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A review by mayphoenix7992
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
3,25 ⭐
"The love a master has for his slave, [...] I suppose it's as much as any of us can hope to build a life on."
Second book that I was advised by a friend and second disappointment... 😩
It wasn't a *bad* book at all, but I was expecting more maybe? 🥲 Or rather I might not have been in the right mood for such a reading.
What disturbed me the most was the anachronistic manner of speaking, especially "posh boys" and other similar terms. I wouldn't have expected Latin verses, but besides the immediate references to Pompeii I didn't feel transported in 1st century's Roman Empire... I also felt that the entire story lacked hope. I understand perfectly that this is a heavy story, with dark themes of slavery, rape, and other physical and emotional abuse of all sorts, but every time the character had any hope or good thing happening it would be crushed by circumstances or their own decisions, albeit done out of survival instinct, which I understand perfectly.
On a brighter note though, the writing of the suffering of the women, their friendship and sisterhood, the almost unshakable support they gave each other was very touching. With the exception of Menander, it just seemed to depict more strongly every man as insensitive or selfish. I was very disappointed by Pliny, although the archeologist and scholar in me was biased towards liking him, but he eventually turned around towards the end, even if I wasn't entirely satisfied with this conclusion.
As much as I can understand the need to depict an accurate representation of slavery and forced prostitution, all that misery was difficult to handle but I put it mostly on the current circumstances (March 2022), knowing damn well the characters are shadowed by an imminent disaster...
"The love a master has for his slave, [...] I suppose it's as much as any of us can hope to build a life on."
Second book that I was advised by a friend and second disappointment... 😩
It wasn't a *bad* book at all, but I was expecting more maybe? 🥲 Or rather I might not have been in the right mood for such a reading.
What disturbed me the most was the anachronistic manner of speaking, especially "posh boys" and other similar terms. I wouldn't have expected Latin verses, but besides the immediate references to Pompeii I didn't feel transported in 1st century's Roman Empire... I also felt that the entire story lacked hope. I understand perfectly that this is a heavy story, with dark themes of slavery, rape, and other physical and emotional abuse of all sorts, but every time the character had any hope or good thing happening it would be crushed by circumstances or their own decisions, albeit done out of survival instinct, which I understand perfectly.
On a brighter note though, the writing of the suffering of the women, their friendship and sisterhood, the almost unshakable support they gave each other was very touching. With the exception of Menander, it just seemed to depict more strongly every man as insensitive or selfish. I was very disappointed by Pliny, although the archeologist and scholar in me was biased towards liking him, but he eventually turned around towards the end, even if I wasn't entirely satisfied with this conclusion.
As much as I can understand the need to depict an accurate representation of slavery and forced prostitution, all that misery was difficult to handle but I put it mostly on the current circumstances (March 2022), knowing damn well the characters are shadowed by an imminent disaster...