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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I had some complicated feelings to work through over the course of this novel, but in the end, they all boil down to some flavor of frustration: Elodie Harper's prose is phenomenal, and I appreciate the way that her storytelling comes across as both pleasurable and painful, resigned and raw... if only there was more of a story to tell.
The Wolf Den follows the daily lives of a group of ancient Roman women who are more aptly described as sex slaves than prostitutes. Each purchased from markets, auctions, families and fleshmongers, and each beholden exclusively to Felix, their boss-cum-pimp, these women are destined to live out their remaining days of beauty and sexual performance in the stone cells of the brothel they now call home. With few possessions and even fewer domestic comforts, their lives and the story we hear of them center almost exclusively around their relationships with each other and the few friendly (or not) faces they see around the city.
That's the thing, though: it doesn't go much farther than that.
The first half of this book sucked me in and refused to let me go, but the latter half became such a slog that I was eventually just desperate for it to end, already. Perhaps a disturbingly apt and immersive peek into our protagonist Amara's own life and experiences in trafficked sex work and abuse, but also not at all what I thought I was signing up for when I began reading.
I've still given The Wolf Den four stars because what I did enjoy was most enjoyable, and I'd like to give Harper the grace of saying that perhaps I just read this at the wrong time or in the wrong mood. I'm notoriously difficult to please when it comes to character-driven fiction, and this is about the most character-driven novel I've read in quite some time.
I'd definitely recommend that anyone who's interested give The Wolf Den a try, because the craft is certainly well-executed. I just don't know that I'll be reading books 2 & 3 in the trilogy anytime soon.
The Wolf Den follows the daily lives of a group of ancient Roman women who are more aptly described as sex slaves than prostitutes. Each purchased from markets, auctions, families and fleshmongers, and each beholden exclusively to Felix, their boss-cum-pimp, these women are destined to live out their remaining days of beauty and sexual performance in the stone cells of the brothel they now call home. With few possessions and even fewer domestic comforts, their lives and the story we hear of them center almost exclusively around their relationships with each other and the few friendly (or not) faces they see around the city.
That's the thing, though: it doesn't go much farther than that.
The first half of this book sucked me in and refused to let me go, but the latter half became such a slog that I was eventually just desperate for it to end, already. Perhaps a disturbingly apt and immersive peek into our protagonist Amara's own life and experiences in trafficked sex work and abuse, but also not at all what I thought I was signing up for when I began reading.
I've still given The Wolf Den four stars because what I did enjoy was most enjoyable, and I'd like to give Harper the grace of saying that perhaps I just read this at the wrong time or in the wrong mood. I'm notoriously difficult to please when it comes to character-driven fiction, and this is about the most character-driven novel I've read in quite some time.
I'd definitely recommend that anyone who's interested give The Wolf Den a try, because the craft is certainly well-executed. I just don't know that I'll be reading books 2 & 3 in the trilogy anytime soon.
adventurous
dark
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:
Complicated
Wasn’t sure what to expect but really enjoyed this. I found it very immersive, really enjoyed the dynamics between the women, and the plot was gripping and interesting
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Murder
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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