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linhsreadinghour's review against another edition
3.5
Hmm, this was ok. It wasn’t a chore to read, I felt like I was pretty invested in Amara and wanted to see how things would pan out for her. I was about 150 to the end and that’s when I started getting bored. The book has no huge major plot points, it just followed Amara’s life. Nothing remarkable really happened, it’s pretty dark but that’s to be expected reading a book about women working in brothels in Pompeii. I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. I felt some things weren’t tied up nicely and I still had questions.
I don’t think I’ll continue with the series.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abortion
smarzipan's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Body shaming, Abandonment, and Alcohol
anne_boleyns_book's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Blood
dalypierce's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The characters have so much dimension that sometimes you love them and sometimes you hate them. And the place making is chef's kiss. You get such a clear picture of Pompeii, yet the author doesn't overdo it with description. I could see the houses, streets, bars, theatre, brothel, clothing - everything - so clearly that they will live in my mind like memories of a place visited in real life.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury
katiekitkatbookfiend's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Although this is a heavy list of content triggers, they are very much within the historical and social context of the story.jaduxenn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
angelalibrosymiscelaneas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.25
I have to expose myself, and my literal reading comprehension, here. If I have to confess why I pick this book... I must say I thought it was a historical urban fantasy of some sort...HEAR ME OUT, AMARA AND HER COWORKERS/FRIENDS ARE DESCRIBED AS SHE-WOLVES. Okay? I took it literally. I thought she was a sex worker at Pompeii AND a lycanthrope. It made sense to me. Don't ask me why, It just did.
"By day, she walks the streets with her fellow she-wolves, finding comfort in the laughter and dreams they share."
This line on the blurb to me said: Paranormal fantasy with, possibly, sapphic representation. Inside my head it made total sense, and sounded interesting, so I requested the ARC. Could I be farther from the truth? ... I guess, but hardly. Luckily, I took note of my misinterpretation quite early, when I realized they were referenced as she-wolves because of the term "Lupanar". I'm not quite sure if this misconception came from my lack of knowledge since I'm not a English native speaker, but I feel so embarrassed... So let me get this straight. Werewolves and lesbians: No. Pompeii and historical fiction: Yes.
So, obviously, my initial expectation was quite far from the truth, but thankfully I notice my error early, and I would say that my opinion on this novel was not affected by this misconception.
I sadly found this novel boring and pointless, rather than plotless. It felt like Elodie Harper was writing without a clear direction. For a book with 400 pages, it felt longer, due to its reiterative narration and the weakness of the plot. I would say this novel was more character-driven, if it was true. But it didn't come out as that. The writing style, with a narration in present tense, remarked this conflicting flaw: This style is highly action-oriented. It helps move the story with a quick pace, but it has less room for reflection and the expression of the deepest character's thoughts. So, as the book plot didn't move forward and was almost nonexistent, we were left with an endless routine of Amara going to the tavern, having to pleasure man, having conflict with Felix, and walking around with Dido.
I could understand why people may love this book, but to me, it read too juvenile for such a harsh topic and the period it was developed was almost irrelevant.
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse and Abortion
lisa_m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy
obliteraturebygaytorayd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Abortion, and Alcohol
emshany's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
It’s an amazing book but it is about prostitution so if that would bother you, maybe not for you