The Wolf Den is Elodie Harper’s re-envisioning of the lives of the whores of Pompeii. Set in 74 AD the term Lupanar means both brothel and den of wolves. This is the story of the women in the wolf den.
Amara used to be a respectable woman from a good family who fell on hard times. Her mother was forced to sell her as a house slave but her circumstances fell even beyond that and she found herself being sold again to another man. Born in the city of Helen of Troy she finds herself taken to Pompeii to work out her slavery and hopefully one day buy her freedom.
Amara works for a dangerous man. Felix is often angry and cruel. He knows how best to get inside the heads of his women and make them feel inadequate. To foster favourites and fuel animosity. They are all afraid of Felix. Young and handsome he commands respect wherever he goes and is quick to punish any slights.
Despite this the women in the wolf den are good friends. There is a spirit of united experience amongst themselves. They all hate it and their life is very difficult but they pick each other up. There are so many kindnesses and small gestures of friendship that break through the bleak aspect of their condition. At times they are even able to have fun and to laugh with one another. Though the bleakness of their life is stark.
Amara stands out from other people in Pompeii. She is not content as a slave and even with the frightening Felix she can at times hold her ground. She is brave in her dealings with men and many note her defiant quality. Emboldened as the book goes on she begins to suggest business opportunities to Felix to make him more money than he can make through their whoring. She is an entrepreneur and an intelligent and observant woman.
Men are disgusting in this book. There are a few kind exceptions but on the whole it gives a very realistic view of life in a brothel at that time. Men really can do anything they want to and there is very little to protect the women. There are also the constant reminders of the lot in life open to those women with an older lady at the brothel with no place to sleep who relies on the kindness of the women to eat. She sweeps and cleans up unpleasant messes and must live with being hated by her child. She who once worked as these women do. An ever present reminder that for a lot of these women this may be the majority of their life with penury at the end. No one to rescue them and nowhere to go.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s not a sad book. Their situation is harsh and many unpleasant things happen but I really wanted the best for Amara and her friends and found their friendship lifted the book into something that could be heart warming as well as dark.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I was intrigued as to where the story would stop at the end of this part. I was really pleased with where Harper has left the story. It has left me intrigued as to where the story will go next and I’m definitely keen to find out. There’s no greater compliment for this book than wanting to read the next one.
The second book in the trilogy published in 2022 and the final instalment publishes in November 2023.
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