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beautifullybookishbethany's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
For fans of Circe by Madeline Miller. For readers who wanted The Silence of the Girls to ACTUALLY center the women in Greek mythology... I have a book that should go on your TBR this spring! Ariadne is a stunning debut that recounts the story of Ariadne, not as a footnote to tales of heroic men, but rather as the heroine of her own, often tragic story.
This is a tale that deftly explores the myriad ways in which women were subject to and at the mercy of men and gods. Be they poor or rich, young or old, peasant or queen, no one is exempt and motherhood is fraught with danger. From growing up with the Minotaur for a brother and a cloud of shame over her mother (punished by the gods for her husbands hubris) to becoming the wife of Dionysus, nearly forgetting he was never really human, we follow the story of Ariadne and her sister Phaedra through a world where women bear the weight of men's missteps and they are too easily cast aside or dismissed.
Jennifer Saint brings these characters to life on the page in a way that is nuanced and heart-breaking. (Seriously, I rarely cry reading books but the ending of this one...had me in tears) It's beautifully done, thought-provoking, and touches on so many elements of female life that remain relevant today, albeit in less dramatic ways: spurned love, unfaithful spouses, domestic joy, unhappy marriages, maternal bliss, postpartum depression, fear for ones children, finding joy where you can...there is a lot that will continue to resonate.
In terms of critiques, I do have a few, although the lasting impression of the book as a whole largely outweighed any weaknesses for me, and it's possible some of this might be corrected in the final copy since I read an early version for review. It takes time to really connect with Ariadne as a character and I think the early part of the book could do a better job with that. I wanted to feel more of what she felt about Theseus meeting him for the first time. She's supposed to be infatuated, but it felt a little flat and we get more time with Theseus kind of info-dumping more Greek mythology, some of which feels slightly excessive, than we do seeing how Ariadne feels and responds. Part of it might be that there is a real lack of physicality in the descriptions of relationships, especially early in the book. Not that we necessarily need explicit descriptions of sex that take place throughout. The closed door approach can be fine, but we don't even see the thoughts and feelings that lead up to those moments, or much of feelings after the fact. It leaves the book feeling oddly austere for a story involving so much sexuality. In contrast, the descriptions of Ariadne with her children are deeply visceral in a nurturing and maternal way, and that drives a lot of the emotion leading up to the end. I would like to see some of that sort of description in her relationships with the men in her life as well.
That said, this is still an incredible book, and one that is well worth your time. It would be a great book club pick too- there's plenty of fodder for discussion. I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This is a tale that deftly explores the myriad ways in which women were subject to and at the mercy of men and gods. Be they poor or rich, young or old, peasant or queen, no one is exempt and motherhood is fraught with danger. From growing up with the Minotaur for a brother and a cloud of shame over her mother (punished by the gods for her husbands hubris) to becoming the wife of Dionysus, nearly forgetting he was never really human, we follow the story of Ariadne and her sister Phaedra through a world where women bear the weight of men's missteps and they are too easily cast aside or dismissed.
Jennifer Saint brings these characters to life on the page in a way that is nuanced and heart-breaking. (Seriously, I rarely cry reading books but the ending of this one...had me in tears) It's beautifully done, thought-provoking, and touches on so many elements of female life that remain relevant today, albeit in less dramatic ways: spurned love, unfaithful spouses, domestic joy, unhappy marriages, maternal bliss, postpartum depression, fear for ones children, finding joy where you can...there is a lot that will continue to resonate.
In terms of critiques, I do have a few, although the lasting impression of the book as a whole largely outweighed any weaknesses for me, and it's possible some of this might be corrected in the final copy since I read an early version for review. It takes time to really connect with Ariadne as a character and I think the early part of the book could do a better job with that. I wanted to feel more of what she felt about Theseus meeting him for the first time. She's supposed to be infatuated, but it felt a little flat and we get more time with Theseus kind of info-dumping more Greek mythology, some of which feels slightly excessive, than we do seeing how Ariadne feels and responds. Part of it might be that there is a real lack of physicality in the descriptions of relationships, especially early in the book. Not that we necessarily need explicit descriptions of sex that take place throughout. The closed door approach can be fine, but we don't even see the thoughts and feelings that lead up to those moments, or much of feelings after the fact. It leaves the book feeling oddly austere for a story involving so much sexuality. In contrast, the descriptions of Ariadne with her children are deeply visceral in a nurturing and maternal way, and that drives a lot of the emotion leading up to the end. I would like to see some of that sort of description in her relationships with the men in her life as well.
That said, this is still an incredible book, and one that is well worth your time. It would be a great book club pick too- there's plenty of fodder for discussion. I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Child death, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual assault
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