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A review by writtenontheflyleaves
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
adventurous
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint π
πππβ¨
π The plot: Ariadne and her sister Phaedra have grown up in the monstrous shadow of their brother the Minotaur, dogged by whispers and their mother's shame for bringing him into the world. When the prince and hero Theseus arrives and promises to end their torment, Ariadne is quick to fall for and help him. Everyone knows what Theseus does next - but not everyone knows what happens to Ariadne, or the winding path her fortune takes after she leaves Crete...
This was my penultimate holiday read, an ideal choice for when I was reading on Greek beaches! It's told somewhere between a normal contemporary novel and a Greek epic: light on characterisation and heavy on characters reporting their adventures in long monologues. This adds to the atmosphere of the book - it feels very of a piece with the epics it takes its inspiration from - but it wasn't my favourite style.
Also, I don't know why I was surprised by this considering what I know from reading Greek myths at uni, but this shit was depressing!! I loved Ariadne's reflections on what it means to be a woman in a world controlled by capricious gods, particularly the perspective she brought to the relationships between gods and humans, and it felt very organic within the narrative. But the story's faithfulness to the original myths meant that women rarely catch a break in this book - if anything, you feel the injustices more keenly because Ariadne is so aware of them! The reversal of fortunes in Phaedra's life and in Ariadne's relationship with Dionysus broke my heart, and I was left feeling quite deflated. I loved the feminist thinking here, but the lack of opportunities for the characters to really fight back left it on a slightly bitter note for me.
π Read it if you love Greek myths and want a feminist perspective. Also if you hate Theseus because lemme tell you he does not come out of this well!!
π« Avoid it if you like psychological writing or want a feminist book that has more of a rebellious spirit/ optimistic outlook!
πππβ¨
π The plot: Ariadne and her sister Phaedra have grown up in the monstrous shadow of their brother the Minotaur, dogged by whispers and their mother's shame for bringing him into the world. When the prince and hero Theseus arrives and promises to end their torment, Ariadne is quick to fall for and help him. Everyone knows what Theseus does next - but not everyone knows what happens to Ariadne, or the winding path her fortune takes after she leaves Crete...
This was my penultimate holiday read, an ideal choice for when I was reading on Greek beaches! It's told somewhere between a normal contemporary novel and a Greek epic: light on characterisation and heavy on characters reporting their adventures in long monologues. This adds to the atmosphere of the book - it feels very of a piece with the epics it takes its inspiration from - but it wasn't my favourite style.
Also, I don't know why I was surprised by this considering what I know from reading Greek myths at uni, but this shit was depressing!! I loved Ariadne's reflections on what it means to be a woman in a world controlled by capricious gods, particularly the perspective she brought to the relationships between gods and humans, and it felt very organic within the narrative. But the story's faithfulness to the original myths meant that women rarely catch a break in this book - if anything, you feel the injustices more keenly because Ariadne is so aware of them! The reversal of fortunes in Phaedra's life and in Ariadne's relationship with Dionysus broke my heart, and I was left feeling quite deflated. I loved the feminist thinking here, but the lack of opportunities for the characters to really fight back left it on a slightly bitter note for me.
π Read it if you love Greek myths and want a feminist perspective. Also if you hate Theseus because lemme tell you he does not come out of this well!!
π« Avoid it if you like psychological writing or want a feminist book that has more of a rebellious spirit/ optimistic outlook!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death
Minor: Rape