The Wolf Den was such an exposed book. It never took the blunt exposure of working in a brothel for one second. It was eye opening to read about it and imagine it, instead of just thinking you know about the process. Elodie Harper gave you such GREAT QUOTES such as

"No, Just endure it. Never get used to it."

This just shows how quick minded and bright Amara was even with her time in the brothel. She is admirable, because she never lost hope and was consistently looking for a way out while being relatable in some way. She is not a normal MC, she has sharp edges and makes decisions where you question her a lot.

I'm not used to Historical Fiction, but this was a good introduction to it while lacing it with Greek Mythology. It was a slow read for me, it took me from all of December to read this and into January.

This will be a 3 star read for me, because it just didn't WOW me.

I have finished this book and I honestly am numb. The plot was somewhat there, I understood the MC’s goal, but honestly did not realize truly how she got there.

Amara is a slave that works in a brothel. She is a mirror to her past life which was somewhat free, not selling her body, and truly loved by friends and family. Now that she has been sold, it is the other side of the mirror that she has to face.

This has all the potentials of an amazing book, but maybe that’s what the author intended. The stagnant of actual life, the hopelessness and fragility of your life not being your own? Maybe historical fiction is not for me, but I will only ever read this once and I’m glad I did! It’s just not my cup of tea and wasn’t what I expected it to be.

Elodie Harper's The Wolf Den was a complex and thoughtful tale of one woman's struggle to survive in a violent world ruled by men.

A historical novel set in Pompeii, The Wolf Den follows Amara, a woman sold by her mother and currently enslaved in a Pompeii brothel ruled by a man with an iron fist. But Amara is bound and determined to survive by many means necessary, despite the fact that she lives in a world where she and other women are used an discarded at a moment's notice. Amara's intellect and clever thinking save her time and time again, and slowly Amara begins to value the survival of the enslaved women she loves as deeply as her own.

This book had an interesting premise; part of the recent trend in women's fiction of recounting or exploring the untold lives of people in mythic or historical settings in order to uncover the other side of the story, this book fits remarkably well in that genre. The writing was strong and compelling, with Amara's character painting a vivid picture of life and the world in Pompeii throughout the text. I found myself rooting for Amara and her friends repeatedly, and grieving at their losses. The specter of violence and the women's precarious position as female slaves repeatedly had me hooked, frantically reading to see what would befall the characters next.

One warning I would give about this novel is its pacing. Overall, this was a slow book, driven by characters and their relationships rather than any real action. Although the book deals with some powerful and often difficult to read subject matter, it is also somehow very domestic. I definitely recommend the book to people who enjoy this kind of reengagement with history and myth, but be warned that the plot seems to track steadily along, rather than moving in sweeping arcs.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and I'm pleased to have read it. It has so much potential and evokes a lot of emotion.

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started reading THE WOLF DEN with absolutely no expectations. I just knew that the cover is stunning and that the story takes place in Pompeii's Lupanar. A few pages into the book, and I was hooked. This novel is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of 2021 - so much so that I bought a physical copy of it in mid-read, despite already having an e-ARC. I love the characters, especially Amara, and I find the story fascinating, rich in plot twists and relevant conversations on freedom and womanhood.

Despite being utterly in love with this book, I recognise it has its flaws. I find the ending, for instance, very fast and underwhelming. Moreover, all characters are, at times, too modern to feel 100% realistic. However, these aspects didn't keep me from enjoying the novel.

I just can't wait for the second instalment in the trilogy, THE HOUSE WITH THE GOLDEN DOOR, to be published later in May!

Bold and brilliant. Daisy Buchanan’s daring journalistic talents shine through this novel, making it a double win for fans of both types of writing.

Imogen is an aspiring journalist, but the industry is savage on young writers and some weeks she can barely afford to eat. Harri, on the other hand, has been in the game much longer and owes her financial success to successive, unrelenting decades of loyalty to the job.

Whilst they are both at different ends of the spectrum when it comes to their career, these women have one thing in common: they have sacrificed everything for a business which has consumed and crushed them without a second thought.

This book was both hilarious and heart-breaking and I’m sure any fans of modern fiction would absolutely love it.

4 stars

Thank you Sterling Publishing for granting me a copy through Netgalley. It has no influence on my review.

That story is extremely well written, feels very realistic and made me sad and thoughtful.
Sad because the lot of these women in the lupanar, these she-wolves, were not a lot they had chosen but one they fell into and had to endure the best they could.
It made me thoughtful too because even beyond these prostitutes, it’s a whole society in ancient Rome that was built on slavery. You had other house slaves, not just in the lupanar of course.
And it made me realize how lucky I am.
How lucky I am to be born in a country and in an era of freedom and equal rights for women. Of course, I know prostitution still exists and exploitation of prostitution too but now it’s illegal and people fight against this.

These women didn’t have that chance.
The only hope they had to escape that life was to buy their freedom. But the price was so steep that it was impossible except if another wealthy man could buy them out.
It also showed how people can manipulate others. Felix, the pimp, knew how to make these women feel worthless and then have them feel grateful for something he did, or have them craving his approval. This is twisted and a prime example of manipulator.

Elodie Harper did a good job at describing Pompeii at that time, the merchants, the public bath, the lupanar and of course the slavery.

Know that it’s hard to read at time and filled with triggers. It’s no real “fade to black” and I wanted to scream many times. But it was best to write without sugarcoating anything. Just be warned when reading that story.

But what was also incredible and gave me hope while reading about these bleak conditions was the women’s friendship and support.
They were united in their lot, helping each other the best they could. Sharing food, perfume, etc. There was laughter, expeditions to the arena, stories…

Last word about my reading experience, this is very character driven, centered around these women’s lives, Amara’s in particular hence the pacing is quite slow. If you are looking for something full of actions, that won’t be the book for you.

The Wolf Den is a well written historical fiction, brutally honest, centering around ordinary people instead of emperors or great heroes of the past. It talks about slavery, survival but also friendship and sisterhood.

I was really excited for The Wolf Den, but it didn't meet my expectations. I wasn't invested in any of the characters, and I just felt bored while reading. I didn't like the writing style very much, either. I might try reading this again at some point, but as for right now, it's just not for me.

This is a difficult book to rate, on one hand I really enjoyed the historical aspect of the story, on the other, what these women go through at times is not pleasant to say the least. Amara was sold into slavery by her mother, her father was a doctor and has passed away leaving them almost destitute, her mom sold off their possessions to keep them going until the only thing she had left was her daughter. She thought by selling her to a 'friend' it would lessen the stigma, but the wife of the friend soon became jealous of Amara and insisted she be sold again. She was bought by Felix the owner of a brothel in Pompeii, at first she thought he was kind, but that view changed after she found first hand that he was a very cruel and vindictive person. Amara has no choice but to service the men that patron the brothel, her and the other women, all slaves, must make a certain amount of money a day, either by patrons or by soliciting at various bars or other areas, including baths. I found the day to day descriptions of the women's struggle to earn money a bit monotonous at times, though the descriptions of Pompeii and the feeling of what it must have been like to live in those times was very interesting, I look forward to the next installment. Overall this was a very good story and I would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC.

The author clearly spent a lot of time researching in preparation for writing this book. It contains so much detail about life in Pompeii and the unfortunate lives of the prostitute’s. Having visited Pompeii I could visualize so much of what was described even the building used as a model for the Wolf Den. It definitely brought the place to life for me. The characters were well developed and each had enough back story that you could sympathize with how they ended up where they were. It was definitely dark and sometimes disgusting but still an interesting story. I wouldn’t say I loved it but I did like it and would encourage anyone one who enjoys historical fiction to read it.

Historical fiction set in ancient Pompeii. The setting here is compelling, but the story brutal and the writing feels very choppy, rather thank fluid. Ultimately, I didn’t really engage with this story and didn’t finish this one.

I am obsess with this book! Historical Fiction in and ancient Pompeii brothel? Sign me up for these kind of stories all day everyday. When this comes out in March run to pick up a copy! I will be running to grab a UK copy of the second book so I don't have to wait for it.

Okay, so, this book was amazing! I really enjoyed Amara as a character and the first half of this was just phenomenal! Then, the second half, sort of died a bit (?) , like it felt a little flat but the author has a very intriguing writing, which allured me to the read even more!

<i>Big thank you to NetGalley for providing this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

I love historical fiction books. Those set in Ancient Greece or Rome happen to be my favourites. Honestly, a book set in Pompeii made me have a lot of expectations. Book about Roman prostitutes and slaves made me want to read it all the way more. I always preferred the female gaze in historical fiction rather than the male one.

However, I found the book to be slightly dull and unappealing. I had trouble concentrating on the storyline and read it in little by little every day instead of in one big chunk as I usually do with books I find gripping.

While the premise sounds interesting, nothing much happened in the book and the ending was unsatisfactory, as well. Honestly, I was praying the ending is they all die after the volcano explodes.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

So complex and thrilling. I couldn't put this book down at all. I can't wait to tell my blog followers

I think this one will be popular if it finds the right audience. Of course, people are going to compare this to Circe and Ariadne, and I think it’s an apt comparison. However, it doesn’t quite live up to the writing chops of Madeline Miller so the comparison may actually damage the reception of this book.

The Wolf Den is a hard-to-stomach, visceral exploration into women's agency and autonomy. Set amongst the brothels of 1st century Pompeii, it follows Amara, a Greek woman sold by her own mother and enslaved into sex work. After forming a desperate bond with her fellow 'she-wolves,' Amara dreams of reclaiming control over her life, and sets out to make her cruel and complex master, Felix, value her as the most useful woman in the brothel. Drawing on her education, musical talents, and wit, she steels herself against grief and heartbreak to chase the elusive promise of freedom.

4/5: An intense work of historical fiction that highlights the traumas of sex slavery and the enduring resilience of women throughout history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

If your literary sweet spot involves historical fiction that centers on the people and stories of ancient cultures (think The Silence of the Girls or The Song of Achilles), then make room on your TBR for The Wolf Den!

”I can’t give you anything; I have nothing,” she spreads her arms out to illustrate the empty cell. “I don’t even own myself, my own body, my own life.”

Elodie Harper’s impeccably well-researched novel tells the story of Amara, a young woman sold into brothel slavery in Pompeii. Though she is valued only for her beauty and her body, Amara is smart, talented, and clever, and she believes that, if she can leverage her unique skills the right way, she might be able to gain her freedom. But freedom won’t come easy, and it won’t come cheap: eventually Amara will have to weigh the cost…

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

The Wolf Den doesn’t skirt around the ugly truths of brothel slavery; rather it shines a spotlight on the way women were degraded and discarded, their bodies and their spirits used up for someone else’s pleasure until they were completely broken, inside and out. I was stunned by the harsh realities of their situation and how vicious their daily fight was, just to survive.

”Slaves do not usually ask each other about the past without invitation. Nobody wants their grief dragged up unexpectedly into the light.”

Wanting more than basic survival, as Amara does in the story, borders on scandalous—themes of classism, oppression, and patriarchal power dynamics abound—but her resilience and determination made for an inspiring read. While I wished, unrealistically, for a happier ending for Amara, I am already looking forward to the next book in this series! Four well-deserved stars!

”When you cannot make your own choices, what good is wanting anything, or anyone?”

——

A huge thank you to Elodie Harper, Sterling Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is definitely worth the hype. With detailed descriptions of what ancient Pompeii looked like, I felt transported. This is no easy story. I appreciated that the author did not try to romanticize the girl’s position of being sex slaves, Harper did not try to empower or dignify a terrible reality. However, she also did not demean the characters. They were individuals, with hopes, dreams and wishes. While the story definitely lagged at various sections, these are passing issues expected from a debut. I was not pleased with the ending but I do understand why it was done; to set the stage for the following book.

One of my anticipated reads, I really enjoyed this book and how it takes a unique approach to life in ancient Rome by following a group of young slave prostitutes and does not shy away from their blunt and violent living conditions. I was definitely captivated by the story line that I read it in a few days. I liked how Harper gives each individual character their own personality, background and explored their relationships with others. I also liked how she began each chapter with a graffiti quote! This was a great historical fiction read that gives a voice to the overlooked slave women and I can wait to read what happens next in her sequel!

The Wolf Den is such a raw and emotional story of a group of sex slaves in Pompeii which had me hooked from the very beginning.
My favourite part of this book has to be the friendship and found family trope between these women who are all forced into this way of living despite their pasts being so different.

Elodie Harper has this amazing way of writing that just draws you in and I ended up reading 3/4 of the book in one sitting. This book is not for the faint of heart but I really do recommend picking it up as it is such an amazing historical fiction.

Also I've just seen that this is the first in a trilogy? I'm excited to see where this goes!

As a huge fan of mythology retellings and retellings in general, The Wolf Den is a wonderful read. It is very violent and triggering but that doesn't make it any less wonderful. it's a definite must read!