I kept putting off reading *The Wolf Den* because I knew the heavy subject matter was going to destroy me inside, and I was right. I will need 3-5 business days to recover from the emotional turmoil in this story. Young Greek woman Amara is sold as a slave by her mother and forced into sex work in a brothel called The Wolf Den in Roman-era Pompeii (not on volcano day) and is desperate to escape to freedom. This story is extremely emotional and harrowing – trigger warnings for sexual violence, physical violence, emotional abuse, and murder.

Amara and her enslaved colleagues deal with physical violence daily from their clients and from their owner, Felix, and the reader is always aware of the constant threat of violence. I really appreciated that, even though we know about all the violence and abuse that is going on, most of the time it is alluded to rather than described in detail, so nothing feels gratuitous or salacious.

In between all the drudgery and violence, the camaraderie between Amara and her colleagues is hopeful and heartening and I really enjoyed their interactions. There are close friendships, catty spats, and petty rivalries and it all feels realistic and familiar. They also all lean on each other to get through their unpleasant experiences in the brothel. Amara is especially close to Dido, originally from Carthage, and the meat of the plot starts when the two of them are hired to entertain at a fancy party, rather than their usual work inside the brothel. This puts them on a path to earn more money and meet more powerful men who might be able to further their careers and better their lives in the future.

The ending is neither happy nor sad. It's very satisfying and feels realistic to the story. I thought it was a perfect ending to a tumultuous book. I absolutely want to read more Elodie Harper now. Highly recommend!

This is a beautifully written tale about the sisterhood of prostitutes in the infamous brothel called The Wolf Den in Pompeii in 74AD.  The suffering of the 'She-Wolves' is heartbreaking but they still manage to find moments of humour as they support each other in their enslavement.

I was lucky enough to visit Pompeii a few years ago.  It is the most fascinating place I have ever been too but also the eeriest, even in bright summer sunshine.  Now, imagining women like those in this book actually walking those streets has added a warmth, albeit bittersweet, to my memories of the place.  A wonderful read and I am greatly looking forward to the sequel.

This captivating novel follows Amara and her friends as they navigate life and clients in Pompeii where they work as prostitutes at The Wolf Den. Full of courage, sisterhood and determination, this is a fresh look at the lives of slaves and the busy and bustling port town of Pompeii itself. Amara comes from a well to do family, but having fallen on hard times and into the sex trade, she resolves to find her way out of prostitution. She experiences tragedy and heartbreak at times in the novel, but never gives up hope of one day being freed. I loved the nods to the history we know well, Amara encounters Pliny the Elder for example, and the chapter headings which include inscriptions graffitied on the city walls are nice touches.

Fans of ancient historical fiction will love this. I cant wait for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

I absolutely adored this story, we follow Amara and her fellow she wolves as they spend their days and evenings trying to survive in a brothel in Pompeii.

I devoured this novel in one sitting, it kept me hooked from the very first page, I wanted to learn more about Amara and her life.

Would highly recommend

5⭐️

I had heard of the Wolf Den but shamefully not given much thought to the victims held inside. This is the story of Amara, a slave prostitute who is exploited by the brothel and the sheer awfulness of her life. What a moving story and so beautifully written. Very glad I picked this up and really would recommend.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper, which stunningly brought the lives of Roman sex workers in Pompeii into focus. Everything was there: the noise, the smell, the joy, the violence, truthful affection and feigning love. I have visited Pompeii and found it fascinating, but this book provided an extra layer of life which has retrospectively made my visit even more special.

Amara is such a great protagonist. She was likeable and believable, always acting thoughtfully and strategically even though it might hurt herself or others. She loves and loathes, has dreams and regrets - I wish I could know her.

I’m so glad I read the book and hope that others will enjoy it as much as I did,

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

The Wolf Den is a powerful, emotional and resonant novel which explores the life of Amara and her friends, dubbed 'she wolves' as they live and work from one of Pompeii's many brothels, under the control of the cunning Felix.

I'll say from the get go, this book has some potentially triggering content so a full list of trigger warnings here: rape, sexual assault, kidnapping / abduction, physical violence, harassment, misogynistic attitudes / language, suicide, mentions of child death / murder, arson.

Elodie Harper really portrays the everyday lives of her characters, from their inner worlds and emotions to their backstories and how they came to be in Pompeii. I think the friendship between Amara, Dido, Victoria, Cressa and Berenice was the highlight of the novel for me, this sense of sisterhood and community was so vital and wonderful in an otherwise darker novel. There isn't much of a reprieve from the serious nature of the story and the issues the characters are facing day in and day out, but the bond between the women and their moments away where they can talk openly, laugh and just be, really stands out in a beautiful way.

I enjoyed the way Harper has depicted Pompeii in all it's wonder and grime, and explored the two very different worlds that are coexisting, the underbelly with violence and shady dealings and the upper class where it's all glamorous parties, sparkling wine and appearances. I think this is a recurring theme we see time and time again but Harper does this really well as Amara and her friends find themselves in between these two different 'worlds' as the novel progresses. It makes their grim reality all the more stark as they see how the other half live, so to speak and it's honestly just really sad to read about this disparity.

I also think Harper treads the fine line between giving information about the time period and events without it being like info dumping and it's all woven together very naturally. It doesn't read like historical fiction with names and places just thrown in every which way, rather an actual realistic portrait of what one woman's life could be like in the time period with certain info here and there.

I will also say that the story is very dark and pretty grim the majority of the time in terms of the subject matter and experiences the characters have, so if you're looking for a lighter read, this definitely isn't the right pick for you. However, if you want a compelling and haunting piece of historical fiction which is accessible in the way it reads, then definitely pick this up.

I love that female authors are reclaiming HERstory. This book would absolutely appeal to those who have loved Circe, A Thousand Ships, Sistersong and The Silence of the Girls. For those who haven't yet read either this book or those novels: you're in for a treat.

As we know, ancient literature has been the purview of men: written by men about men and the women have been cast as the wives, the witches or the Goddesses. Not so here, where women are front and centre. This book has that total "wow" factor. It's a page-turner, it's utterly atmospheric (chokingly so sometimes) and beautifully written. It completely transports the reader to ancient Pompeii. I've read a few books previously in the same setting but they didn't capture me in the way this did. I also cannot believe this is the author's first novel: astonishing!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Elodie Harper and Head of Zeus for this particularly wonderful ARC.

I thought this book was great at giving an honest voice to the voiceless.

I’ve visited Pompeii but it can be difficult to understand what women’s lives were like then. This book successfully turned them into very real flesh and blood characters. The book has been well-researched but the author eases her knowledge into the story so it doesn’t feel like a history lesson. (For example, all the different ways the women have arrived in the brothel.) The women’s characters are quite distinct and their story is engaging. It was both humorous and heartbreaking.

I love the cover - it’s very eye-catching and appropriate to the story..
I also enjoyed the bits of Roman graffiti and extracts from Roman writers that appeared at the start of each chapter.

My thanks to NetGalley for giving me a copy to read.

Review in ten-ish words: Character driven writing at its finest. A raw, violent and captivating story of invisible women.

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

SYNOPSIS:
After Amara's father death, her mother sold her. Flash forward years later and Amara is enslaved in a Pompeii brothel- known as the Wolf Den. She is owned by Felix- a man she despises but must depend on. With her fellow 'she-wolves' Amara is forced to hunt during the day, finding anyway they can to laugh and find joy. A beacon of hope is the ever present need to find a way to be free; or at the very least a way to escape and change their fortune.

Based on the famous Lupanar ruins of Pompeii, this is a story of woman who are often invisible in historical retellings. It covers themes of love, women and friendship, identity and loss of freedom.

MY THOUGHTS:
I am falling more in love with greek and roman history the more I read about it. This book will appeal to those who love grit- this book is not prettied up. It does not hold back and I think that is where it's power lies.

This wasa heartbreaking read, but one of my favourites for 2021 so far.

After reading some other reviews, I saw most of the critique came from the fact this book is character driven- I don't think is necessarily fair to frame this as a negative for any book. The character's Harper builds in this story are deep, well fleshed out and complex. I loved every page, even if it was just Dido and Amara 'fishing' near the baths or hearing about the festivals.

I was here for all of the little nuances that have been added to the book. The author mentions hours spent traipsing around Pompeii as well as collaborations towards translations and historical aspects. I have learnt a lot about a side of Roman life that I wouldn't necessarily otherwise have been exposed to.

I loved the touch of having references to texts or graffiti at the start of each chapter. The writing is extremely well done and I genuinely felt for every character- even the ones I didn't necessarily like. I am racking my brain for something I didn't like about this book and really, there is none. It was a great story, that was immaculately written and it made me feel a bunch of stuff all the way through.

Would 100% recommend to lovers of historical fiction.

(Content warnings for this book: Slavery (including sex slavery), rape, physical assault, graphic language, references to abortion, suicide, murder)

This was a great read. The characters were interesting and distinctive and the setting felt well-researched.
Be aware that there's lots of coarse language and sex scenes, but I mean you're reading a book about Roman prostitutes. The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is the ending. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a standalone or series but this wasn't satisfying at all 🙄
I'm hoping for a sequel. There'd be enough left to tell I guess.

As swiftly becomes clear, the women of the Wolf Den are nothing more than business assets – and perishable ones at that – destined to be discarded once their beauty or sexual allure no longer generates sufficient profit for brothel owner and pimp, Felix.

Set in AD74, the book vivdly conjures up the vibrant atmosphere of daily life in Pompeii – its bustling streets and market places lined with vendors, its bath houses, temples and taverns. On festival days, such as Vinalia, its streets become more crowded than ever as citizens vie for the best view of processions. Other scenes in the book bring to life the excitement of the Games with their gladiatorial combats and beast hunts, or visits to the theatre to see the latest play. Probably best though to steer clear of the honey-glazed dormouse served at dinner or the rigorous beauty regime Amara and her fellow She Wolves have to undergo, including tweezering out the hair under their arms and slathering their legs with with waxy resin then scraping them until they are smooth. Other neat touches in the book are the chapter headings consisting of fragments of graffiti or lines from poems and plays, as well as a role for a real-life figure, Pliny the Elder.

The diverse backgrounds of the She-Wolves whose lives the book follows – Amara, Dido, Victoria, Cressa and Beronice – illustrate the various ways in which women could find themselves slaves: being left an orphan, captured during a raid by slave traders or, most shocking of all, sold off by families who have nothing else left of value to sell. Whatever has brought them to the Wolf Den, they demonstrate a sisterly solidarity finding pleasure where they can in their rare time off from servicing clients. There’s bawdy humour in the book such as when, gathered in their favourite tavern, The Sparrow, Amara observes, “Here we all are… Four penniless slaves, sucking off idiots for bread and olives. What a life”. Of course, what none of them knows is that within a few years the eruption of Mount Vesuvius will change the life of everyone in Pompeii, rich or poor.

In addition to loss of freedom, slavery also brings a loss of identity. On being acquired by Felix, the She Wolves are given new names, can no longer speak in their native tongues and have to converse in Latin instead. Paradoxically, they are often ‘marketed’ to potential customers based on their racial background in order to lend them an air of exoticism. Whether to share their real names with others is one of the few things they can decide for themselves, which is why it’s an act of such significance when Amara decides to do so. And, as she is reminded, “even slaves own their happiness. Feelings are the only things we do own.”

I doubt any reader can fail to admire Amara’s spirit. As she says, “Either we choose to stay alive or we give up. And if it’s living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.” Resourceful and determined to make the best of her situation in order to one day earn her freedom, Amara’s not afraid to offer Felix suggestions about ways to enhance the income of the Wolf Den or his money-lending business. What she doesn’t realize is just what a cut-throat world he operates in and the consequences that may follow from him taking her advice. As he remarks, “What do you think it takes to survive in Pompeii?” By the end of the book, Amara has discovered exactly what it takes to survive in Pompeii, forced to make a choice between love and freedom.

The Wolf Den is an illuminating portrait of the lives of women determined to cling to what little control they have over their lives, even if that’s only expressing their disdain for their clients via disparaging graffiti daubed on the walls of their cells. If nothing else, it acts as a record of their existence. As the author notes on her Pompeii blog, the remains of the Lupanar is one of the most visited buildings in Pompeii, a place that visitors remember for “its erotic frescoes and for the small cells with their stone beds, left almost as if the women and their clients might return at any moment”. I can testify to this having been fortunate enough to visit Pompeii some years ago during a holiday in Italy. The Wolf Den would be the perfect preparation for a first or return visit.

I thought the premise of this book was good and was really looking forward to reading it, but the story was flat and lacked depth and emotion in my opinion. The characters were almost two-dimensional, going about their business and lives without really connecting with me, the reader - and I found that quite disappointing because it could have been an excellent novel.

Set in AD 74, Elodie Harper’s The Wolf Den tells the enthralling and richly imagined tale of Amara, a prostitute enslaved to Pompeii’s lupanar brothel. Serving a rich feast of historic atmosphere with all the pace of popular drama, fans of spicy historic fiction will be left longing to devour the second course of this trilogy - think TV show Harlots set in ancient Pompeii. Educated doctor’s daughter Amara once lived free, but the poverty that came in the wake of her father’s death led to enslavement and the Wolf Den brothel, where her cell is adorned with a picture of “a woman being taken from behind” and a terracotta lamp “modelled in the shape of a penis” (the real-life lupanar brothel is famed for its erotic frescos). By day, the she-wolves visit the women’s baths and stalk the streets to draw business to the Den.

By night, “the brothel passes like a scene from Hades: the endless procession of drunken men, the smoke, the soot, angry shouting,” until Amara lies in her cell, “unable to sleep, suffocated by rage”. When fellow she-wolf Victoria says how lucky they are, Amara’s retort is characteristically sharp: “Here we all are…Four penniless slaves sucking off idiots for bread and olives. What a life.” And a life she refuses to settle for when “the desire to escape takes hold, its roots digging deep under her skin, breaking her apart.” Harper’s style is exhilaratingly direct, with images lingering long in the mind’s eye. You smell the oil lamps and temple incense, taste sticky figs, feel physical blows and the dialogue packs powerful a punch, too. It’s a vivacious piece of work, and all underpinned by a woman’s longing for freedom.

I loved this bold and inspiring imagining of the women that history has overlooked. Pompeii has always fascinated me, and I think anyone who (like me) enjoys untold histories should add this to their reading list. Thanks for the ARC!

What an amazing read! I haven't read anything set in the Roman Empire before, so found names a little strange to start with and it was difficult to keep track of who was who! However, the book grew on me as I got to know the characters and all their flaws.

The story is about Amara, a young Greek girl, whose fortunes in life have taken a downturn and she is sold into slavery. When her role as a concubine becomes a threat to the house-mistress she is sold on to a brothel owner called Felix. I think it is safe to say at this point, her life has sunk as low as it possibly can. However, Amara shows limitless depths of grit and determination as she plans and schemes to be rescued for her predicament. Her friendships with the other prostitutes at The Wolf-Den are heartwarming, particularly the relationship that develops between her and Dido.

This is a book that highlights the abuse of power by the Romans and the powerlessness of their captives. It is a book about women and a struggle to survive, let alone emancipate themselves, but that is not to say that there are not male slaves live Paris, Menander and and Philos (to name a few) who are enslaved in dire circumstances.

I have read that this is part of a trilogy - I hope that is right. The book ends in a place that leaves so much to explore - that's not to say that it feels unfinished. I was rooting for Amara right to the very end, unsure how her fate would play out. However, there are so many relationships that she builds along the way, that I want to know more about how they develop. The most interesting is the complex relationship between Amara and Felix, the brothel owner. There are disturbing similarities in their motives and flawed personalities that I found intriguing. There were so many fabulous characters in the book: good and bad. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. But do be aware that alongside this depiction of humanity struggling to survive you do see most of the worst in the world: unwanted pregnancy, abortion, violence, rape. It felt heart-breakingly real at times!

Wonderful read! Really enjoyed it - don;t miss this one. Fingers crossed there will be a follow up soon!

This is a no holds barred journey alongside Amara, an enslaved prostitute in a Pompei brothel who craves her freedom and begins to take steps towards it.

This book is pretty explicit in places, but I liked the shock value of it. It helped me to situate myself within everything that was going on. It became immersive.

The book in its very nature has a tendency towards feeling depressing - but there is also an under tone of female empowerment, of finding an ounce of power in what seems like an awful, powerless and at times degrading, situation. There are also strong messages about female friendship in here too.

The final 10% has a lot happen, there is shock and the ending is interesting to say the least!

The start of this book was jolting for me. The majority of the characters were all introduced in quick succession and it was hard to keep up. In addition, the writing style of very short sentences also made it feel a little jarring at times. It was almost written so simply that aside from the subject matter it could sometimes seem like it was written for children or a younger audience (it most definitely isn’t!).

I’d recommend this up and coming book if you’d like a different spin on historical fiction and you’re prepared for something fierce and gritty! I loved it!

*CONTENT WARNING: EXPLICIT, SEXUAL ABUSE, VIOLENCE*

On the recent wave of rediscovery of classical times and myths, Elodie Harper brings us in Pompeii at the very beginning of the first century AD, in the town brothel.

We meet a group of women, slaves at the Wolf Den, owned by Felix, a cruel and ruthless exploiter who sells women and runs a side business lending money at disproportionate interest rates.

There are two elements that I particularly appreciated in this novel.
The first one is the character building: from Amara, to Dido, to Victoria, every woman has a well-defined personality, a fair balance of strengths and weaknesses, and the same applies to the men in the story. They are by far the worst characters depicted in the novel but they’re not necessarily flat in their cruelty, they’re still round characters with various degrees of wickedness.
The second thing is that Harper doesn’t fall into the pattern of the glorified toxic relationship. The complicated relationship between Amara and Felix and the other men who abuse her is never a hate-love relationship with a tinge of what is now known as Stockholm syndrome. No, Amara has very well clear in mind her feelings for Felix but sometimes it’s her pride that gets in the way, she wants to outsmart him and everyone around her because she knows her value and she doesn’t want to bend in front of the abuse and mistreatment.

I really appreciated the story overall, but there’s one thing that got to me while reading the book, something I can’t quite explain when I think about not only the writing process but the editing stage as well.
I feel there’s been a bit of an oversight when it comes to linguistic accuracy. There some expressions used in the story such as “catcalling” and the use of “fuck off” to swear against somebody that are not historically appropriate.
People in Pompeii in the first century AD couldn’t possibly know the word catcalling, despite the existing act of paying unrequested compliments to women in the street. The expression as we know it and apply today came into existence in the 17th century.
A similar reasoning applies to the swearing: Latin was capable of crassness but it was a different one compared to the type of vulgarity we can have these days.
I would expect more accuracy in this regard from the writer and the editors, however this doesn’t prevent readers from enjoying the story and appreciating the narrative style.

Unique, enthralling and empowering. An exceptional portrayal of brothel workers in Pompeii - their friendships, their feelings and their dreams of the future and freedom.

I’m not sure what genre I would assign this book to but it wouldn’t be one I would be looking for more of on my reading shelf. I’m sure the research was meticulous but it ended up being so character driven it wasn’t important. I didn’t like the bad language either but that is personal choice I know and I’ve read and enjoyed books with plenty of swearing so I’m not sure why this made me uncomfortable.