Jennifer Saint's "Atalanta" is a retelling of a Greek myth about a fierce and independent woman who defies societal expectations of femininity and gender roles. Atalanta is born to a father who wanted a son and therefore abandons her in the woods. She is then raised by a she-bear and develops extraordinary hunting and survival skills.

The story follows Atalanta's journey as she enters a world dominated by men who underestimate her abilities and constantly try to control her. Despite facing numerous challenges, Atalanta remains true to herself and her values. She refuses to marry and instead chooses to participate in various competitions and battles to prove her worth.

Saint's writing is poetic, and she vividly describes the ancient world of Greece, its myths, and its traditions. The story is engaging and well-paced, and the characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional. Atalanta is a strong and inspiring protagonist who challenges gender norms and expectations.

The book also explores themes of love, friendship, betrayal, and the power dynamics between men and women. It highlights

This was by far my favourite Jennifer Saint Greek myth retelling I've read to date. Maybe because there is a lot more meat to Atalanta's story or because I only vaguely knew her story? I believe this character - who was left on the mountainside as an infant, raised by a bear then taken under Artemis's wing before heading out with the Argonauts - was one that suited Jennifer's Saint's style of writing.

Atalanta is not a girly girl. No wasted emotion, scheming or deceit for her. She is a survivor and a pragmatist. She is a doer but an honest observer, as well, which translated well in this novel. I honestly grew to know and appreciate Atalanta and her unique offering to the Argonauts and beyond. Not knowing how her story ended, I did dread the Greek myth tragedy, that often befalls adventurers and lovers, alike, but found I was satisfied and even pleased for Atalanta's end. Really well delivered and a great close to an amazing woman spun from ancient Greek tales.

An enthralling retelling of the story of the Golden Fleece from the perspective of the only female Argonaut: Atalanta. Jennifer Saint has ascended to the top of the field in this genre of literature, and each new addition exceeds the last. Beginning with the origins of Atalanta, through her quest for glory alongside Jason, and her final fate, Saint hooks in the reader with a compelling and engaging narrative. This novel threatens to steal the crown that Miller’s Circe has held for so long.

I always enjoy a Greek Mythology retelling! Jennifer Saint keeps enabling my addiction.

An enjoyable, fast read, that would get anyone out of a reading slump if needed.

First of all, this version’s cover of “Atalanta” is gorgeous! Ok, I know absolutely nothing about the myth behind Atalanta, so I can’t really speak about this book as a retelling here. Perhaps it is better enjoyed if you’re familiar instead. I do like Atalanta as a character though, but the way most of the descriptions were written was mentally exhausting for me. Some people are clearly into that, but it just made me wish the book was shorter… If you’re madly in love Greek myths in general, I think you’re in for a treat.

This is the third of Jennifer Saint's books that I've read and it was my favourite. As much as I loved her other books (she's an immensely talented writer), the endings always feel a bit rushed for my taste. I suppose that is a casualty of the source material- mythology tends to end quite abruptly without any real closure. But the ending of Atalanta was, to my immense delight, both satisfying and well-paced.

I would have liked to have seen more narrative about being a woman in a man's world. Because Atalanta is, well, Atalanta, she seemed to be able to do all the things that men could do quite easily, even besting them. Naturally, I wanted to see that bit. But I also wanted to see some vulnerability, not just from an emotional sense, but also from a physical sense. She was human, so what about having a period? What would she have done as the only woman on a ship full of men?

My only other complaint is that, naturally, other female characters were a bit thin on the ground. Again, a casualty of the source material, particularly if you're a writing about the only woman who went to war with the Argonauts.

On the whole, I feel like Jennifer Saint goes from strength to strength and I can't wait to see what she writes next, if the quality of her writing continues to improve.

*Atalanta* has been an engaging, fast-paced and interesting read. This beautifully written book is the story of Atalanta, a fearless, skilled and highly ambitious woman. She was the only female Argonaut, and had to keep proving herself every step of the way, on this adventure.

A nice, quick and enjoyable read.

Jennifer Saint is one of several writers currently working their way through various Greek myths, crafting them into novels with a twist on the original, often told from a female perspective. The latest legend to receive her attention is that of Jason and the Argonauts, told by the only female Argonaut, Atalanta. However the narrative spans her whole life, not just the events of the search for the Golden Fleece.

I knew of the story of Jason and the Argonauts in its most basic details, but I'd never heard of Atalanta or imagined that a woman would have joined them. From explorations online since out of curiosity, I have gained an understanding that Atalanta is a more peripheral figure and that there are various versions of the stories about her, including some where she does not join the Argonauts at all. So Saint had a good amount of licence here to play with.

The story starts with Atalanta's unconventional upbringing by the goddess Artemis and various forest creatures and spirits. She then departs on the quest for the Golden Fleece, returns to participate in an ill fated wild boar hunt, and then must find her place in the world after her adventures. Atalanta is an extremely skilled athlete, hunter and fighter, but unsurprisingly is constantly dismissed because of, and judged by, her gender. She battles to get even the most grudging respect from her fellow Argonauts, and finds herself written out of the stories on their return.

The writing is fine - nothing particularly lyrical or outstanding about it, but it flows well and is easy to read and follow. The story has plenty of event in it, although the pacing never feels quite right to me with the central epic quest taking place in the middle and then the story carrying on afterwards. I did struggle to warm to Atalanta though, which is a serious problem in a story where she is the protagonist. She wasn't particularly likeable, and whilst that did fit in with her character and circumstances, it made it hard to really care about what was happening.

Her behaviour and choices also really irritated me. She did incredibly stupid things, then felt sorry for herself afterwards, blaming anything but her own idiocy. Despite antagonising a lot of men, all the best ones seemed to fall in love with her without any effort on her part. And for a story that seems based on a strong feminist narrative, I was massively disappointed that Saint decided Atalanta should start a romantic relationship with the first man who was pleasant to her. It plays into the idea that many creatives seem to have that a woman can't possibly have an interesting and fulfilling adventure without getting intimately involved with a man along the way. It undermines the whole message about her being as worthy as all the men and is in fact exactly the argument some of the men had made about not having her along. For all that Atalanta was a warrior and hero, the story ultimately revolved around what man she'd end up with and whether she would marry.

I wouldn't go as far as saying I disliked the book - it is well enough written and the story is interesting particularly if you don't know the Greek myths it is based on well. But because of those irritating factors, and the fact I could never really bring myself to care very much about Atalanta, I can't give it more than three stars.

As usual Sain't writing is amazing and captivating. I have adored all her other books and am so glad this one did not disappoint. Atalanta was such a strong character, I do not have much previous knowledge of Atlanata so went in blind. I adored this one and am so excited for the next one Saint has to offer.

Jennifer Saint strikes again with Atalanta. After Ariadne, I was eagerly awaiting her next release and I was not disappointed. Saint's writing style is amazingly descriptive without being overly so, and the pacing is wonderful for a reader like me, who struggles with finding their footing when starting a new book. If you enjoy Greek myths and haven't read any of Saint's works yet, I highly recommend you do, and Atalanta is a great one to start with! And even if you don't particularly like Greek myths, I'd still recommend picking up any of her titles.

ATALANTA is a Greeky mythology retelling that has a strong adventure story feel to it.

My knowledge of Greek Mythology is not comprehensive enough to have known about Atalanta. I have a vague concept of the quest for the fleece (I must have watched a video as I have a memory of a jerky stop-motion-esque sequence with the skeletons) but I didn't know her part of it - or what comes afterwards. I therefore enjoyed learning about a new-to-me section of Greek mythology.

What I hadn't appreciated until I started googling the myths of Atalanta (in order to know how to spell various names - the downside of audiobooks!) is how fragmentary the myths about her are. She's often not mentioned in tales of the Argonauts and there's uncertainty over whether the Atalanta from the Argonaut myth is the same as the Atalanta of the footrace myth.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about this book was that it felt more like an adventure story than anything else. Most of the Greek myth retellings I've read in the past few years have been of the more depressing "the men are awful and the gods are awful and the women suffer" variety. While the ending does involve some terrible men (and gods) ((and there are more scattered throughout the book)), it didn't feel like they dominated or drove the book. Atalanta was ultimately choosing and escaping them,

The ending particularly makes this clear. The final myth incorporated is a traditional "men triumph of an upstart woman who thinks she is better than them." However, in this book, it's reworked into something where SHE makes the choice, not the men and not their trickery.

There is only one narrator in this book, Atalanta herself, which was nice. The book has her name, no one else's, so she narrates it. Plus there aren't really others interlinked throughout who would have made sense to hear from - the people in the finale aren't there for the voyage and so on. The narrator, Beth Eyre, does a good job at bringing the many different people met on the voyage to life.

I had previously read and loved ‘Elektra’ by Jennifer Saint, a reworking and exploration of female figures from Greek mythology such as Clytemnestra, Cassandra and, of course, Elektra herself. This book worked to bring them back to life in really compelling and interesting ways, shifting the lens from male action and agency to the representation of characters that had been previously underrepresented. So from this experience, I was really looking forward to ‘Atalanta’ which was again looking to give a voice back to the titular character who felt so obscure in my own mind.
It did not disappoint. Before reading the book, I had very little knowledge of her character, however despite this the reading of her story was both compelling and awe inspiring. In fact, I tried to resist the urge to go away and research more about her as I was reading the book for fear that I would discover the resolution before I myself had finished the book.
The novel begins with the young Atalanta’s birth and subsequent abandonment by her father who was disappointed at the fact she was not his intended male heir. Left at the foot of Mount Parthenion to die in the wilderness, death was not her fate. She is taken in by Artemis, goddess of the hunt who gives her to a bear to be raised alongside bear cubs. It is because of this Atalanta becomes ‘strong on bear milk’ learning both survival skills and obtains a proficiency at hunting, skills that were already innate within her very being. She quickly outruns the nymphs whom she lives alongside as she grows and her physical prowess becomes unbeaten. It is because of these skills that Artemis tells her to go on a quest with the Argonauts, a band of Greek heroes, to seek out the highly coveted golden fleece.
Atalanta sees the quest as part of her destiny, a quest that will be perilous but also one that promises great glory and honour. The narrative then follows Atalanta as she leaves the forest where she has spent her entire early life. Navigating the treacherous environment as well as having to earn acceptance as an equal amongst the Argonauts, many of whom are reluctant to have a woman on board and are blinkered by the rigid perceptions of gender. Many eventually do come to realise that Atalanta is a worthy companion on the quest and she becomes an integral part of the group, not least their leader Jason who is tormented by his own insecurities. Not only does she have to contend with this ingrained misogyny but also she acknowledges how precarious their journey is due to the whimsical and selfish attitudes of the Gods with their ultimate disregard for the lives of humans. She is given by Saint an insight into the reality of the world around her, ‘Jason thought the world was built for heroes, I knew we had to build it ourselves.’
The writer brings to the fore a character that was consigned to being on the fringes of one of the most famous stories of Greek myth. Despite the trials and tribulations she faces on her journey, she is formidable and strong. A force that the men soon realise is undeniable and unconquerable. The relationships she fosters with Meleager and Hippomenes, two individuals who have their own reasons for attempting the quest, worked to show her humanity and her complexity. She moves from the page to become a fully rounded character, a character that will be rightly remembered.

Trigger warnings for Atalanta include: death, murder, sexism and sexual violence.
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I enjoyed this one more than I have with some of the other Greek mythology retellings and historical fiction novels I've picked through the beginning of this year.
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I think it might be down to the main character Atalanta having a personality in a way I didn't feel others previously had. But I'm also less familiar with the story of Jason and the Argonauts, therefore for me, it's just a story as I'm not comparing it with other retellings of it.
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Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Publication 13 April 2023

Another excellent feminist retelling of a classic Greek Myth, Atalanta is the story of the only female Argonaut structured into three parts. Jennifer covers Altalanta's life from an abandoned baby taken under the wing of the Godess Artemis, to the quest for the Golden Fleece and what becomes of her after their return.

I adored Jennifers previous novels Ariadne and Elektra, and was familiar with their stories. Atalanta I did not really know much about, and in fact she is actually not mentioned in some poems about Jason and his men. Atalanta did not disappoint - the story is so well told, and I love how Jennifer makes Greek Mythology so accessible. You don't need to be familiar at all with the myth to enjoy and learn from this novel. She seamlessly explains who is who and provides relveant background within the story.

Passionately reimagined, I fell in love with Atalanta. Her character is so well formed and what a fierce woman she is. Faced with such misogyny she fires on and her courage and determination leaps from the pages. She will stay with me forever. An inspiration to all women.

Jennifer's writing is beautifully lyrical, and the story is perfectly paced. Full of adventure and lush descriptions of life and the lands in Ancient Greece.

This book had me angered and inspired and engrossed and transported right into the Isles of Greece. A stunning, mesmerising 5 star read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Headline books for the Arc in exchange for a honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Atalanta's story. Super well written and enjoyed it all the more for knowing less about the story previously!

Thanks to the publisher for granting me access to an eAlc in exchange via NetGalley.

Read this as an arc read. Very lyrical writing. Every sentence perfectly constructed. I understand why people have been raving about Jennifer Saint. Atalanta was a very compelling story.

A Greek retelling of human huntress Atalanta who spent most of her life living among nymphs and the goddess Artemis. The only catch of this peaceful existence is to never lie with a man.

Artemis sends her on a mission to join the argonauts and find the Golden Fleece. Whilst I really enjoyed the story, I was wondering what would make it stand out amongst other Greek retellings. Then I got to the final 100 pages and so much happened I couldn’t put it down. So many twists, down to the very last page!

This was my first Jennifer Saint book and it definitely won’t be my last. Couldn’t recommend this more! Just as good as The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller if not better in my opinion!

Unlike Jennifer Saint's previous stories, 'Ariadne' and 'Elektra', Atalanta doesn't really get much press, good or bad. Certainly, she is omitted completely from some lists of Argonauts. Really enjoyed this and can't wait for the next re-telling of Greek mythological women. Thanks to Netgalley.

I went in with no knowledge at all of Atalanta and I was pleasantly surprised! A really strong and independent woman, a story that didn't revolve around love. Fighting in a man's world, bravo! Great feminist retelling.

Knowing nothing about Atalanta going into this story, I learnt that she was raised alongside bears, which in itself was a fascinating start to the tale!

Atalanta is a very likeable, strong character who maintains the independence she developed from a young age rather than this being a love story. As with other Greek legends, we meet many other characters from myths and legends along the way and see just how vengeful and malicious the Gods can be.

Saint's writing is very descriptive and almost poetic, she really sets the scene well and alongside reading this I listened to the audiobook and have submitted a separate review for that.

3.5 stars

Headlines:
Warrior status
Quests and journeys
Misogyny

Atalanta is not a character I was already familiar with in terms of the original myth and so I'm grateful to now know much about this amazing woman. And she was amazing, forging a path not trodden by women, a warrior, hunter, fighter who wasd hugely loyal.

This story had many phases, Atalanta's beginnings and her patronage to Artemis, her journey to fight and quest with the Argonauts and some of the weird scrapes and situations she then found herself in. The story brought her full circle back to her absent father and a competition to end all competitions.

Atalanta showed bravery, intelligence in a situation that many of the men just didn't have. I loved how she held her own while surrounded by egos. While Atalanta had an ego and a desire to be remembered for her skills, she was grounded. However, this is greek mythology and herein lies tragedy, misogyny, patriarchy and fickle, cruel gods and goddesses. That ending, my goodness, I didn't see it coming but it settled well for me, strangely.

My rating comes down to my peaks and troughs my interest felt in the story as it moved between parts. I had periods of not connecting with the story even though I connected with Atalanta as a character. However, I have come away from this book with an overall good experience.

I listened to this story on audio, the narration was good and expressive.

Thank you to Headline Books for the review copy.