Title: The Wolf Den (Wolf Den Trilogy, #1)
Author: Elodie Harper
Pages: 408
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Release Date: 13th May 2021
Blurb:
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 learnt 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.
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My Review:
*I received
an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Head of Zeus
and NetGalley*
Amara once
lived a comfortable life as the daughter of a doctor, but when her father died,
she ended up being sold to a brothel in Pompeii.
Now a slave
and owned by the cold and violent Felix, Amara's life is very different.
Amara is
determined to escape Felix somehow and will have to use every chance she can to
either earn her freedom or convince someone to buy her from Felix.
Can Amara
escape slavery?
Before
hearing of this book, I hadn't heard of the Lupanar, the famous brothel of
Pompeii. The premise of the book intrigued me, even though I knew it would
probably be a tough read, given the setting.
Amara was a
likeable protagonist. I can't imagine how hard life must have been for Amara
and her friends and I was rooting for them all to escape from the brothel.
Out of the
other characters, I liked Dido, Cressa and Philos the most, but found all the
characters to be well-written and interesting.
The plot
was interesting and held my attention throughout. While I wasn't gripped or
particularly shocked by anything that happened, I did enjoy reading as Amara
found herself in different situations.
The setting
of Pompeii was unique and interesting.
I thought
the themes were handled well by the author.
Overall,
this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.