The wolf den - Elodie Harper

[Hallelujah2020]

Has anyone else read this fabulous book? Basically about a Roman brothel and the slaves working there

Doesn’t sound like it would be a good read but loving all the female characters

I loved this. Can't wait for her next one

Already on pre order

Loved this so much, just finished it.

I kind of suspected I would really love it as it’s in the same vein as Pat Barker ‘Silence of the Women’ and Madeleine Miller’s ‘Circe’, both of which I adored. Such good writing. There’s more out there but some of it is pretty second-rate and I am vair choosy…

Reserved at the library and looking forward to it. Even more so now it's endorsed here.

I loved this too! Not my usual taste but it was one of my best reads of last year.

@KittyWithStripes Is Circe good? Been on my TBR list for ages.

Circe is terrific. Have you read The Song of Achilles? I think both books are really engaging and Madeleine Miller has a strong sense of character and place. Circe is crying out to be read on a Greek island beach!

I've just read Ariadne by Jennifer Saint which is very much in the same area. I'm kicking myself I didn't get Wolf Den when it was on a 99p offer on Kindle - I've got a small handful of TBRs on my kindle at the moment and will put it on my list to read later as people seem to recommend it so strongly.

@PollyPepper yes it was a terrific read, really enjoyed it.

@mimbleandlittlemy was Ariadne any good? I read some quite scathing reviews … but would happily give it a try

Hi KittyWithStripes. She's not as good as Madeleine Miller by a long chalk but I enjoyed it until the end which I thought was rather weak and hurried (or bollocks awful, take your pick). I thought it was an interesting take on the human/god relationship that Madeleine Miller has also explored, and Mary Renault long before, but I suspect it wouldn't have been pushed to the fore if Jennifer Saint had written it 15 years ago. She is going down a path Madeleine Miller has definitely made a bit easier for her.

I've got her next one, Elektra, on order and I'll see how I go with that. I just wish MM would write somethign new.

Glad to see positive reviews of this - I was upsold it in Waterstone's when it was their book of the month and it is sitting on my bedside table. I am a fan of Natalie Haynes and am hoping for a similar feel. I highly recommend her Children of Jocasta.

@mimbleandlittlemy Ooh ooh ooh... Mary Renault!! Oh I used to absolutely LOVE The Persian Boy, read it so many times. That's bang on the mark of historical fiction with gritty detail and a bit of shagging that presses all my buttons. Any others of hers worth a go?

Love this thread!!

I enjoyed it - I don't think it's as well written as Circe (I've not read Song of Achilles yet) but I really enjoyed the characters and plot and I'm already looking forward to the rest of the rest of the trilogy when they come.

Hi Kittywithdtipes - lots of great Mary Renault. The King Must Die is an interesting contrast read with Ariadne and then the sequel is The Bull from The Sea, the Alexander Trilogy is great. Definitely worth checking out what’s on Amazon. The Charioteer is good too but about war time nursing, not Ancient Greece.

I loved Wolf Den but gutted I have to wait until next year for the paperback of number 2. Can't have the first in paperwork and the 2nd in hardback! 😆
Loved The Silence of the Girls and looking forward to the next one from Pat Barker. Have Ariadne on my tbr list but read The Song of Achilles the Circe in quick sucession so having a break from Greeks! Adored TSOA and didn't enjoy Circe as much although I was fascinated by her as a character.