The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper (Head of Zeus)

Amara, once beloved doctor's daughter, now a slave prostitute in ancient Pompeii. Her mother sold her to ensure Amara's survival. Every day is a struggle for her and her friends, but she is clever and ambitious and she aims for freedom. Will she succeed?

Beautifully written, with great compassion and with deep insight into a human soul.  Working in a brothel, so called wolf den/lupanar and women there were known as she-wolves, they have to howl as wolves to call customers in a brothel. Life as a prostitute, disgust, panic, obliterating blankness. An aversion to being touched... Heartbreaking. And neverending yearning for freedom. Of body and a soul.

Roman society was based on slaves and their work, and Elodie Harper describes their life with the greatest sensibility and respect.

Atmosphere and characters are perfect, the reader is totally and immediately immersed in a story.

Wonderful reading.

5/5