A review by markieh
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes

3.75

I did not know the myth of Atalanta before reading this book. This was a great retelling of the story of a woman raised by nymphs in Artemis's sacred wood. Atalanta is tasked by Artemis to join the Argonauts to bring glory to her (Artemis's) name. Atalanta proves herself to the crew, but they still don't like or trust her because she is a woman. It shows Jason as the ineffective leader he was, letting Medea actually do the work he took credit for. The story of the Argonauts takes up most of the middle of the book. The last third was a little unsatisfying. Once they leave the Argo, their quest complete, it moves very quickly from one point to the next, spending little time on each story. That's why I couldn't quite give it 4 stars. It felt like the main action was done, but they had to squeeze in the rest of her mythology, and it felt more like a check list. 
The ending was bittersweet. It's supposed to be a tragic end for Atalanta, but she doesn't see it that way. She is finally, truly, free.
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