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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
German review:
Zunächst einmal ist anzumerken, dass die Romanze nicht der Mittelpunkt der Handlung ist. Die Beziehung der zwei Frauen - die zunächst nicht gerade gut ist, um es zurückhaltend zu formulieren - ist zwar von großer Bedeutung und die Verbindung zwischen ihnen ist definitiv stark, aber dennoch lag meiner Meinung nach ein größerer Fokus auf der individuellen Entwicklung beider Charaktere. Sie verändern sich im Lauf des Buches weiter und müssen herausfinden, was sie wirklich wollen und brauchen - insbesondere, da sie die Erwartungen, die von der Gesellschaft an sie gestellt werden, herausfordern und in Frage stellen, was ihr Leben erschwert. Hinzu kommt, dass sie beide in der Vergangenheit in Not geraten sind und verletzt wurden, weshalb es ihnen nicht leicht fällt, anderen Menschen oder sogar sich selbst zu vertrauen. Mir hat sehr gefallen, dass diese Wunden nach und nach verheilt sind und sie ineinander Trost und Zusammenhalt gefunden haben; dadurch war ihre Freundschaft realistisch und überzeugend. Der Wandel ihrer Gefühle füreinander wurde ebenfalls schön geschildert und obwohl die Darstellung manchmal fast zu subtil war, mochte ich die Momente in denen sie offensichtlich waren sehr.
Ich fand ebenfalls gelungen, wie die Autorin Elemente aus dem Mythos um Atalanta mit ihrer Erzählung verknüpft hat. Es gibt ein Nachwort, in dem sie erklärt, wie historisch akkurat ihr Buch ist und auch wenn deutlich wird, dass sie sich ein paar Freiheiten genommen hat, wirkte die antike Welt doch sehr lebendig und interessant. Die Geschichte selbst war weitgehend fesselnd, aber ich hatte ein paar Probleme mit der Vorstellung, dass Atalanta der Göttin Artemis so problemlos davonlaufen könnte wie sie es zu Beginn getan hat, wodurch die Szene für mich an Spannung verlor. Zudem gab es ein paar Kapitel, bei denen ich den Eindruck hatte, dass nur sehr wenig von Bedeutung und viel auch nur im Hintergrund passierte. Letzteres hat mich vor allem deshalb gestört, weil die große Wichtigkeit dieser Geschehnisse zuvor betont worden war. Ein Beispiel wäre, dass Kahina sich beweisen und im Zuge dessen eine Aufgabe erfüllen muss, die Lösung hierfür aber beinahe zufällig entdeckt wird und der Leser im Folgenden nicht sieht, wie sie daran arbeitet, wodurch für mich einiges an Potential nicht ausgeschöpft wurde. Der finale Konflikt wurde ebenfalls zu schnell aufgelöst und deshalb war es schwer, die emotionale Auswirkung der Ereignisse zu spüren. Der Kampf an sich war allerdings gut geschrieben und die offenen Fragen wurden alle geklärt.
Von diesen Punkten abgesehen hat das Buch mir gefallen. Ein größerer Fokus auf der Romanze wäre schön gewesen, aber in Anbetracht des Settings war die Darstellung gelungen und sowohl die Freundschaft als auch die tieferen Gefühle der Protagonistinnen waren gut beschrieben. Es war interessant, eine komplett neue Interpretation von Atalantas Geschichte zu sehen und es ist eine weitgehend fesselnde Lektüre, selbst wenn es ein paar Kapitel gab, in denen die Handlung nicht wirklich voranging.
______________
I was very excited to read "Outrun the Wind", particularly because I love discovering new interpretations of familiar myths, but also because I have not read many F/F love stories yet and so the one between Atalanta and Kahina intrigued me. The tale of Atlanta - who is unwilling to marry and proclaims that she will only be wed if the suitor manages to outrun her in a race - is well known, as is the Hunt of Artemis which Kahina is part of, so I was curious to see how the elements of Greek mythology would be utilised.
First of all, I should say that the romance is not the centre of the plot. The relationship between the two women - which is at first not the best, to put it mildly - is important and the connection between them is definitely strong, but in my opinion, more attention was put on the individual development of both characters. They change a lot over the course of the book and they need to discover what they really want or need - especially since they challenge what society tells them they should be, which makes their lives difficult. Another point is that both of them faced hardships in the past and got hurt; because of that, they have trouble trusting other people or even themselves. I really liked how both of them started to heal and that they found companionship and solace in each other; it's what made their friendship, and the connotations of something more, very believable and convincing. The development of their feelings for each other was also realistic and while the portrayal of them was occasionally almost too subtle, I enjoyed the moments where they shone through.
I also liked how the author incorporated elements of the myth of Atalanta. There is an afterword in which she explains how historically accurate her book is and while it shows that she took some creative licenses, the book still managed to make the ancient world come alive. The story itself was interesting for the most part, but I did have some issues with the idea that Atalanta would be allowed to run away from Artemis like she did in the beginning, which lessened the tension of the moment a bit, and there sadly were some chapters where I felt like little of consequence happened. Another point is that some stuff just occurs in the background which felt wrong since a lot of importance was placed on these events at first. An example would be Kahina’s quest - she needs to prove herself, but then the solution is discovered almost by chance and the reader does not get to see her work on it a lot. Because of that, there was some lost potential which was a shame. The final conflict is also resolved way too quickly and it was hard to feel the emotional impact of what was going on since everything was over so soon, but the fight itself was well written and the loose ends were tied up nicely.
These points aside, I did enjoy the book. I would have liked a stronger focus on the romance, but considering the setting it was well done, particularly in showing their friendship and their changing feelings for each other. It was great to see a completely different interpretation of the myth of Atalanta and it's for the most part a compelling read, even if there were some chapters where the story was not really moving forward.
3.5/5 stars
______________
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. Thank you!
Spoiler
Ich war sehr auf "Outrun the Wind" gespannt. Da ich gerne Neuinterpretationen der alten Mythen lese, hatte ich großes Interesse an dieser Version der Geschichte um die Königstochter Atalanta, doch mich reizte auch, dass es eine Liebesgeschichte zwischen zwei Frauen geben sollte. Die Erzählung um Atalanta, die nicht heiraten möchte und verkündet, dass sie nur einen Mann erwählen wird, der sie in einem Wettlauf besiegen kann, ist sehr bekannt, ebenso wie die Jägerinnen der Artemis, denen Kahina angehört, weshalb ich neugierig darauf war, wie die Elemente der griechischen Mythologie genutzt werden würden.Zunächst einmal ist anzumerken, dass die Romanze nicht der Mittelpunkt der Handlung ist. Die Beziehung der zwei Frauen - die zunächst nicht gerade gut ist, um es zurückhaltend zu formulieren - ist zwar von großer Bedeutung und die Verbindung zwischen ihnen ist definitiv stark, aber dennoch lag meiner Meinung nach ein größerer Fokus auf der individuellen Entwicklung beider Charaktere. Sie verändern sich im Lauf des Buches weiter und müssen herausfinden, was sie wirklich wollen und brauchen - insbesondere, da sie die Erwartungen, die von der Gesellschaft an sie gestellt werden, herausfordern und in Frage stellen, was ihr Leben erschwert. Hinzu kommt, dass sie beide in der Vergangenheit in Not geraten sind und verletzt wurden, weshalb es ihnen nicht leicht fällt, anderen Menschen oder sogar sich selbst zu vertrauen. Mir hat sehr gefallen, dass diese Wunden nach und nach verheilt sind und sie ineinander Trost und Zusammenhalt gefunden haben; dadurch war ihre Freundschaft realistisch und überzeugend. Der Wandel ihrer Gefühle füreinander wurde ebenfalls schön geschildert und obwohl die Darstellung manchmal fast zu subtil war, mochte ich die Momente in denen sie offensichtlich waren sehr.
Ich fand ebenfalls gelungen, wie die Autorin Elemente aus dem Mythos um Atalanta mit ihrer Erzählung verknüpft hat. Es gibt ein Nachwort, in dem sie erklärt, wie historisch akkurat ihr Buch ist und auch wenn deutlich wird, dass sie sich ein paar Freiheiten genommen hat, wirkte die antike Welt doch sehr lebendig und interessant. Die Geschichte selbst war weitgehend fesselnd, aber ich hatte ein paar Probleme mit der Vorstellung, dass Atalanta der Göttin Artemis so problemlos davonlaufen könnte wie sie es zu Beginn getan hat, wodurch die Szene für mich an Spannung verlor. Zudem gab es ein paar Kapitel, bei denen ich den Eindruck hatte, dass nur sehr wenig von Bedeutung und viel auch nur im Hintergrund passierte. Letzteres hat mich vor allem deshalb gestört, weil die große Wichtigkeit dieser Geschehnisse zuvor betont worden war. Ein Beispiel wäre, dass Kahina sich beweisen und im Zuge dessen eine Aufgabe erfüllen muss, die Lösung hierfür aber beinahe zufällig entdeckt wird und der Leser im Folgenden nicht sieht, wie sie daran arbeitet, wodurch für mich einiges an Potential nicht ausgeschöpft wurde. Der finale Konflikt wurde ebenfalls zu schnell aufgelöst und deshalb war es schwer, die emotionale Auswirkung der Ereignisse zu spüren. Der Kampf an sich war allerdings gut geschrieben und die offenen Fragen wurden alle geklärt.
Von diesen Punkten abgesehen hat das Buch mir gefallen. Ein größerer Fokus auf der Romanze wäre schön gewesen, aber in Anbetracht des Settings war die Darstellung gelungen und sowohl die Freundschaft als auch die tieferen Gefühle der Protagonistinnen waren gut beschrieben. Es war interessant, eine komplett neue Interpretation von Atalantas Geschichte zu sehen und es ist eine weitgehend fesselnde Lektüre, selbst wenn es ein paar Kapitel gab, in denen die Handlung nicht wirklich voranging.
______________
I was very excited to read "Outrun the Wind", particularly because I love discovering new interpretations of familiar myths, but also because I have not read many F/F love stories yet and so the one between Atalanta and Kahina intrigued me. The tale of Atlanta - who is unwilling to marry and proclaims that she will only be wed if the suitor manages to outrun her in a race - is well known, as is the Hunt of Artemis which Kahina is part of, so I was curious to see how the elements of Greek mythology would be utilised.
First of all, I should say that the romance is not the centre of the plot. The relationship between the two women - which is at first not the best, to put it mildly - is important and the connection between them is definitely strong, but in my opinion, more attention was put on the individual development of both characters. They change a lot over the course of the book and they need to discover what they really want or need - especially since they challenge what society tells them they should be, which makes their lives difficult. Another point is that both of them faced hardships in the past and got hurt; because of that, they have trouble trusting other people or even themselves. I really liked how both of them started to heal and that they found companionship and solace in each other; it's what made their friendship, and the connotations of something more, very believable and convincing. The development of their feelings for each other was also realistic and while the portrayal of them was occasionally almost too subtle, I enjoyed the moments where they shone through.
I also liked how the author incorporated elements of the myth of Atalanta. There is an afterword in which she explains how historically accurate her book is and while it shows that she took some creative licenses, the book still managed to make the ancient world come alive. The story itself was interesting for the most part, but I did have some issues with the idea that Atalanta would be allowed to run away from Artemis like she did in the beginning, which lessened the tension of the moment a bit, and there sadly were some chapters where I felt like little of consequence happened. Another point is that some stuff just occurs in the background which felt wrong since a lot of importance was placed on these events at first. An example would be Kahina’s quest - she needs to prove herself, but then the solution is discovered almost by chance and the reader does not get to see her work on it a lot. Because of that, there was some lost potential which was a shame. The final conflict is also resolved way too quickly and it was hard to feel the emotional impact of what was going on since everything was over so soon, but the fight itself was well written and the loose ends were tied up nicely.
These points aside, I did enjoy the book. I would have liked a stronger focus on the romance, but considering the setting it was well done, particularly in showing their friendship and their changing feelings for each other. It was great to see a completely different interpretation of the myth of Atalanta and it's for the most part a compelling read, even if there were some chapters where the story was not really moving forward.
3.5/5 stars
______________
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. Thank you!
I received a free ARC of Outrun the Wind by Elizabeth Tammi in exchange for an honest review.
Overview
Our two main heroines, Atalanta and Kahina, are at odds with one another. Atalanta is part of a team of hunters sent to fight the Calydonian Boar, a monster sent by Artemis to destroy Calydon due to the king not honoring her during a sacrifice ritual. Kahina is one of Artemis's huntresses sent to protect the Calydonain Boar in order for it to accomplish its task. What neither one of the heroines were counting on, was Kahina risking everything to save Atalanta from the boar and changing both of their fates. (Okay, obviously, this is where some of the creative differences begin, but bear with me.)
Atalanta flees. Kahina is punished and sent to Arkadia on a quest to restore something that was once Artemis's, but now belongs to her brother, Apollo. But fate is funny.
Atalanta was found by her father, the king of Arkadia, in the city of Delphi, and was brought back to Arkadia as its long, lost princess. Kahina is hired on as Atalanta's handmaiden to instruct her on being a female and princess, since Atalanta's savage upbringing leaves much room for improvement in the etiquette department.
While at odds at first, the girls begin to grow closer and begin to confide in each other. When it is announced that Atalanta was to marry, they devised a plan to still get the riches brought by the suitors, but to keep Atalanta from marrying any of them. Their secret weapon? Atalanta is ridiculously quick and she's counting on that speed to maintain her maidenhood and still help save Arkadia.
Of course, the past tends to come back and bite everyone in the butt. Hippomenes, a man who has a part in both girls' pasts, shows up and puts a kink in everyone's plans.
My Thoughts
So, even though I enjoy Greek mythology, I was not all that versed in the back story of Atalanta when I first picked up this book. I went ahead and Googled her story and immediately became concerned that the author would take her story and create a story very loosely based on the truth. But, I decided to give it a shot, since I love a good kick-ass heroine and I love Greek mythology.
I decided to clear my mind of pre-judgement, remembering that Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon are both based off of the Greek myths of Eros and Psyche and Hades and Persephone, and look how wonderful those stories were! Not to mention, I love re-imaginings of Beauty and the Beast, because there are so many ways to interpret a story.
Once I had let go of any pre-judgements, I really enjoyed the story. The author did very well mixing the known story with some of her own creative flair and characters. I liked Kahina's personality more than Atalanta's, mainly because Atalanta seemed like too much of a follower through most of the book. In all honesty, I felt that, while both girls had a sense of growth through the book, Kahina's journey was a little more impressive to me. But, I also feel that in the end, both Atalanta and Kahina redeem each other.
Conclusion
I give Outrun the Wind 4.5 stars. I felt the retelling was tastefully done and a story was told that was unique to me. For a new author, I think Elizabeth has a bright future as a writer and I look forward to her next book. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys Fantasy, Greek mythology, Young Adult, and a good kick-ass heroine.
Check out my full review on my blog: https://rainydaysbooksandcoffee.wordpress.com/2018/06/28/book-review-outrun-the-wind-elizabeth-tammi/.
Overview
Our two main heroines, Atalanta and Kahina, are at odds with one another. Atalanta is part of a team of hunters sent to fight the Calydonian Boar, a monster sent by Artemis to destroy Calydon due to the king not honoring her during a sacrifice ritual. Kahina is one of Artemis's huntresses sent to protect the Calydonain Boar in order for it to accomplish its task. What neither one of the heroines were counting on, was Kahina risking everything to save Atalanta from the boar and changing both of their fates. (Okay, obviously, this is where some of the creative differences begin, but bear with me.)
Atalanta flees. Kahina is punished and sent to Arkadia on a quest to restore something that was once Artemis's, but now belongs to her brother, Apollo. But fate is funny.
Atalanta was found by her father, the king of Arkadia, in the city of Delphi, and was brought back to Arkadia as its long, lost princess. Kahina is hired on as Atalanta's handmaiden to instruct her on being a female and princess, since Atalanta's savage upbringing leaves much room for improvement in the etiquette department.
While at odds at first, the girls begin to grow closer and begin to confide in each other. When it is announced that Atalanta was to marry, they devised a plan to still get the riches brought by the suitors, but to keep Atalanta from marrying any of them. Their secret weapon? Atalanta is ridiculously quick and she's counting on that speed to maintain her maidenhood and still help save Arkadia.
Of course, the past tends to come back and bite everyone in the butt. Hippomenes, a man who has a part in both girls' pasts, shows up and puts a kink in everyone's plans.
My Thoughts
So, even though I enjoy Greek mythology, I was not all that versed in the back story of Atalanta when I first picked up this book. I went ahead and Googled her story and immediately became concerned that the author would take her story and create a story very loosely based on the truth. But, I decided to give it a shot, since I love a good kick-ass heroine and I love Greek mythology.
I decided to clear my mind of pre-judgement, remembering that Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun, West of the Moon are both based off of the Greek myths of Eros and Psyche and Hades and Persephone, and look how wonderful those stories were! Not to mention, I love re-imaginings of Beauty and the Beast, because there are so many ways to interpret a story.
Once I had let go of any pre-judgements, I really enjoyed the story. The author did very well mixing the known story with some of her own creative flair and characters. I liked Kahina's personality more than Atalanta's, mainly because Atalanta seemed like too much of a follower through most of the book. In all honesty, I felt that, while both girls had a sense of growth through the book, Kahina's journey was a little more impressive to me. But, I also feel that in the end, both Atalanta and Kahina redeem each other.
Conclusion
I give Outrun the Wind 4.5 stars. I felt the retelling was tastefully done and a story was told that was unique to me. For a new author, I think Elizabeth has a bright future as a writer and I look forward to her next book. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys Fantasy, Greek mythology, Young Adult, and a good kick-ass heroine.
Check out my full review on my blog: https://rainydaysbooksandcoffee.wordpress.com/2018/06/28/book-review-outrun-the-wind-elizabeth-tammi/.
Kahina is a huntress of the goddess Artemis. Atalanta is a fierce orphan, raised by hunters. When the two meet, just as Atalanta is attending to kill Artemis’s Calydonian boar, their lives are forever entangled and changed.
It didn’t take me long to read this book— but it’s because I just didn’t care about it, not because I was excited to see what happened. There was no distinction between the two narratives (Kahina and Atalanta), and the world building seemed to be lacking, to say the least. I agree with many other reviews here; you cannot set your story in Ancient Greece, and then have the characters speak like it’s 2018. It just doesn’t work!
Also, the pacing was.. strange. The hunt in the beginning was interesting, but then there was a big gap of action and then a lot piled on at the end. I think there’s powerful writing, but the world and story needed a little more thought and detail.
It didn’t take me long to read this book— but it’s because I just didn’t care about it, not because I was excited to see what happened. There was no distinction between the two narratives (Kahina and Atalanta), and the world building seemed to be lacking, to say the least. I agree with many other reviews here; you cannot set your story in Ancient Greece, and then have the characters speak like it’s 2018. It just doesn’t work!
Also, the pacing was.. strange. The hunt in the beginning was interesting, but then there was a big gap of action and then a lot piled on at the end. I think there’s powerful writing, but the world and story needed a little more thought and detail.
I thought Outrun The Wind was just okay. I wanted to like it more, but I had a really hard time getting into it.
I was bored the entire time I was reading the story. If you're looking for any action, this is not the book for you. It moved at what felt like a snail's pace, and I had a hard time staying interested in the book. I wanted something more to happen, and it didn't.
I liked the setting, though. Kahina's world is one where gods and goddesses roam the earth, and are living, breathing people. It's too bad we only got a glimpse of Artemis, but this book wasn't about her- it was about Kahina and Atalanta. I've heard of Atalanta, but I don't know her story, so I can't speak to this book as a re-telling of her story. I felt like I was in Ancient Greece the entire time, and though the setting didn't feel like an additional character, I think the world was still one I wanted to spend more time in.
I don't know how I feel about Kahina or Atalanta. I didn't feel particularly interested in their stories or what happened to them, and I wish their backstories felt a little more clear. Their pasts felt really muddled, and we get some tidbits about what happened, but it seemed a little fuzzy to me. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention.
It seemed like it was supposed to be a romance, but I didn't pick up on that at all. The description made it seem like there was going to be romance involved, but it felt like they went from enemies to friends and never quite made it beyond friends. Unless I'm massively missing out on something, and I'm completely and utterly clueless. Maybe I just need to be hit over the head with it, because any romantic connection that was in this book went over my head.
Kahina and Atalanta just didn't feel completely fleshed out to me, though I felt like we knew Kahina a little bit better. Atalanta felt a little more guarded and closed off, but I still feel like we didn't get to know them as much as we could have. Maybe that's why I felt like they never moved past the friends stage.
My Rating: 2 stars. Outrun The Wind was okay, and I wanted to like it more than I really did. It wasn't for me, but if you like Greek mythology, this might be worth checking out.
I was bored the entire time I was reading the story. If you're looking for any action, this is not the book for you. It moved at what felt like a snail's pace, and I had a hard time staying interested in the book. I wanted something more to happen, and it didn't.
I liked the setting, though. Kahina's world is one where gods and goddesses roam the earth, and are living, breathing people. It's too bad we only got a glimpse of Artemis, but this book wasn't about her- it was about Kahina and Atalanta. I've heard of Atalanta, but I don't know her story, so I can't speak to this book as a re-telling of her story. I felt like I was in Ancient Greece the entire time, and though the setting didn't feel like an additional character, I think the world was still one I wanted to spend more time in.
I don't know how I feel about Kahina or Atalanta. I didn't feel particularly interested in their stories or what happened to them, and I wish their backstories felt a little more clear. Their pasts felt really muddled, and we get some tidbits about what happened, but it seemed a little fuzzy to me. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention.
It seemed like it was supposed to be a romance, but I didn't pick up on that at all. The description made it seem like there was going to be romance involved, but it felt like they went from enemies to friends and never quite made it beyond friends. Unless I'm massively missing out on something, and I'm completely and utterly clueless. Maybe I just need to be hit over the head with it, because any romantic connection that was in this book went over my head.
Kahina and Atalanta just didn't feel completely fleshed out to me, though I felt like we knew Kahina a little bit better. Atalanta felt a little more guarded and closed off, but I still feel like we didn't get to know them as much as we could have. Maybe that's why I felt like they never moved past the friends stage.
My Rating: 2 stars. Outrun The Wind was okay, and I wanted to like it more than I really did. It wasn't for me, but if you like Greek mythology, this might be worth checking out.
I loved the idea behind this, and of course I’m always down to read a Greek mythology retelling, but there were some things that this book could have done better.
One big thing is the amount of backstory we don’t get, so that every time something surprising like a blast from the past or some other twist happens, it feels anticlimactic.
The alternating points of view didn’t quite work for me either, because both POVs were so similar to each other that I was constantly forgetting whose chapter I was on.
But overall, I enjoyed this book. I love that it’s about two women who love each other, and there was a lot of uniqueness to it, and it is definitely worth the read.
One big thing is the amount of backstory we don’t get, so that every time something surprising like a blast from the past or some other twist happens, it feels anticlimactic.
The alternating points of view didn’t quite work for me either, because both POVs were so similar to each other that I was constantly forgetting whose chapter I was on.
But overall, I enjoyed this book. I love that it’s about two women who love each other, and there was a lot of uniqueness to it, and it is definitely worth the read.
The changing point of view was sometimes confusing, but over all a good read. Enjoyed the mythology bits.
I received a copy from Netgalley for review.
I received a copy from Netgalley for review.
Greek mythology and sapphic characters, what more could I ask for?
[Rating closer to 3.5, actually]
Elizabeth Tammi wrote a wonderful story about two Greek heroines who have been through a fair share of tragedy and who both don't act like people around them want them to. Atalanta and Kahina are forced to get along and it takes some time for them to get used to their new situations.
I'm quite the fan of both Greek mythology and stories about sapphic characters so I knew this would be my thing. And it kind of was! I really liked the characters and the plot was inventive, original and felt like a great extension of a Greek myth (even though I didn't know about this specific myth before)
What I'm not such a fan of is flowery prose and long descriptions. I know some people will love this story more because of that but I'm just not one of these people. I liked Tammi's writing but I would have enjoyed it more had it been 20% shorter. Long descriptions tend to bore me and through that, the story was quite slow paced and I took me a long time to get into it. In the beginning, I really couldn't connect to any of the characters and I felt like they were constantly just thinking instead of doing stuff. Eh.
Still, I enjoyed reading this book this is a debut novel after all and for that, it's certainly impressive!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley/North Star Editions.
[Rating closer to 3.5, actually]
Elizabeth Tammi wrote a wonderful story about two Greek heroines who have been through a fair share of tragedy and who both don't act like people around them want them to. Atalanta and Kahina are forced to get along and it takes some time for them to get used to their new situations.
I'm quite the fan of both Greek mythology and stories about sapphic characters so I knew this would be my thing. And it kind of was! I really liked the characters and the plot was inventive, original and felt like a great extension of a Greek myth (even though I didn't know about this specific myth before)
What I'm not such a fan of is flowery prose and long descriptions. I know some people will love this story more because of that but I'm just not one of these people. I liked Tammi's writing but I would have enjoyed it more had it been 20% shorter. Long descriptions tend to bore me and through that, the story was quite slow paced and I took me a long time to get into it. In the beginning, I really couldn't connect to any of the characters and I felt like they were constantly just thinking instead of doing stuff. Eh.
Still, I enjoyed reading this book this is a debut novel after all and for that, it's certainly impressive!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley/North Star Editions.
I cannot believe I had never heard of Atalanta before I even touched this book. I hesitated when I recognised the names on the first pages and felt like, wait, should I know them? A quick google search gave me a myth as amazing as it was frustrating: great Atalanta, outraced by deception only, forced into marriage.
So picking up this book and knowing the author is here to take a modern spin on Atalanta's story? HELL YEAH. I really enjoyed all the original characters as well as Atalanta herself. Her and Kahina take their time growing into their feelings, evolving from rivalry to companions over their time together. The lushness of the estate most of the book plays in is also something that sticks vividly to me.
Aside from a few minor gripes, I am really glad to have this book on my shelf and that I got to journey with it! There are never enough sapphic retellings of greek mythology, and I eagerly hope to be able to add more in the future!
So picking up this book and knowing the author is here to take a modern spin on Atalanta's story? HELL YEAH. I really enjoyed all the original characters as well as Atalanta herself. Her and Kahina take their time growing into their feelings, evolving from rivalry to companions over their time together. The lushness of the estate most of the book plays in is also something that sticks vividly to me.
Aside from a few minor gripes, I am really glad to have this book on my shelf and that I got to journey with it! There are never enough sapphic retellings of greek mythology, and I eagerly hope to be able to add more in the future!
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No