Based on my understanding, Atalanta is a very minor character in Greek mythology. Therefore, I’m not sure if this was exactly a modern re-telling of a Greek myth. The author definitely had to create a lot of backstory for this character. Some readers have even suggested that this book is more fan-fiction than the re-telling of a classic story.

Regardless of how the story should be catered, it was an enjoyable book. The author is clearly a talented writer and gifted storyteller. However, I feel that the author chooses the wrong source material for her books. I also read the book, Ariadne, by this author. I would love for this author to write a re-telling of a different female character from Greek mythology, perhaps one less obscure than Atalanta or Ariadne.

I didn’t love Atalanta’s character or the choices she made. Her ending is not as tragic as most female characters’ endings are within this genre. However, I felt the character deserved a more tragic downfall. She is “punished” for the wrong reasons and never shows real remorse for her actions. Based on her actions, I felt it difficult to feel sympathy for her character.

In the end, I’m not giving up on this author and look forward to what she writes next.

I actually really enjoyed this book, despite knowing pretty much nothing about Atalanta. It was a really inspiring book and showed a strong female character breaking the mould and stereotypes. It was very well-written.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Headline and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book

I am fast becoming a fan of Jennifer Saints, her three Greek Myth titles are all really good.

I enjoyed this mash up of all the Atalanta myths into one coherent story. I also liked how gods were actively included in this book, unlike the authors previous books.

I did think the ending was quite rushed, I would have liked a bit more time spent coming up to the conclusion.

Another great feminist retelling by Jennifer Saint bring us the story of Atalanta, the forgotten member of the Argonauts, who was abandoned as a baby by her father and raised by a bear. Atalanta, a protegee of the goddess Artemis, is the only woman to embark on the journey to retrieve the golden fleece, along with the Argonauts, a group of mighty heros and sons of gods. Something I quite enjoy in Saint's books is how the mythological characters crossover with other books and how they are linked to different legends. A must read!

Atalanta tells us the story of a girl abandoned as a baby and raised by a god; her travels, relationships and destiny. I had a good feeling about this book as soon as I heard it was being written, ms it didn’t disappoint. Perhaps my favourite retelling yet, I didn’t want it to end, but when it did it was a wonderful end.

We see Ancient Greece through the eyes of a female, but having lived in the forests with the nymphs, Atalanta has had no knowledge of customs or expectations, and when amongst men she rightly sees herself as an equal - and I love her opinions of Jason and the Argonauts! With strength, skill and intellect she proves herself - there are so many great and satisfying moments.

The men are the side characters and vary in importance, some we recognise but see in a different light, and the locations make for great stories within stories.

A super book. I loved it. Many thanks NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

It was my first book by the author and I liked it a lot ! I’m not usually fan of mythology books and I haven’t read a lot of them but this was nice

Not the son her father hoped for, Atalanta is left on a mountainside to die. However she is raised, first by a bear and then by the goddess Artemis, and becomes a great huntress. Atalanta is not wise to the world but Artemis tells her she must join the crew of the Argo in search of the legendary Golden Fleece. During her adventures Atalanta discovers what men are really like and on her return is written out of the sagas.
This is Saint's third book which draws on the ancient Greek myths but retells from both a feminine and feminist perspective. She is an incredibly engaging writer who cuts through verbose classical language and makes the stories accessible and entertaining. This is her best yet and that is saying something as I've loved everything so far!

A must read for all Greek mythology fans! As always Jennifer has come through with a great retelling from a female perspective.
Atalanta is a story about strength and power. She was left on a mountain as a baby by her father and raised by bears and grew up strong. I loved the forest living with the nymphs' and hers and Artemis relationship at the beginning - how she acts as a sister, guide, teacher and mother figure for her. Atalanta is also fierce and loyal and really comes across in the book.
When she joins Jason in the quest for the Golden fleece in place of Artemis she knows she will have to prove herself against some of the strongest men in Greek myth history and it won't be easy as she is quite shy - but she is brave and wants her place on the Argo.
The books is also great at showing how in the past we only really ever hear about the men as Heroes in these tales and the females are often left out. Atalanta wants to make her mark in history and be talked about. She wants the recognition she so rightly deserves and to be remembered and sung about.
I was swept up in the book and didn't want it to end. I will be recommending this book to others and will be eagerly awaiting news of a new book hopefully soon!

Having read Jennifer Saint's previous work, I was very much looking forward to this novel. The tale is told through Saint's poetic and whimsical tone, and feels like you're stepping back in time to Ancient Greece.
Atalanta is a great main character to focus on, with so many dynamic segments of her story. She maintains her steadfast stubbornest throughout the story. I was worried that we would watch Atalanta fall to become a shadow of herself, but I was pleasantly surprised with how the story ended.
I do this that the pacing was stilted at times, and that there were sections that dragged along, but despite this, I think this is a great addition to the feminist Greek myth retellings.

Atalanta ⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a baby, Atalanta is left on the mountainside to die, but is instead raised by a family of bears under the watchful eye of the goddess Artemis. To prove her worth she joins Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to steal the Golden Fleece.

This was a really enthralling adventure but I missed the human element that I so enjoyed of Elektra, also with so many characters introduced throughout their journey it was hard to keep track of all the names and places. That being said it was a great fast paced and empowering read

It took me a while to really get into this book, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. The novel tells the story of Atalanta, a woman who was raised by Artemis, who lived a life of seclusion in the forest until she was thrust into the world and into a grand adventure — the only woman to join a band of legendary warriors on their quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Greek mythology mixed with a strong feminist character and a story of love that creeps unseen and unbidden. It was a fascinating read!

A beautifully written retelling of the story of Atalanta. She is wonderfully strong and confident and it was refreshing to read about a less popular Greek character. The weaving of other myths and characters was great and gave enough depth without taking away from the main story line. Wonderful read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Jennifer Saints work.

I adore a Greek mythological retelling, and this one didn’t disappoint! We meet Atalanta, having been abandoned on a hillside as a baby, as she is raised amongst nymphs by the goddess Artemis.

Atalanta has incredible hunting and athletic skills and, eager to prove herself as equal to any of the heroes famed throughout Greece, she is sent as Artemis’ champion to join the crew of the Argo, where she fights alongside Jason as he sails to bring back the Golden fleece. From there, she is also involved in the Calydonian boar-hunt, after which she must decide whether she is willing to pay the price that Greek heroes are asked for the fame and immortality they enjoy.

There are some really nice passages in this book, and the pacing is just right. I love the fact that Atalanta is placed at the heart of so much of the action and, even though the author does take some liberties with the original tale, the plot is fascinating. I loved all of the characters, and would read more by this author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

2.5 stars

I was pulled in by the idea of this retelling easily (as I find Atalanta fascinating) but the execution left me cold. The book had a strong start but though Atalanta continues her adventures, the narrative felt like it ran out of steam quite quickly, so most of the book felt plodding. I was drawn to this book as I wanted to read a strong imagining of a mythological figure (like in Madeline Miller’s Circe) but Saint’s interpretation of Atalanta was not the most exciting to read and I don’t feel the characterisation was as deep as it could’ve been – I was surprised by how passive Saint’s Atalanta seemed to be.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Atalanta review

I love a mythology retelling, so I was chuffed to get approved for a galley of Atalanta, Jennifer Saint’s third novel!
While I was familiar with the myths behind Ariadne — thanks to Rick Riordan — my knowledge of Atalanta’s story was a lot fuzzier. Something something apples, something something lions…right?
Atalanta is a brilliant novel for both those of us who had a consuming mythology phase (again, thanks Uncle Rick!) and those who like literary fiction but don’t have that much of a grasp on mythology. The exposition needed to keep track of the characters and plot is seamlessly woven into Saint’s lyrical prose. And the writing itself feels lush and visual, allowing the reader to feel the snap of a branch under Atalanta’s feet in the woods and the cool spray of the Mediterranean on her face.
Something I really enjoy about Saint’s style in writing retellings in particular is that they feel like they’re being read out loud to you. The melancholic reflectiveness of her narrative voice immediately makes you feel like you’re sitting round a fire, smoke tickling your eyes, hearing your aunt or grandmother tell a story handed down through generations like a family heirloom. I think this is so clever, particularly when combined with Ancient Greek ideas of fate and pre-destined journeys for heroes. Even though Atalanta herself is the narrator, it feels like she’s telling a legend she grew up learning to tell, rather than her memories. It gives Atalanta’s story a more pronounced feel of being a hero’s legend, of treating it with the weight often only lent to men’s exploits. There are a few overt nods to the erasure of women from heroes’ tales, but for the most part this theme is worked in more subtly and I really enjoyed it.
Atalanta herself was a great character and her arc was brilliant. She was powerful without feeling shallowly “girlboss-ified”, she stood up to the patriarchy without putting down other women. I loved that she had a completely external perspective of Ancient Greek society, and her determination to live on her own terms. I was on the edge of my seat for the last third of the book, hoping she could make it happen. I won’t spoil anything, but the ending felt perfect to me.
The pacing of this started a little slow, but by about 20% of the way in, I think it settled into a nice rhythm. Atalanta’s backstory was definitely the part of her story that I was least familiar with going in, and I loved how Saint tied it together with other myths.
It’s always lovely to see authors grow and improve with each novel they write, and I can’t wait to see what Saint comes up with next!

Simply love that Saint restored her presence in these stories as she expertly whittled at the question of why it is Atalanta, the only female Argonaut, who isn't remembered.
This was my first of Saint's retellings and I'm incredibly excited to read both Ariadne and Elektra! Atalanta is a great retelling to pick up.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love how Jennifer Saint brings lesser known women of Greek myths to centre stage in her books; I didn't really know anything about Atalanta before reading this, so I got to know her through the author's words and I loved it! Her books are so fantastically feminist, showing the strength of these women, and Atalanta especially is so strong. I loved her voice and her story, getting to know the only female Argonaut who is never mentioned very much in the stories of the Argonauts.

I have to admit though that this story didn't particularly evoke any emotion in me; despite the hardships which Atalanta goes through, she never feels very affected by them and more that they were just happening to her. This left me feeling quite disconnected from her character.

However I did still really enjoy this, and I think Jennifer Saint writes Greek myth retellings spectacularly. I can't wait to see what she brings out next!

Atalanta is a mythological re-telling based on the Greek myth of the female argonaut, Atalanta. I’m a huge fan of mythology and Atalanta is one of my favorite heroines. I absolutely loved the way the author tied all the various myths together into one cohesive, excising and easy to read story. This book would appeal to fans of Clare Heywood, Natalie Haynes or Madeline Miller. Five stars easy. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

Jennifer Saint does it again!

I shouldn't be surprised by now by Saint's skill, and yet the way she weaves a story blows me away every time. Reading her writing feels like you should be grateful to be within the generation her writing was done for. It brings the whole range of emotions that a story like this is bound to bring, all while being driven by Saint's personal style and flare. An utter wonder.

This book was such an incredible retelling, I really enjoyed it and I definitely learnt a lot about Atalanta and her story. I was hooked from Atalanta’s story from the first page and it was most certainly a page turner. I thought her story was very meaningful and powerful and it sent out a good message to the readers. The plot was very action packed and it was very entertaining. The book had a good pace and the author created a good atmosphere throughout, especially the mini cliffhangers at the end of chapters. This story was written beautifully and I love how the author enhanced Atalanta as such a strong women and she is definitely an inspiration from the ancient world.

I loved Atalanta as a main character, she was strong and determined. Her story started from the beginning of her life so it was nice to be able to see her develop into how she was at the end. She also kept her personality and habits no matter what happened to her and wherever she went. I thought she was very loyal and honest as well. I could see a lot of character development from Atalanta as she experienced some traumatic events and as time passed. The ending of her story was kinda of sad but it felt like it suited Atalanta’s character and it was a good wrap up of the her story. I like how the author kept this retelling exactly to Atalantas real life story and with so much detail.

This book was written so well and it was easy to follow. I am always wary of greek mythology books because I’m worried about confusing terminology but the author explained everything fully and I was never confused. I am looking forward to reading this authors previous works and discovering more about greek mythology. I highly recommend this book and this author if you haven’t read anything from her yet.