Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

81 reviews

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

---

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

motherofbears's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.75

Devastatingly beautiful and sad. You can tell a lot of care went into the research for this book, you get a view into what life was like for slaves in Pompeii (often terrible). I couldn’t put it down and read most of it over a couple days.

I took away a tiny bit because the ending felt a little tied up with a bow, but knowing this is book one of a trilogy makes me hopeful for more development in the future.

This is historical fiction at it’s most literary. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Classism, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Blood, Miscarriage, Child death, Abortion, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Death of parent

leahkarge's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Abortion, Addiction, Ableism, Excrement, Sexual content, Alcohol, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Suicide, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Death of parent, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

vbaltazar07's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad slow-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? Yes

1.0

I DNF’d this book. Tried to pick up from 2/3 in and couldn’t remember who anyone was. Hard to let this one go but it’s just no enjoyable. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

ahandford's review against another edition

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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Rape

meri's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Blood, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, and Violence

sofiadanielle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

It’s a difficult read to get through, not because the story isn’t interesting or the writing is bad.. But the subject matter is heavy. The every day life of these characters feels so especially heavy, that it was hard for me to get through the first half. 

However, having finished, I’m in better spirits about the second novel, to continue Amara’s story and see how everything else unfolds. I think I still need a rest from the heavy content, though, frankly, and will probably read something a bit more lighthearted before continuing the series. 

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Physical abuse, Abortion, and Murder

withlivjones's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? No

4.75

What a start to what I’m sure will be  a stellar trilogy! I initially wasn’t sure that this book would be my thing, but my am I glad to be wrong! 

Elodie Harper does a fantastic job of conjuring up ancient Pompeii, from the lavish parties of high society to the desperation of its poorest inhabitants. The setting is so vivid and exciting and draws you right into the plot. 

Amara is a brilliantly-written protagonist, with a certain amount of complexity and morally-greyness to her that makes her point of view so compelling. Her main priority is protecting herself, but she is forced to question how much she is willing to lose in order to gain some power: her morals? her dignity? friends and first loves? 

There are so many other characters who are very well-written as well, from the loveable to the absolutely terrible excuses for a human being (*cough*felix*cough*). The female characters in particular are more diverse than most books I’ve read, and the complex relationships between them show both female solidarity and rivalry in a society where women have no power. 

I loved this book and I cannot wait to read the next instalment in the trilogy! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Blood, Death, Grief, Murder, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Trafficking, and Classism

sklu's review against another edition

sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

No plot or character development. Just a bunch of suffering. Well imagined and unique setting

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Physical abuse

alyssa_simard's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Slavery