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A review by blueheure
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

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

3.0

I really struggled to finish this book. I was really excited to read a story set in Pompeii, I thought that was a pretty unique setting especially as the story doesn’t revolve around (or mention at all) the eruption of Vesuvius. I really liked the authors choice to include quotes from graffiti found in Pompeii but I also kind of felt like that was the only piece of Pompeiian culture included in the book.. period. If the city’s name wasn’t mentioned throughout the book it could have taken place anywhere; and in a nearly 500 page book I feel like there could have been a little bit of detail about the city. Not only is this book long, but it’s slow (so slow). When I was about 70% of the way through I was still kind of wondering what the plot was because the whole book just reads like a day in the life of a prostitute in Pompeii, it isn’t until probably the last 10% of the book that anything starts happening.

I loved the relationship between the women, I think it was probably the most tangible thing in the book, but I really struggled to care about the women individually. There aren’t a lot of characters, but there are enough (that we spend almost every page with) that there wasn’t enough space for all of them. There are main characters that feel like background characters because you learn one thing about them and then they’re just kind of there to interact with the protagonist, and then there are more brought in that you learn even less about and they felt completely pointless. I thought the backgrounds of the characters were really interesting and I really would have liked to see more done with that information.

[Minor spoilers warning - no details]

My biggest problem though was with the ending. It’s rushed. Like running through the airport with one shoe barely hanging on your foot and the other in your hand because security took too long and you’re about to miss your flight rushed. It starts and ends in about 11 pages. Something big happens and there’s no wind down, no resolution, the characters don’t even process it. It happens, it’s over, it’s mentioned and then the book is over. I really wanted to like this book but I’m left feeling bored and unsatisfied much like the women in the story. 
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