Review: The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper

★★★★★ — The House with the Golden Door was probably my most anticipated read for this year, and boy, I was not disappointed! Please do not read on if you haven’t read The Wolf Den.

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The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper is the second in a trilogy, which began with my favourite read of 2021, The Wolf Den. I am always slightly hesitant when it comes to the second instalment of a trilogy, with many (Catching Fire excluded) often serving as nothing more than a stepping stone or filler to a grand conclusion. The House with the Golden Door, however, did not fall into this unfortunate phenomenon.

Historical Context

Elodie Harper has once again produced a captivating historical fiction novel that takes you right into the streets and the homes of ancient Pompeii. Set in 75 CE, Pompeii is still a thriving Roman town, looked on by Venus Pompeiana, the patron deity of the city. When reading this book, it feels like you are walking right alongside Amara, you can feel the heat beat down on you as she sits in her garden, you can feel the cobblestones as she walks the streets and you can almost see the detailed wall paintings described throughout the book. This is particularly interesting since in 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted and the entire city of Pompeii (and the neighbouring city of Herculaneum) was covered in ash, preserving the daily life of ancient Romans in Pompeii.

First Writer: Lovers, like bees, live a honeyed life.

Second Writer: I wish.

— Pompeii Graffiti exchange (pg. 189)

Harper includes vivid detail of surviving wall art, architectural features and even whole buildings (like The Wolf Den which survives along with the erotic wall paintings). Harper continues to include snippets of graffiti from the walls of Pompeii, and introduces us to different homes and interiors. Harper has the distinct ability to use what survives of the ancient city, and the lives of those who once inhabited it, and bring it back to life, or, has given it a second life, a new life.

My Thoughts

This was a beautiful and heart-wrenching tale. As you know, this series of books follows Amara, a Greek woman who was sold into slavery and ended up as a prostitute in the brothel at Pompeii, known as the Lupanar or ‘Wolf Den.’ At the end of the previous instalment, poor Dido was killed, and Amara was freed by Pliny, and given a new home to live in by her Patron, Rufus. So although she was heartbroken with the death of her friend, having to leave her fellow women behind at the brothel and having to end her budding romance with a fellow slave Menander, she was feeling optimistic about her newfound freedom. Just because this book wasn’t set primarily in the brothel doesn’t mean it was a light and happy read. Amara has to be more courageous than she ever has before in the face of heartache and betrayal. Her friendships with the women she left behind don’t remain the same as when they were all at the same social standing, and the fluctuation of these personal relationships made this story feel all the more real.

The gods raised you to freedom. Treating slaves as equals only lowers you back to the gutter you came from.' (pg. 90)

The House with the Golden Door is an incredibly nuanced exploration of the social lives and class structure both in Pompeii and the wider Ancient Roman world. We see these social complexities all through the eyes of Amara, who is grappling with her own shifting status, now as a freedwoman, with slaves of her own, however still at the complete mercy of Rufus, and to another extent Felix. Harper delves into these social complexities by exploring the rules to be upheld and the social expectations to be maintained by a freedwoman, who wants to reclaim agency over her own life but is still restricted. I think what struck me early on was how believable it all felt. We as readers experience the conflicting aspects of Amara’s life, the intricacies of social relationships she has to uphold, and the deterioration of some of her friendships. To expect her relationships to stay static while she changes as a character in both status and mind, would feel false. However, Amara’s liminal role as a freedwoman dependant on a man whose love is dwindling and who knows intimately the life of a slave, traverses a new world of love, deceit and friendship that sees her continually grow in courage and strength.

I love the way Harper sets up her chapters. She prefaces each chapter with a quote, either from an ancient poet or writer, or graffiti found at Pompeii. These aren’t just random quotes, but they are imbued with the theme of the following chapter, and really set either the physical or emotional scene for Amara. These kinds of details absolutely blow me away, and it’s one of the main reasons why I adore this book (and its predecessor).

Have you read The House with the Golden Door or The Wolf Den? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

International Women's Day

Hello lovelies!

Not only is today International Women’s Day, but its Women’s History Month — it’s a time dedicated to highlighting the contributions and achievements women have made in history and around the world, and to remember that there is so much further to go when it comes to women’s safety and gender equality. I am lucky to be surrounded by women who are driven, motivated and work hard to achieve their goals and every day I am proud and honoured to be a part of their lives.

This year’s International Women’s Day Theme is #breakthebias —

Imagine a gender equal world.

A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.

A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

Together we can forge women's equality.

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Thank you to all of the women before me that broke down barriers and thankyou to those women around me who inspire me and challenge me. May we keep rising, supporting one another and challenging each other to reach greater heights.

In honour of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, here are some books recommendations that feature strong female characters and that I personally loved ✨

The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a young adult fantasy-esq series that follows the incredibly badass Alex, a half blood (half descended from the Greek Gods) in a world full of daimons, politics, and hunky guys. A must read!

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper is a book I can’t stop raving about and you should all definitely read! The Wolf Den follows Amara, a girl brown to a middle class Greek family who finds herself as a prostitute in the brothel of Pompeii. This book is full of female friendships and women supporting women, as well as a look into the lives of women in Ancient Rome.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a story loosely based off the life of Elizabeth Taylor, and recounts the life of Evelyn Hugo and her seven marriages. Hugo is such a strong, determined protagonist, this book really took me by surprise with how much I enjoyed it.

Swallow’s Dance by Wendy Orr is a middle grace novel set during the volcanic eruption of Thera in the Bronze Age Aegean. The story follows Leira who was beginning her Learnings to become a woman before her life was thrown into chaos. This is truly a coming of age story, and an incredibly heartwarming one set during my favourite time period!

The Darker Shade of Magic series by V.E. Schawb is one of my favourite series, and a lot of that is to do with Delilah Bard, one of the main protagonists of the series — an aspiring pirate and professional pick pocket. Her growth throughout the series is a pleasure to read, and hearing that this series is getting more books makes me so happy!

As you all should know by now, the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is one of my all time favourite series and is genuinely an important part of my personality. Much of my love for the series has something to do with Annabeth Chase, one of my favourite female literary characters of all time — working hard to inspire young girls to be incredible badasses every. damn. day.

The last female character I want to highlight in this post is Alex Jennings from Lynette Noni’s Akarnae series. Alex is thrust into a brand new world and faces all sorts of challenges both physical and emotional, and honestly, she growth throughout this series makes me so proud. Such an enjoyable young adult series that I cannot recommend enough!

So, that’s probably enough from me! Let me know your favourite female literary characters in the comments below, or on my International Women’s Day post over on Instagram ✨✨

May Wrap up and June Hopefuls 2021

I hope May has treated you all well. Here in Melbourne, the leaves are changing, and the frost is encroaching as the mornings get colder and colder. Alas, the end of autumn is here and it’s time for three months of cold, rain and wind. I feel like May was a long month and I’m not quite as shocked as I usually am that we have reached the end of it. But, enough about me, let’s get into my wrap up for May 2021 and the books I hope to get to in June!

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My May 2021 hopefuls (not pictured, The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper because it hadn’t been published yet)

Some things to note about me: I am a slow reader, I love to annotate, I love to read multiple books at once and I cannot stick to a tbr to save my life. At the beginning of May, I posted my ‘hopefuls’ list, which is pretty much just a tbr that has absolutely no expectations of actually being read (which is my favourite type). I like to try and add books from different genres onto my hopefuls list to at least give me a chance to get some of them read, depending on my mood. In May, I read 3 of my 6 hopefuls and I feel really proud of that.

May wrap up

★★★★★

The first book I read in May was one that I started in April and that was the Odyssey by Homer and translated by E.V. Rieu. Reading the Odyssey was such a long time coming, I think I was just super intimidated by it. In saying that, now that I have read it, I wish that I read it sooner 😂 I loved the translation done by E.V. Rieu, although it was in prose rather than verse, it still had such a poetic feel to it which I really loved, and it has made me want to read a verse translation next to really be able to compare the different interpretations of the text. Overall, I found it to be easier to read than the Iliad (which may honestly be because the Iliad is like, 80% names and genealogy), and it wasn’t written in a way I expected. Many of the adventures that Odysseus had embarked on were recounted to Alcinous of the Phaeacians, rather than experienced first hand, which I actually think I preferred. Odysseus’ long-winded journey home was full of adventures, and overall, I really enjoyed the story and the translation. Check out my full review.

★★★★★

My second read of the month was Jennifer Saint’s debut novel Ariadne, which follows the lives of Ariadne and Phaedra, the daughters of King Minos and Crete and Pasiphaë from their childhoods to their deaths. Not only has Saint put together the stories of the two sisters, which are stories that are often told separately, you also get points of view from both Ariadne and Phaedra, which (if you know me at all), you’ll know that I loved! I wasn’t too familiar with the myth of Ariadne past the Theseus and the Minotaur events, and I really loved watching her character evolve, and her relationship with Dionysus change and develop throughout the tale. I thought the contrast of the two sisters, with Ariadne, secluded on Naxos surrounded by women and Phaedra living the life Ariadne wanted for herself with Theseus in Athens surrounded by people hostile to her home city of Crete was so striking. It allowed the reader to draw some fascinating parallels between the sisters that would have otherwise been difficult to do, since their stories are almost exclusively, told separately. I thought the ending was so poignant and bittersweet, and even if you are familiar with the myths of Ariadne, Theseus, the Minotaur, Phaedra and Hippolytus, you will definitely love this new retelling of their stories. Check out my full review! If you’re interested in hearing a bit more about Ariadne, I was lucky enough to have been able to interview Jennifer Saint, and ask her all sorts of questions about her novel which you can find here! (non-spoiler of course!)

★★★★★

The final book I finished for the month was The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper, which was my favourite read for the month, and potentially for the year (it’s neck and neck with The Porpoise by Mark Haddon). The Wolf Den is set in the lupanar, or brothel of Pompeii in the first century CE, and follows the point of view of Amara, a Greek woman who was sold when she was younger after the death of her father. I thought The Wolf Den did such a wonderful job at bringing the ancient world to the modern-day through the intertwining of graffiti found at the site of Pompeii. This graffiti is written by the everyday people of Pompeii, and gives us an incredibly rare insight into the daily lives of the everyday people of Pompeii, rather than the rest of the literature which survives which is almost exclusively written by the powerful men of the Roman Empire. The story emphasises the unbreakable bonds of friendship between the five prostitutes who work at the wolf den, and the contrasting ways in which they deal with their loves and their lack of autonomy. Elodie also does such a phenomenal job of bringing the lives of these women to the forefront, and highlighting the often overlooked fact that prostitutes in the ancient world would not have chosen this life, nor would they have necessarily always been prostitutes. Amara’s main focus in this novel is to change her fate, and do it by any means necessary, which provides her many opportunities for her character to develop, and she often has to make hard decisions which highlight the fact that all of these characters are morally grey, which adds another layer to the relationships and the character development in general. I loved this book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone! if you’re worried you don’t know enough about Pompeii or the ancient world, don’t fret! You can absolutely still enjoy this book, but if you want a bit of context to ancient Pompeii before jumping into this novel, check out my full review where I give a rundown of the context and graffiti in Pompeii! I was so lucky to get a chance to interview Elodie harper, and I had such a wonderful chat about the book, her experiences writing it and the development of her characters! You can either watch it, or read it! The interview, just like my review, is spoiler-free!

June hopefuls

It’s getting cold, which means inside our house is going to get cosy and warm which is the perfect setting for reading! This month, I have 5 physical books on my hopefuls list, and one audiobook. The audiobook is The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout which I have been listening to throughout the entirety of May. I cannot believe I am still reading this book, it is SO long and I swear only like, three things have happened. This book needed some serious editing. I only have a couple of hours left of this book, so I truly hope I get it finished this month. Along with finally finishing TCOGB, I am hoping to read Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, The Library of Greek Mythology by Apollodorus, The Poems of Catullus and The Bacchae by Euripides which I am going to read with the lovely Erica over at MoanInc!

So! I guess we will see how I do this month, but honestly, as long as I take some time to read something, I consider it a successful reading month! I hope you all enjoyed this post, and let me know down below or over on my Instagram Kell_Read what book you are most looking forward to reading this month!

Review: The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

This book was one of the easiest ★★★★★ I have ever given. I am lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to interview Elodie Harper about her book with World History Encyclopedia. You can find the video here and the condensed transcript on World History Encyclopedia. After you’ve finished watching my interview with Elodie, I would recommend you then head over to Erica’s YouTube channel MoanInc, where she has built off the questions I asked, and delved even deeper into the story with Elodie which you can find here!

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What’s The Book About?

The Wolf Den is a novel by Elodie Harper which is set in Pompeii in the first century CE in Pompeii’s lupanar which is the brothel of the ancient city. The term ‘lupanar’ could mean both brothel or wolf den and the term ‘lupa’ could be used for both a she-wolf, or a prostitute. The novel follows the point of view of Amara, a greek woman born into a middle-class family, who had to be sold after her father died. She ended up as a prostitute in Pompeii, and works at the Wolf Den with four other women. However, Amara hasn't just accepted the misfortune which life has thrown her, and wants more than anything to be free. This novel, which is the first of a trilogy (yay!), follows Amara as she does whatever it takes to change her fate.

The skill of the fighters, the grace of the tigers, all of it is punctuated by acts of savagery. (217)

Historical and Archaeological Roots:

Before we get into my ~many~ thoughts and feelings concerning this book, let’s have a look at Pompeii, Pompeiian graffiti and Venus Pompeiana first. Pompeii is probably one of the most well known ancient cities along with places such as Rome and Athens, but it differs from many ancient cities because in 79 CE, the local volcano known as Vesuvius, erupted, and covered the city and its occupants in lava and ash. It would have been a catastrophic event for those in the ancient world, but it has proven to be invaluable to modern historians and archaeologists as an untouched insight into the daily lives of the Romans who lived in the city, and the neighbouring city of Herculaneum. Excavations at Pompeii have informed our understanding of life in the city in a way that no other site could. The volcanic eruption has preserved architecture, mosaics and wall paintings, bronze statues (which in any other circumstance probably would have been melted down and repurposed), houses, baked goods (look up Pompeii bread!), and writing which has been found in wax tablets, pottery, seals, tomb inscriptions, and probably most interestingly; graffiti. The survival of graffiti from Pompeii is, in my opinion, equally as fascinating as the wall paintings, as it truly shows us that humans really have not changed in 2,000 years. It makes the ancient world feel a lot more familiar, and close. If you don’t believe me, I’m going to add some graffiti found at Pompeii (all in translation from usually Latin or Greek). Let me know if any of them sound familiar! (All graffiti quotes have been cited from ‘POMPEII: A sourcebook by Alison E. Cooley and M. G. L. Cooley (2004).’

1. Commemoration of an architect: ‘Marcus Artorius Primus, freedman of Marcus, architect.’ (67)

2. Latin poetry composed on the walls:

   ‘What is happening? Alas, eyes, first you led me into the fire,

   Now of your own accord you give generously to your cheeks.

   But tears cannot put out the flame;
   They inflame the face and melt the spirit.

   Composed by Tiburtinus.’ (72)

3. The Pompeii equivalent of ‘Kelly Was Here:’ ‘Gaius Pumidius Dipilus was here, five days before the nones of October when

   Marcus Lepidus and Quintus Catulus were consuls.’ (77)

4. And last but not least, graffiti about graffiti: ‘I admire you, wall, for not having collapsed at having to carry the tedious

   scribblings of so many writers.’ (79)

Why is graffiti so important, you ask? Well, for The Wolf Den, in particular, Elodie has drawn names and situations from graffiti found at Pompeii, and woven them into her story. She has used names of prostitutes and even a name of a gladiator in her story, which is not only incredibly unique, but executed flawlessly.

She wants to scream her rage into the night… Her anger is rising like the sea, drowning her. She has to get out. (284)

The goddess Venus held a special place in Pompeii as the guardian deity of the city, and is sometimes referred to as Pompeian Venus. In The Wolf Den, Venus is an important deity, since she is the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility, and prostitution. In April, the festival known as the Vinalia was celebrated which was held in honour of Jupiter and Venus. Common girls and prostitutes would gather to the temple of Venus to offer her myrtle and mint and ask for things such as beauty, popular favour, to be charming or witty.

Thoughts and Feelings

Holy moly. This book is an absolute masterpiece, and from the moment I started reading it, I found it incredibly challenging to put it down. Not only did Elodie create a phenomenal story rooted in archaeological evidence, but she also explores so many themes and issues that would have been prevalent in the ancient world at the time this novel was set. Overall, Elodie makes the reader realise just how dangerous and difficult it would have been to be a woman in the ancient world.

There’s nothing more truthful than a play, is there… I think comedies are braver somehow. All of life up there on the stage, and actors have the courage to say what one cannot say elsewhere. (257)

The complexity of the story that Elodie has created is completely awe-inspiring and incomparable. It didn’t remind me of anything else I have ever read. Using names left scratched on the walls of Pompeii, Elodie took them and created a new story for them, one which was as equally uplifting as it was savage. Our main five girls are all bonded in a way that no one else could possibly understand, and yet they are all constantly working against each other (in a way) to make money and live. Elodie definitely puts an emphasis on the unbreakable friendship these women have forged through their shared experiences as prostitutes at the Wolf Den, they know each other’s weaknesses and traumas, and do what they can to shield each other, and keep each other safe in a world which is working so hard to break them. Elodie has an ability with words to cut deep, and do it succinctly. She does not use unnecessary words to make a point, her language is blunt, brutal and wholly truthful. She has truly enlightened her readers on how the world would have been perceived by a woman sold as a prostitute in the ancient world. These experiences Amara and her friends experience strike me as completely real and it honestly gave me chills. It reminds you how much more brutal the world was, especially for women, and she does not try and soften that. She presents it raw and uncut. You feel completely immersed in the city of Pompeii. You can feel the suffocating bustle of the women at the Vinalia, you can feel the comradeship of the women as they move through the streets, and you can feel their terror, their hatred, their relief and their love. It is wholly encapsulating.

Warmth spreads through her. She has never had a friend like Dido. She is the light in the darkness of her life. (199)

Other than the focus of women supporting women, even beyond our main characters, is the idea of a human being viewed as an object, and men’s incomprehensible inability to view women as anything more than objects. When I read Classics For Plebs review of this book, she made the observation that this book forces you to come to terms with the fact that women were sold into slavery daily. These women weren’t necessarily always prostitutes, and it shifts the focus of the reader to the fact that these women have absolutely no control over their bodies and their lives, and it was something happening to women all over the ancient world. Our main characters, our point of view for this entire story, the basis of this entire novel is the fact that these women do not have ownership over their own bodies or their lives. They are literally owned by men, and they are treated by the man that owns them, and 99% of men in this story, as if they are nothing more than a mindless object to be used, abused and then discarded.

You wouldn't understand. You’re just a woman (417)

But although they’re talking about her, they’re only talking to Felix, as if she isn’t really there (316)

You invested in quality stock then. Not got any virgins, I suppose? (305)

This story is less focussed on plot, and more on characters and their relationships with others. As the plot continues, the characters develop and new people are introduced, and new relationships are formed, It isn’t an ‘event heavy book, and is focussed on the lives and experiences of Amara and her fellow she-wolves. It is beautifully written, and truly gives a raw insight into what it would have been like to be a woman in the ancient world. These women were once real, and Elodie has composed such complex lives for them, that it is completely and utterly believable. If you’re thinking you might want to pick up this book, this is your sign to do so! If you have read it, leave a comment with your thoughts on the book, or find me over on Instagram @kell_read and we can have a chat about it!!!