This book was fantastic. The story followed a brothel in ancient Pompeii, and the women who lived there. The story was amazingly rich and touching despite the fact that it couldn't be further from something that most people would be able to identify with. However, the women had very beautiful stories, and it made me realize that we are all just living our lives as best we can. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking to find a book that will best encapsulate a time that might be hard to come by. The story follows the women, as previously noted, but with a touch that really brings this time period to life in a way that I have not found before. Though it was so different from anything I have encountered before, I am fully invested and should there be a sequel, I would be 100% reading it.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not only thought provoking, but did not shy away from the brutal realities of what being a slave (especially a brothel slave) was like. The brutal honesty had me in tears at times. The sisterhood between the characters was heartwarming and genuine. My only critique is that this book felt very modern, not that I expected for this to be written like the epic poems and stories of the time period. There was more modern turns of phrases, and at times I forgot that this was set in Pompeii! But overall, I enjoyed this book and will continue on with the series!

Harper’s novel, The Wolf Den, was an incredibly engaging novel—I could not put it down. The story opens in Pompeii in 74 CE, five years before Mount Vesuvius laid waste to the city. Amara, a Greek woman, was sold into slavery after her doctor father died, leaving Amara and her mother with countless debts. Amara is bought by Felix, the owner of Pompeii’s notorious brothel, the Wolf Den. Forced into prostitution, Amara and the other she-wolves (prostitutes) fight to grasp the shreds of their humanity, while forced to do the unthinkable.

The plot is not what drives this book—it is the characters. Amara’s friendships with the other she-wolves are a testament to the strength of female friendship. While there are moments of joy and happiness, this is not a feel-good book. Harper is blunt with her depictions of prostitution, the language is often coarse, and the entire premise is dark. Despite the tragedy of their situation, the women hold on to hope for love, freedom, and joy. The relationships between the women are complex—they love each other, but will do whatever it takes to reach their aspirations. Jealousy is a common theme throughout the book, along with depression and despair. Each woman copes in various ways and their pimp, Felix, exploits each woman’s weakness. This book is not for the faint of heart. Trigger warnings include, rape, suicide, mutilation (off screen), abuse (physical, mental, and emotional), and violence.

If you enjoy historical fiction, this was well done. Harper seamlessly weaves in aspects of Roman life. The reader gets a feel for the political, class, and racial issues of the time. I look forward to reading the sequel! Will Amara destroy everyone who has hurt her?! I hope so!

My only complaint with The Wolf Den was that the language occasionally felt too modern.

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. publishers for providing me with an ARC!

This book was a brutal and unflinchingly honest look at the women who were trapped in the lowest rungs of Roman society. The writing was good and did an excellent job of bringing Pompeii and the Roman world to life. While reading, I was transported into the setting and felt like I was walking the streets of Pompeii along with the characters. I enjoyed the inclusion of quotes from actual Romans, such as Ovid, Pliny, and the unknown authors of graffiti, at the beginning of each chapter. They did a good job setting the stage for each segment of the story while also giving a glimpse into the mindset of actual people alive during the time-frame of this novel. The pace of the story was slow but deliberate, and it was largely character driven and focused on the changes in Amara and the other women as they experienced the hardships of daily life in the brothel. All of the characterizations were well-developed, and each of the women was an interesting look at the different ways one can cope with undergoing persistent trauma and objectification. The relationships between the women were also fascinating, especially as new women were introduced or the status quo changed, because they were an excellent illustration of group dynamics at work. Even though I enjoyed all of the character arcs, no matter how minor, I loved reading about the protagonist, Amara, the most. Her resilience, intelligence, and refusal to accept her place in the world wove together to create a compelling character and story. The parallels between her growth and the story of her master's background were haunting and foreshadowed a potential struggle with her inner darkness in future books, which I can't wait to read. If you enjoy books set in the ancient world and/or books about strong women in the face of extreme adversity, this might be the book for you. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars and am really looking forward to the sequel!

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 ⭐️

Wow, just wow. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but it completely blew my mind! I cannot believe I need to wait another 1.5 months for the sequel!

Personally, I always find historical fictions set in ancient Greece/Roman times are always either a hit or miss for me: they often get a bit too philosophical and the story ends up being too slow for my taste. With that in mind, I approached this book with some caution and, for at least the first 20% of the book, I was concerned it might have been a miss for me. However, The Wolf Den was far from that! It is a wonderful story of endurance, hardship and friendship, that was written so beautifully that had me laughing, crying and needing to take mental breaks to processed what just happened. It follows the lives of the women working at The Wolf Den, a brothel in ancient Pompeii, and how they manoeuvre through their traumas, social standing, love lives, and their ultimate search for freedom. Even if it took me a while to get into it, once I did I could not stop reading! I haven't enjoyed reading a book as much in quite some time.

I do not think I could possibly review this book without talking about the characters: they are the heart and soul of this book. Each one of them offered such a unique perspective to the story and I absolutely loved them. All the girls working at The Wolf Den are so different from each other, but still stick together like family. Without giving spoilers, I adore each one of those girls and I need the next book to see how their bond will change with how this first book ended! I really loved the main character, Amara, and her main love interest (even if he did not get much page time), Menander. At first I was suspicious of him, but by the end my heart was glowing for them (that last scene BROKE MY HEART). On the other hand, I am still so confused on how to feel about Felix: he was so awful throughout this book, but I cannot help feeling that him and Amara do have some sort of bond with each other (whether it be romantic or just one of mutual respect, I do not know). I would not be opposed to him having some sort of redemption arc in the next books, but I also do not see that as likely. Still curious to know!

Sadly, I know this book isn't going to be for everyone: this type of story falls under what I like to call, 'women living their lives and stuff happens'. While I would recommend absolutely everyone to read this book because it was so amazing, the story progression may seem slow once Amara starts to go from rich man's party to the next. I really enjoyed reading about all the dynamics between the characters, but they can get repetitive at times. Probably my biggest criticism of this book (which in hindsight isn't even really criticism since I can see how it fit perfectly with the rest of the book) was the fact that the reader is very much thrown in at the start of the book - this made the book somewhat confusing for the first 15% or so because I was trying to place who was who and how things operated. But again, after finishing it, I can see how this was only a benefit for the book!

Overall, this was such an amazing book, and I am counting down the days for the sequel! Elodie Harper did a beautiful job!

A special thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for providing me with an ARC of this book!

One of my first loves as a child (aside from Egyptology) was Greek mythology, which eventually transformed into a love of Roman mythology, as well, seeing as so much of it is borrowed from the Greeks. Now, I'm fascinated with anything to do with Ancient Rome/Greece, and have recently been interested specifically in Pompeii and Pliny the Elder, who tragically died during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. So I was absolutely thrilled to be allowed to review an ARC for Elodie Harper's novel about a brothel in Pompeii!

The Wolf Den's main character is Amara, a Grecian woman who was the daughter of a doctor and forced by poverty to be sold as a slave by her mother, but all of the women shine in this novel. From strong Victoria, to caring Cressa, to the Egyptian Beronice, and the Punic slave Dido, Amara's best friend, each and every one of them have strong personalities and hopes beyond the bare stone walls of the brothel. And each of them live in fear of their pimp, a brutal man by the name of Felix. Amara knows her only chance of ever escaping is to become a mistress to a powerful man, and hope that, if she plays her cards right, that he might free her.

But it is a dream that seems impossible. It is a life of pleasuring men, not just at night but at every hour, always fishing for the next customer, of starvation and stone cells and the constant loom of death and growing old, unattractive, and thus, useless. Felix even tells them "a whore grows old twice as fast"; an omen of all their futures, should they not change their fortunes.

Amara, using her skill on the lyre, wins herself and Dido a place performing at parties. And perhaps, an opportunity for more. But can she leave her friends behind, if it means never having to go back to The Wolf Den? Can she abandon a quickly growing love for another Grecian slave, Menander, for a rich patron?

Equal parts brutal and moving, The Wolf Den is a story of the women forgotten by time and reviled during their own, women who had nothing but each other, and the one constant of their lives -- servitude. A must read for lovers of the period, who want to move past the poetry and the pomp, and experience the lives of those who made the Roman world turn.

I truly enjoy any story set within Greece: the scenery, the characters, the way of the time periods it usually evokes... so I was really excited to read about a brothel of all things! That is definitely not a subject that I have read about within Greece, so I was instantly intrigued.

One thing about this book is that it is not for the faint of heart or the squeamish. This is a brash and brazen inside look into a brothel where the women are enslaved. It's the underbelly of Pompeii and does not hold anything back for the reader. However, the women that lead the story are some of the most courageous and interesting women you will find. I really feel like the book was very character driven which was wonderful to unravel each person's story and understand how they came to be where they were and how they protected one another. I did find that the book seemed to move incredibly slow... I wondered if the next installment would be faster paced given the story has been laid out in the first book to allow for the story to continue quickly. Overall, I felt the book was just okay... but I would very much be interested in reading the next book to see how it develops!

3.5⭐️

The Wolf Den follows the life of a slave/prostitute. That being said, be sure to look up the trigger warnings because this book is basically full of them. However, I appreciated how candid it was about the topics.
There is no sugarcoating in this book. It is a traumatic and emotional read for sure. Along with that, the character work is very interesting. It shows the complexity of human beings. Yes, you have those that are abusive and vile. But you also have others who are ‘kind’ yet oblivious and cause harm due to their carelessness.
If you’re coming into this for an action packed plot, you’re going to be disappointed. Some of the characters are incredibly unlikeable and I found myself struggling to care sometimes. It’s the topics and the way that they are handled that had me enjoy this, though, and I’m sure it’ll be someone’s favorite read of 2022.

Set in Pompeii 74CE, in a brothel known as the Wolf Den, this book follows one of the prostitutes, Amara. There are many ways the girls have ended up here, and Amara’s background is no less tragic: once a beloved and well-educated daughter of a doctor, the death of her father plunges the family into such poverty that her mother sells her as a house servant, only to find her attractiveness sparking too much jealousy from her owner’s wife. It is an act of spite that sells her on as a whore, and so she finds herself owned by a man she despises, desperate to see any signs of a way out for herself.

This was perhaps an odd choice of read for me, because it is entirely uncomfortable reading about women being forced into sexual slavery against their will. Amara hates every part of this life, even as she tries to find comfort in friendship with the other whores. One was found abandoned as a baby, one was kidnapped by pirates – but even if the crime was undone, she is now too ‘damaged’ to ever return to her family. It’s a horrible, awful way of life, and by rights I should have hated spending time reading about it.

But I didn’t. In fact, the hopefulness and glimmers of possibility make this a gripping read. Very dark things happen, but we also see how the tiniest light can make or break these girls’ lives. And – slight spoiler alert – the ending is hopeful, which I tell you because I read the last third massively stressed out that it’d be otherwise.

There’s nothing sugar-coated about this book, from the events to the language. I will say that it doesn’t get too graphic or glorify any of the sex or violence.

Despite the tawdry settings, it’s really interesting seeing glimpses of real life in ancient Pompeii. The gods, the rituals, the different classes, the opportunities or lack thereof. Perhaps one reason for picking it was the contrast to books like The Gates of Athens, and I definitely appreciated the focus being on less privileged characters. There’s something very real about the grime here, as opposed to the superficiality of ‘glory of war’ kinds of tale – and the writing has much more of an immediacy and connection, too. Amara and her friends have a far more personal war to wage, and it was fascinating travelling the streets of the famous ancient city and its ways of life with them.

Book 2 is due out in May, so there isn’t long to wait before I can find out more of Amara’s tale – and I’m rather glad of it, and that I gave this book a chance!

“Either we choose to stay alive, or we give up. And if it’s living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.”

4.5 stars

Sprawling, lush, and epic, The Wolf Den chronicles the life of Amara, a prostitute living in ancient Pompeii determined to survive with her spirit intact. Author Elodie Harper brings Amara's world to life in vivid detail that envelops the reader completely while refusing to shy away from the overwhelming violence and everyday horrors that the women of The Wolf Den face. It is not always an easy book to read, but the character of Amara and her incredible resilience is just so compelling.

The immersion into this world was broken at times by the occasional use of modern vernacular to the point where I had to look up certain words to see when they actually came into existence. The choice seemed at odds with this rich tapestry that Harper was creating, but it is a relatively small issue in the face of such an otherwise brilliant book. I cannot wait until I can get access to the next book in the series so that I can see where Amara's journey takes her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I confess that when I first heard about this book I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read it but then I saw so many positive blurbs that I decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did!

This is historical fiction that will undoubtedly be enjoyed by those who have read Ariadne (or similar stories) and those who have followed the stories about Marcus Didius Falco in ancient Rome. As is true for the other books mentioned above, Ms. Harper succeeds in creating a world filled with a sense of place. Life is not always easy there and especially not for the protagonist, who endures life changes due to circumstances beyond her control. However, Amara will give all that she has to try to create the life she wants. Follow along with her in this book that will have you turning the pages rapidly.

CONTENT WARNING:

This is a story about a woman who is sold into prostitution in historical Pompeii.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

*** four and a half stars

Richly immersive and entirely disturbing, this beautifully written book is destined to fascinate as much as it will horrify readers as unfamiliar up-close with this subject matter and historical time-period, as was this reader.

Set in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, in the year AD 74, this book (the first of a trilogy) is terrifyingly frank - pulling the reader along, with an inescapable and unrelenting pace, deep into the dismal and brutal life afforded to slaves servicing clients in a tawdry street-brothel. Here “lupa” (she-wolves or prostitutes ), bought and sold like slabs of meat, live out their existence under the menacing eye of Felix, their pimp, a man as merciless as he is mercenary.

Felix’s five women - Amara (our main protagonist) , Victoria, Cressa, Dido and Beronice - each of them hideously misused, vulnerable, and tragic, must learn to cope with challenges that, for this reader, felt insurmountable. All the more revolting as it becomes clear that both Amara and Dido, born as free persons (although not Roman citizens), with loving families, and the prospect of an unblemished future - have been sold into Roman slavery under what can only be described as appalling conditions.

Each woman’s story is absolutely riveting - as different in personality as they are united in both their fight against the misery of their imprisonment and the fragility of their hopes and aspirations - it’s impossible not to be affected by their plight, which the author unfolds skillfully, amidst a horrifically-candid historic detailing of a culture that in the eyes of this reader, represents the living embodiment of humanity at its most abysmal.

Who can one really trust?

Is evil, unleashed, inevitably endemic?

Is freedom worth fighting for, at any cost?

Can hate and revenge fuel any sort of goodness?

I could not put this one down. Not for the faint of heart, this book kept me glued to a story that I wanted (and yet feared) to see through - right up to the dramatic and ultimately very satisfying ending.

A great big thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

I really enjoyed this! It was both fascinating and heartbreaking. The story is told through Amara’s POV, and depicts her life working in a brothel in Pompeii as well as her determination to get her freedom back. The author does not stray away from the harsh reality of the life lead by these women. All the characters in this book were well written and had depth. I did notice there was a bit of modern language throughout, but this did not take away from the historical feel of the story.

When I reached the halfway mark of "The Wolf Den," I remember telling a friend on bookstagram that I liked this book but wasn't sure I was going to love it. Now that I've finished it, I am able to tell you this: I loved it. I saw a couple of people complaining how they felt nothing was happening in the story, but I feel like this is exactly the point. Things do happen, but they occur within parameters that are out of the main character's reach and that's the book for you.

We follow the first leg of Amara's journey (this is a trilogy apparently). Our main character is a prostitute in Pompeii, determined to reclaim her own sense of self at all costs in order to leave the brothel and the man who has taken all from her: her name, her body and her freedom. The story is immersive and doesn't shy away from the perversion required to lead that kind of life. The dynamics were great and the character development always keeps you on your toes. I ended up pulling an all nighter to finish it and I'm really looking forward to reading the next installment when it comes out.

3.5

The Wolf Den tells the story of Amara, sold by her mother to be a concubine, and through cruel fate later finds herself as a prostitute in Pompeii, where she finds friendship with the other women there and sparks a forbidden romance with a potter's slave.

Amara is a likeable character to follow as she survives Pompeii and the harsh life she has found herself in. She makes some morally questionable choices, but it's fueled by her desire to buy her freedom. The friends she made, Dido, Victoria, Cressa, and Beronice, were mostly likeable too. They did feel like they were a token character of a certain personality trait each (the mean one, the naive one, the motherly one, the innocent one, etc.), but I mean, it got the job done to have me distinguish them from each other.

The love interest, Meander, and the way their romance bloomed, felt underdeveloped in some way. A lot of their interactions in the first half of the book felt glazed over. We don't see him much in the second half but I assume he will have a larger role in the next book.

The other male characters, except for probably Felix, Rufus, Pliny, and Paris, felt interchangeable and I found myself confused on who was who. Almost all of them were pretty despicable though, so yeah.

The pacing of this book was on the slow side, and much of it was just the going-ons of Amara's life. I still found it interesting though, and I also liked the writing. While the depictions of sex and violence weren't too graphic, this was definitely a sad book to read.

Overall, I liked it. I don't know if I'm too invested to continue reading the series, but I would recommend this if you like reading historical fiction and the ancient Rome era.

The life of a prostitute in ancient Pompeii was worth little, as shown in The Wolf Den. Women came to the profession by various means: kidnapping, selling into slavery, or being born into the life. Amara had been the daughter of a doctor, but after he died, she and her mother nearly starved, and so her mother ultimately sold her.
Amara's life in the brothel in Pompeii is one of violence, but it begins to improve after men start paying her to sing and play the lyre at parties. Can she manage to get someone to buy her from her master, or is the dream of freedom beyond her reach?

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 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

3.5/5

"May men fall to me as this offering falls to you, Greatest Aphrodite. May I know love's power, if never its sweetness."

A slowly character-driven start to a trilogy about life, love, friendships, and sisterhood as experienced by enslaved prostitutes in ancient Pompeii. Welcome to the wolf den. This book intrigued me from the start. The idea of enslaved sex workers as wolves and the power that imagery gives to them drew me in. Amara, our main character, exemplifies this as the book progresses, fighting for her heart, her freedom, and her life in equal measure in a world where she is an owned thing rather than a person.

The story surrounds her with people: her friends at the brothel, her terrible pimp, the guards, competing girls, other enslaved people, and the patrons who buy her services. All use her and are, in some ways, used in return as Amara learns her way in this world, becoming cold and calculating as she attempts to rid herself of her life of horrors. The intricacy of her relationships with her sisters at the brothel was so poignant and believable. Her interactions with other enslaved people were often hard to read, teaching her again and again the hard truth of how to get by.

What interested me the most, though, and the reason I will inevitably pick up the next book, is Amara's relationship with Felix, her pimp. The story slowly teases out information about him. As she rises higher, Amara becomes more like him but she hates and grudgingly admires him in equal measure. I'm hoping the next book will give us more interaction between them especially with the conflict right at the end!

The writing itself was good, a slow build that dragged a bit but felt right for the topic. It, like many myths and retellings felt like being told rather than shown the story but purposefully. I was often jarred by words that didn't seem to fit the time period but I have no real idea if ancient Pompeiians used the word "boyfriend" so I can only assume the author did her research.

I would recommend this to those that enjoy mythology retellings but wanted something mixed with the show Harlots. It's brash and truthful with absolutely no sugarcoating. It made me anxious but it also made me want more, to see Amara rise and fall and grow into her tenuous power.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Not a lot actually happened in this book and it was very character driven, this is probably why I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to - it just isn't my style of reading. Unfortunately I tried to continue but found my interest dwindling more and more, I DNF'd at 20%.

What can I say about this book…it’s emotional, a bit graphic, and intriguing. The author paints a vivid picture of Pompeii brothels, the harsh living conditions, and the cruel treatment of it’s occupants in AD 74.

There were some scenes that made me uncomfortable. Although short, it still left an impression. I was vested in the women and their predicament. The book illustrates not only their wonderful friendship but their struggles and strength to survive. While there was sadness, there was also laughter and celebration. I wasn’t sure about the main character, Amara, but she was very resourceful and smart. A few of the characters left me heartbroken.

I do think the story was overextended, at times dull but towards the end, it proved to be dramatic.

I received this ARC from @netgalley for an honest review.