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hayy6747's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Pregnancy
adoto's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Saint did a great job combining two sometimes contradictory versions of the mythical Atalanta into one woman, but the pacing towards the end was off. Still, her interpretation of Atalanta's race for marriage was really good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
Minor: Rape
k_lorraine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
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
4.0
Without breaking your heart, Atalanta is a timely reminder of the cruelty of a world run by men. Any person who is feeling small and weak should spend time with Atalanta. The book will make you want to curse at the sky.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
kcullinan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
spellebook's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
bryonyindecisivereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was so excited to venture into another Jennifer Saint retelling. I continue to be amazed by her ability to find a few lines about women in male-heavy stories and how she can create whole books about them. She also always manages to find women who I’ve not really heard about, which makes the myth deep-dive you want to do afterwards near impossible.
Although it did turn out I had a small recollection of an Atalanta poem from when I’d been at University in this instance, I didn’t put two and two together until the end which meant I was still guessing which direction her story would go. I was just really excited to read a story which featured Artemis too, who I often feel, if portrayed, is often portrayed quite passively? so it was interesting to see her take a more active, kind of aggressive role in this - kind of more like a typical goddess, I guess.
I loved Atalanta’s character. She was brave and unapologetically powerful, and most men actually didn’t mind that. I enjoyed seeing such a strong female presence in such a typically male setting.
I think the take on motherhood was really interesting. I also enjoyed the friendships Atalanta explores throughout the book as they create a sense of loyalty that she repeatedly shows as the story progresses.
I flew through this book (I read it in two days) - it was so easy to read, but I also did not want to put it down.
Once again, Jennifer Saint manages to create a story that celebrates female strength and bravery in a myth that had before forgotten its women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
shelfofunread's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Since publishing her debut novel, Ariadne, in 2021, Jennifer Saint has quickly established herself as a consummate storyteller. Her energetic and passionate retellings of Greek mythology have drawn praise from readers and critics alike for bringing women whose roles had been side-lined back into the spotlight.
Her latest novel, Atalanta, continues in this tradition but, rather than a woman who has been side-lined from her myth, as in the case of Ariadne and Electra, Atalanta tells the tale of a woman who has been written out of her story altogether.
As a child, I remember being enthralled by the film Jason and the Argonauts when it was shown on the television. All those brave heroes fighting monsters and having grand adventures on their quest for the mythical Golden Fleece. But I did wonder why, given that Jason sails under the goddess Hera’s protection, no women were really involved in his quest. Later, at university, I learned that in some sources there was a female Argonaut: Atalanta. Whilst the account of Apollonius of Rhodes sees Atalanta denied her place on her the ship, other writers – most notably Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca – see Atalanta sailing with the Argonauts under the protection of the goddess Artemis.
Jennifer Saint has also chosen to restore Atalanta to her place amongst the crew of the Argo. But Atalanta’s story is about more than the Quest for the Golden Fleece. Instead we follow Atalanta throughout her life: an infant left to die on a mountainside, rescued by bears and raised by nymphs, through her childhood and adolescence in woodland of Arcadia under the watchful eye of the goddess Artemis. And, after her adventures on the Argo are done, her life continues to be one of fearless independence, strength, and adventure. It’s a captivating tale, and one that Jennifer Saint brings vividly to life in her novel.
Atalanta herself makes a fantastic narrator: strong-willed and fierce, she is determined to live up to her name and be ‘equal in strength’ to any of the challenges that she faces. I also really love the way in which Saint conveys the tensions bubbling away under the surface of her heroine’s life. Although blessed by a goddess, Atalanta is also subject to the will of that goddess. And Artemis, although fiercely protective of her forest and her nymphs, is perfectly capable of being just as fickle in her affections as the rest of the pantheon on Mount Olympus. And as Atalanta learns more of the world away from Arcadia – and of the men who inhabit it – her own wishes and desires will bring her into conflict with the will of her protector.
As in her previous novels, Jennifer Saint brilliantly conveys the world of Greek mythology, humanising the men and women who become embroiled in the schemes of gods and monsters, even as she conveys the range of human emotions and urges that motivate their participation in such schemes. Saint’s passion for the mythology really comes across on the page, with luscious descriptions of the world and its inhabitants. I loved seeing Atalanta written back into her story, and also really enjoyed Saint’s evocation of Artemis, Meleager, and Hippomenes.
I have been a fan of Saint’s work ever since the publication of Ariadne but I have to say that I think Atalanta is her best novel to date. With a compelling and bold protagonist, a page-turning plot, and a richly evoked setting, Atalanta sees Saint on top form and is sure to delight fans of her previous work – and, hopefully, to earn her many new ones!
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Her latest novel, Atalanta, continues in this tradition but, rather than a woman who has been side-lined from her myth, as in the case of Ariadne and Electra, Atalanta tells the tale of a woman who has been written out of her story altogether.
As a child, I remember being enthralled by the film Jason and the Argonauts when it was shown on the television. All those brave heroes fighting monsters and having grand adventures on their quest for the mythical Golden Fleece. But I did wonder why, given that Jason sails under the goddess Hera’s protection, no women were really involved in his quest. Later, at university, I learned that in some sources there was a female Argonaut: Atalanta. Whilst the account of Apollonius of Rhodes sees Atalanta denied her place on her the ship, other writers – most notably Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca – see Atalanta sailing with the Argonauts under the protection of the goddess Artemis.
Jennifer Saint has also chosen to restore Atalanta to her place amongst the crew of the Argo. But Atalanta’s story is about more than the Quest for the Golden Fleece. Instead we follow Atalanta throughout her life: an infant left to die on a mountainside, rescued by bears and raised by nymphs, through her childhood and adolescence in woodland of Arcadia under the watchful eye of the goddess Artemis. And, after her adventures on the Argo are done, her life continues to be one of fearless independence, strength, and adventure. It’s a captivating tale, and one that Jennifer Saint brings vividly to life in her novel.
Atalanta herself makes a fantastic narrator: strong-willed and fierce, she is determined to live up to her name and be ‘equal in strength’ to any of the challenges that she faces. I also really love the way in which Saint conveys the tensions bubbling away under the surface of her heroine’s life. Although blessed by a goddess, Atalanta is also subject to the will of that goddess. And Artemis, although fiercely protective of her forest and her nymphs, is perfectly capable of being just as fickle in her affections as the rest of the pantheon on Mount Olympus. And as Atalanta learns more of the world away from Arcadia – and of the men who inhabit it – her own wishes and desires will bring her into conflict with the will of her protector.
As in her previous novels, Jennifer Saint brilliantly conveys the world of Greek mythology, humanising the men and women who become embroiled in the schemes of gods and monsters, even as she conveys the range of human emotions and urges that motivate their participation in such schemes. Saint’s passion for the mythology really comes across on the page, with luscious descriptions of the world and its inhabitants. I loved seeing Atalanta written back into her story, and also really enjoyed Saint’s evocation of Artemis, Meleager, and Hippomenes.
I have been a fan of Saint’s work ever since the publication of Ariadne but I have to say that I think Atalanta is her best novel to date. With a compelling and bold protagonist, a page-turning plot, and a richly evoked setting, Atalanta sees Saint on top form and is sure to delight fans of her previous work – and, hopefully, to earn her many new ones!
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and War
mxbluet18's review
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, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Murder