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A review by emeraldreviews
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
5.0
A dazzling, poetic novel that empowers readers!
All the Greek myths and legends are so rich and magical but never has the tale of Jason and the Argonauts been told in such a way. I absolutely adore ancient history, especially the majesty of Ancient Greece. The stories are always beautiful and poetic, describing the natural world exquisitely and enveloping stories in shrouds of mysticism. Jennifer Saint keeps up this tradition with a stunning portrayal of a popular myth but from the point of view of a strong, inspiring character…Atalanta.
This is my first work of Jennifer Saints’ and it certainly won’t be my last. A beautiful retelling of a literal classic. Putting Atalanta at the forefront is a masterstroke. Too long have powerful women from history been played down with their impacts mainly portrayed as ‘problems’ or ‘causes’ i.e. Helen of Troy ‘capturing’ Paris’s heart. I enjoyed the nod to this in Jennifer’s portrayal when Atalanta first encounters the Argonauts, whether that was Jennifer’s intention or not. This story is also not just centred around the story of the Argonauts...there is so much more involved and the journey with Jason and his crew is a small aspect of the entire novel.
The story for me is in three main parts, Atalanta’s youth and her tutelage under Artemis, the adventure with the argonauts and finally, Atalanta taking hold of her future. Each part holds such heart within, they all seem like a series of Atalanta novellas intrinsically linked in such a divine way.
This book took me on a journey through ancient Greece from the forests of Arcadia to the shores of multiple city states. Characters including the mighty Heracles each all take a moment of spotlighting that each impact the main story of Atalanta perfectly without those chapters feeling like a ‘what was that included for’. Each page in this book is planned with precision and skill culminating in one of my favourite books released this year and one of my favourite historical fictions ever.
This myth is now, for me, the story of Atalanta and the Argonauts. The story of the rise of Atalanta, a Greek hero. An expertly crafted story with a glorious protagonist whose name will now forever be cemented in my experience of Greek mythology. Get this beautiful, empowering book in your collection today!
All the Greek myths and legends are so rich and magical but never has the tale of Jason and the Argonauts been told in such a way. I absolutely adore ancient history, especially the majesty of Ancient Greece. The stories are always beautiful and poetic, describing the natural world exquisitely and enveloping stories in shrouds of mysticism. Jennifer Saint keeps up this tradition with a stunning portrayal of a popular myth but from the point of view of a strong, inspiring character…Atalanta.
This is my first work of Jennifer Saints’ and it certainly won’t be my last. A beautiful retelling of a literal classic. Putting Atalanta at the forefront is a masterstroke. Too long have powerful women from history been played down with their impacts mainly portrayed as ‘problems’ or ‘causes’ i.e. Helen of Troy ‘capturing’ Paris’s heart. I enjoyed the nod to this in Jennifer’s portrayal when Atalanta first encounters the Argonauts, whether that was Jennifer’s intention or not. This story is also not just centred around the story of the Argonauts...there is so much more involved and the journey with Jason and his crew is a small aspect of the entire novel.
The story for me is in three main parts, Atalanta’s youth and her tutelage under Artemis, the adventure with the argonauts and finally, Atalanta taking hold of her future. Each part holds such heart within, they all seem like a series of Atalanta novellas intrinsically linked in such a divine way.
This book took me on a journey through ancient Greece from the forests of Arcadia to the shores of multiple city states. Characters including the mighty Heracles each all take a moment of spotlighting that each impact the main story of Atalanta perfectly without those chapters feeling like a ‘what was that included for’. Each page in this book is planned with precision and skill culminating in one of my favourite books released this year and one of my favourite historical fictions ever.
This myth is now, for me, the story of Atalanta and the Argonauts. The story of the rise of Atalanta, a Greek hero. An expertly crafted story with a glorious protagonist whose name will now forever be cemented in my experience of Greek mythology. Get this beautiful, empowering book in your collection today!