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directorpurry'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death
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 youhkrobock's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
heidi_fischer'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
laurak483's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's a powerful story about the female experience, the inherent dangers of living as a woman or marginalized person in general, and how the cycle of abuse perpetuates itself. I really feel like intense acts that happened in the final chapters were set up purely to turn this from a standalone novel into the trilogy the author wanted, and I personally think that's a mistake. I think this book was so heavy so much of the time, I would personally have enjoyed it more if we got the more uplifting part of the ending we as readers were hoping for without the violent events that will clearly be the focus of the next book (trying to talk about it without spoilers).
For the first time in a long time, I think this is a series I won't be continuing. Not because it isn't well written, I enjoyed the author's writing style. Just because it is a rather hard read, and I am honestly not invested enough in seeing more of these characters for the apparent plot point the next book(s) will tackle. The biggest strength this book has, and the thing that really was apparent and stuck out to me the most, is it's also an ode to the resilience of women. Between reading this book and listening to the song "Labour" by Paris Paloma on repeat, I am overly filled with ancestral feminine rage and I definitely need a palette cleanser after this.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Suicide
Moderate: Pregnancy
kmami's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
fergus30's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death and Slavery
Moderate: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy