poetskings 's review for:

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

2.75

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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there’s nothing particularly standout about this book. the writing is dry and feels anachronistic to the time period this is set, and the dry writing in turn leads to the characters feeling flat and dull. there are arcs that could be interesting that get blunted by the poor prose that surrounds them, and for all of the brutality and violence, none of it ever feels like it means anything. a disappointing read compared to its premise

plot:

amara is a slave girl sold off to be a whore following the death of her father. she is unsatisfied with her lot and through a series of happy accidents she finds herself with better clientele and a wealthy patron. she brings fellow whore dido with her, stirring up some jealousy amongst the other prostitutes, and she also helps out with some loan sharking with her pimp, seeing money as the ultimate goal. there is a slight romantic interest with a fellow slave but this feels stunted and rushed. eventually amara finds rufus, who pays to go on dates with her, under the premise of them falling in love. eventually, he frees her, with the goal of her being his concubine, but dido is killed in a bar fight as a result of infighting between the brothels of pompeii