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haley_marie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexism, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Mental illness and War
marippe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
How Ariadne "fell in love" with Theseus felt very underwhelming. You are allowing your brother to be murdered, fearing banishment from your parents, for a prince you spoke to once? It felt very naïve and harmed the "feminist" narrative that was intended to be set. If her relationship with the Minotaur was stronger, her betrayal would have been more interesting.
With the feminist narrative, I did enjoy the core sisterhood between Phaedra and Ariadne, although I didn't really believe in it. Anything else didn't really sit with me. It's still a book run by men with Ariadne and Phaedra mostly watching. The book didn't bring anything too original for me, I feel like I could read the original story of the Minotaur and still gain the same thing.
I did like the writing style as a whole, some parts felt very drawn out but I did like some metaphors. I particularly liked when the Minotaur is born. However, my BIGGEST pet peeve was Ariadne (and Phaedra) addressing Minos and Pasiphaë by name in their narration. It removes the intimate part of their relationship. If that's what the author was intending, there's other ways to show that other than just referring to them by name. It really annoyed me.
I also didn't understand why it's dual pov if the story is called Ariadne?
Graphic: Rape, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Misogyny, Child death, Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
Zoophiliamilliemoo207's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
anyways fav quotes:
- “I danced for the end of everything I knew and the beginning of everything I did not. Beyond the palace walls, bulls lowed long and loud as they were led to the gates ready for sacrifice. In the temples incense burned, sending sweet smoke to the heavens in preparation for the blood that would follow, spilled to honour the gods. And far beneath my dancing feet, hooves rumbled impatiently, and as the sun reached its triumphant zenith in the sky above, the Minotaur bellowed in the blackness below.”
- “The gods do not know love because they cannot imagine an end to anything they enjoy. Their passions do not burn brightly as a mortal's passions do, because they can have whatever they desire for the rest of eternity. How could they cherish or treasure anything?”
- “I cannot love another immortal. I see them, vain and stupid, puffed up with their own importance and their petty cruelties. Mortals may age, but the gods are prisoners of their own infantile whimsies, never capable of change and never knowing what it is to love because they dare not risk the suffering of loss?”
- “'A trinket can be lost,' he answered.
I suppressed the fuming reply I wanted to give.
It can be stolen, it can be twisted or tarnished and lose its lustre, he went on. I want no gift that I give to you to be so transient. And so I took it from your head, where it can only look dull in comparison to your radiance, and I put it somewhere it will shine forever. He cupped my cheek in his hand and lifted my chin to the dark bowl of the night sky. 'See the new constellation there?
In the eternity of night, I saw the brand new pinpricks of light that shone in a sweeping arc. The lustre of my crown, now a fiery illumination against the darkness.”
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, and Suicide
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gore, and Incest
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Toxic relationship
sas_ram's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
I did enjoy this book. The first half to 2/3 are really good and interesting but the ending seems rushed and is unsatisfactory. I'm unsure if I should give the book 3,75 or 4 stars. So I think I will give it 4 stars with the possibility of correction.
I do think the characters lack a certain depth especially as the plot carries on.
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Murder, War, Rape, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, and Suicide
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Gore, Grief, Toxic relationship, War, Child death, Confinement, and Domestic abuse
alexis_baldwin92's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Child death, Rape, Animal death, and Pregnancy
margaret_k30's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
droggelbecher42's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It made me tear up a couple of times so it feels illegal to give it any less than 4 stars.
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Suicide, and Abandonment
Moderate: Rape, Child death, Misogyny, and Incest
Minor: War
ahart_4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
elisabethfv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Suicide and Abandonment
Minor: Rape and Animal cruelty