Author: Jennifer Saint
Pub Date: 4 May 2021
Publisher: Flatiron
Page Count: 320
Dates Read: Mar 27 – 29
Reading Method: Physical – BOTM Backlog
Review
I love a good mythology retelling and Ariadne immediately jumped out at me. I mean, look at that gorgeous cover!
Ariadne was a beautiful story about, you guessed it, Ariadne. More than that, it was a story of family, love, and tragedy. I was vaguely familiar with the Minotaur story from a read of Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters a few years ago (though that was presented as a modern, elimination style televised competition, so the accuracy is a little sketchy). Saint made the story hauntingly beautiful.
Theseus was truly unbearable, but the cause of so many important decisions. I loved Ariadne’s and Phaedra’s relationship and how it grows and changes over the years. Even though she wasn’t entirely present, I really loved Pasiphae’s character. I just can’t imagine all that she has been through, but Saint does a fantastic job of getting the reader to feel for her.
Though the writing was truly lovely, the pacing did feel a bit off. Some portions of the story seemed to drag unnecessarily and were very dense with detail, making it feel a bit like an information dump. The years on the island were the worst of it, along with Theseus’ monologue upon introduction.
The last third of the book is where all the action happens and became impossible to put down. The ending was so frustrating and heartbreaking. These women make the only choices they feel are available to them, good or bad, and have to face the consequences of the actions taken by the men in their lives.
I am looking forward to reading Saint’s Elektra! I am sure her next retelling with be nothing short of magical.
About the Book
Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice.
When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?
About the Author
Jennifer Saint grew up reading Greek mythology and was always drawn to the untold stories hidden within the myths. After thirteen years as a high school English teacher, she wrote ARIADNE which tells the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur from the perspective of Ariadne – the woman who made it happen. Jennifer Saint is now a full-time author, living in Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two children.
