Review - The Wolf Den (Wolf Den Trilogy, #1) by Elodie Harper

 

 

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.