This novel demonstrates a detailed awareness of Greek mythology and the ability to translate that into an excellent story. Highly recommended. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy.

I love Greek Mythology and I have been obsessed with the stories of the Minotaur and labyrinth since I was a child and my auntie told me the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed the detail in this novel and the main character Ariadne. I have to admit I was a little shocked and wasn't expecting the outcome.

I wont give any spoilers. But if there had been a bit more of a story about the characters and their feelings. I felt there was a lack of internal dialogue that could have helped me feel a bit closer to Ariadne and the feelings she had for Theseus.

I like to lose myself and feel like I can become the character. Though the story was very well written and very informative. I feel it lacked personability.

I'd give this novel a 3.5 out of 5.

Retellings of the Greek myths focussing on the female perspective are en vogue at the moment. This book tells the tale of Ariadne, whose brother is the Minotaur on the island of Crete. I really enjoyed Saint's take on the myth and exploration of Ariadne and her sister Phaedra. A good addition to the Greek myth retelling genre.

This was always going to be a must buy for me- I’m a huge fan of Greek Mythology and I don’t know all of Ariadne’s story so this has filled a few gaps for me.

This book has a lot to pack in with Theseus and the Minotaur, Ariadne’s relationship with Dionysus and Phaedra and Hippolytus.

The book is from the point of Ariadne and her younger sister Phaedra, both are very different characters which gives the chapters a very different feel. Ariadne is calm, gentle, brave and maternal and these are the character traits developed throughout the book. Phaedra is headstrong, intelligent and strong.

As with most Greek myths it’s always the women and children that suffer for the sins of the men. From Ariadne’s mother Pasiphae giving birth to the Minotaur as punishment for the sins of King Minos against Poseidon, to the atrocity committed by Dionysus at the end of the book due to feud with his half brother Perseus, this is a consistent theme throughout. But what’s interesting is that the stories of the men are pushed to the background apart from the key facts of the story. Apart from Theseus telling his life story to try and impress Ariadne, the story of him defeating the Minotaur is over in about two pages. When Phaedra is sent to Athens to be his wife, he’s hardly there. We don’t find out what Dionysus gets up to at the rituals until quite late in the book. The story of Daedalus and Icarus are also very brief so it’s made very clear from the start that this book is about the women.

I’m also glad this wasn’t turned into a love story. Ariadne was infatuated with Theseus and Phaedra with Hippolytus and then Ariadne fell in love with Dionysus. Making too much of this would have taken away from how strong and brave these women were.

The story shows that women then faced many similar challenges as women today such as unhappy marriages, domestic violence, fear of motherhood and post natal depression making Ariadne and Phaedra more relatable.

The ending is a tragic one and I felt this could have been a bit longer.

This is a wonderful and beautifully written story of strength, resilience, freedom and bravery. Great for anyone who enjoys retellings of myths.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Headline publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you to Netgalley for an APC of this novel.
I really enjoyed this retelling of Ariadne's story from classical mythology. While women are traditionally portrayed as rather one-dimensional in such tales, Jennifer Saint reframes their narratives from a more feminist perspective. This is clear from the outset when Ariadne's maid retells the story of Medusa; she is no longer simply a monster, but instead a woman cursed by the gods for Poseidon's defiling in the temple of Athena. Ariadne similarly realises that her life as well as her sister Phaedra's and her mother Pasiphae's are dependent on the men in their lives and to what extent they anger or please the gods. Society is profoundly patriarchal and women are forced to choose whether to rail against their fates or meekly succumb to a sort of female madness in which they become hollow shells of their former selves (the outcome for poor Pasiphae).
This is thus a rather fresh and innovative reimagining of the minotaur story and Ariadne's romance with Theseus. As such the men occasionally suffer by comparison and Minos in particular seems a rather dastardly villain with barely any redeeming characteristics. Nevertheless any reader who is interested in the female perspective of classical myth will doubtlessly enjoy this book and I would thoroughly recommend it.

Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I always thought that if I were to write a book, it would be about Ariadne. She is quite possibly my favourite female character from Greek Mythology so when I saw this book announced I was incredibly excited.

The book is titled Ariadne but covers the points of view of both Ariadne and Phaedra, both during their time in Crete and the events which occur after they leave the island. It’s all here, Theseus and the Minotaur, Ariadne’s abandonment, her meeting with Dionysus and Phaedra’s infatuation with Hippolytus.

I thought Ariadne’s conflicting feelings for her bovine brother were handled really effectively, and the small glimpses we get of Pasiphae’s maternal yearning were genuinely touching. Theseus was also portrayed perfectly, he’s the faithless, callous dope that we all expect him to be. The portrayal of the general events of the story were also well interpreted with some of the gaps filled in in interesting ways, particular Phaedra’s side of the story which helped to reframe her character in a more interesting way. Ariadne’s characterisation however felt a little weak to me. I suppose the image I have in my head is that of the clever, cunning woman from myth, I just didn’t get that sense of her in this story.

What I was most looking forward to was Ariadne’s relationship with Dionysus. I suppose I was imagining a slow burn romance that would eventually help to heal the sting of Theseus’s betrayal. What we got instead was a rather staid instalove situation which felt really disappointing to me. When you have the chance to write a passionate relationship between a mortal and a god, but instead portray almost instantaneous shacking up and living in humdrum domesticity…well it seems like a wasted opportunity to portray an epic romance.

I was also slightly confused by Ariadne’s condemnation of Phaedra’s infatuation with Hippolytus. I couldn’t understand why she was so getting so antsy about Phaedra having the hots for her non blood relation stepson when she was literally married to her half…uncle? The ending felt a bit rushed too.

Perhaps this book tried to do too much. It might have been more enjoyable to read one story rather than both, although Phaedra’s was probably the most interesting overall. I was also slightly bemused by the emphasis on Ariadne and Phaedra’s blondness and the fairness of their skin. Yes, I know blonde Greek people exist, my grandmother was one, but it’s certainly not the norm for Cretans and the repeated mentioning of it seemed a bit weird and incongruous. It’s a small thing I know, but my mental Ariadne is definitely a brunette, as shown in ancient representations of her and representations of women from Knossos. I wasn’t expecting another version of Renault’s The King Must Die but perhaps a little more influence from real historical contexts might have felt more natural.

I am, unfortunately, putting this book down at 22%. I can't fault the writing—it's full of really great information and imagery, without being info-dumpy—but I personally just hate this kind of writing style. It's totally personal preference and I know I won't enjoy the book if I continue.

However, I'm very intrigued by the story so far and would be inclined to pick up the audiobook while it's available. Jennifer Saint has already made Ariadne a relatable narrator and crafted a really vivid world. This is a book I would recommend to fans of Circe, as the writing style is very similar. It's just, sadly, not to my taste.

Really brilliant, great for fans of Circe - brings to life a woman in Greek mythology who is often consigned to a footnote.

A retelling of Greek Mythology centering women in the storytelling, the titular Ariadne and her sister Phaedra. The story starts in the Cretean princesses childhood and charts the events of their lives. Usually told from the perspective of their father, their lovers, husbands and the gods that are the puppeteers of their fates, in the telling of the tale from another perspective we see the fury, the pain, the love and the happiness, the details of these women's live that have been footnotes for so long.
The book is both an education and entertainment. Like Ariadne's own tapestry it feels like a vast and carefully woven story that is part of something bigger. For those that enjoyed Circe, you will revel in feeling this another piece of the puzzle in place in your knowledge whilst also seeing a reflection of current issues, and possibly stirring you to action, or at least, make you question your inaction in certain inequalities.
I look forward to more books from Jennifer Saint, it says at the back of the book that she is working on a second Greek myth retelling coming soon.

I'm not very sure where to even begin with my review of this book.

So I suppose I'll begin by saying that this book was completely different from all my expectations for it. Where I was expecting a YA contemporary style retelling I instead got a literary fiction, in the best way possible. Despite the amount of greek mythology I have read, I wasn't very familiar with Ariadne. So reading the book was that much more impactful for me.

The story of Ariadne & in a lot of ways her sister was one of heartbreak, perseverance, frustration, and triumph.
The author does an incredible job of making you feel the frustrations of the characters. The frustration I and probably many women feel in mythology and in real life when history and the men in it attempt to shrink us down to minor antidotes in a man's story.

Though despite the obvious heartbreak & frustration present in Ariadne's and her sisters story, there is also triumph. Triumph from the fact that they finally get to tell their own stories on their own terms. That in this small but meaningful way they finally get the agency they deserved in the first
place. The ending of book was so unexpectedly poignant and impactful in a quiet sort of way that it will definitely stay with me for some time.

Jennifer Saint is definitely a phenomenal author and one to look out for. The way she was able to write Ariadne's story in such a unique and meaningful way is truly impressive and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her work.

If you tell me a book is inspired by Greek mythology, it’s an auto-buy purchase. ARIADNE by Jennifer Saint is a retelling of the Theseus and the Minotaur myth with the narrative focussing on Ariadne. This is Ariadne’s story and the reader follows her mortal journey in a world of heroes and immortals. The author writes with lyrical prose and evocative imagery, weaving an unforgettable tale.

In so many of the Greek myths, the women are minor characters or completely silenced. They are all too often portrayed as a prize to be won by a hero or as a plaything for the gods. Women pay for the resentment, lust, greed, and arrogance of men, and this is repeated time and time again. The author firmly wrenches control of the narrative from the hands of male authors and centres women as the heroes of this story.

Alongside Ariadne, the story is also interspersed with the point of view of her younger sister, Phaedra. Stubborn, clever and feisty, Phaedra is an engaging character and was easy to relate to. The lives of both sisters are contrasted throughout the story and the reader is shown how marriage and motherhood shape them both. Men whittle away at both characters and a longing for escape is keenly felt.

One theme that shone throughout the book was that of sisterhood and the power of women. A tragic ending is inevitable but a sense of agency is retained by Ariadne and Phaedra as they rail against their bonds. ARIADNE is a powerful portrayal of two women living in an unjust and patriarchal society. I can only imagine what they would have done if unleashed from their gilded prisons and allowed to blaze their own glorious path through life.

My school days are far behind me,and my knowledge of Greek myths was always a bit rubbish.

Then came Circe. Now I know 89% of the reviews are probably going to mention that book. It was a great book.
This one is equally great.
Going in depth on the story of Ariadne, and the gods and their totally unjust ways.
Not that some mortals were much better.
I really enjoyed this book,and its sparked in me a desire to read the stories of some of the other characters... something I couldn't quite imagine saying a year ago.

Retellings of Greek myths are like catnip to me. I loved Song of Achilles, Circe, The Silence of the Girls and A Thousand Ships. Like them, Ariadne is told from the perspective of one of the women often mentioned only in passing in the more traditional versions. Ariadne is the daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, and half-sister of the Minotaur. Other than that and her being the possessor of a thread, I didn’t know Ariadne’s story so I had no idea of where she might end up or which people and gods might appear along the way.
Having grown accustomed to female leads who take things into their own hands, in the first part of the book I wasn’t sure I could get behind Ariadne; it was all a bit Theseus as dashing hero and Ariadne as doe-eyed follower. Perhaps that was unfair of me as she was only 18, had never left Crete and was under the oppressive rule of her father. That said, her younger sister Phaedra at 13 was full of fire, as Ariadne notes herself. Some chapters are told from Phaedra’s point of view, to the extent that she deserves a mention in the book’s title. I really liked Phaedra but at times she was unrealistically wise beyond her years.
In the end I don’t think Ariadne delivered on its potential. I liked the writing, I liked the characterisation; I just felt a little underwhelmed by the way the narrative progressed and concluded. It could be that I’ve missed the point – naively expecting a conventional story arc when perhaps Jennifer Saint was going for something a little less obvious, shining a light on just parts of the story. At times I felt as though I had missed a bit; for example, one moment Theseus and Ariadne lock eyes across the palace floor, the next he’s taking it for granted that she will flee with him to Athens and become his wife. I liked this book but didn’t love it.

Ariadne is the daughter of King Minos of Crete and the sister of the dreaded Minotaur. Every year, Athens sends fourteen young men and women as a sacrifice to the Minotaur, and Ariadne looks away, unable to bear her part in these atrocities. Then Theseus, prince of Athens, arrives as a sacrifice. She is so swayed by his virtue, honour, and handsome face, that she betrays her father to end the murders. But will her own sacrifice, the loss of her home and family, lead to a happy ever after, or will Theseus forget her in pursuit of his own fame and fortune?
This is a Greek mythology retelling that shifts the focus away from Theseus and his heroic exploits to become King of Athens. Instead, we explore the way women are treated by men and gods alike. They are tools for men to use and discard when their purpose is served and as a form of punishment when men go against the gods.
Ariadne cannot escape this truth, her mother is punished for her father’s greed, and the result is the Minotaur. The story is told predominantly from Ariadne’s point of view, her highs and lows, her acceptance of her position, as well as her attempts to change her fate. We are drawn in from the start as Ariadne is a caring character who loves to dance, and the action starts with her helping birth the Minotaur. She doesn’t see a monster; she sees a baby with calf eyes and soft fur. How can we not share her tenderness of this moment and later her grief for what her brother will become?
We also see some events from Phaedra, Ariadne’s sister, who acts as a foil to her sister. While Ariadne is cautious and wants a quiet life, Phaedra learns to influence men, so she has some authority. If you are unfamiliar with the story, I don’t want to spoil anything for you. So, instead of going into great detail, I will say that Phaedra is usually cast as a villain. But Saint explores her motivations, creating a more complex, sympathetic, believable character.
As this is a retelling and not a reimagining, the ending doesn’t change, making for a bittersweet ending. I both couldn’t put Ariadne down as much as I wanted to avoid finishing it. Jennifer Saint does an incredible job of developing character; we understand why the sisters behave the way they do. We sympathise with them in their different worlds, doing the best they can to survive in a male-dominated world. This brings tension to the ending because it won’t change the outcome, however much we might want it.
My only complaint is the ending felt rushed compared to the rest of the story. The world-building at the start is strong and luscious, creating the golden world of wealth and privilege in which Ariadne grows up. This doesn’t continue with the final showdown, which has rumbled in the background for a good portion of the book.
That complaint didn’t stop my enjoyment of Ariadne in all its beautiful, bittersweet glory. With a touch of romance and a strong feminist slant, Ariadne is perfect for fans of Greek mythology looking for a fresh take on their favourite tales.

There has been a run of books recently that retell the great stories of Greek myth, some have been outstanding – Circe, Silence of the Girls, House of Names. Ariadne is a deserving addition to the ranks. Accomplished, compelling and deeply moving, it tells the story of the woman who handed Theseus his success against the Minotaur. It’s message – that women’s contribution are rarely acknowledged – is a well worn one. But Saint takes it a step further to suggest that, when men offend the gods, it’s women who pay the price. Both Ariadne and her sister Pheadra pay a high price indeed for their involvement with Theseus and Athens.
At a sentence level Ariadne may not be quite as beautiful as Circe or as potently economical as Silence of the Girls, but this is a minor gripe. Ariadne is a sweeping story with wonderful, fully realised characters and wonderful pace. It’s ending – perfectly pitched – will stay with me a long, long time, I’m sure!

This book is written in a simplistic and straightforward way, it makes it so easy to read and get into the story. I did find the characters under developed; however, I really enjoyed finding out about Ariadne's life to the end.

Greek Mythology is one of my favourite genres so I was so excited to discover this retelling of Ariadne and to be granted early access!

Ariadne is well-known as the daughter of King Minos of Creek and sister of the minotaur in the labyrinth, who she helps hero Theseus to kill. That's where our story starts, but that is only the beginning.

I loved reading about Ariadne. I knew only the basics of her story, nothing about her life on Naxos. I read this book in two days, eager to discover what happened to Ariadne and Phaedra. I enjoyed the split narrative between them but will admit I enjoyed Ariadne's story more.

Jennifer Saint has written a beautiful book that transports you back to ancient Greece. Her descriptions gave me definite wanderlust and are just what you need in the current pandemic situation! Ariadne is a wonderful character and this book tells her story perfectly.

I'll be pushing this book to every reader I know and will definitely be buying a finished copy for myself.

As a fan of Greek mythology, and especially the recent popular retellings of stories retold from female perspectives, I was delighted that NetGalley accepted my request to read and review Ariadne.

This is the debut novel from an author who clearly has a lot of love for the myths. We are taken back to Ancient Greece to the palace of Minos, the bravery of Minotaur killer Theseus and the revels of wine god Dionysus - ie the traditionally male centric stories and characters we know, but now told instead from the perspective of Cretan princess Ariadne. Whilst the lives and deaths of Ariadne and her sister Phaedra do feature in the original stories, this novel aims to fill in the gaps by creating an insight both into the lives of these women and also events as seen through female eyes.

Ariadne is well fleshed out, and by being party to her thoughts and feelings we understand how she is shaped by love and loss; a brave and enduring character who plays a big part in events, but acts with compassion. Phaedra, on the other hand we know from the myth as the shameless stepmother whose tragic end was her own doing, we are allowed now to contemplate the other side of her story, and the book casts a new light on her actions and explores her behaviour by chapters told from her perspective. Women in the myths are frequently shamed and then punished by men (think Medusa), and here we are allowed into their heads to see their world for what it is, and understand why Ariadne and Phaedra both think and acts as they do. This extends to experiences of motherhood, which vary greatly for all females in the book.

Ariadne is written in a simple and straightforward manner, and captures the essence of the classics through descriptions of characters and settings. It is very difficult not to make comparisons with other well-known novels of recent years which also retell the stories from female perspectives. The Greek myths are poetic and evocative, eloquent and iconic, and for me this novel maybe didn’t quite capture the classical voice or tone as much as I had hoped, but I enjoyed it all the same.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ariadne is the daughter of King Minos, the sister of the Minotaur, the accomplice of Theseus, and the wife of Dionysus. Very rarely is she described in any way that is not adjacent to the power of the men who lived their lives alongside her. This book explores the truths of Ariadne as a woman in her own right; as a woman who made her own decisions and faced her own consequences. It also gives a greater voice to the trials of other women in mythology including her mother Pasiphae, her sister Phaedra, and woman behind the monster that was Medusa. The hardships of ordinary women in the harsh society of the mythic Greek world are also touched upon in a hugely considerate way.

As a lover of Greek mythology I was really excited to read this book. The plot itself did not disappoint me, going into satisfyingly deep detail with the structure of the original myths interwoven with believable elements of assumption and invention. Furthermore, I was impressed by the substance of the characters, considering the scant details given about them in the original myths. Jennifer Saint has succeeded in bringing each of the mythical characters to life as unique individuals whilst still managing to maintain a familiarity with their original sources. I thought that Phaedra in particular held a particularly intriguing spark of life.

However, the pace of the novel was quite slow at times and the passive tone made the characters come across as emotionally detached in certain parts of the narrative. Although this did not in any way ruin my enjoyment of the story itself, it did mean that I took a little bit longer than usual to warm up to it and fully engage with what I was reading.

My favourite aspect of this book is how it takes Ariadne’s life and follows it from beginning to end, exploring all of the ups and downs of her experiences. This is a gratifying deviation from the common myth trope which usually sees characters experiencing a single adventure at a singular prime point in their life.

This book was incredible.

I read a lot of Greek mythology retellings and so often they leave me disappointed in how they simplify the characters or shave off the harsh edges to encourage sympathy. Now I have a book to point to which demonstrates how good mythology retellings can be when the subject matter is not only confronted but masterfully utilised.

Saint takes the story of Ariadne, the woman abandoned by Theseus, the wife of Dionysus, princess of Crete and holder of the key to the labyrinth, and puts her and her sister, Phaedra, at the centre of the tale. She tracks their lives through the sprawling mythology they feature in and are connected to, from that of Medea and Medusa to Icarus and Hippolytus. The overall narrative is fabulously varied and exciting but also not so convoluted that you lose track of what is happening. Both the heroes of legend and stories of their exploits and the domesticity and intricacies of women's interior lives are given equal weight and examination. The themes of godly punishments and unequal burdens are explored beautifully, with nuanced and interesting threads throughout that make your heart race when they pay off later.

If you love mythology, read this book. If you love complex and interesting female characters and examinations of women's lives and experiences, read this book. If you love stories of adventure but want the consequences of those adventures to be fully explored, read this book. If you love engagement with dark themes and moral questions, read this book. Just read this book. It was fantastic. I am so glad I read this.