by the stunning cover. the cover is by far the prettiest thing about this novel. i did not care for the story, barely cared for amara, did not care at all for any other characters, also honestly did not care for the writing style.
the only reason i finished it is because it’s set in ancient rome, and i’ll read virtually anything about that period. i have to be honest in saying that the one thing i did really like about this book was the honesty—nothing in the she-wolves’ life is romanticized. but that was about it. i thought it was boring and very, very repetitive. i kept waiting for some sort of plot to pick up, but anytime it came close, the action fell flat again. i’m relieved to hear it’s a trilogy so hopefully the plot i was looking for happens in the two upcoming books, but even then, i think the first book should be a book on its own.
this book can be summarized in one sentence: amara goes to pick up clients (or to a party) and nothing happens.
still, this is my personal opinion, and you can absolutely enjoy this book. so sad to not have enjoyed it nearly as much as i thought i would :(
this was one of my most (if not most) anticipated release of 2021, probably mainly by the stunning cover. the cover is by far the prettiest thing about this novel. i did not care for the story, barely cared for amara, did not care at all for any other characters, also honestly did not care for the writing style.
the only reason i finished it is because it’s set in ancient rome, and i’ll read virtually anything about that period. i have to be honest in saying that the one thing i did really like about this book was the honesty—nothing in the she-wolves’ life is romanticized. but that was about it. i thought it was boring and very, very repetitive. i kept waiting for some sort of plot to pick up, but anytime it came close, the action fell flat again. i’m relieved to hear it’s a trilogy so hopefully the plot i was looking for happens in the two upcoming books, but even then, i think the first book should be a book on its own.
this book can be summarized in one sentence: amara goes to pick up clients (or to a party) and nothing happens.
still, this is my personal opinion, and you can absolutely enjoy this book. so sad to not have enjoyed it nearly as much as i thought i would :(
August 31, 2022
The Wolf Den throws you right into the life of brothels in Pompeii AD 74.
Penniless after her father’s death, Amara’s mother sold her as a concubine. Now, enslaved in one of Pompeii’s most notorious brothels, Amara reminisces on her past life in Greece and dreams of being a freedwoman. She knows it would be next to impossible to buy her freedom from the pittance she earns through tips. So, Amara begins to devise ways of increasing her earnings while staying safe and finding moments of happiness and peace with her friends.
The Wolf Den boldly confronts the violence and trauma that enslaved women experienced in brothels at this time. The tone is fairly dark and fraught throughout, but there are moments of hope and beauty.
The writing style is clear and easy to read, making this a quick one to get through. It is told entirely from Amara’s perspective.
The author did a superb job of bringing Pompeii and historical figures to life, especially Pliny the Elder. From the text and my own trips to Pompeii, I could easily see the world that Elodie Harper recreated here.
At first, I found this story a bit brash because it plunged right into things and almost seemed like it was trying to be shocking. The language can be quite vulgar and blunt at times. But after a while, that feeling passed, and I could not put the book down.
This first book takes place five years before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, so I am very curious to see where the next two books will go. I am excited to read more of Amara’s story and armchair travel back to Pompeii.
Thank you to Union Square & Co. for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
Penniless after her father’s death, Amara’s mother sold her as a concubine. Now, enslaved in one of Pompeii’s most notorious brothels, Amara reminisces on her past life in Greece and dreams of being a freedwoman. She knows it would be next to impossible to buy her freedom from the pittance she earns through tips. So, Amara begins to devise ways of increasing her earnings while staying safe and finding moments of happiness and peace with her friends.
The Wolf Den boldly confronts the violence and trauma that enslaved women experienced in brothels at this time. The tone is fairly dark and fraught throughout, but there are moments of hope and beauty.
The writing style is clear and easy to read, making this a quick one to get through. It is told entirely from Amara’s perspective.
The author did a superb job of bringing Pompeii and historical figures to life, especially Pliny the Elder. From the text and my own trips to Pompeii, I could easily see the world that Elodie Harper recreated here.
At first, I found this story a bit brash because it plunged right into things and almost seemed like it was trying to be shocking. The language can be quite vulgar and blunt at times. But after a while, that feeling passed, and I could not put the book down.
This first book takes place five years before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, so I am very curious to see where the next two books will go. I am excited to read more of Amara’s story and armchair travel back to Pompeii.
Thank you to Union Square & Co. for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
May 15, 2022
Set in AD 74, Elodie Harper’s The Wolf Den is the story of Amara , a prostitute in the lupanar of Pompeii. Amara was not born into slavery. The only child of a Greek doctor in the city of Aphidnai (“Twelfth city of Attica, once the home of Helen of Troy”), she is an educated and intelligent girl whose fortunes were reversed after her father's demise. Sold as a house slave by her mother, she was forced into the life of a concubine before being sold to Felix, who changes her name to Amara and puts her to work as a prostitute in his brothel, The Wolf Den, in the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii.
“Nobody in Pompeii has ever dared ask her this. It’s the last remnant of privacy, of self, that a slave who was once freeborn possesses. Their real name.”
She becomes one of the “she-wolves” subject to the brutality and perversion of the men she is required to entertain in the course of her enslavement. Her clients vary from those she picks up in the street to those whose affluent parties she is made to attend. She shares a complicated dynamic with Felix and a sisterhood with the other prostitutes owned by Felix , especially Dido to whom she feels the closest. Despite the petty jealousies and rivalry that crops up from time to time, the she-wolves are a close-knit group who share their traumas, joy, pain, hopes and dreams. They support each other in doing whatever they need to do to survive. Amara dreams of a day when she would save enough from her earnings to buy back her freedom. Even amid the humiliation, pain, and heartache she endures , she relies on her instincts and intelligence to create and utilize opportunities that would bring her closer to her goals. The narrative follows Amara in her attempt to evolve from a victim of circumstance to a resourceful woman who rewrites her own story in a world that is not kind to women in her position (or women, in general) and where most men would rather exploit than assist and kindness is hard to find. Will she be able to find her way out of this life and away from Felix's manipulation ? What (or who) would she have to lose or sacrifice in order to fulfill her dreams?
“She takes her sprig in both hands, crushing it to release the scent. May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, Greatest Aphrodite. May I know love’s power, if never its sweetness. Amara drops her mangled garland on the ever-growing pile of heaped offerings from the desperate whores of Pompeii.”
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper is an exquisitely written novel that blends historical fact (The Lupanar of Pompeii can be found in the ruins of the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii) and fiction, with an absorbing narrative and strong characterization. The realistic depiction of the characters and their relationships and the vivid imagery used to describe the daily lives of the people, the streets and shops in the vibrant city, the religious festivities and the frescos and graffiti in the lupanar transports you to Amara’s world. I enjoyed the references to Greek and Roman mythology (especially in the context of religious beliefs of that period). I felt invested in Amara’s story from the very first page and rooted for her as she attempted to navigate her way through the challenges on her journey, rejoicing in her small victories and sharing in her pain over her numerous setbacks. However, this is not a book I would recommend to everybody. It is not easy to read about the sexual and physical violence that these women have to endure despite it being integral to the plot of the novel. To the author’s credit, she has exercised considerable restraint and has emphasized the cruelty of the acts rather than go into unnecessary graphic descriptions of the same. Overall, this is a compelling novel that I found hard to put down and a story that will stay with me for a long time. I am glad that the author is not done sharing Amara’s story and eagerly look forward to the next installment in The Wolf Den Trilogy.
“Being free. What does it feel like?” What did it feel like to be Timarete? Amara’s past life blazes into her mind’s eye, with all its love, innocence and hope. “When you see a bird flying,” she says, “that moment when it chooses to swoop lower or soar higher, when there’s nothing but air stopping it, that’s what freedom feels like.”
“Nobody in Pompeii has ever dared ask her this. It’s the last remnant of privacy, of self, that a slave who was once freeborn possesses. Their real name.”
She becomes one of the “she-wolves” subject to the brutality and perversion of the men she is required to entertain in the course of her enslavement. Her clients vary from those she picks up in the street to those whose affluent parties she is made to attend. She shares a complicated dynamic with Felix and a sisterhood with the other prostitutes owned by Felix , especially Dido to whom she feels the closest. Despite the petty jealousies and rivalry that crops up from time to time, the she-wolves are a close-knit group who share their traumas, joy, pain, hopes and dreams. They support each other in doing whatever they need to do to survive. Amara dreams of a day when she would save enough from her earnings to buy back her freedom. Even amid the humiliation, pain, and heartache she endures , she relies on her instincts and intelligence to create and utilize opportunities that would bring her closer to her goals. The narrative follows Amara in her attempt to evolve from a victim of circumstance to a resourceful woman who rewrites her own story in a world that is not kind to women in her position (or women, in general) and where most men would rather exploit than assist and kindness is hard to find. Will she be able to find her way out of this life and away from Felix's manipulation ? What (or who) would she have to lose or sacrifice in order to fulfill her dreams?
“She takes her sprig in both hands, crushing it to release the scent. May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, Greatest Aphrodite. May I know love’s power, if never its sweetness. Amara drops her mangled garland on the ever-growing pile of heaped offerings from the desperate whores of Pompeii.”
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper is an exquisitely written novel that blends historical fact (The Lupanar of Pompeii can be found in the ruins of the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii) and fiction, with an absorbing narrative and strong characterization. The realistic depiction of the characters and their relationships and the vivid imagery used to describe the daily lives of the people, the streets and shops in the vibrant city, the religious festivities and the frescos and graffiti in the lupanar transports you to Amara’s world. I enjoyed the references to Greek and Roman mythology (especially in the context of religious beliefs of that period). I felt invested in Amara’s story from the very first page and rooted for her as she attempted to navigate her way through the challenges on her journey, rejoicing in her small victories and sharing in her pain over her numerous setbacks. However, this is not a book I would recommend to everybody. It is not easy to read about the sexual and physical violence that these women have to endure despite it being integral to the plot of the novel. To the author’s credit, she has exercised considerable restraint and has emphasized the cruelty of the acts rather than go into unnecessary graphic descriptions of the same. Overall, this is a compelling novel that I found hard to put down and a story that will stay with me for a long time. I am glad that the author is not done sharing Amara’s story and eagerly look forward to the next installment in The Wolf Den Trilogy.
“Being free. What does it feel like?” What did it feel like to be Timarete? Amara’s past life blazes into her mind’s eye, with all its love, innocence and hope. “When you see a bird flying,” she says, “that moment when it chooses to swoop lower or soar higher, when there’s nothing but air stopping it, that’s what freedom feels like.”
May 16, 2023
⭐⭐⭐.5/5 Historically Accurate Stars!! First, I'd like to note that this story felt so real because my husband and I did a full tour of Pompeii when we traveled to Italy!
The sexualized nature of this city is not at all exaggerated - there were frescos and murals all over the city depicting lewd acts and scenes. Beyond that though - the city really is amazing in how much they've uncovered from the ash. You can spend hours exploring the intricate tile work and even see people flash mummified by ash. It's eerily beautiful!
⬇️⬇️ P.S. I just posted a bunch of photos of our visit to Pompeii on IG!! ⬇️⬇️
Follow Me On Instagram! || More Bookish Posts Here
THOUGHTS ON THE WOLF DEN:
- Set in Pompeii, which could only be before the Mount Vesuvius volcanic eruption of 79AD that destroyed the entire surrounding area for miles - is the story of men and women surviving a brutal civilization.
- Although The Wolf Den focuses mostly on Amara's experience as the once respected daughter of a doctor, sold into slavery upon her father's death - there are many different kinds of slavery mentioned throughout.
- The reason I'm giving this a lower rating is that even though the story is a sad one, and the writing is good - I think I just wanted more for Amara, and it was a LONG read. You can zip through the pages and many parts of the story, but I still took a long time to read because I was having difficulty imagining what some characters go through! Just sort of drawn out in some places? Idk. Could be me 😂😂
NOTES:
- Although the story is about prostitutes of Pompeii- I don't feel that it was overly sexualized or graphic. Most of the sexual scenes are alluded to without intense graphic detail.
- CWs: While I did say that most of the story wasn't overly graphic, there were some parts that made me catch my breath in their cruelty. Violence against women, children, and men is part of this story.
↑↑ Update: Finished May 13th, 2023 ↑↑
I don't know why, but I thought this would be a mythology retelling. It's historical fiction!
I'm about 50 pages in, and it's very good!
↑↑ Update: Started May 10th, 2023 ↑↑
The sexualized nature of this city is not at all exaggerated - there were frescos and murals all over the city depicting lewd acts and scenes. Beyond that though - the city really is amazing in how much they've uncovered from the ash. You can spend hours exploring the intricate tile work and even see people flash mummified by ash. It's eerily beautiful!
⬇️⬇️ P.S. I just posted a bunch of photos of our visit to Pompeii on IG!! ⬇️⬇️
Follow Me On Instagram! || More Bookish Posts Here
THOUGHTS ON THE WOLF DEN:
- Set in Pompeii, which could only be before the Mount Vesuvius volcanic eruption of 79AD that destroyed the entire surrounding area for miles - is the story of men and women surviving a brutal civilization.
- Although The Wolf Den focuses mostly on Amara's experience as the once respected daughter of a doctor, sold into slavery upon her father's death - there are many different kinds of slavery mentioned throughout.
- The reason I'm giving this a lower rating is that even though the story is a sad one, and the writing is good - I think I just wanted more for Amara, and it was a LONG read. You can zip through the pages and many parts of the story, but I still took a long time to read because I was having difficulty imagining what some characters go through! Just sort of drawn out in some places? Idk. Could be me 😂😂
NOTES:
- Although the story is about prostitutes of Pompeii- I don't feel that it was overly sexualized or graphic. Most of the sexual scenes are alluded to without intense graphic detail.
- CWs: While I did say that most of the story wasn't overly graphic, there were some parts that made me catch my breath in their cruelty. Violence against women, children, and men is part of this story.
↑↑ Update: Finished May 13th, 2023 ↑↑
I don't know why, but I thought this would be a mythology retelling. It's historical fiction!
I'm about 50 pages in, and it's very good!
↑↑ Update: Started May 10th, 2023 ↑↑
December 22, 2024
RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.5⭐️
Elodie Harper is exceptionally good at making me care about her characters! This was such an engrossing book because I was invested so early on, fascinated by the plight of characters, and turning pages to find out how their situation would progress. For more than half of the read, I wasn't sure where the story was going, really blind, but I was hooked and my trust paid off!
This setting is fascinating. The story takes place in a brothel in Pompeii; the workers are slaves, some by birth and others by unlucky circumstances. The way the culture is woven throughout the narrative is breathtaking. Everything from food to clothing, to architecture, religion, cosmetics, and birth control completely immersed me in the world.
The plot is sneaky, in that from the beginning, I was heartbroken and enraged on behalf of the characters, and I wanted their freedom and vengeance more than anything. Without promising those things, Harper takes you on their journey. I love how political and strategic the plot became. Rivaling pleasure houses navigate the market, while competition and alliances within the brothel come into play. Amara grows in her business mindset, navigates romantic entanglements, and wrestles with complicated feelings of devotion and hatred mingling.
The characters are complex and reveal so many sides to the survival instinct, the bonding tendency, and the ways tenacity can manifest in desperation. I was so attached to each woman and her story. I was devastated, angry, frustrated, judgmental, sympathetic, proud, and scared throughout. Harper just got me so good. I felt so many things!
I am so excited to continue this series. I highly recommend to readers across genres. This one will hook you.
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 5⭐️
Themes: 4⭐️
Emotional Impact: 4⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 5⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 4.5⭐️
Elodie Harper is exceptionally good at making me care about her characters! This was such an engrossing book because I was invested so early on, fascinated by the plight of characters, and turning pages to find out how their situation would progress. For more than half of the read, I wasn't sure where the story was going, really blind, but I was hooked and my trust paid off!
This setting is fascinating. The story takes place in a brothel in Pompeii; the workers are slaves, some by birth and others by unlucky circumstances. The way the culture is woven throughout the narrative is breathtaking. Everything from food to clothing, to architecture, religion, cosmetics, and birth control completely immersed me in the world.
The plot is sneaky, in that from the beginning, I was heartbroken and enraged on behalf of the characters, and I wanted their freedom and vengeance more than anything. Without promising those things, Harper takes you on their journey. I love how political and strategic the plot became. Rivaling pleasure houses navigate the market, while competition and alliances within the brothel come into play. Amara grows in her business mindset, navigates romantic entanglements, and wrestles with complicated feelings of devotion and hatred mingling.
The characters are complex and reveal so many sides to the survival instinct, the bonding tendency, and the ways tenacity can manifest in desperation. I was so attached to each woman and her story. I was devastated, angry, frustrated, judgmental, sympathetic, proud, and scared throughout. Harper just got me so good. I felt so many things!
I am so excited to continue this series. I highly recommend to readers across genres. This one will hook you.
May 30, 2021
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
Sold into slavery by her mother and forced into prostitution, Amara has never forgotten what her life was like as a free woman. Now forced to sell her body for a man she despises, Amara must use everything she knows to survive the harsh reality of life in Pompeii and help keep her fellow she-wolves safe. Everything has its price, and Amara will grasp at anything to be free again.
Set in the Ancient city of Pompeii, The Wolf Den centres around slave Amara and her fellow prostitues at a local brothel. Life is hard, and the novel never shys away from exploring the harsh realities these women face on a daily basis. Sexual, emotional and physical violence are a regular occurrence, and all of them are treated as commodities. Disposable ones. Because once beauty has faded, and the money dries up, what else could they have to offer? Amara as a character is intelligence and resourceful. She's never really been broken like the other girls she works alongside. She still maintains a sense of her former life, and has the ability to use her skills to try and break free. At times it makes her a ruthless individual, and not entirely likeable, however you can see why she acts this way. The secrets, the schemes, the lies. It's all for her freedom.
I really liked the relationship between all of the women within the Wolf Den. They're a found family of sorts, looking our for one another and trying to make some semblance of a life with the cards they've been dealt. There are moments of love and laughter scattered between them all, celebrating festivals and attending the gladiator fights together. There's also the inevitable jealousy and bitterness that accompanies such a life. I will say that I found a lot of the girls to be quite one dimensional in many regards. There's the mother figure in Cressa, the beautiful naive one in Dido, the outgoing one who is actually very vulnerable in Victoria etc. however overall I do think they work well as a unit.
More complicated and interesting however is Amara's relationship with Felix. Her keeper and master. Although not her first 'owner', he's the one who makes her feel the most worthless. He's unpredictable, violent and the hatred she feels for him radiates from her every pore. Yet sometimes, in rare moments of tenderness, she feels sorry for him too. His life mirrors her own in many ways, and I think Amara sees a lot of herself in him - which scares her more than she dares admit.
The story is set against the backdrop of Pompeii, but I often struggled to really picture the city. The volcano is never mentioned for one thing and outside of the brothel we don't get to see much of the hustle and bustle of everyday life in all its glory. We see festivals, special occasions but not much else. Although Amara's world is small, and revolves solely around the Wolf Den and it's inhabitants, some expansion into the surrounding city would have helped bring this world to life a bit more and inject a bit more soul and historical flair into the story. If I'm being honest, I felt this could have been set in any time period if you took out the Roman references to Gods and gladiators.
I also found the plot and pacing to be incredibly slow. It's obviously heavily character driven, with a focus on exploring these women's lives. However, I felt like not a lot actually happened and the ending feels predictable yet unrealistic in such a harsh and unforgiving world. In a story that opens up these women's lives and lays everything bare so candidly, it felt a little cheap, a little too simple.
An interesting historical read, with some complex characters set in a world I've never explored before. I just wish this had packed more of an emotional punch.
Sold into slavery by her mother and forced into prostitution, Amara has never forgotten what her life was like as a free woman. Now forced to sell her body for a man she despises, Amara must use everything she knows to survive the harsh reality of life in Pompeii and help keep her fellow she-wolves safe. Everything has its price, and Amara will grasp at anything to be free again.
Set in the Ancient city of Pompeii, The Wolf Den centres around slave Amara and her fellow prostitues at a local brothel. Life is hard, and the novel never shys away from exploring the harsh realities these women face on a daily basis. Sexual, emotional and physical violence are a regular occurrence, and all of them are treated as commodities. Disposable ones. Because once beauty has faded, and the money dries up, what else could they have to offer? Amara as a character is intelligence and resourceful. She's never really been broken like the other girls she works alongside. She still maintains a sense of her former life, and has the ability to use her skills to try and break free. At times it makes her a ruthless individual, and not entirely likeable, however you can see why she acts this way. The secrets, the schemes, the lies. It's all for her freedom.
I really liked the relationship between all of the women within the Wolf Den. They're a found family of sorts, looking our for one another and trying to make some semblance of a life with the cards they've been dealt. There are moments of love and laughter scattered between them all, celebrating festivals and attending the gladiator fights together. There's also the inevitable jealousy and bitterness that accompanies such a life. I will say that I found a lot of the girls to be quite one dimensional in many regards. There's the mother figure in Cressa, the beautiful naive one in Dido, the outgoing one who is actually very vulnerable in Victoria etc. however overall I do think they work well as a unit.
More complicated and interesting however is Amara's relationship with Felix. Her keeper and master. Although not her first 'owner', he's the one who makes her feel the most worthless. He's unpredictable, violent and the hatred she feels for him radiates from her every pore. Yet sometimes, in rare moments of tenderness, she feels sorry for him too. His life mirrors her own in many ways, and I think Amara sees a lot of herself in him - which scares her more than she dares admit.
The story is set against the backdrop of Pompeii, but I often struggled to really picture the city. The volcano is never mentioned for one thing and outside of the brothel we don't get to see much of the hustle and bustle of everyday life in all its glory. We see festivals, special occasions but not much else. Although Amara's world is small, and revolves solely around the Wolf Den and it's inhabitants, some expansion into the surrounding city would have helped bring this world to life a bit more and inject a bit more soul and historical flair into the story. If I'm being honest, I felt this could have been set in any time period if you took out the Roman references to Gods and gladiators.
I also found the plot and pacing to be incredibly slow. It's obviously heavily character driven, with a focus on exploring these women's lives. However, I felt like not a lot actually happened and the ending feels predictable yet unrealistic in such a harsh and unforgiving world. In a story that opens up these women's lives and lays everything bare so candidly, it felt a little cheap, a little too simple.
An interesting historical read, with some complex characters set in a world I've never explored before. I just wish this had packed more of an emotional punch.
June 6, 2021
The full 5*****.
May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, Greatest Aphrodite.
Another one of my most anticipated reads and I was absolutely captured by this story. This book follows Amara, a once beloved doctor’s daughter whose life went to tragedy. She is sold to a brothel in Pompeii, owned by a master she completely despises, and far away from home. Despite this, her spirit is not broken: she is resourceful, secretive, and clever. She’s also tough and strong, and no matter how hard her master tries to break her spirit, she continues to resist. Amara knows that in order to gain her freedom, it will force her to make decisions that’ll cost her happiness, and her new found sisterhood. She knows that in order to survive, there will be many self sacrifices she will need to make.
I adored this book- it was utterly captivating. It was also devastating and made me so sad and angry at times.
I was so ensnared into the lives of the she-wolves I just had to find out what happens. I love how Elodie Harper gives each individual she wolf her own personality and her own history. I enjoyed her exploration of these she wolf characters as they felt so true and real, I just wanted to protect them all.
Elodie Harper not only explored what life was like for the women working in the brothel, but also the isolating life of the lone male slave-prostitute, Paris. The author also went onto explore the relationship of the master (Felix) to each woman, how they are treated outside the brothel, and how both other slaves and citizens treated them too.
Despite the hard-hitting reality of life as a slave-prostitute, this was also filled with so much hope, love and humour between the women. I just loved that even in the darkest moments of their lives, they still had each other and had such a strong sisterhood and support system. I was so enamoured with these characters that I wanted them all to break free from their situation.
I am so glad I read Mary Beard’s “Pompeii” before reading this book, as both books gave me the imagination to ‘see’ Pompeii as it would have been, to imagine the streets and places Amara visited. Elodie Harper has weaved so much historical fact into fiction that I just loved it- especially the inspiration from t he graffiti found in the brothel , as well as including historical figures such as Pliny the Elder.
Elodie Harper has written such a brilliant historical fiction of this time period, and has given a much needed voice to these women, that I can not wait to see what happens next on Amara’s journey (and I also hope to see more of the other she wolves!).
May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, Greatest Aphrodite.
Another one of my most anticipated reads and I was absolutely captured by this story. This book follows Amara, a once beloved doctor’s daughter whose life went to tragedy. She is sold to a brothel in Pompeii, owned by a master she completely despises, and far away from home. Despite this, her spirit is not broken: she is resourceful, secretive, and clever. She’s also tough and strong, and no matter how hard her master tries to break her spirit, she continues to resist. Amara knows that in order to gain her freedom, it will force her to make decisions that’ll cost her happiness, and her new found sisterhood. She knows that in order to survive, there will be many self sacrifices she will need to make.
I adored this book- it was utterly captivating. It was also devastating and made me so sad and angry at times.
I was so ensnared into the lives of the she-wolves I just had to find out what happens. I love how Elodie Harper gives each individual she wolf her own personality and her own history. I enjoyed her exploration of these she wolf characters as they felt so true and real, I just wanted to protect them all.
Elodie Harper not only explored what life was like for the women working in the brothel, but also the isolating life of the lone male slave-prostitute, Paris. The author also went onto explore the relationship of the master (Felix) to each woman, how they are treated outside the brothel, and how both other slaves and citizens treated them too.
Despite the hard-hitting reality of life as a slave-prostitute, this was also filled with so much hope, love and humour between the women. I just loved that even in the darkest moments of their lives, they still had each other and had such a strong sisterhood and support system. I was so enamoured with these characters that I wanted them all to break free from their situation.
I am so glad I read Mary Beard’s “Pompeii” before reading this book, as both books gave me the imagination to ‘see’ Pompeii as it would have been, to imagine the streets and places Amara visited. Elodie Harper has weaved so much historical fact into fiction that I just loved it- especially the inspiration from t he graffiti found in the brothel , as well as including historical figures such as Pliny the Elder.
Elodie Harper has written such a brilliant historical fiction of this time period, and has given a much needed voice to these women, that I can not wait to see what happens next on Amara’s journey (and I also hope to see more of the other she wolves!).
June 21, 2023
“ May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, greatest Aphrodite. May I know loves power, if never it’s sweetness.“
This book was fantastic, a gritty story about Amara’s, a well educated daughter of a doctor, downfall into being a slave in a brothel in Pompeii. She’ll use all her intelligence, all her cunning, anything at her disposal to try and get out of her horrifying situation. This story is about friendship in the darkest of times and betrayal when you least see it coming.
LOVE
This book was fantastic, a gritty story about Amara’s, a well educated daughter of a doctor, downfall into being a slave in a brothel in Pompeii. She’ll use all her intelligence, all her cunning, anything at her disposal to try and get out of her horrifying situation. This story is about friendship in the darkest of times and betrayal when you least see it coming.
LOVE
Read
November 25, 2022
I now have a new YouTube channel, called 'William Gwynne'. Check it out - William Gwynne
One of my favourite reads of 2022.
The Wolf Den has been waiting on my shelf for months, but it was absolutely worth the wait. An absolutely riveting read that cast a lens on the callous depravity of humanity, as well as their acts of courage and selflessness. It is a story that Elodie Harper crafts fantastically, engrossing me in the world and characters, filling me with rage at the injustices cast on the characters, and also delivering those air-punching moments of satisfaction as well. It is hard-hitting, and brutal, and at the same time written in such an immersive way that refused to let me go.
Full Review to Come
One of my favourite reads of 2022.
The Wolf Den has been waiting on my shelf for months, but it was absolutely worth the wait. An absolutely riveting read that cast a lens on the callous depravity of humanity, as well as their acts of courage and selflessness. It is a story that Elodie Harper crafts fantastically, engrossing me in the world and characters, filling me with rage at the injustices cast on the characters, and also delivering those air-punching moments of satisfaction as well. It is hard-hitting, and brutal, and at the same time written in such an immersive way that refused to let me go.
Full Review to Come
April 22, 2024
3.5*.
This was not what I was expecting it to be. But a pleasant surprise which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
This was not what I was expecting it to be. But a pleasant surprise which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
November 9, 2023
A heartbreakingly intense novel full of incredibly heavy themes with heart and friendship at the centre. Fantastically original and beautiful written. The brutal nature of the every day lives of the characters were not glorified, nor shunned, but written as a true part of the story and it will stick with me for a long time.
March 30, 2024
[Българската корица е красива, макар според мен да не се връзва особено със сюжета. Чудесно е, че излезе и на български!]
Една от забележителностите на днешния Помпей е лупанарът. Значи както “вълча бърлога”, така и “публичен дом”. Сградата е на централно кръстовище в някогашния град, и похлупакът от вулканична пепел я е запазил отлично. Порнографските рисунки над стаите на проститутките не са особено интересни. Самите килийки, където е кипял нощен труд, обаче са. Размерът им е горе долу колкото едно днешно съвсем малко коридорче. Прозорци няма и е тъмно като в рог. Най-зловещото обаче е леглото във всяка от тези дупки. То е издълбан цял каменен блок, в единия край с издатина за възглавница. Хем евтино, хем на пр��ктика вечно. Рядко съм виждала нещо толкова зловещо, съпътствало нечие ежедневие.
И все пак тази адска дупка е била средище на живот, а проститутките са били най-често робини, капка от необятното и безлико робско море, населявало славната римска империя и съставлявало важна част от производствения и инвентар от говорещи предмети.
Рядко срещам напоследък оригинален и смел сюжет в заглавие, предназначено за забавление, без претенции за литература, но случаят е точно такъв. Никаква сладникавост. Който очаква чистоплътна и благопристойна романтика с герои-захаринчета, да си я търси другаде. Всъщност изобщо няма романтика. Ако някой очаква политкоректност, също е сбъркал заглавието. YA също не е бил популярен в Рим, не е популярен и в тази книга - реалността и историята не са стерилна и безопасна жанрова категория. Жанрът тук е само “отлично разказана история”.
Героите са всичко друго, но не и окаяни души от сълзлива мелодрама. Хвърлени в канавката, те се борят за късчето живот със зъби и нокти, с нищожно малкото, което е на тяхно разположение. Някои са жертви, някои са палачи - съзнателни или неосъзнати, често категориите неразличимо се преплитат.
Петте героини, населяващи лупанара, са с внимателно изградени индивидуалности, с много уважение и съпричастност, и дълбоко реалистични, намиращи време и за малко хумор, и дори за приятелство насред адското си ежедневие. Провокиращ е и гангстерът-социопат, менажиращ този процъфтяващ бизнес с тела. Истински близки са всички герои, населяващи Помпей - и бедните, и богатите, и робите, и господарите, и надяващите се, и уморените, и арогантните, и безжалостните. Помпей просто е жив, какъвто действително е бил, а не какъвто ни се иска да бъде.
Амара, Виктория, Дидо, Креса, Беронис, а по-късно и Британика, са различните, болезнено искрени лица на живота, който е по-добре да не се пада на никого и да остане в страшните мигове от историята.
Единствено ми е мъчно, че третата част (втората вече е на четеца ми) ще излезе чак през ноември.
4,5⭐️
Една от забележителностите на днешния Помпей е лупанарът. Значи както “вълча бърлога”, така и “публичен дом”. Сградата е на централно кръстовище в някогашния град, и похлупакът от вулканична пепел я е запазил отлично. Порнографските рисунки над стаите на проститутките не са особено интересни. Самите килийки, където е кипял нощен труд, обаче са. Размерът им е горе долу колкото едно днешно съвсем малко коридорче. Прозорци няма и е тъмно като в рог. Най-зловещото обаче е леглото във всяка от тези дупки. То е издълбан цял каменен блок, в единия край с издатина за възглавница. Хем евтино, хем на пр��ктика вечно. Рядко съм виждала нещо толкова зловещо, съпътствало нечие ежедневие.
И все пак тази адска дупка е била средище на живот, а проститутките са били най-често робини, капка от необятното и безлико робско море, населявало славната римска империя и съставлявало важна част от производствения и инвентар от говорещи предмети.
Рядко срещам напоследък оригинален и смел сюжет в заглавие, предназначено за забавление, без претенции за литература, но случаят е точно такъв. Никаква сладникавост. Който очаква чистоплътна и благопристойна романтика с герои-захаринчета, да си я търси другаде. Всъщност изобщо няма романтика. Ако някой очаква политкоректност, също е сбъркал заглавието. YA също не е бил популярен в Рим, не е популярен и в тази книга - реалността и историята не са стерилна и безопасна жанрова категория. Жанрът тук е само “отлично разказана история”.
Героите са всичко друго, но не и окаяни души от сълзлива мелодрама. Хвърлени в канавката, те се борят за късчето живот със зъби и нокти, с нищожно малкото, което е на тяхно разположение. Някои са жертви, някои са палачи - съзнателни или неосъзнати, често категориите неразличимо се преплитат.
Петте героини, населяващи лупанара, са с внимателно изградени индивидуалности, с много уважение и съпричастност, и дълбоко реалистични, намиращи време и за малко хумор, и дори за приятелство насред адското си ежедневие. Провокиращ е и гангстерът-социопат, менажиращ този процъфтяващ бизнес с тела. Истински близки са всички герои, населяващи Помпей - и бедните, и богатите, и робите, и господарите, и надяващите се, и уморените, и арогантните, и безжалостните. Помпей просто е жив, какъвто действително е бил, а не какъвто ни се иска да бъде.
Амара, Виктория, Дидо, Креса, Беронис, а по-късно и Британика, са различните, болезнено искрени лица на живота, който е по-добре да не се пада на никого и да остане в страшните мигове от историята.
Единствено ми е мъчно, че третата част (втората вече е на четеца ми) ще излезе чак през ноември.
4,5⭐️
January 29, 2024
Podcast review available here.
“Either we choose to stay alive, or we give up.
And if it's living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.”
Plot: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Writing: ★★★★☆
Concept: ★★★★☆
This is, by no means, a perfect story.
The sex was sometimes gratuitous, and the writing style was not particularly unique.
That being said, it receives an easy five stars from me, because it is a story I already know will stick with me for years to come. Where Miss Harper shines brightest is in constructing a plot, from start to finish, that draws every emotion possible from the reader.
I was filled with joy, I was tense, I grieved along with Amara. I wanted to take the book and chuck it across the room a couple times, but only out of excitement/fear/anticipation/my own impatience.
This is what storytelling is. I will, without a doubt, be picking up book two.
My Website | My YA Thriller Books | Linktree | Instagram
“Either we choose to stay alive, or we give up.
And if it's living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.”
Plot: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Writing: ★★★★☆
Concept: ★★★★☆
This is, by no means, a perfect story.
The sex was sometimes gratuitous, and the writing style was not particularly unique.
That being said, it receives an easy five stars from me, because it is a story I already know will stick with me for years to come. Where Miss Harper shines brightest is in constructing a plot, from start to finish, that draws every emotion possible from the reader.
I was filled with joy, I was tense, I grieved along with Amara. I wanted to take the book and chuck it across the room a couple times, but only out of excitement/fear/anticipation/my own impatience.
This is what storytelling is. I will, without a doubt, be picking up book two.
My Website | My YA Thriller Books | Linktree | Instagram
March 31, 2022
This is NOT a historical fiction novel of AD 74 Pompeii. It is however a version of gossip girl set in Rome. Huge let down, the writing was actually laughable. It was a teen tragedy/ romance. Basically a book that would get a bunch of hype on BookTok… please no one compare this to Circe. Super upset since that is the only reason I read it. Once again NOT Circe or Circe-adjacent.
June 13, 2021
Actual rating 4.5/5 stars.
Amara was once the daughter of an esteemed doctor. He had no sons and so imbued her with all of his knowledge. Amara thought this meant her future would look much like his, but she was sorely mistaken. She was to be bartered off, like live-stock and every other woman. This potential future filled her with dread but would later come to seem like dream come true when fate decided something else for her.
Her parents died, their debts become hers, she was enslaved to a brothel owner, and was removed from the only home she had ever known to bustling Pompeii. Amara became nothing more than another one of his she-wolf whores. Alone she was nothing, but these women who became her sisters roamed as a pack, and together they were not to be underestimated.
From the very opening chapter, and right until the novel's close, this was a very emotional and traumatic read. Scenes of rape, violence, and both mental and physical abuse featured repeatedly and ensured the reader was aware of the truly hopeless situation these women had been forced into. Their lives were ones of sorrow and their feelings were transferred to the reader through the author's thoughtful prose.
There were, however, moments of purity and happiness also delivered. These were scant and fleeting but did break up the monotony and degradation that was Amara, and the other women's, existence. Interactions with the other women were often the source of this hard-fought-for joy and I enjoyed seeing them grow to love and find strength in one another.
The males who also frequented these pages were often dealing with their own demons. The enhanced position that their sex afforded them in society meant that they often took their emotions out on anyone they deemed lesser than themselves, however. Women brought the brunt of anger, with fists and harsh words often thrown their way. Other males were seemingly good and kind, but their lack of understanding made them careless to the tender hearts and souls they were tasked with caring for, leading them to form as many cracks in the scant armour these women wrapped around themselves as those who truly wished them harm.
Enemies lurked on every side and I thought, on multiple occasions that Amara's outcome was going to be as bleak as all that had gone before it. A bittersweet conclusion seemed like the most apt way to end this story and I'm glad the author chose to deliver it. It felt authentic, did not degrade all that had come before, and gave the reader some measure of hope to take away from this painful but exquisitely well-crafted read.
This was very much not the tale I thought it would be and I very much enjoyed it, due to that. Perhaps enjoy isn't the best word to use when describing a book as tragic as this one. I was captivated by the writing style, sympathetic to the focus, and appreciative of the delicacy the author had in conveying this story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Elodie Harper, and the publisher, Head of Zeus, for this opportunity.
Amara was once the daughter of an esteemed doctor. He had no sons and so imbued her with all of his knowledge. Amara thought this meant her future would look much like his, but she was sorely mistaken. She was to be bartered off, like live-stock and every other woman. This potential future filled her with dread but would later come to seem like dream come true when fate decided something else for her.
Her parents died, their debts become hers, she was enslaved to a brothel owner, and was removed from the only home she had ever known to bustling Pompeii. Amara became nothing more than another one of his she-wolf whores. Alone she was nothing, but these women who became her sisters roamed as a pack, and together they were not to be underestimated.
From the very opening chapter, and right until the novel's close, this was a very emotional and traumatic read. Scenes of rape, violence, and both mental and physical abuse featured repeatedly and ensured the reader was aware of the truly hopeless situation these women had been forced into. Their lives were ones of sorrow and their feelings were transferred to the reader through the author's thoughtful prose.
There were, however, moments of purity and happiness also delivered. These were scant and fleeting but did break up the monotony and degradation that was Amara, and the other women's, existence. Interactions with the other women were often the source of this hard-fought-for joy and I enjoyed seeing them grow to love and find strength in one another.
The males who also frequented these pages were often dealing with their own demons. The enhanced position that their sex afforded them in society meant that they often took their emotions out on anyone they deemed lesser than themselves, however. Women brought the brunt of anger, with fists and harsh words often thrown their way. Other males were seemingly good and kind, but their lack of understanding made them careless to the tender hearts and souls they were tasked with caring for, leading them to form as many cracks in the scant armour these women wrapped around themselves as those who truly wished them harm.
Enemies lurked on every side and I thought, on multiple occasions that Amara's outcome was going to be as bleak as all that had gone before it. A bittersweet conclusion seemed like the most apt way to end this story and I'm glad the author chose to deliver it. It felt authentic, did not degrade all that had come before, and gave the reader some measure of hope to take away from this painful but exquisitely well-crafted read.
This was very much not the tale I thought it would be and I very much enjoyed it, due to that. Perhaps enjoy isn't the best word to use when describing a book as tragic as this one. I was captivated by the writing style, sympathetic to the focus, and appreciative of the delicacy the author had in conveying this story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Elodie Harper, and the publisher, Head of Zeus, for this opportunity.
November 8, 2021
The Wolf Den reimagines the lives of enslaved women in Pompeii’s brothel with the main character of Amara.
I believe the story is character-driven, which I like, but I struggled to connect with any of the characters. As the story begins, it stars with a lot of names and it’s not easy to follow who is who, especially when so little is given out about those characters. You can’t attach any characteristics to a name. It takes a while before anything is revealed about Amara, and it’s not much.
I believe the strength of the story is the support that the women give each other. The atmosphere of the place that surrounds the women and their circumstances is there. However, the sense of the place of Pompeii itself is missing or the snippets that are given are not enough to feel the sense of the place. It is missing the authenticity of a place as a whole. Pompeii was not the only ancient place filled with brothels, so the story being heavily concentrated on this subject doesn’t make the place authentic.
It seems as the story is driven by what women do, making the progression of the story slow and repetitive. Due to the subject matter and the story being heavily concentrated on it, the story feels overwhelming, plus there is quite a lot of the foul language.
With the story being London Times Bestseller, I’m obviously in the minority and highly recommend checking other reviews.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I believe the story is character-driven, which I like, but I struggled to connect with any of the characters. As the story begins, it stars with a lot of names and it’s not easy to follow who is who, especially when so little is given out about those characters. You can’t attach any characteristics to a name. It takes a while before anything is revealed about Amara, and it’s not much.
I believe the strength of the story is the support that the women give each other. The atmosphere of the place that surrounds the women and their circumstances is there. However, the sense of the place of Pompeii itself is missing or the snippets that are given are not enough to feel the sense of the place. It is missing the authenticity of a place as a whole. Pompeii was not the only ancient place filled with brothels, so the story being heavily concentrated on this subject doesn’t make the place authentic.
It seems as the story is driven by what women do, making the progression of the story slow and repetitive. Due to the subject matter and the story being heavily concentrated on it, the story feels overwhelming, plus there is quite a lot of the foul language.
With the story being London Times Bestseller, I’m obviously in the minority and highly recommend checking other reviews.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2022
This book was not for me. I expected historic fiction and got smutty soft-core porn masquerading as ?? Still not sure what the author was aiming for. Colleen McCullough authored an excellent series entitled Masters of Rome that I read back in the 90s and I loved it due to the amazing writing, full of atmospheric details and engaging developed characters with inner-lives. With that in mind, I picked this up from the library last week. As a keen student of history, I absolutely love well-written historical fiction, with accurate attention to culture, speech, dress, decor, geography, cuisine, politics … you get the picture. I’m well-read, well-traveled and old enough to recognize BS when I’m presented with it. This book struck me as a very heavy load of it, written to titillate with salacious bit and bobs, heavy on the profanity, light on ideas or interesting prose, yet with a plodding plot that was nauseatingly predictable and full of clichéd characters. The fact that it’s apparently the “first” in what will be a series makes me sad, especially in light of the copious 4 & 5 star reviews this first installment garnered. The idea that multitudes of readers thought this was a good book leaves me scratching my head and longing to prescribe reading lists as I used to do back in the day, when I taught young people literature.
April 23, 2022
HYPERREALISTIC AND NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
I can imagine few things worse than being a slave. But being a slave working in a brothel in antique Rome might just be one of the very worst fates to bear. That is Amara's fate. I was captivated right off the bat by the candor, the harsh reality and the transparency of this story. Nothing is hidden away. Every evil is on display. So if you have a weak stomach, don't open this book.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Candor: The rawness of the story was probably my favorite part. Nothing is hidden away, nothing is too ugly to disclose. We get under Amara's skin even for the worst things that happen to her. It was visceral, ugly and horrifying.
Emotions: And it made me feel so much! Anger, disgust, rage, sadness.
Relationships: But there were glimmers of hope as well. Especially in Amara's relationships with the other women in the brothel. And the blossoming relationship with the other slave, Menander. The different relationships of this book were explored beautifully. Both the good relationships and the bad ones. Amara's relationship with her pimp, Felix, for instance, was expertly handled. Complex and yet simple all the same.
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I can imagine few things worse than being a slave. But being a slave working in a brothel in antique Rome might just be one of the very worst fates to bear. That is Amara's fate. I was captivated right off the bat by the candor, the harsh reality and the transparency of this story. Nothing is hidden away. Every evil is on display. So if you have a weak stomach, don't open this book.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Candor: The rawness of the story was probably my favorite part. Nothing is hidden away, nothing is too ugly to disclose. We get under Amara's skin even for the worst things that happen to her. It was visceral, ugly and horrifying.
Emotions: And it made me feel so much! Anger, disgust, rage, sadness.
Relationships: But there were glimmers of hope as well. Especially in Amara's relationships with the other women in the brothel. And the blossoming relationship with the other slave, Menander. The different relationships of this book were explored beautifully. Both the good relationships and the bad ones. Amara's relationship with her pimp, Felix, for instance, was expertly handled. Complex and yet simple all the same.
Follow me for more book loving content!
Blog ✨ Facebook ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter
Blog Post: 10 Criminally Underrated YA Books with an LGBTQ Twist
February 9, 2024
A fantastic read!
There was actually such a wonderful lack of smut for a book set in a brothel. I appreciated that so much!
The story follows Amara, a brothel slave who works for Felix. She and her fellow whores work for the Wolf Den, with their sole role being the pleasing of men. However Amara wasn't always a slave, and she'll do whatever it takes to win her freedom back.
I really, really loved Amara's character. She does some morally questionable things that really drive home that she will honestly do WHATEVER IT TAKES and I think it was really important to the story. She's a fierce heroine, yet she's still loyal to her friends. She fights, but she makes smart calls, too. There's more to her than just whoring, but that's also a huge part of who she is.
The themes are quite dark, with slavery and prostitution obviously sitting at the forefront. Agency and self-worth, basic human rights. It was quite fascinating to me to read all about it, and it was interesting to see how all the different men Amara interacted with treated her and the other working girls.
There was certainly a lot in this story to unpack, but the writing helped everything flow so well, dancing around different ideas at different times. I found it to be an easy, addictive read and could easily have read it all in one sitting if I'd had the time.
An excellent read, and I'll definitely read the next one. Thanks Juliette for the recommendation!
There was actually such a wonderful lack of smut for a book set in a brothel. I appreciated that so much!
The story follows Amara, a brothel slave who works for Felix. She and her fellow whores work for the Wolf Den, with their sole role being the pleasing of men. However Amara wasn't always a slave, and she'll do whatever it takes to win her freedom back.
I really, really loved Amara's character. She does some morally questionable things that really drive home that she will honestly do WHATEVER IT TAKES and I think it was really important to the story. She's a fierce heroine, yet she's still loyal to her friends. She fights, but she makes smart calls, too. There's more to her than just whoring, but that's also a huge part of who she is.
The themes are quite dark, with slavery and prostitution obviously sitting at the forefront. Agency and self-worth, basic human rights. It was quite fascinating to me to read all about it, and it was interesting to see how all the different men Amara interacted with treated her and the other working girls.
There was certainly a lot in this story to unpack, but the writing helped everything flow so well, dancing around different ideas at different times. I found it to be an easy, addictive read and could easily have read it all in one sitting if I'd had the time.
An excellent read, and I'll definitely read the next one. Thanks Juliette for the recommendation!
September 26, 2022
AD 74. A really bad time to live as a woman.
Gotta love the Diane references.
Wonder, how the freedmen (and -women) were called all the well-wishing names: Liberta, Fortunata, Felix etc.
Q:
“You were magnificent.”
“So I asked for four cocks magnificently?” (c)
Q:
When health is absent,” she says, raising her voice and switching to Greek, “wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifest, strength cannot be exerted, wealth is useless and reason is powerless. I would not set Herophilus to music, sir, but I would live my life by his wisdom.” (c)
Q:
“The journey of the mind is always stranger than that of the body,” (c)
Gotta love the Diane references.
Wonder, how the freedmen (and -women) were called all the well-wishing names: Liberta, Fortunata, Felix etc.
Q:
“You were magnificent.”
“So I asked for four cocks magnificently?” (c)
Q:
When health is absent,” she says, raising her voice and switching to Greek, “wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifest, strength cannot be exerted, wealth is useless and reason is powerless. I would not set Herophilus to music, sir, but I would live my life by his wisdom.” (c)
Q:
“The journey of the mind is always stranger than that of the body,” (c)
May 7, 2024
"a one-of-a-kind historical novel" yeah i sure fucking hope it's one of a kind i hope nobody does this again. never in my life have i read a book so miserable. let's start with the premise shall we?
this book is a reimagining of the lives of women in pompeii's lupanar. ok. pompeii. harper did her research. kinda. she's the next in a long line of madeline miller wannabes. whatever. this is a book about prostitutes so i expected prostitution, but to paint a story about nothing more than a day-to-day routine of sex slaves as EMPOWERING when it is 451 straight pages of rape without relent hiding behind one of those pretty girlboss covers is SHAMEFUL. this is an incredibly triggering book and that isn't made clear anywhere in the synopsis because it's advertised as a strong-ancient-greek-female-character story and not literal trauma porn.
there was no semblance of a plot, the writing was downright juvenile, and there was no characterization in sight. i cannot believe this is a trilogy i cannot believe there are 2 whole books after this devoted to the "sharp, resourceful and surrounded by women whose humour and dreams she shares" amara, the blandest and bitchiest of a group of bland and bitchy whores whose only personality is being bitchy by virtue of being a whore. pardon my latin. not a single character stood out to me in this book, and if they did, it wasn't amara. my sympathies do not extend to her beyond that of being female myself. if she had been written better, i could've gotten on board with her character, but instead of developing her this was such a repetitive novel, telling us over and over and over again that she is of a different caliber than the other whores because she used to be free and educated and she's not like the others because she's strong enough to still harbor hopes of freedom. this is why women will never be free bruh. plus why did their OWNER get more characterization and a nod to a painful childhood than most of the women? i don't care if harper meant to speak on the cycle of abuse because in a book about sex slavery, quite frankly i don't care that a slaveowner was born in the same brothel.
every story has a point, right? RIGHT? i finished this in a rage and the only meaning i could formulate was "here's the blunt reality of prostitution 2000 years ago: it was bad..." as if she had to reimagine the lives of ancient women... as if the same exact conditions she describes don't exist today...
there is nothing other than the mention of pompeii tying this story to any time period, as the dialogue is inconsistent. there is zero prose or anything indicating authorial ownership. when i say it's an itemized list of bad things happening to women, i mean literally every sentence. anyone could have written it, and i don't say this in the way people speak on modern art they don't understand. i mean, who IS elodie harper??
oh and one last thing. every chapter in this book begins with an epigraph quoted from some ancient roman source, be it graffiti found in pompeii, ovid, catullus, etc. but it is SO SURFACE LEVEL!!! BY JOVE IT'S CHEAP! TELL ME WHY PLINY THE ELDER SHOWS UP AS A CHARACTER IN THE CHAPTERS BEGINNING IN FUCKING PLINY THE ELDER QUOTES!! TELL ME WHY PLINY THE ELDER RENTS OUT AMARA AND THEY TALK ABOUT MEDICINE!! "pliny is stroking his fingers through her hair" can we be fucking serious.
this book is a reimagining of the lives of women in pompeii's lupanar. ok. pompeii. harper did her research. kinda. she's the next in a long line of madeline miller wannabes. whatever. this is a book about prostitutes so i expected prostitution, but to paint a story about nothing more than a day-to-day routine of sex slaves as EMPOWERING when it is 451 straight pages of rape without relent hiding behind one of those pretty girlboss covers is SHAMEFUL. this is an incredibly triggering book and that isn't made clear anywhere in the synopsis because it's advertised as a strong-ancient-greek-female-character story and not literal trauma porn.
there was no semblance of a plot, the writing was downright juvenile, and there was no characterization in sight. i cannot believe this is a trilogy i cannot believe there are 2 whole books after this devoted to the "sharp, resourceful and surrounded by women whose humour and dreams she shares" amara, the blandest and bitchiest of a group of bland and bitchy whores whose only personality is being bitchy by virtue of being a whore. pardon my latin. not a single character stood out to me in this book, and if they did, it wasn't amara. my sympathies do not extend to her beyond that of being female myself. if she had been written better, i could've gotten on board with her character, but instead of developing her this was such a repetitive novel, telling us over and over and over again that she is of a different caliber than the other whores because she used to be free and educated and she's not like the others because she's strong enough to still harbor hopes of freedom. this is why women will never be free bruh. plus why did their OWNER get more characterization and a nod to a painful childhood than most of the women? i don't care if harper meant to speak on the cycle of abuse because in a book about sex slavery, quite frankly i don't care that a slaveowner was born in the same brothel.
every story has a point, right? RIGHT? i finished this in a rage and the only meaning i could formulate was "here's the blunt reality of prostitution 2000 years ago: it was bad..." as if she had to reimagine the lives of ancient women... as if the same exact conditions she describes don't exist today...
there is nothing other than the mention of pompeii tying this story to any time period, as the dialogue is inconsistent. there is zero prose or anything indicating authorial ownership. when i say it's an itemized list of bad things happening to women, i mean literally every sentence. anyone could have written it, and i don't say this in the way people speak on modern art they don't understand. i mean, who IS elodie harper??
oh and one last thing. every chapter in this book begins with an epigraph quoted from some ancient roman source, be it graffiti found in pompeii, ovid, catullus, etc. but it is SO SURFACE LEVEL!!! BY JOVE IT'S CHEAP! TELL ME WHY PLINY THE ELDER SHOWS UP AS A CHARACTER IN THE CHAPTERS BEGINNING IN FUCKING PLINY THE ELDER QUOTES!! TELL ME WHY PLINY THE ELDER RENTS OUT AMARA AND THEY TALK ABOUT MEDICINE!! "pliny is stroking his fingers through her hair" can we be fucking serious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2021
A surprisingly emotional account of women's lives and what they have to do to survive. Amara's strength, intelligence, and determination make her a dazzling character to watch, especially when shown against the poverty and desperation of the brothel. There are no punches pulled here, this is a place of violence and fear. A place in which friendships matter, but perhaps not as much as self. In the background, the threat of a larger tragedy hangs over everything. All this striving and hope doomed by what comes next.
ARC via Netgalley.
ARC via Netgalley.
June 30, 2022
It pains me to rate this low but I have to be honest with myself. I wanted to love this book and give it full five start. But while the writing and research was superb, the character arc talented crafted and all that. I just couldn't get connected with the story. I wasn't as emotional invested as I had hoped but I might try and reread this of preferred in physical next time
July 18, 2021
This is a hard book to rate. The first half was a five-star read. I was completely invested in Amara's story and utterly immersed in a world that was all-too-often crude and cruel to women—especially women in the pleasure trade. The second half lost momentum and could have used some trimming. One of the most unique books I've read in a long time. The sisterhood among the brothel women was poignant and lovely.
March 20, 2025
Dură dar bine construită
April 6, 2021
The Wolf Den really is a beautifully crafted historical novel, the sheer immersive sense of it is wonderful, bringing to life a long ago community in a place which we know holds no happy ending.
This is before that well known tragedy, featuring a strong, intelligent and intriguing main protagonist who, despite her most horrific circumstances, refuses to accept this is all she can be.
Set in Pompeii, specifically in The Wolf Den, a brothel where the women slaves have no choice on what they do, the life is brutal and mentally harsh. Somehow however, this is a place of hope in so many ways and The Wolf Den is a tale of friendship and love, of determination and rising above, of a struggle for survival both without and within.
Elodie Harper paints a picture that is hauntingly vivid, writing with an almost cinematic style that describes both character and setting pitch perfectly. The story plays out against the backdrop of a place long lost and it is hugely addictive and cleverly layered.
I’m so happy there will be more. I was reluctant to leave this book and Amara behind me, it was a brilliant read and I can’t wait for the next.
Highly Recommended.
This is before that well known tragedy, featuring a strong, intelligent and intriguing main protagonist who, despite her most horrific circumstances, refuses to accept this is all she can be.
Set in Pompeii, specifically in The Wolf Den, a brothel where the women slaves have no choice on what they do, the life is brutal and mentally harsh. Somehow however, this is a place of hope in so many ways and The Wolf Den is a tale of friendship and love, of determination and rising above, of a struggle for survival both without and within.
Elodie Harper paints a picture that is hauntingly vivid, writing with an almost cinematic style that describes both character and setting pitch perfectly. The story plays out against the backdrop of a place long lost and it is hugely addictive and cleverly layered.
I’m so happy there will be more. I was reluctant to leave this book and Amara behind me, it was a brilliant read and I can’t wait for the next.
Highly Recommended.
February 21, 2024
I am a little disappointed by this book I was expecting to really enjoy this but it was pretty meh. It's not that it's a bad book but it was quite boring and repetitive. I couldn't connect with any of the characters they all felt flat and one note. Even when something emotional happened I still just couldn't connect, I understood that the characters in this book might lack a little emotion because of their situation but still they are a group of close nit women I expected their relationships but be much more dramatic and complicated.
I am rating this so low I because this book was so character driven and I didn't connect with any of them it didn't really have a lot of plot to save it either. It was bleak, depressing and pretty bland. As soon as I finished this book I felt flat, like I needed to read something fast-paced or good fun, this could very easily put me in a slump it really wasn't for me!
I am rating this so low I because this book was so character driven and I didn't connect with any of them it didn't really have a lot of plot to save it either. It was bleak, depressing and pretty bland. As soon as I finished this book I felt flat, like I needed to read something fast-paced or good fun, this could very easily put me in a slump it really wasn't for me!
November 15, 2021
This was a brilliant piece of historical fiction. It uses quite a lot of modern language but this didn’t spoil my enjoyment at all. The author does not shy away from the harsh reality of life lived in a brothel as a slave, but the relationship between the slaves working there was very affecting. Amara, a doctor’s daughter is the MC, sold into slavery by her mother on her father’s death. She is bright and determined to get her freedom. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book. I can’t wait for the sequel to continue Amara’s story.
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