Freedom's gate

Semi-historical fantasy that takes the perspective of an underdog of history. The Greek economy depends on slaves, both human and Djinn; the humans have a small chance of taking their lives in their hands and escaping, but barring a major mis-step on the part of their masters, the Djinn are trapped.

Lauria is free-born, but most of her people are slaves. She's proud of her status, and the fact that she's employed, not kept. While Lauria is decent enough by the standards of her society, she's uncritical of and collaborates in the economy of slavery.

This book was a difficult read. Slavery is not white-washed, it's presented as an institution founded on terror and rape, and Lauria's complicity in it made even her awakening to the reality of slavery difficult for me to read. Warning for rape and associated triggers.