Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

90 reviews

abbyreadsandwrites's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Grief, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Abortion

frumpkin_'s review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

miamcmillan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.75

very good quick read, i loved all the female characters so much and the sense of pompeii was extremely vivid. a little bit vague plot-wise sometimes and  the relationship between amara and menander felt a little bit rushed, but overall i really liked it! it was also a very solid move to make the more overlooked members of roman society more visible, very carefully done. and i really appreciated that the author didn’t make certain scenes intensely graphic as many other books tend to. very excited for the sequels! (also i hope felix suffers intensely in the next book. just saying) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy

loongbooy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cursing and Death of parent

booksjessreads's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

So this is the first mythology/ancient history retelling that I have ever read and honestly I loved it! It was Waterstones Book of the Month last month and I can see why. This is such a powerful, feminine text about Amara and her fellow prostitutes, navigating misogyny, poverty and xenophobia in Pompeii.

The first of a three-part series (the others yet to be published!), this book had me so hooked as Amara manipulates her master to make life a little more tolerable. And Dido was one of my favourite characters, she just seemed so sweet and I was also fully invested in her character, pleased that Amara was trying to alleviate her circumstances too.

A well written and fast-paced novel by Elodie Harper, such a joy to read! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, and Alcohol

kathyh's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder

macca's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

aindrila's review against another edition

emotional funny sad 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? N/A

5.0

I wish I had savoured this book more, but instead I completely devoured it. What I would do to read this again like it was the first time.

You can tell Elodie Harper really did her research on Pompeii and prostitution in In the Roman Empire with the way she vividly brings the stories of these She-wolves to life. All of the women’s stories broke me but I absolutely loved how they managed to survive through the worst of it all. This story is going to stay with me for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Abortion

chiara_reads_books's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense fast-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

3.5

*CONTENT WARNING: EXPLICIT, SEXUAL ABUSE, VIOLENCE*

On the recent wave of rediscovery of classical times and myths, Elodie Harper brings us in Pompeii at the very beginning of the first century AD, in the town brothel.

We meet a group of women, slaves at the Wolf Den, owned by Felix, a cruel and ruthless exploiter who sells women and runs a side business lending money at disproportionate interest rates.

There are two elements that I particularly appreciated in this novel.
The first one is the character building: from Amara, to Dido, to Victoria, every woman has a well-defined personality, a fair balance of strengths and weaknesses, and the same applies to the men in the story. They are by far the worst characters depicted in the novel but they’re not necessarily flat in their cruelty, they’re still round characters with various degrees of wickedness.
The second thing is that Harper doesn’t fall into the pattern of the glorified toxic relationship. The complicated relationship between Amara and Felix and the other men who abuse her is never a hate-love relationship with a tinge of what is now known as Stockholm syndrome. No, Amara has very well clear in mind her feelings for Felix but sometimes it’s her pride that gets in the way, she wants to outsmart him and everyone around her because she knows her value and she doesn’t want to bend in front of the abuse and mistreatment.

I really appreciated the story overall, but there’s one thing that got to me while reading the book, something I can’t quite explain when I think about not only the writing process but the editing stage as well.
I feel there’s been a bit of an oversight when it comes to linguistic accuracy. There some expressions used in the story such as “catcalling” and the use of “fuck off” to swear against somebody that are not historically appropriate.
People in Pompeii in the first century AD couldn’t possibly know the word catcalling, despite the existing act of paying unrequested compliments to women in the street. The expression as we know it and apply today came into existence in the 17th century.
A similar reasoning applies to the swearing: Latin was capable of crassness but it was a different one compared to the type of vulgarity we can have these days.
I would expect more accuracy in this regard from the writer and the editors, however this doesn’t prevent readers from enjoying the story and appreciating the narrative style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for providing me with a proof.
UK Release 13/5/21.

"The pain is physical in its ferocity, she cannot bear to look back. She tells herself it is easier not to want, not to feel when you cannot make your own choices. What good is wanting anything, or anyone?"

I'm a sucker for anything even slightly related to Greek mythology! So when I saw this beauty of a book cover all over my social medias I knew I needed to read it as soon as humanly possible and my gods it did not disappoint! Incredible characters, dark & gripping story I couldn't read this fast enough.
The Wolf Den follows Amara, a slave working in an infamous brothel in Pompeii. Amara is incredible and from line one you adore her. Her strength and courage that she's had to build up and protect herself and her heart from the dark realities of her new life. Her voice is so strong and hopeful it's honestly inspiring.
This is one of those books where you are crying one minute and then the next you are cheering on these women! The heartfelt moments between the women in the brothel are so heart-wrenchingly beautiful and such a shining light in such a dark story.
Elodie's writing is so elegant and yet some how gritty and raw in equal measure, the story flows so well and is paced perfectly.

I can't wait until this book is out in the wild in a few weeks so I can recommend it to every-one who sets a foot through the door of the shop. I will not shut up about how good this was.
I'm so excited about this book and what comes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, and Pregnancy