Book Review, Fantasy, Historical

Book Review: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Hi Cara,

Today on my blog I am reviewing Ariadne by Jennifer Saint.

 

Synopsis

A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS.

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything.

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?

Ariadne gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel.

(Synopsis from Goodreads.com) 

Opinion

Ariadne is a beautifully written Greek retelling.

My knowledge before reading Ariadne ended with the death of the Minotaur. This is why I was interested in reading what happened to other players. 

The story is split between Ariadne and her younger sister Phaedra. I liked seeing the impact of Theseus escaping the labyrinth from both their point of view. Although my main takeaway is that nearly all the men in greek mythology are d**ks.

Overall I enjoyed Adriane as its interesting understanding of what happened to the women in these legends.

My rating for Adriane is 3.5 out of 5.  

 

3.5 out of 5

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Thanks for reading,

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