This was a really interesting and enjoyable read, which brought the minotaur out of the labyrinth and into the sewers of London in the 1860s. I liked the mud larks and there were definitely touches of Fagin and his gang about them, which was fun. Nell was a sweet girl and her relationship with Minos was heartwarming, as was her love of dance. Overall I thought this was a very entertaining book and I would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Great audiobook, really enjoyable.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my feedback.

An incredibly interesting take on the legend of the Minotaur, quite a slow burn of a story but the characters were incredibly well developed and thought out.

I liked this book a lot, but it wasn’t special to me in the way that the Toymakers was. The Toymakers tore out my heart and left me thinking about it for years after, but this one didn’t have the same effect as much as I wanted it to.

I love Dinsdale’s characters so much. Obviously the complicated character of Minos is noteworthy, as he’s the central character in the book. His complexity the nice man who befriends Nell and the monster hidden deep deep inside are constantly at war. But actually my favourite character was Nell. Her story of learning what’s right and how to stand up against Murdstone who doesn’t have her, and certainly not Minos’, best interests at heart. I loved her journey and her absolute faith in Minos.

The narrator was good, but not noteworthy. I liked the voice that he did for Minos, as it combined the man and the monster really well together and gave hints about his character, but other than that, none of the characters voices really stood out for me.

I definitely want to read some more of Dinsdale’s novels because I did enjoy this a lot, but I’m sad it wasn’t as good as the Toymakers.

An wonderfully atmospheric, gothic retelling of The Minotaur set in Victorian London.

The characters were well rounded and nuanced, it was easy to sympathise with Nell and the Dickensian writing style really added another dimension to the book.

For me I found the ending a bit too Disney/ happy ending. Which didn’t jibe with the rest of the style of the book.

I thought the narrator did a great job at bringing all the characters to life.

This was quite slow moving and I felt it was much too long. I probably would not have finished if it wasn't on audio, however I really liked the ending and that alone almost made it worth the time invested. There are quite a few different character threads and I liked how their stories all fitted together. The narrator is really good, made it feel like someone telling you a story around a campfire.

I really enjoyed this. It wasn't what I was expecting - maybe I misremembered the description when I came to listen, but it has been reworked into a 19th century setting rather than Ancient Greek. This worked wonderfully with the author's Dickensian style.

As someone who has read a fair share of feminist myth retellings, it was surprisingly refreshing to have a different kind of myth retold, and, although I do not believe in such firm delineations, it is great to have an option to recommend to men and readers who are not as entranced by forgotten mythical women as the rest of us.

Really well paced, excellent succinct but flavourful writing.

Thank-you to NetGalleyUK and Macmillan UK Audio for this free ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Greek legend meets Dickensian London.

I've enjoyed some lovely Greek retellings this year (Jennifer Saint, Natalie Haynes) and anticipated this being another such novel. It was billed as a retelling of the minotaur story after all, but in reality this is something rather different. When mudlark Nell first encounters mystery figure Minos, it is clear all is not straight forward. But this isn't just a modernist take on an ancient legend.

This beautifully captured the feeling of the London of Oliver Twist without the need for impenetrable prose. The shifting perspectives were effective and allowed the story to expand in different directions, without becoming confusing. I enjoyed how it came with a bit of a parable message without being overly moralistic or preachy. Much as I love a feminist retelling, there have been so many lately that it was nice to have a retelling that wasn't coming from that angle.

Absolutely superb writing set in 19th century London. It is a compelling and emotionally charged narrative, sensitively told about Minos, a Greek mythical figure; half man and half beast, who is discovered in the muddy rivers of the Thames by young Nell, a mudlarker, bound to the morally questionable Murdstone after the death of her mother. Nell nurses Minos back to health, and the pair form a bond. Nell shares her dreams of becoming a dancer, passed on from her mother, who was a seamstress, and made her a delicate and exquisite pair of ballet slippers. Murdstone discovers the pair and uses their bond to exploit them for his own gain. This rich story keeps pace throughout and shows us Nell in pursuit of her dreams, whilst Minos works to discover who he really is. The Dickensian setting lends easily to the age old battle between good and evil, with Murdstone and his cronies acting as the menacing bullies on the streets, exploiting all for their own gain and entertainment, and the evils of poverty dragging vulnerable and unprotected women and girls into the hands of crooks like Murdstone. In contrast, figures like Minos, who are mistaken for monsters, demonstrate true love and compassion. I listened to auduobook as I read and it was beautifully narrated by Justin Avoth, who I could just listen to all day. His lilting voice set the perfect tone throughout and really helped bring an added dimension to the story. This book is perfect if you love a retelling of a Greek myth, if you love books set in Dickensian London, or indeed if you appreciate storytelling at its best. #onceamonster #robertdinsdale #macmillanpublishers #justinavoth #netgalley #ebook #audiobook #greekmyths #minos #monster #man

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook

This audiobook was an interesting listen.
The narrator did a good job and the retelling of mythological story was done really well.
The characters didn't have much development to them I felt but it being based on a retake maybe that's the point.
Still was an enjoyable listen

An imaginative retelling of Theseus and the Minator. Not at all what I was expecting and the dickensian vibe threw me a bit but enjoyable. I would have preferred more character development personally and more of the history and myth.

Once a Monster written by Robert Dinsdale, narrated by Justin Avoth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

WOW. What an incredible story. I listened to this story on NetGalley after being chosen to review this audiobook and WOW is the first word that comes to mind. It had me hooked from start to finish and there were so many twist and turns, just like in the labyrinth. I couldn’t predict where the story would go next. It includes all my favourite things- Greek mythology, a historical retelling and somehow ballet to top it all off?! 🤯😍

SYNOPSIS
A young girl in London is a mudlark when she finds a body on the Thames… this body is surprisingly similar to a familiar Greek mythological monster and soon befriends her but her Master wants to own the man/monster. She is torn between following her dreams and following her heart in this absolutely breathtaking read.

I honestly could not stop listening and Justin Avoth’s narration of Robert Dinsdale’s written word was gripping.

I think I might have to break the book buying ban and purchase a paper copy! 📖

A gothic mythology set in Victorian London that imagines the evolution of the Minotaur’s story. There’s a significant hint of Oliver Twist woven into this tale, except our protagonist is a young girl (Nell) with a talent for dance. Murdstone is the equivalent of the avaricious Fagin, but is at once both kinder and more cruel, having risen through the ranks of society only to find himself back on the river. He runs the mudlarks, sending them out each morning to drag through the detritus at the water’s edge, desperate for the tides to wash up the final treasure of his life that will restore him to his former glory.
It’s a reflection of the best and worst sides of human nature that asks, ‘what makes a man a monster?’
There’s an exquisitely beautiful ending to the story that will bring tears to your eyes.
Five stars from me, and a big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan U.K. audio for the chance to listen to an ARC.

‘Man or Minotaur? Hero or villain?’ - cover tag line.

My thanks to Macmillan U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Once a Monster’ by Robert Dinsdale. The audiobook is narrated by Justin Avoth.

I have been intending for some time to read one of Robert Dinsdale’s novels and was excited by his retelling of the myth of the Minotaur set in mid-nineteenth century London.

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell has been an orphan since the death of her mother four years previously. All she has are vague memories and a pair of satin slippers. Nell now belongs to a crew of mudlarks that work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway looking for treasure, all of which they are obligated to turn over to their master, Benjamin Murdstone, or face his wrath.

One day Nell discovers a body on the shore. While this isn’t the first corpse that she’s encountered, it is the strangest. He is nearly seven feet tall with matted hair covering his legs and the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks are only interested in the man’s boots and the contents of his pockets, yet she feels protective towards him. Then the figure draws breath – and Nell makes a decision which will change her life forever. No further details to avoid spoilers.

What a magical tale! I was completely captivated by the story of Nell and the aptly named Minos. The premise of a mythic creature from ancient Crete walking through the world for thousands of years was quite compelling. As the bond between Nell and Minos grows, he shares details of his earlier life with her. Minos is heartbreakingly noble though there are times when the monster emerges.

Nell has dreams of becoming a dancer and Minos encourages her aspirations and shares tales of the past: “They don’t dance the ballet, not in London – not yet. But they’ve been dancing it for hundreds of years in Rome. They dance the ballet in Paris and St Petersburg.”

‘Once a Monster’ is a Dickensian novel both in its setting and style. It is rich in its descriptions of London, alive with characters that span the social classes.

With respect to the audiobook, Justin Avoth is an established actor with stage, film, and television credits. He has a rich, smooth voice that brought the novel’s characters and setting vividly to life.

Overall, I felt that ‘Once a Monster’ was an amazing novel. I loved that Robert Dinsdale had brought a figure from ancient myth into a historical setting. I found it a genuinely moving story full of hope and acceptance. Based on this positive experience I plan to read more of Robert Dinsdale’s work in the near future.

Highly recommended.

This was a DNF at 34% for me. The premise is good, but the story was just way too slow. I felt like I had been listening for at least 75%. Sorry, not for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers.

This is such a unique and unexpected take on the myth of the Minotaur!

First of all, I just have to say what an incredible storyteller Dinsdale is - I listened to most of this on audio and it was just so beautifully told, like a dark fairytale. I thought it was so interesting to take the Minotaur story out of Greece and place it against 1860s London!

I loved the special relationship between young Nell and the Minotaur, especially those moments they were dancing and she finally got to escape her mud lark life for a while. There are some pretty terrible characters in the story to add that tragic element, but there’s also kindness and wonder. But really this is a very relevant story about how every single one of us has the capacity to choose the monster inside, and how often humans are worst than the things we fear…Really enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed this book, which beautifully explores the challenges of life, choice, connections and dreams.
The author transports you into the gritty 19th century London. Greek mythology in this different context is refreshing and interesting. The friendship between Nell and Minos is unlikely and works so well to explore so many themes. This book is for anyone who likes historic fiction, greek myth, magical realism and philosophy. The pacing of the story is slow and steady, personally I savoured the listening experience.
The narrator has a smooth voice for the majority of the reading. But whilst voicing the Minotaur this became a booming strong voice, which was perfect. I think I’m going to go forward saying ‘NO’ in the striking voice of Minos.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for an audio-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

I was really looking forward to this one after reading and loving another book by this author plus on paper it sounded like something I would love
The narration was good on this audiobook but the rest of it just didn’t work very well for me. It was overly long and slow while I felt the pacing was off which took me out of the story.
Overall I felt quite bored with this and struggled to finish it

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

It’s no secret that I ADORE Dinsdale’s earlier book The Toymakers, so when I saw his new release was going to be a Minotaur retelling I leapt at the chance to read an early copy.

As always, I was blown away by the beauty of the prose, the delicate descriptions that paint the most vivid pictures but without being overly flowery or drawn out. I felt every step of the cobbled streets, every path of the labyrinth.

This is a mythology retelling, but not in a way I’ve seen done before. This takes ancient myth and supplants it firmly in Dickensian London, and oh my is it a glorious mix!

Even if you’re not a mythology fan I would urge you to give this one a try; you absolutely don’t need to know any of the Minotaur myth before you dive in, as it guides you gently as you go. I’m not normally a fan of retellings myself (they more often don’t work for me than do) so this was a refreshing change that brought something new to the story, using the myth to give the character a history rather than as a direct retelling, and I adored it for that.

For me what makes this such a beautiful and impactful novel is the friendship between our two main characters, little mudlark orphan Nell and the giant uncertain yet powerful Minos. They are such an unlikely pair, but I swear they will warm your heart.

My only slight complaint is pacing (isn’t it always, I think I’m just picky). It’s a little slow in patches, and longer than it needed to be, but honestly, with writing this glorious I didn’t really mind. I’d happily read page after page of such perfect prose. Still one I’d absolutely recommend, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting more from Dinsdale. Whatever he has up his sleeve next, I can’t wait!

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 3*
Writing skill : 3*
Plot: 3*
Pace: 4*
Characters: 5*

I really really wanted to love this, but I found the story a bit convoluted. It switched between perspectives, and locations, often and within chapters. It was just a bit hard to follow. I also found you needed to know a lot about the mythological story of Minos, which I didn't. I have recently discovered the mythology genre and what I've read so far explained things so well it was easy to follow what was happening having no prior knowledge of the original story.
The winning factor of this book was the imagery and the relationship between Minos and Nell, I was invested and championing them. If you're a massive mythology fan, i think you may get on with this story much better than I did.

I received both the eBook and the audio version of this book, and would also rate the audio 3*.