Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I love reading retellings of Greek myths. They're fascinating to read from the viewpoints of different characters. I have Ariadne and Elektra on my bookshelf but I'm yet to read those. Atalanta is my first book by Jennifer Saint and I loved it.

I didn't know much about Atalanta except that she was exceptional in footrace and the only female member of the Argonauts. Jennifer Saint weaves a retelling combining several incidents and myths together. The writing was crisp and clear and it was refreshing to read about the Argonauts and Hercules, Jason, Medea and Meleager from Atalanata's viewpoint. I was already familiar with quite a few characters and it felt great to read about them again. In this book, Atalanta's story spans from her being discovered in the forest by Artemis and the nymphs having been abandoned by her father on the mountains as soon as she was born, her journey on the quest for the Golden Fleece and the aftermath of that victory. I was glad that Saint spoke about various incidents which happened after that. Atalanta's blunt and logical approach to her life as well as problems was refreshing to read about. The ending was left a bit hanging in the air but well done though.

An engaging read! I''ll be picking up Ariadne and Elektra soon!

jennifer saint did it again!

atalanta’s story isn’t one i know much about, so when i saw that she was the focus of this latest feminist retelling i was instantly intrigued. as with her other stories, the writing in this is absolutely beautiful and merges an ancient myth with modern day themes. atalanta is an incredible character and i was absolutely rooting for her, she was made to feel so unwelcome on the quest but she didn’t let the petty remarks whittle her down.

great story, and i need to know if katniss everdeen was inspired by atalanta??

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher/author for this ARC. I love Greek mythology and retellings of common stories so this was a must for me. I enjoyed reading this and seeing a new telling of the Atalanta story. The author wrote a wonderful book and I would recommend to any mythology fans.

This book had so much promise. Unfortunately, it fell pretty flat for me. I had heard of Atalanta only very vaguely before so I was curious about her story. I was also very curious about how Jason and the Argonauts played into it. While there were some interesting plot points, I had zero attachment to any of the characters. They all felt very surface level, like we were barely getting to know them. It was disappointing as I really would have loved to have had a very character driven story about these fascinating historical figures.

There were also some tangents that I didn't enjoy and that didn't make sense. It kind of felt like they were an afterthought and had very little baring on the main story or the characters. It all just felt like it was mish-mashed together, without any real plotting or character development.

The writing was pretty good and it was the main thing that I enjoyed. It was just everything else that I didn't like. I don't feel like I really got much from this story, which I think is a hugely missed opportunity.

I really enjoyed Atalanta. It kept me enthralled throughout and the prose was beautiful. It's rare to find a likeable male character in these types of Greek retellings but there were a few in this book that made my heart warm. Especially at the end.

I am wild, I am free.
I am Atalanta.

A girl was born, and the King exposed her on the mountain, a mother bear raised her, she grew strong on bear milk and learned to wrestle with bear siblings, then Artemis came for her, and gave her to the nymphs to raise her in the forest of Arcadia. She got strong, fast, and fearless, her name is Atalanta.

Artemis was Atalanta's sister, mother, guide, teacher all in one, and when the time come, Atalanta become her champion.
A gathering of the greatest band of heroes from across all of Greece wants to sail on his ship, the Argo, in search of a Golden Fleece; and Atalanta the only woman in the group boards on Argo, as Artemis's champion to be the best of them all.

We all know the story of Jason and Golden Fleece, you might have heard about Atalanta, one of a few hero women in mythology. Her story in this book passes with Hercules, Medea and Ares's son, Meleager. There are many short myths and games of gods in her voyage, and I loved reading them from Atalanta's point of view.

I really enjoyed this retelling which was rare in my last few ones, although I expected this, after all this is Jennifer Saint, her characters are remarkable and the story, she tells the tale that you know it, but still so engaging, beautiful and heartbreaking.

My huge thanks to Headline via Netgalley for DRC, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 13 Apr 2023

Another book I cannot WAIT to get my hands on irl - I just can't read netgalley ARCs on my phone as I can't make them dark mode or make the text big enough and my eyes just can't.
Shame, as I loved what I've read so far! This is going straight onto my To Buy list for as soon as it's published! Jennifer Saint is a true wonder and this is a story I have always loved and cannot wait to read Saint's gifted retelling of it.

I loved this modern retelling of a forgotten mythological heroine. I loved learning all about Atalanta and the way the author presented her as such a compelling, amazing, strong woman. Extremely well written and what a story.

Raised by bears and then by the goddess Artemis, this is the story of Atalanta the only female Argonaut. Another great celebration a forgotten female. Jennifer Saint was born to write Greek mythology!

First of all I would like to thank both Headline and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. Even though I love Greek mythology, I wasn't very familiar with Atalanta's story and so when I saw this title, it immediately piqued my interest. I really enjoyed discovering her journey through life, from her beginnings in the forest of Arcadia with Artemis and the nymphs to her journey as the only female Argonaut and everything that happened after her return. I think the author did a really good job giving the character a voice and a personality that felt coherent with the experiences she lived. And I loved the spin she put on the end of her story. I would definitely recommend this book to any mythology lover out there.

Wonderful! Beautifully written & imagined retelling of the story of Atalanta. I read it in two sittings. Couldn’t put it down.

This is a memorable telling of Atalanta that satiates my love and fascination with Greek mythologies.

This is Atalanta’s story, from her perspective; a refreshing, attractive point of view and an enhancing step away from the one-dimensional description from the classics. Atalanta is a force to be reckoned with and stands tall and resolute in her skill next to the other Argonauts and heroes of Greek mythology. Atalanta challenges the misogynist undertones of classic mythology, like many of the recent retellings do, by reimagining and giving perspective and actions to the women of Greek legends. It emphasises the malleability of myths and spins around the gender ideology that dominates the classical texts, with the character of a woman who is faster than the male heroes, a skilled huntress, a woman who grew up wild and free from the world of men, under the tutelage of Artemis.

Saint’s writing is clear and effective. Through Atalanta’s voice the story is always moving and this is a strength of the story, though also a flaw at a few points. While the pacing was gripping and the narrative continually turning, often the action was too swift and fleeting for me, particularly with the depiction of some of the stops Jason and the Argonauts make along the way or the clash between the boats on the retreat from Colchis, scenes told within a few sentences, some scenes not as immersive as I prefer. The beginning and latter part of the novel were fantastic, the characters and descriptions throughout were vivid, with only the journey of the Argo leaving me slightly underwhelmed.

I was familiar with Atalanta before reading this and was very impressed at how Saint spun and seamlessly weaved the various versions and myths together into a whole narrative that gripped my attention from start to finish. I wondered at how Saint would end Atalanta’s tale, conscious of the myths, and I felt fulfilled with the epilogue, a certain feeling of authenticity to it, a return for Atalanta to the wild and free state she was. This was a compelling read, one that was hard to put down once started.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wildfire for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is my favourite Jennifer Saint retelling so far. Atalanta is one of the lesser-known Greek myths yet Jennifer Saint breathes new life into her story, weaving together a number of versions and tales to create a rewarding whole. Atalanta is a formidable main character, left to die on a mountain by her father who wanted a son, then raised by bears until the Goddess Artemis lets her live among a group of nymphs in one of her sacred groves.

Atalanta soon becomes one of the fastest of mortals, as well as a phenomenal huntress. Artemis sends her to join Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece to bring Artemis a share of the glory. The tensions between Atalanta and the all-male members of the quest are wonderfully portrayed. The masculinity revered by society is challenged by such an accomplished woman. Having grown up away from men, Atalanta has never considered herself lesser and it's interesting to compare how other women have been shaped by societal and gender expectations.

There are a couple of romances throughout the story but these are secondary to Atalanta herself. They are part of her story but never the entirety. The quest forms the middle of the book and this moves onto the Calydonian Boar Hunt and Atalanta's foot races with suitors. Again, the author uses marriage and motherhood to explore gender norms and the dangers of a patriarchal society to women.

This is a complex and incisive retelling of the Atalanta myth and one that's sure to become a firm favourite with fans of Greek mythology.

Jennifer Saint's retellings of Greek myths have become a publishing staple I look forward to every year and have done ever since Ariadne. I was not familiar with the story of Atalanta or the Argonauts before picking up this title so I found it as educational as it was entertaining, and enjoyed the mixture of battle, adventure and romance that collide in this novel. I'm in awe of how effortlessly she manages to weave in additional stories about various Gods, Goddesses and heroes alongside the main heroine, all of which bring the myth to life and allow us to be thoroughly entertained by the different ways well-known heroes' paths might have crossed. I truly hope she continues to write more retellings of Greek myths, Her novels are inspiring and empowering!

Atlanata by Jennifer Saint is the story of the only female Argonaut, a woman cast off by her father as a baby, abandoned to die on the side of a mountain ,who was raised by bears under the protection of the goddess Artemis. Growing up strong, swift and free in the forest she dedicated herself to Artemis and the glory of the hunt, and was sent to join Jason and his band of Argonauts on their quest to find the Golden Fleece. As the only woman in the group she was subjected to scorn and ridicule but she bravely stood her ground, determined to prove her worth and bring glory to Artemis. When she falls in love with one of her companions and becomes pregnant with his child, the goddess is angry and withdraws her favour and protection.
I was unfamiliar with the legend of Atalanta before reading this book, but I knew that I would enjoy the quality and beauty of Saint's writing if nothing else, having previously enjoyed Ariadne and Elektra , her earlier books. Fortunately I was also able to enjoy the story , Atalanta's bravery and determination made her a character that I was keen to learn more about. I really enjoyed seeing her no nonsense common sense approach in contrast with the glory seeking "heroics" of some of the other Argonauts and I liked that the author did not just focus on this part of her life story but rather gave us a fuller picture of the legend.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

this is the first book i have read by saint and ariadne has been on my tbr list for the longest time so when i saw that i got approved for this book you can definitely understand why i was so excited.

it’s safe to say that i completely understand the hype around saint’s writing. it is so beautiful and vivid that it completely makes you forget that you are reading. i love reading about greek mythology so i am definitely going to pick some more of her work up as i can tell that i would love it. i knew nothing over the story of atalanta before reading this book so i loved following this along and make the reading experience a lot better as i was learning about this greek myth as i went along.

saint’s writing is so easy to follow and i was truly hooked from the start of the novel. i really need to pick up more of saint’s books because i can tell that she is going to be an instant buy author from now on.

Thanks so much Netgalley and Flatiron Books for an advanced copy of Atalanta.

I absolutely adored this book, I absolutely devoured this feminist retelling of one of the most iconic stories in Greek Mythology. I loved Atalanta and the role of women in Greek society. It also examines women's role in modern society as well.

I am truly obsessed

An amazing modern and more feminist greek retelling, Jennifer Saint has become one of my "instant buy" authors.

I really enjoy modern retellings/interpretations of Greek myths and this was no exception. This is the first novel I have read of Jennifer Saint’s but I had been aware of her work for some time and had kept meaning to pick it up. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of Atalanta which tells the story of the life of a woman who was abandoned as a baby on a mountainside but grew (under the patronage of the goddess Artemis) to be one of the Argonauts. I really enjoyed it!

Thanks @to the publisher for providing a free copy! Would love to get a copy in the post!

rejected by her father
raised in a forest and nursed by a bear
blessed by goddess Artemida
the only female Argonaut
vowed to never marry and remain a virgin
(which did not stop her from enjoying affairs with at least two heroes)

Atalanta is not your usual Greek heroine, she is not a goddess or a witch - she is just a kick-ass Sporty Spice who knows how to handle bow and arrow, she can run faster than anybody, she knows her worth and definitely knows what she wants - at least in Jennifer Saint's take on the story.

The best is left to the very end - what a glorious ending!

I am so excited that the ancient Greek legends and myths are having a renaissance in literature right now! I used to love them at school and re-reading the long forgotten stories (or new versions of them) feels like coming home, all the familiar names and faces, forgotten adventures and crazy escapades.