This was a good read but it took me so long! I enjoyed the relationships and the writing style but I wish I liked the book more!

Book - The wolf den

Author- Elodie Harper

Suggested reading age according to me- 18+

My review- So long story short, the book did not work out for me. Perhaps, i am too young to read this book and to appreciate the weaving of the extremely explicit (18+) historical fiction by the author. Don't get me wrong, the writing was beautiful, the author has an amazing and very point to point plus brief writing style which keeps the reader hooked. The message about slavery, the spirit to keep on living and fighting in tough times in extremely noble but as a 17 year old i did not enjoy this book, it was too old and extremely adult for me in terms of writing and the 18+ terms and descriptions. However if you are a person aged 20 or above I would say go ahead and read this book.

Thank you to @headofzeus for sending me a limited edition proof of this book.

I don't generally read mythology books but this was interesting.
It is not for the faint hearted for sure but well written and gets you feeling lots of emotion. There is lots of tragedy and trauma for the character but also some sprinkles of happiness.
Although it is a historical book it has the feel of a modern day twist so was easy to read and follow.

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.

Ancient Pompeii is brought to life in this vibrant, hectic novel written in an engaging contemporary style by Elodie Harper. Sold into slavery, Amara lives as a she-wolf, in Pompeii’s infamous brothel and we follow her and those who surround her as she searches for a way to not only survive but to truly live in this captivating first novel of three.

Harper’s character writing and development is perfection, and for the number of characters that feature, each is engaging, colourful and memorable. In a busy novel this can be hard to achieve, but Harper does do effortlessly. The main protagonist, Amara, particularly draws you in…she is strong and powerful, with a vulnerability that is endearing.

This novel is raw and honest, it doesn’t shy away from brutality and violence in its depiction of the world the characters live in. Even the strongest of the characters live in fear. I will include trigger warnings at the end of this caption.

Harper’s style of writing is simple and engaging, when combined with her vivid character and world building creates the perfect page-turner. I was immersed without even realising it, and whilst I do think this novel was a little longer than it needed to be…it did keep me engaged and wanting to read more! I’d like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel, and can’t wait for the release of the second in the trilogy!!

Trigger Warnings: mental and physical abuse including rape, and abortion.

I received an ARC of this book via net galley in exchange for an hones review and I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book. I am fascinated by mythology and generally enjoy anything based on that. In addition retellings are a favourite MPG and both these things attracted me to the book.

However this one failed to satisfy on either account - the mythology part was lost within the awful basis of the storyline, which was just grim uncomfortable reading. It is far from being a retelling - whose story is it meant to portray? Instead we are treated to a glimpse of the seedier side of life through the eyes of a formerly free woman later enslaved.
The author failed to create a character who could really pull me into the narrative. I felt Amara was as likely to thing else tun into another Felix than into anyone else. Apart from a fellowship with her similarly enslaved brothel companions her main concern was herself. I thought she was an unlikeable heroine.

The author did create believable narrative lines involving the dreadful circumstances of the brothel girls, the feuds between pimps and the means of getting out of these lives but it was not enough to make me like the book as a whole. I don't think it was an awful book. I imagine many will find it fascinating but it was not one that worked for me

A fantastic book which is well written and completely engaging. I have been completely pulled in and kept hostage by this one.
This is unique, intriguing and one that I have devoured.

This book was a pleasure to read , I had so been looking forward to reading this as I have been fascinated with Pompeii since I first learned about it at school. The author creates Pompeii through the eyes of the women working as prostitutes, Amara is a great character and you really empathise with her. The stories of the other women in this world are essential to the overall plot and their arcs twist and entwine to the end, this was wonderful and I can't wait to see what other stories the author has to come.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

What a great read! Set in Pompeii during Roman times, this story revolves around Amara and the other she-wolves who work in one of the brothels in the town. Desperate to buy her freedom, she’s an enterprising girl, doing everything she can to earn as much as she can.

The setting was so well created and I could really picture the dark alleys and sinister streets alongside the smart baths and forum. The women were such strong characters despite their terrible circumstances and I really enjoyed how they supported and cared for each other.

A great book and I’m delighted that it’s the start of a trilogy - can’t wait to read the rest!
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Brilliant, amazing and absolutely fantastic. I loved reading about all these women’s lives and how even though they compete for men they also look out for one another. This is a historical tale like no other and I just adore this and cannot wait for more.

This was an interesting read and i liked the wide array of characters in this as they all had such different perspectives. The writing was really easy to read and it made me feel like i couldn't put the book. The drama was written well and i liked how the world-building was done in this. Elodie Harper made such an interesting world here, it will be interesting to see what her next book is like!

This was such a rich and enjoyable foray into the world of the wolf den brothel in Pompeii. I thought the author did a fantastic job at bringing these forgotten women powerfully to life, with all of their flaws and virtues, friendships and rivalries. The world is very well drawn, giving a sense of historical place that I particularly appreciated and it was also refreshing to spend some time in an ancient setting without mythological or magical aspects. The characters here are by far the best part of the narrative and I just loved these women! I am fascinated to see what will come next in this series and will be eagerly awaiting the sequel.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and was so excited to see it's part of a trilogy as I wanted to spend more time with these characters. I appreciated the candid nature of the storytelling although did, on occasion, find the very modern elements a little jarring. This didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story though.

First of all let’s all take a moment to appreciate that stunning cover, it’s possibly one of my favourites of the year so far. I would pick this book up without knowing anything about it based on that cover alone.

I loved every page of this book, it was gripping from start to finish. Amara was a fantastic character, she showed such strength throughout! The story itself showed the misery and abuse of the She-Wolves in Pompeii’s most famous brothel, it was so well executed!
I read this book thinking it was a stand-alone but I realised it is going to be a trilogy. I can’t wait for the next Instalment.

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank netgalley and Head of Zeus for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting pov to read from. Excited for the next instalment.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT IT
I have read a lot about the ruins at Pompeii and so I appreciated the attention to detail, referencing real graffiti, artwork, and names mentioned on the ruined building that have been uncovered.

The story brings together a lot of characters but all are well developed and not once did I get confused on who was who, they are all very distinct. You could really feel how each of the girl’s life experiences had influenced their characters, it was very well thought out, they felt true, real.

It wasn’t fast-paced, but it was enjoyable and well written. I enjoyed a change of pace from my usual reads.

WHAT I LOATHED ABOUT IT
The Wolf Den was quite a long and thought-provoking story, and then, within the last few chapters all the story arcs come together and get nicely finished off. It felt rushed and a little clumsy because of this. Even more puzzling as I had thought this was a stand-alone, it’s not. I’ve since learned it’s a trilogy so it makes even less sense. I’m now intrigued to see where book 2 takes us.

I also missed some of the more “environment” based descriptions. It’s very character-led but I would have liked to have experienced more of Pompeii through the characters as well.

THOUGHTS
A rich story about friendship and sisterhood with the backdrop of the brutal reality of being a brothel slave.

Yet another new-to-me author that has blown me away! 'The Wolf Den' was an engrossing look into a part of Roman history I'd never known about and I'm so glad this turned out to be the first in a trilogy!

While 'The Wolf Den' works well as a standalone - goodness me that ending packed a punch - I really care about the characters and don't want to say goodbye. Speaking of characters, they are truly the standout point of this book, with the complexity of each person and the relationships between them. Pretty much everyone (important) felt distinct and realistic, flaws and all - even the characters that are most 'good' out of them all, aren't perfect. (One came pretty close though, the resident cinnamon roll of this book.) Even the main antagonist and some minor ones aren't without their sympathetic and/or humanising elements, despite how horrible they can be. Felix is very intriguing and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him, if that ending was anything to go by...

The main character Amara is absolutely compelling, and because I cared so much about her fate (will she really be able to regain her freedom? Lord PLEASE) and the lives of her fellow she-wolves, I was still generally hooked even when the plot was technically dragging. The 'slow' parts for me were mainly in the first half, and things pick up pace- and stakes-wise at about the 60% mark. There was also an interesting inclusion of the famous historical figure Pliny the Elder that also introduced some subtle ace-aro rep, which was quite a nice surprise.

Within a richly immersive setting, the story felt very raw and honest. It wasn't romanticised or gratuitous in its violence and darkness - there were even some actually quite funny and joyful moments - and I really felt for the characters, in all the shades of their love and rage and hope and grief. The anguish of tangled moral dilemmas and compromises that Amara and other characters face were very tangible to me, and the subtle romance thread was almost unbearable to read in how futile it seemed.

I've mentioned the ending already but I'm going back to it again because it was so incredibly tense. It took several unexpected turns in rapid succession and I thought it was absolutely amazing. (And in the background, you can hear the cracking sounds of my heart breaking into pieces...if you've read this book, you'll know.)

I really can't wait for the sequel (I believe it's titled 'The House with the Golden Door'?) and I am both very excited and very afraid of what could happen next...

The Wolf Den was a fantastic but challenging read. Harper does not shy away from the issues of the time, or those facing the characters in the brothel. There was such a delicate balancing of the darker and more violent aspects, without sugercoating or sensationalising and creating a character-driven story, that delved into the lives of the women – giving them a voice, and showing how they found kinship and kindness together. Harper drops you into the middle of her Pompeii, and shows you everything that it has to offer, the good, the bad and the ugly, and there is a wonderful balance of history , character and emotion. You can’t help but become invested in the stories of Amara and the other ladies in the Wolf Den, because they are so beautifully realised and characterised, each with their own past, and voice and hopes and dreams. A truly mesmerising read that is impossible to escape once you start, and a memorable book that will linger for a while.

This book was not in my usual reading genre but the preview caught my imagination. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the characters. The story is well told and totally believable.

Once the educated daughter of a doctor then slave, concubine and now whore, Amara's life has spiralled out of control, she is now in a poor brothel in Pompeii, forced to work but planning her escape. Her small joys are the companionship of her fellow whores and she uses her skills to try to better her life.
I loved this book, Amara is a proud and clever heroine but her situation is never downplayed and Harper does not shy aware from the violence of her life. As well as being a cracking read, behind this is pinned some excellent research about the lives of the poor in Pompeii. Usually novels set in Roman times are the 'sword and sandals' warrior epics but this is something different, a timeless tale of feminist yearning against a backdrop coloured in to perfection.