Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

8 reviews

carmentxx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

it’s been a long time since i was so transported into another world. harper writes such difficult topics with such ease that even if i only read 3 pages i felt instantly a part of pompeii. i felt amara’s struggles as keenly as my own, her losses, her despair, he determination to survive. truly this is a remarkable book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Slavery, Child death, Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Racism, Murder, Medical content, Suicide, Racial slurs, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Colonisation

starbird3's review against another edition

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

I had a feeling I was going to like this book just because I devour anything set in Pompeii and this series and Stephanie Dray's short story in A Day of Fire are the only ones I've seen that give us the viewpoint of an enslaved prostitute. This was a very thoroughly researched book, though at times the characters sounded very modern in their dialogue to me at certain points. I don't usually mind modern sounding dialogue (it's a work of fiction and so should be accessible to modern audiences is my two cents) but I feel it's worth mentioning since for some people that does matter and breaks the sense of immersion. Also, for anyone else who tends to expect their historical fiction to be written in past tense, this trilogy appears to be written in present. It has it's uses in creating a sense of going through the plot with the characters, but it also kind of threw me a little at first and it took some getting used to. 

I found this book hard to put down, and cheered for Amara to reach her goals even while side-eying some of the choices she took to achieve what she wanted. I'm interested to see where her actions lead her in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Suicide, Sexual violence, Rape, and Slavery

Minor: Body shaming, Body horror, Alcoholism, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Adult/minor relationship

bookswithlauren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Gaslighting, Vomit, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Sexism, Rape, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Murder

jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I never connected with this text.  Following prostitution in Pompeii there is a lot of graphic content.  While I have respect for the MC holding her ground throughout and fighting for better for herself.  There’s not much else I had to say.  I personally didn’t enjoy it. It just wasn’t badly written so I didn’t dnf

Due to the time setting also a lot of different types of slavery. 

Think more just not for me 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Abortion, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Suicide, Confinement, Grief, Rape, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, and Child death

em_n_ay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

4.5

This book was so much better than I was expecting! Tense, emotional, and surprisingly endearing. The main character was wonderful to get to know, and the main cast felt so alive. One of my favorite books this year and I can’t wait to read the next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death

Moderate: Rape, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, and Fatphobia

amandasbookreview's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

 

Thank you, Elodie Harper, NetGalley, and Union Square & Co. for the opportunity to read this book!

“Either we choose to stay alive, or we give up. And if it’s living we choose, then we do whatever it takes.”

THE WOLF DEN

I spent the past three days reading The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper. I have wanted to read it sooner but work has kept me from diving in. I am so glad I finally found time to read this book. It took me back to Pompeii in 74 CE. Amara was once a physician’s daughter. But after his death, the debts were high and she was sold as a slave and now is forced to work as a prostitute at one of Pompeii’s most infamous brothels. Survival is their focus and Amara is determined to one day be free. She will use her wit and allure to free herself and support the women around her.

But first. Trigger Warnings: slavery, abuse, sexual assault, rape, child loss, miscarriage, suicide

This is NOT an easy book to read and it is not meant for everyone. Years ago, I went to the natural history museum that had a Pompeii exhibit on display. They displayed the casts of the victims who were killed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. They also showed some fresco paintings from the Lupanar. So it was fascinating to read about this history that took place almost 2,000 years ago. The author does a fantastic job at bringing these fictional characters to life and making them feel real. The characters all come from different backgrounds and have been forced into horrors that many cannot even imagine. They all have different reactions to these horrors. Some give up, some fight, some push their emotions away… but all their feelings are valid, no matter how different. It shows that there are many ways to react to trauma.

I cannot wait to see what is in store for Amara in the next book. Her world is changing and will no doubt find a way to fight her way to a freedwoman with independence. She has already met some historical figures such as Pliny the Elder. Another interesting thing is that the fatal eruption is only 5 years away. So there is still so much historical content to be explored. In a time where women are considered to be chattel, it is inspiring to watch them come up with their own ways to survive and support each other. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Kidnapping, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Grief

dreamyreadsss's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Body horror, Physical abuse, and Rape

alexhaydon's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Body horror, Child abuse, and Child death