Reviews with content warning for Classism - The Temple of Fortuna

Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

3 reviews

annatollia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A satisfying conclusion to The Wolf Den trilogy. One again, Elodie Harper delivers a beautiful narrative that is rich with emotion and historical accuracy. 10/10 would recommend the The Wolf Den trilogy!!!

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I really loved my time with The Temple of Fortuna, finding it a propulsive, riveting read and a totally satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Amara is now a highly placed courtesan in Rome, but eagerly seizes the offer to return to Pompeii to spend some time with her young daughter and secret enslaved lover, before her forthcoming marriage. But the year is 79 AD, well known to modern readers as the date when Mount Vesuvius erupted to devastating effect.

Once again Elodie Harper excels in recreating the daily life of Ancient Rome. The book is packed full of details but they are seamlessly woven into the story, never feeling at all “info dumpy”. Harper has clearly done her research, as the epigraphs - used to such good effect - show. The intrigue and social positioning surrounding the new Emperor and his brother are just as convincingly depicted as market scenes, or the threatening atmosphere of the streets at night. Action scenes including a gladiator battle and terror and chaos of people desperately trying to flee Pompeii in the wake of the eruption come across as naturally cinematic. There is also lots of interpersonal drama - Amara can’t openly be with her true love due to class differences, Felix, her former pimp, continues to threaten her, a former friend betrays her - which ensured my emotions went on a real roller coaster ride, something that continued right to the end.

This entire series is essential reading for fans of historical fiction, especially those who appreciate seeing history depicted through a female-centred feminist lens. Amara is such a brilliant protagonist, fiesty and flawed, someone who has endured much but is resilient, skilled in the art of surviving. In The Temple of Fortuna Elodie Harper has done her proud.

Many thanks to @netgalley and @headofzeus for my ARC. The Temple of Fortuna publishes on 9 November.

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emmsbookshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Temple of Fortuna is the much anticipated ending to the Wolf Den Trilogy, tying up Amara’s story as she has gone from a slave in the Wolf Den, to concubine freedwoman living in the House With the Golden Door and now, living in luxury in Rome.

This was a masterfully written story, like the front cover and the city of Pompeii itself, I felt Vesuvius looming over me as I read and the anticipation of knowing what was coming whilst the characters went about their lives was terrifying. The additional threat of Felix that was established at the end of The House With The Golden Door co-existing alongside the threat of Vesuvius heightened the stakes even more. The pacing was perfect and I found that I was able to move through the plot at a good pace without being bogged down awaiting the inevitable.

The characterisation of Amara throughout the story was wonderful to read, she is cunning, shrewd and perceptive and watching her navigate Rome was a refreshing deferral from the setting of Pompeii in the first two books. It was also interesting to see her navigate her status as a freedwoman and how, regardless of how much money and status she managed to acquire, she still anxiously tried to organise her money in order to protect herself and her daughter. Harper skilfully shows us a world where women are fully fleshed out figures in an Ancient society instead of demure baubles, we get to see Julia Felix, Livia, Drusilla and Britannica exist and thrive and act with agency as businesswomen, wives and athletes.

This book was clearly written with so much research put into it and the commitment to detail increased the sense of immersion. There were so many references to incredibly well known archaeological artefacts and existing people whom we know existed in Pompeii, like Julia Felix and Pliny the Elder, the dog floor mosaic and Drusilla’s snake bracelet. Furthermore, the quotes from letters, histories and graffiti at the beginning of each chapter really helped to anchor the story in the historical period and at times I often forgot that Amara was not actually a person we know existed at all.

The story has a satisfying conclusion and I enjoyed that it was left open. It does a fabulous job of humanising the citizens of Pompeii, many of whom we grow to love over the trilogy as members of Amara’s found family. It was an engaging and gripping tale that reminded us that the iconic plaster casts were once people caught it the midst of a disaster that they didn’t even have a name for. I just know that this is a story I will be revisiting and that Amara is a character that will stay with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.

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