🏹 Unleash Your Inner Huntress with 'Atalanta' by Jennifer Saint 🏹

Dive into the thrilling world of Greek mythology with Jennifer Saint's 'Atalanta,' a tale that doesn't just break the mold – it shatters it like an arrow hitting its mark. This isn't your grandma's cup of ambrosia; it's a heady mix of adventure, empowerment, and a dash of divine mischief.

🌟 Plot Twists That Even Zeus Didn't See Coming:
"Atalanta" is not your typical damsel-in-distress narrative. Our heroine is more likely to rescue herself and then shoot you a sassy grin. The twists in this plot are as unpredictable as the labyrinth in the heart of Crete – and just as exciting to navigate.

🏺 Mythology, but Make It Modern:
Saint weaves ancient myths into a modern masterpiece. It's like binge-watching your favorite epic on Netflix, only better. Atalanta isn't just a character; she's a statement – a symbol of resilience and defiance that transcends time.

👑 Empowerment Served on a Silver Platter:
Move over, Hercules; Atalanta is in town. This book is a feast of empowerment where the heroine doesn't just break the glass ceiling – she shatters it with an Amazonian battle cry.

🖋️ Saint's Prose: Where Poetry Meets Plot:
Jennifer Saint's writing isn't just good; it's divine nectar for the literary soul. The prose flows like the river Styx, pulling you into a world where every word is a stroke of genius.

🌈 Why 'Atalanta' Should Be Your Next Read:

For fans of Greek mythology seeking a fresh perspective.
If you love strong female protagonists who don't need saving.
Anyone who enjoys a mythic cocktail of adventure, drama, and a sprinkle of romance.
🔥 Final Verdict:
"Atalanta" isn't a book; it's a declaration. A declaration that myths are meant to be rewritten, heroines don't need rescuing, and sometimes, the greatest adventures are the ones we write for ourselves.

📚 Pick up 'Atalanta' today and unleash the huntress within. Trust us; Artemis would approve. 🏹✨ #BookReview #GreekMythology #AtalantaJenniferSaint

Another absolutely impeccable novel by Jennifer Saint. Her writing never fails to leave me mesmerized, she really does paint a picture with her words and you feel like you're part of the scene.

Jennifer Saint's "Atalanta" takes readers on a thrilling journey alongside the legendary heroine as she joins Jason's band of Argonauts. The author's captivating writing style immerses the reader in the vividly described settings and the various challenges the characters face. Reading this book is a true pleasure.
The book's feminism could be better portrayed. Despite being a strong and determined woman, Atalanta must be given more chances to challenge societal norms and power dynamics. She frequently defers to men and focuses on her romantic relationship rather than her personal growth and empowerment. Most of the book revolves around her describing the heroic deeds of male characters instead of showcasing her strengths and abilities.
Retelling myths from a female perspective is essential, but simply doing so is not enough to consider a book a genuinely feminist retelling. It would have been more meaningful if Atalanta had actively challenged societal norms and demonstrated her intelligence and skill, highlighting her superiority.
Although "Atalanta" retells a myth entertainingly, it fails to embody feminist principles. It lacks the depth needed for a genuinely empowering narrative.

It's no surprise to anyone that I love a Greek myth retelling but I have to admit, with new retellings being released in what feels like an almost endless stream, I have burned out a little on the genre. This is partly why I cut down on these retellings for a while but also why I've been struggling to write up a review for this particular book.

I was actually very excited for Atalanta to get her own book, as she is definitely a much-overlooked character and one I haven't read nearly enough about. This probably helped when I picked up this book because, contrary to Jennifer Saint's previous works (Ariadne and Elektra) where I knew the original pretty well, here I had virtually no expectations of how the story would play out beyond the main points.

There is definitely a lot more action in this book as opposed to the previous two, and I really enjoyed the journey Atalanta undertakes with the Argonauts and the challenges they have to face. Saint's writing is rich and flows nicely so it's always a pleasure to read. The settings are vivid and gorgeous, and the dangers many, so I was often sucked into the story, even though certain sections kind of dragged on and felt a bit too "filler-y".

The main issue I have with this book is essentially the same as with the previous two as well: they are marketed as feminist retellings, but there really isn't that much feminism in here. The female characters are barely given any agency beyond what was already there in the original. Atalanta is a wonderfully strong woman who grew up without any of the social constraints other women were subjected to, enjoys the favour of a goddess, and is keen to prove she is equal to the men who constantly belittle and undermine her.

And yet, she is very quick to adapt to social expectations, barely challenges the dominant power structures and easily defers to a man in everything. She is often passive to circumstances and the only work of deconstruction and personal growth she engages in relates to her romantic relationship, which is questionable at best. Most of the book is actually Atalanta narrating the male heroes' exploits instead of her own, even in those (extremely few) times where she is given a chance to demonstrate her superiority to them both in cleverness and skill. Passivity worked well with Ariadne, who was an entirely different character and made a different point, but it just clashes with what Atalanta's character is supposed to be. Once again, retelling a story from a woman's point of view is an interesting and important work and one that is absolutely necessary, but merely doing that is not enough for it to be a "feminist" retelling.

Overall I had some fun with this book, I enjoyed seeing a different myth being retold and it was entertaining enough, but not much more than that.

I'm such a fan of Jennifer Saint's writing and knew I had to read Atalanta, even though I didn't know too much if her story. I loved reading this one learning about the journey she went on.

Atalanta is such a fascinating character and her story is so interesting! She was definitely a badass woman and I would have loved to have seen more fierceness in this retelling.

I think Saint had an amazing way of writing these retellings, bringing life to the women who were until recently forgotten and ignored. Another great Greek Mythology retelling to add to my collection.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An exciting and adventurous new interpretation of the Atalanta myth
 
I was so excited to read something written by Jennifer Saint and “Atalanta” is a retelling of Greek mythology that I didn't know yet.
 
The Atalanta myth reminds me a lot of a cross between Tarzan and Pocahontas. Atalanta was abandoned as a baby and was raised by a bear for the first few years until Artemis took her under her wing. And so, Atalanta learns everything about hunting and becomes a strong and great warrior. The goddess of the hunt teaches her not only how to fight, but also that men cannot be trusted. But what happens when your heart doesn't follow these rules?
 
Jennifer Saint's narrative style is captivating and draws the reader right into the story and before I knew it, I had the book.
 
Atalanta is a brave and fearless warrior who follows not only her mind but also her heart. In my opinion, this mixture makes her an authentic figure in Greek mythology.
 
Atalanta's story not only moved me emotionally, but also gave me a great desire to research and I immediately put a few books about the Atalanta myth on my tbr.
 
“Atalanta” gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Thank You to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I really enjoyed Jennifer’s book Ariadne so was thrilled to be accepted to read this one. Atalanta is a retelling of the only female Argonaut. It’s an insightful retelling and Jennifer is fantastic and giving women from this era a voice alongside the celebrated and famed male heroes of Greece.

Huge thanks to the publisher for the copy!

Heroines from Greek mythology, being reframed, told from the female point of view, will always capture my attention.

To read the tale of the only female Argonaut, a true warrior, was wonderful.

I really enjoyed this one, i am not normally a fan of books based on mythology but this one had me hooked throughout!

The audiobook really help you become immersed in the story too so I would highly recommend it if you listen to them!

Will definitely be reading more from this author

Jennifer Saint returns with another retelling of a Greek myth. This time, we join Atalanta, the fierce warrior, hunter and champion of the cold hearted Artemis.

This story is told in Saint's usual, unemotional yet engaging style. Atalanta is strong both in character and body, yet is constantly underestimated by men and has to prove herself with every step. The story is slow to start, I sometimes find Saint's narrative to drag with the many descriptions of what is happening at the start of the story. But it soon becomes compelling. Although I admire Atalanta, I found her to be a complex character and not one I always liked.

I really enjoyed her adventures aboard the Argo with Jason and the fellow Argonauts. Again, this novel joins a growing number of Greek retellings from the feminist pov in this genre.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

Another sol

This was such an interesting retelling, Atalanta is not a character I’d ever come across before so I was eager to get stuck in!

I read Ariadne and Elektra recently and I love Jennifer’s writing, it’s so engaging and really draws you into the setting without losing the magic and history. This book was no different! I was totally absorbed in it, especially once the action had really started.

I did find it a little harder to get into than the previous novels, I think because of Atalanta’s status as a lesser known part of the mythology.

I will absolutely be reading anything else that this author publishes, it delivers just the perfect Greek Mythology hit!

4 stars

Thank you so much to Wildfire and NetGalley for my gifted e-ARC xx

Was thoroughly captivated by this book and found it very hard to put down. A fast-paced read but it didn't feel like it was rushing through.

This is the story of Atalanta, protégé of Artemis, and the only female Argonaut. It’s a good and compelling story, tracing the Argonaut’s adventures and intersecting with the stories of Medea, and Circe briefly.

I enjoyed it, it’s well written and great to see the feminist perspective. It wasn’t as compelling as some of Saint’s previous books but still a good and enjoyable read.

A beautiful and poetically written story. The writer has done a fantastic job of setting the scene and creating well developed characters. I massively enjoyed this!

Another incredible retelling of famous Greek myth cantering the woman who are so often forgotten in these tales. Jennifer Saint manages to bring these stories alive and I find myself staying up late to read a tale I already know how it will end just because I find her writing so engaging.

Doing what this author does best – take a relatively obscure female character from Greek mythology and tell their story. This time we follow Atalanta. Knowing that there are various versions of her myth, it was interesting to see how she would weave all these elements together. Atalanta does suffer a bit like Elektra did – where the latter’s story focused a lot on Clytemnestra, so does Atalanta spend a lot of her story being a passive observer. This is especially true in the Argonaut part of the story, as yes, she holds her own in fights, but she is mostly along for the ride. There are so many more famous characters included in the Argonauts that have certain victories that they can’t just get passed to Atalanta, but that does mean you have to find things for her to achieve.

I really enjoyed reading this book, my thanks to the publisher, author and netgalley for the advanced copy. Will be recommending

Another great mythological retelling from Saint (though Elektra remains my personal fave)! Saint continues to dominate the genre: an auto-buy author for sure.

Jennifer Saint's Atalanta is a masterfully crafted historical fiction novel that retells the heroic story of the only female Argonaut. The story follows the life of Atalanta, a daughter of a king born to bring only disappointment to her family. She was left exposed on a mountainside, where she was raised by a mother bear and the goddess Artemis, who watched over her and protected her from harm.

Determined to prove her worth, Atalanta leaves her forest to join Jason's band of Argonauts, where she faces challenges, adventures, and battles that test her limits and courage. Despite living in a world dominated by men, Atalanta carves out her own place in the legends of Greek mythology, becoming an inspiration to all who read her story.

What makes Atalanta stand out from other retellings of classic tales is the author's lyrical and insightful writing style. Jennifer Saint weaves together the threads of Atalanta's story in a vivid and absorbing way that transports readers to another world. Her attention to detail and deep understanding of Greek mythology make this book a must-read for anyone who loves stories of strong female characters and epic adventures.

The book has received high praise from readers and critics alike, who describe it as a beautiful and absorbing reimagining of a classic tale that leaves readers feeling inspired and uplifted. I highly recommend this book to all readers who are looking for a powerful and unforgettable reading experience. Whether you are a fan of Greek mythology or simply enjoy a good story, Atalanta is a book that should not be missed.

https://lynns-books.com/2023/07/24/atalanta-by-jennifer-saint/
3.5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : One of my favourite authors

I’m loving the current trend for retelling ancient greek stories with a new slant and Atalanta is no exception. I’ve previously read and enjoyed Ariadne and Elektra and so was really keen to tuck into this one. Another female who seems to have been relegated to a few minor lines in spite of some daring escapades but who now enjoys a reimagining of her deeds.

To be honest, I hadn’t heard of Atalanta before and so found this tale fascinating. As a baby she was left to die, presumably because her father (King Arcadia) hoped for a son, but remarkably she survived against the odds. Nurtured by a bear she eventually grew to become a fearsome hunter favoured by Artemis herself. As the story progresses Atalanta falls a little out of favour with the Goddess of the Hunt and to try and redeem herself undertakes a quest. She joins Jason and the Argonauts on their search for the golden fleece.

I enjoyed Atalanta. It’s a very easy read incorporating parts of the mythology surrounding Atalanta whilst coming up with a new and interesting storyline. To be totally frank I probably didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the previous two books for some reason and I think that might be because I was already aware of the Argonauts story and so perhaps it didn’t hold me quite as spellbound or perhaps I just found Ariadne and Elektra’s stories a bit more gripping.

Regardless of that though, this was a fast paced read, Saint has a lovely balance between setting the scene and moving the story forward and her style if very easy to read and enjoy.

I would definitely recommend this series of books to readers who want to read about Greek mythology but from a different angle in which the women get to share their stories and I hope that the author has more stories to follow in the same vein.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3.5 of 5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads/Amazon)