Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - Ariadne

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Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

252 reviews

patedm's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

1.5

I’m sorry to all the Ariadne stans out there, but this story and these characters were just not it for me. I genuinely did not enjoy a second of reading this book lol. The 1.5 stars are for the occasional slay feminist lines, but other than that, not the best writing or storytelling 🤷🏻‍♀️

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theblushbookworm's review

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My heart breaks for the women of this story: Ariadne, Phaedra, Pasiphae, Seleme, the Argive women. Men sucking is truly ancient. If you’re a fan of Greek mythology retellings, particularly Circe by Madeleine Miller, definitely pick up Ariadne.

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marippe's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

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

I'm kinda disappointed by this. I learned a bit about Ariadne in Circe and I went into this excited, seeing how a sister could love a brother that everyone hated and called a monster. It discussed how her mother and her would lovingly call him Asterion, before he was named by Minos as the Minotaur. Ariadne describes her feelings for her brother to be overwhelmed by pity, but I feel that was really boring and underwhelming. The conflict of Ariadne is betraying her family, specifically Minos and the Minotaur, so if she had a stronger love for her brother it would be a lot more interesting.

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?

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milliemoo207's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

parts 1 and 2 were beautiful, the writing the plot and the characters. part 3 and 4 were just a mindfuck and i cant believe that i got tricked into loving both thesus and dionysus and then saw them get completely ruined. the ending happened so fast and ariadne was smart enough to know not to look into perseus’ shield and it felt a bit forced. it was so sad when dionysus took all the babies just before it was said that neither dionysus or ariadne (obviously) wouldnt go back to naxos and their sons had to grow up without them all ariadne wanted was an adventure:( the goat chapter was so disturbing idek what to think
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.”

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sas_ram's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

I think it would be wrong to compare it to Madeline Miller's books just because it's also a greek myth retelling.
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.

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