Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Le lupe di Pompei by Elodie Harper

177 reviews

lisa_m's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Abortion, Confinement, Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Pregnancy, Murder, and Kidnapping

mokiethe_dog34's review against another edition

Lovely writing, but didn’t really interest me in terms of plot. I really liked the characters but not much was going in with them plot wise. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, and Slavery

thereshegoesagain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book and trilogy are going to stick with me for a while. Elodie Harper does such a good job handling such difficult subject matter in a way that’s not too graphic but also doesn’t gloss over the horrors of being a brothel slave.

Amara’s journey trying to get out of her brothel life is both really hard to watch but also so, so hopeful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, and Slavery

obliteraturebygaytorayd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Really enjoyed and excited for the next ones. I anticipate interesting character growth in the upcoming novel, whereas this one laid the foundations for the main character’s growth and set parameters for expectations of the archetypal men in her life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

Moderate: Murder, Rape, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Violence, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Grief, Suicide, Slavery, Pregnancy, and Death

Minor: Alcohol, Abortion, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Alcoholism

emshany's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual assault, Slavery, Sexism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Abortion

It’s an amazing book but it is about prostitution so if that would bother you, maybe not for you

elisacarlene's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Suicide, Misogyny, Child death, Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Kidnapping, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury

limeta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Všeč mi je bil cel aspekt o sestrstvu in o močnih vezeh, ki se spletejo brez da bi se mi tega zavedali.
Amara je lik, s katerim sem se poistovetila in oboževala sem način pisateljice kako jo je predstavila nam bralcem.
Komaj čakam, da pričnem z branjem naslednjih dveh knjig.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide, Grief, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Death

hkrobock's review against another edition

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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Violence

Minor: Physical abuse, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Slavery, Kidnapping, Murder, Blood, Grief, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child death, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Suicide

heidi_fischer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death, Bullying, Abortion, Classism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Death

secre's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Wolf Den is the tale of a doctor's daughter sold into slavery and eventual prostitution due to poverty and misfortune. It's stark, candid and uncompromising as it relays the realities of the lives these girls were forced into. It's also strangely hopeful, as Amara finds a way to use her brains to find a way out of the perilous and dangerous position life has left her in. It's a powerful and evocative read, a tale of both survival against the odds and those who weren't so lucky.

It is without a doubt an uncomfortable read. The author doesn't shy away from the grim realities of being a sex slave in early Pompeii. The 'she-wolves' have little freedom and certainly no ability to pick and choose their 'customers'. The risks of disease and pregnancy are high. And yet Harper writes them well as a close group despite the jealousies and rivalries between them. There is a genuine bond between the girls. Whilst the narrative follows Amara primarily, the other girls are just as fully dimensional and well realised.

The world of ancient Pompeii is just as vividly imagined, coming to life around you, from the descriptions of daily life to important festivals and all the men and women Amara comes across for good or for bad. The narrative moves slowly, allowing the reader to fully invest in the characters and the life they live, but twists and turns in unexpected directions, forever keeping you on your toes. I'm intrigued to see where it goes next, particularly as it's set only five years before the devastating Pompeii volcanic eruption that obliterated life in the region.

All in all, an excellent read and one that will stay with me for some time to come.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, and Slavery

Moderate: Abortion