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A review by serendipitysbooks
The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
I really loved my time with The Temple of Fortuna, finding it a propulsive, riveting read and a totally satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Amara is now a highly placed courtesan in Rome, but eagerly seizes the offer to return to Pompeii to spend some time with her young daughter and secret enslaved lover, before her forthcoming marriage. But the year is 79 AD, well known to modern readers as the date when Mount Vesuvius erupted to devastating effect.
Once again Elodie Harper excels in recreating the daily life of Ancient Rome. The book is packed full of details but they are seamlessly woven into the story, never feeling at all “info dumpy”. Harper has clearly done her research, as the epigraphs - used to such good effect - show. The intrigue and social positioning surrounding the new Emperor and his brother are just as convincingly depicted as market scenes, or the threatening atmosphere of the streets at night. Action scenes including a gladiator battle and terror and chaos of people desperately trying to flee Pompeii in the wake of the eruption come across as naturally cinematic. There is also lots of interpersonal drama - Amara can’t openly be with her true love due to class differences, Felix, her former pimp, continues to threaten her, a former friend betrays her - which ensured my emotions went on a real roller coaster ride, something that continued right to the end.
This entire series is essential reading for fans of historical fiction, especially those who appreciate seeing history depicted through a female-centred feminist lens. Amara is such a brilliant protagonist, fiesty and flawed, someone who has endured much but is resilient, skilled in the art of surviving. In The Temple of Fortuna Elodie Harper has done her proud.
Many thanks to @netgalley and @headofzeus for my ARC. The Temple of Fortuna publishes on 9 November.
Once again Elodie Harper excels in recreating the daily life of Ancient Rome. The book is packed full of details but they are seamlessly woven into the story, never feeling at all “info dumpy”. Harper has clearly done her research, as the epigraphs - used to such good effect - show. The intrigue and social positioning surrounding the new Emperor and his brother are just as convincingly depicted as market scenes, or the threatening atmosphere of the streets at night. Action scenes including a gladiator battle and terror and chaos of people desperately trying to flee Pompeii in the wake of the eruption come across as naturally cinematic. There is also lots of interpersonal drama - Amara can’t openly be with her true love due to class differences, Felix, her former pimp, continues to threaten her, a former friend betrays her - which ensured my emotions went on a real roller coaster ride, something that continued right to the end.
This entire series is essential reading for fans of historical fiction, especially those who appreciate seeing history depicted through a female-centred feminist lens. Amara is such a brilliant protagonist, fiesty and flawed, someone who has endured much but is resilient, skilled in the art of surviving. In The Temple of Fortuna Elodie Harper has done her proud.
Many thanks to @netgalley and @headofzeus for my ARC. The Temple of Fortuna publishes on 9 November.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Slavery, and Emotional abuse