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romanitas 's review for:
The Wolf Den
by Elodie Harper
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Not quite four stars. The Roman setting was brutal and on par for the era, and I am a sucker for women supporting women, so the friendship between all the women of the brothel was the best part of the book to me, even through the complications and ups & downs. Whatever else, this book felt like it was set in the ancient world and it did not shy away from that, and I always appreciate when authors don't try to make it palpable to modern audiences by twisting social norms and mores.
But there was just something I can't quite pinpoint that left me feeling a little lacking. Given this is set in Pompeii and Pliny the Elder is a significant presence, there's a certain foreboding sense of how the series might end, combined with the relentless sense of tragedy of the first book even when Amara wins for herself at the end - so while I'm curious to see where everyone ends up and goes, I'm not particularly hurried to grab the next one, even though I will finish it up eventually! Curiosity over investment. And yes I do recognize that the harshness and tragedy is also an element of existing in the Roman Empire as a woman, but maybe it was some of the emotional beats that could have been given more time.
But there was just something I can't quite pinpoint that left me feeling a little lacking. Given this is set in Pompeii and Pliny the Elder is a significant presence, there's a certain foreboding sense of how the series might end, combined with the relentless sense of tragedy of the first book even when Amara wins for herself at the end - so while I'm curious to see where everyone ends up and goes, I'm not particularly hurried to grab the next one, even though I will finish it up eventually! Curiosity over investment. And yes I do recognize that the harshness and tragedy is also an element of existing in the Roman Empire as a woman, but maybe it was some of the emotional beats that could have been given more time.