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pkc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve had this book a while and it didn’t disappoint in any way. The story was engaging, the prose was exquisite and the characters were so brilliantly realised. I thought the ending was mind blowing and when I initially finished, I couldn’t quite process what I’d just read. But a bit of reflection and I absolutely got it. Jennifer Saint needs all the pats on the back and accolades for this book! Can’t wait to read more of her work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Misogyny, Cursing, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Suicide
captnmorgan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a lovely book! It was a slow start but after part one it picks up and draws you in. I found a lot of similarities in the story to Circe, and without knowing much of the classical Greek mythology, I’m not sure if they just had similar stories or if it was on purpose. Either way a lovely book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Murder, Animal death, Suicide, Gore, and Grief
colorcrystals's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Suicide, Misogyny, Animal death, Death, and Infidelity
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Child death, Rape, and Death of parent
kylosten's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Sexual assault
mckenziesbookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Completely heartbreaking but brilliantly-written story from the perspectives of both Ariadne and her sister Phaedra.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Violence, Pregnancy, and Confinement
medusalit's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcohol, and Blood
sarahsbooklife's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, Animal death, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Violence, and Gaslighting
caelfind's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Abandonment
agnela's review against another edition
sad
tense
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? No
2.75
I wanted to dnf this so hard! There was a time in my life where I would have loved this, but now I want to read about powerful characters, about joy and life and becoming better. But this story just told you a story about wronged women and men who messed it up for them. I understand it's ancient Greek culture thing, but damn, we, now, can tell those same stories in a better way, we can imagine these characters taking different choices, even if they end up in the same places. We can give them healing and humanity. Plus we can give them a better ending, because now we know there are more endings and more tellings of their stories. It's so not feminist at all. Ariadne makes a few decisions in her whole life, and that's how the story moves. I think she has made maybe 3 or 4 choices, and the plot then just deals with it.
The book had a gorgeous cover. The translation had some wobbling with genders and adjectives, although the prose was pretty. But the characters needed so much more polishing and building.
It's not a feminist story if you tell tragic life of a woman from her own perspective. It's not a feminist story to say men use women's labour and have them to point it out themselves. It just means it's female centric, told from a females perspective.
It got better to the end, maybe last 30%, where both women have a bit more agency and clear motivations rather than being naive horny girls or trying to survive. I loved Pheadra's point of view, you can at least tell the girls had different interests and passions. I was rooting for Pheadra to get more involved with ruling the kingdom, but I guess all those lessons and experiences tought her nothing. It's funny how both sister's stories involve being horny, Ariadne starts and Pheadra ends with it. No yes I know Pheadra just wanted to run away, but I don't really believe it. She had already visited Ariadne and Naxos where women could run away, and she didn't even love her children much, which I love by the way. Being a woman and being able to have a baby doesn't mean you want to, will be a good mom, or have to. Not to mention the trauma they experienced in their own home might have heavily contributed to how Pheadra felt about motherhood.
Overall I'm really disappointed. I saw this writer had a book about my beloved Hera and i will not be reading that because I know there will be only suffering and agony for my goddess, and I do not deserve to read about it and neither she deserves it to be write about her.
The book had a gorgeous cover. The translation had some wobbling with genders and adjectives, although the prose was pretty. But the characters needed so much more polishing and building.
It's not a feminist story if you tell tragic life of a woman from her own perspective. It's not a feminist story to say men use women's labour and have them to point it out themselves. It just means it's female centric, told from a females perspective.
It got better to the end, maybe last 30%, where both women have a bit more agency and clear motivations rather than being naive horny girls or trying to survive. I loved Pheadra's point of view, you can at least tell the girls had different interests and passions. I was rooting for Pheadra to get more involved with ruling the kingdom, but I guess all those lessons and experiences tought her nothing. It's funny how both sister's stories involve being horny, Ariadne starts and Pheadra ends with it. No yes I know Pheadra just wanted to run away, but I don't really believe it. She had already visited Ariadne and Naxos where women could run away, and she didn't even love her children much, which I love by the way. Being a woman and being able to have a baby doesn't mean you want to, will be a good mom, or have to. Not to mention the trauma they experienced in their own home might have heavily contributed to how Pheadra felt about motherhood.
Overall I'm really disappointed. I saw this writer had a book about my beloved Hera and i will not be reading that because I know there will be only suffering and agony for my goddess, and I do not deserve to read about it and neither she deserves it to be write about her.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Mental illness, Animal death, Violence, Sexual violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Pregnancy, War, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
saint_mikael's review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Solo perché la storia é dal punto di vista femminile ció non lo rende di per sé un retelling femminista.
A parte quelle 2 frasi finto empowering non c'è un gran che e ho dovuto leggere troppe frasi sui muscoli e gli occhi di Teseo.
Ció nonostante la parte finale mi è piaciuta e anche la parte dove Fedra ha problemi con la maternitá.
Una lettura per passare il tempo ecco, non brutta ma nemmeno bella.
A parte quelle 2 frasi finto empowering non c'è un gran che e ho dovuto leggere troppe frasi sui muscoli e gli occhi di Teseo.
Ció nonostante la parte finale mi è piaciuta e anche la parte dove Fedra ha problemi con la maternitá.
Una lettura per passare il tempo ecco, non brutta ma nemmeno bella.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Suicide