I love mythical retellings so had to read For the Winner, after enjoying her retelling of the Trojan War in For the Most Beautiful. The lyrical writing style brings the characters to life and engages the reader with their complex and richly detailed portrayals. If you enjoy well-written historical fiction, then these are the books for you!

I have loved these first two books in Emily Hauser's Golden Apple Trilogy, they are just what I look for in books about mythology, the untold story, the new-to-me story..... these are perfect.

With 'For The Winner' we get the story of Atalanta and a telling of her story and the story of the infamous Argonauts within her story. Atalanta is a warrior, she's strong and fierce but she is also a woman and women aren't supposed to be any of those things in the eyes f her male counterparts. Not only must she fight for her life and her compatriots lives but she must also fight for her place among them to win the destiny she wants.

Atalanta's story is compelling and adventurous, she is a wonderful character and one I hadn't really had much knowledge of before reading this telling of her story but is a fascinating character to read about.

As with Hauser's previous novel this one is also a must read for any fans of Greek mythology and I highly recommend it to one and all..

As a baby, Atalanta was abandoned on Mount Pelion during a storm but rescued by a peasant family who raises her as their own. She grows up to be a tomboy learning to use the bow and hunting. After learning that she was adopted, she sets about learning the truth about her true family.

I have to confess that I’ve never heard of Atalanta or Jason and the Argonauts before reading this. My knowledge of ancient Greece is limited but still, I probably should have even heard about this before… This was my first Hauser book even though I own her first book For the Most Beautiful.

I really liked Atalanta who was strong, clever and capable of protecting herself. At first, she wants to just find her father and prove herself to him but getting to know ruthless Jason, she wants the crown to protect the people knowing she would be a fairer ruler.

I liked the scenes on Mount Olympus showing gods plotting and interfering in human affairs. This portrayal was how I always think about them. I blame Xena: Warrior Princess for that…

In its essence, this is a retelling of the Greek legend of Jason and the Argonauts. Rather than focusing a male hero, this is the tale of Atalanta, the only woman to have participated on the quest.

The tale is told in two alternating parts: (1) first person narrative of Atalanta, and (2) the Gods of Olympus, more specifically through Iris, handmaiden of Hera.

Abandoned at birth, Atalanta seeks out her true identity, and with the help of a slave girl, Myrtessa, she embarks on the mysterious quest for the Golden Fleece. Revealed as women, they are cast adrift and continue the quest alone. Usual interference by the Gods into the world of man. Finally recognised by her true father, she must now marry. In true mythical style, she sets the terms and thus the legendary footrace is held.

What I particularly enjoyed was the way the author portrayed Jason as an arrogant, petulant, cruel man, whilst Atalanta is head-strong, proud and determined.

For those who loved "Clash of the Titans" then this is a must read.

I adored ‘For the Winner’, and instantly rushed out to buy Emily Hauser’s earlier novel.

Doughty, strong, intelligent Atalanta emerges as a quasi-historical character, and Jason, too, leaps off the page – with a personality a million miles away from the hero of the 1960s movie! I had to keep reminding myself I was reading a retelling of a myth.

While reading about this vividly recreated Bronze Age world on holiday in Crete, I was lucky enough to visit Knossos and Heraklion Museum, where I could imagine Atalanta and her foster family using the artefacts.

On the same holiday, I read Madeline Miller’s ‘Circe’, the back-story of the mythological witch Circe from Homer's Odyssey and thought both novels a feat of the imagination and empathy. Both were utterly absorbing and intelligent.

The legend of Jason and the Argonauts

Atalanta is abandoned as a baby on the mountain and is discovered by a local man. He takes her in and raises her as his own daughter. She has a very happy childhood and although she is treated fairly and is loved equally with the other children she knows she is different. Her prowess with a bow is outstanding; she is brave and she is fast.

Finally, she is told the truth and understands the importance of the gold medallion that she wears around her neck and sets off to Pagasae to discover her true identity. Atalanta quickly makes friends with a servant girl called Myrtessa who helps her to realise that she may be the daughter of King Iasus. She also learns about the legend of the Golden Fleece and that Jason is gathering a team of lords who will set out on a quest to help him capture the Golden Fleece and claim the throne for himself.

Atalanta disguises herself as Lord Telamon, son of Deucalion with Myrtessa as her servant. She excels in a hunt at Jason’s side but he does not invite her to join the quest. Myrtessa and Atalanta audaciously get aboard the Argo as it sets sail and are not wholly welcomed by the other lords. During a storm Hippomenes is swept overboard and Atalanta jumps in and saves him. Jason continues to dislike Atalanta and treats her badly but she has found an ally in Hippomenes as she saved his life. Atalanta also earns the respect of her brother Lycon.

Unfortunately for Atalanta she attracts the attention of Lord Meleager who forces himself upon her believing her to be a man. He is horrified when he discovers she is a woman and, although they have reached their destination of Colchis, Atalanta and Myrtessa are exiled by Jason. A woman is believed to bring bad luck at sea and although Hippomenes pleads for her life they are told that they must never return to Greece.

They then set off on their own still determined to capture the fleece so Atalanta can claim the throne for herself. Jason beats Atalanta and captures the fleece from Colchis and Atalanta’s last hope is now to beat Jason back to Pagasae and steal the fleece. Myrtessa finds her home in the mountains and decides to leave so Atalanta sets out on her own.

Hippomenes leaves the Argo and accompanies her back to Pagasae but Atalanta does not disclose to him the truth of her noble birth. The story reaches its climax back in the court of King Iasus. He examines the golden medallion and accepts he presented it to her as a birth gift and so recognises Atalanta as his daughter.

There is a problem though. Jason has captured the fleece and although he has lost it, he had captured the fleece from Colchis which was all that the prophecy required. King Iasus decides that the best solution is that Atalanta should marry Jason. Atalanta is horrified as she knows that Jason will be a cruel King and she fears for her family so she insists on a contest to win her hand. Hippomenes triumphs.


This book is a very enjoyable read. It has clearly been well researched and presents a very human picture of Atalanta’s story. For the winner brings to life a very well-known Greek myth and makes a very pleasant read.

Kanga

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

I absolutely loved this retelling of Jason and the Argonauts. Atalanta is a fearsome and wonderful female protagonist!

Thanks Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and netgalley for this ARC.

Emily Hauser has made a old story interesting and fresh.

An incredible, thrilling read. I adored this book, perhaps even more so than Hauser's first book, FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. Atalanta is a true heroine, driven by an important, singular goal (that isn't finding a man, whew!). She is clever, resourceful and a warrior to be reckoned with--even the gods aren't a match for her cunning. Loved, loved this book. Hauser's books are forever going to be on the top of my "must-read" pile.

For the Winner, Emily Hauser

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Historical Fiction

As a child I adored fairy-tales, but mum frowned on me reading them as I approached high school, telling me I should have outgrown them.
Then joy, high school and a library full of myths and legends from all over the world to replace my beloved fairies.
Those from Rome and Greece were my favourite and I noticed many parallels in the stories.

So when I saw this it took me mentally back those happy days getting lost in stories of times past, different cultures and the vagaries of the different Gods and Goddesses. 
Then came children, a film addict husband and my stories took form once more with fabulous Classic films for the kids, and Jason and the Argonauts was one of their favourites. 

This book doesn't really dwell on the Argonauts perilous journey so much as Atalanta's part in it. We do go with them for long stretches but its more the interaction of the characters than the perils of the journey.
Atalanta was abandoned as a baby even though she was the first born and a princess, and she's brought up by loving foster parents. When she hears the tale, when her parents feel she's old enough for the story of how she came to them, found in a torrential storm, she sets off to find her family, and then finding out the truth she sets out to prove her worth to the king.
She's a fearsome warrior, the equal and better of many men, and in disguise as a Lord she gets her place on the Argonaut, intending to steal the fleece and prove herself to the king, and thwart Jason's cruel plans for the places he wants to rule. 

That's the plan but of course its never that simple, and Atlanta has to constantly revise her plans according to circumstances.
Its not hard enough being a woman in a time when they were definitely subservient to men, being a princess in disguise, having to fight every step of her way against her peers, but the Gods and Goddesses have their own plans and are constantly interfering in mortal affairs.
Luckily there's Iris, ostensibly a messenger for Hera, but in reality a Goddess in her own right, using her messenger persona as a way to keep things as she feels they should be. 

Its a fabulous read, transporting me back in time, waiting to see what would happen to Atalanta and her plans with each new chapter, inwardly ranting at the bigoted and short sighted men, railing at the Gods and Goddesses for their careless interference, their disregard for human life.
I kept telling myself "just one more chapter" and then "well, just til I see if/til I find out what..." until I was so tired i wasn't appreciating the story as it deserves. 

Its a fabulous read, feeling very real, letting me rail at the unfairness of how women were treated, and then thinking, how come we still don't get equal treatment thousands of years later.
I loved the characters we met, loved the scenes of everyday life, loved seeing a different side to Jason than the usual one, and his cruelty was all too believable. 
And the ending, just so right, took the story to the perfect finale. 

Stars: A very worthy Five, a wonderful tale to escape from everyday life into another time and place. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers