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heather_harrison's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thank you Headline Publishing & NetGalley for my audio ARC of Atalanta by Jennifer Saint.
Ancient Greek retellings are very on trend right now, and Atalanta certainly delivers. Yet another retelling which highlights the women previously left behind in these tales, and I am absolutely loving it! This is my first of Jennifer Saint's books and I'm certainly more inclined to potentially pick up Ariadne or Elektra.
Saint did a great job of balancing this feminist icon alongside the sheer misogyny of that world. Her writing is stunning - I'd go so far to say that parts were certainly beautiful, lyrical prose.
Plotwise I felt like it all came together very well, however I wasn't a huge fan of the voyage with Jason and the Argonauts. I felt myself getting bogged down and wasn't overly engaged with it. Hearing Atalanta finally return to her father, only to have him attempt to marry her off was frustrating, until she took it upon herself to turn the tables and turn the entire farce into a footrace. It genuinely gave the same energy as "I'll be shooting for my own heart" from Brave's Merida and I feel like there is some overlap between the two characters.
Narration by Beth Eyre was sensational, and I felt she did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.
I did not see the ending coming and it definitely swept me off my feet.
"I am wild, I am free, I am Atalanta."
Ancient Greek retellings are very on trend right now, and Atalanta certainly delivers. Yet another retelling which highlights the women previously left behind in these tales, and I am absolutely loving it! This is my first of Jennifer Saint's books and I'm certainly more inclined to potentially pick up Ariadne or Elektra.
Saint did a great job of balancing this feminist icon alongside the sheer misogyny of that world. Her writing is stunning - I'd go so far to say that parts were certainly beautiful, lyrical prose.
Plotwise I felt like it all came together very well, however I wasn't a huge fan of the voyage with Jason and the Argonauts. I felt myself getting bogged down and wasn't overly engaged with it. Hearing Atalanta finally return to her father, only to have him attempt to marry her off was frustrating, until she took it upon herself to turn the tables and turn the entire farce into a footrace. It genuinely gave the same energy as "I'll be shooting for my own heart" from Brave's Merida and I feel like there is some overlap between the two characters.
Narration by Beth Eyre was sensational, and I felt she did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.
I did not see the ending coming and it definitely swept me off my feet.
"I am wild, I am free, I am Atalanta."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Violence, Death, and Rape
mxbluet18's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Trigger warnings for Atalanta include: death, murder, sexism and sexual violence.
☆
☆
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.
~
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.
•
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
☆
☆
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.
~
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.
•
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Murder
alireads's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Animal death, and Sexism
Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape
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