Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

[gilda_elise]

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, the 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?

Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne forges a new epic, one that puts the forgotten women of Greek mythology back at the heart of the story, as they strive for a better world.

I like when a writer reimagines old myths and legends. This was no exception. The characters all come to life, there being so much more to them than in the original myths, where their motives are often unrevealed.

Of course, especially Ariadne. Her life is full, especially once Dionysus enters the picture, though I did wonder at the author’s choice of changing the dynamic of their relationship as written within established myth. But I couldn’t help but hope for the best for her and for her sister. Though the Ariadne myth goes in several directions, Saint does a good job of picking her way through that particular maze to write a good story.

Until the end. Of all the different ending written regarding Ariadne’s fate, this was one of the worst. There is one that tells of an amazing happy ending; why that wasn’t chosen I’ll never know. It would have made for a beautiful story. For myself, I would very much have preferred that happy ending.




Mount TBR 2022 Book Links


Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.



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