Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

62 reviews

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

bealmg's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the e-ARC. 

The Wolf Den, the first of a trilogy by Elodie Harper, follows the story of Amara, a Greek woman sold into slavery after her father dies and her mother struggles with paying his debts. She is brought to Pompeii where she becomes an enslaved sex worker in one of the city's most infamous brothels, The Wolf Den. 

Although this is historical fiction set in the Roman Empire, the writing was surprisingly modern and easy to read. While it took me by surprise at first, I found myself enjoying this modern spin. The descriptions of ancient Pompeii are beautifully vivid, from the narrow roads to the graffiti adorning the walls of the houses. Although this book is about the lives of enslaved sex workers, I thought the author did an incredible job at showing the cruelty of the pain and violence these women go through without too many explicit and graphic details. She showed just enough for us readers to get the picture and still feel for these characters.

I really enjoyed how nuanced most of the characters were, particularly the women. I also liked how nobody, not even the protagonist, is shown as inherently good or bad - although there are clearly evil characters in the book who are not, and rightfully so, redeemed, you see how every character tries to do whatever they can to survive. Harper slowly tells you about their backstories and it adds so much rich detail to the dynamics of the relationships in this novel, especially the friendships between the women. 

The pacing of this book is quite slow, but I thought it was necessary to fully explore these characters. The only thing I thought could have been better was the plot - there's no problem with it per se, but sometimes I felt that the main plot (Amara trying to become a free woman) was overshadowed by the everyday lives of these characters, which, although I really liked reading that, eventually led to a very rushed ending, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the themes it explored, which are still incredibly important and relevant nowadays. I'm interested to see where the story goes next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Trafficking

eavans's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Trafficking, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Slavery

Moderate: Suicide

ninjamuse's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper is a refreshing take on historical fiction. Not only is it set in Roman Pompeii rather than northwestern Europe in the 19th or 20th centuries, but it’s centered on enslaved sex workers and told in modern language. (No thou’s or attempts to mimic Latin here!) The author has done a great job of bringing the ancient world to life and making it feel nearer than it is. 

The book focuses on Amara, born into a middle-class Greek family and sold into slavery after family tragedy. As she does her best to better her circumstances at any cost, we get not only a portrait of a living Roman city with its pubs, parties, clothing stores, food stalls, and everyday injustices, but also a wonderful sense of the friendships and competition within the brothel she works in. I loved seeing how the women there formed a community among themselves, and how they fit into the wider society (or didn’t). I got the real sense that Harper had not only delved deep into how Roman society would’ve worked at the street level, but had done her diligence regarding the lives of (modern) sex workers too.

I also thought that Harper did a good job portraying the characters as complex, fallible, and human. She gives her female characters, especially Amara, the full range of emotions and all are believably imperfect. The worst of the men get sympathetic moments and the best of them, damning ones. They all feel of their time too—relatable or familiar, but also holding attitudes and beliefs that remind you this isn’t a modern story. (For instance, it’s clear that Amara knows slavery sucks for all enslaved people, but she never quite questions why slavery is even a thing.)

All in all, reading this felt like reading about real people leading real lives much more often than it felt like reading a novel. It’s a slowish read that feels at times like it’s digressing or offering up set pieces of Pompeiian life, but those moments all get woven back in neatly by the end. (It’s also slowish because of emotional drain. I couldn’t binge-read because bad things kept happening.) I found the ethical dilemmas compelling, though—if you’d damned no matter what, what’s the right option?—and enjoyed both how Harper told this story and woven in her themes and critiques. It’s definitely been one of the highlights of my reading month and I hope it gets a lot of attention once it’s out.

Note: while this book is definitely pro-sex work and has a lot of sympathy for those who find themselves forced into that life or exploited, it’s still set within an incredibly misogynistic society that saw no problem with degrading or harming women. If harassment, issues with consent or boundaries, or sexual violence are things you don’t want to read about, this might not be the book for you. They’re rarely graphic, but definitely prevalent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Sexism, Alcohol, Child death, Colonisation, Fatphobia, Grief, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicide

hilarylouise's review against another edition

dark slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

ruthjenkins's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Slavery

lucyselim's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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: Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, and Trafficking

Moderate: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

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 harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Trafficking

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

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

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