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A review by ccleeds7
Outrun the Wind by Elizabeth Tammi
5.0
I’ve been wanting to read Outrun the Wind ever since Elizabeth Tammi said that she was writing a book about Atalanta and lesbians. I’ve been following Elizabeth on tumblr since 2013, primarily for the book and Percy Jackson content on it. I knew from reading her fanfiction that she is a good writer, and I had high expectations for Outrun the Wind, but it met and surpassed my expectations.
Outrun the Wind is a retelling of the story of Atalanta from Greek mythology, and follows, in a first-person dual perspective point-of-view, Atalanta and Kahina, one of Artemis’s huntresses in this story. Atalanta is a huntress of legendary speed and fighting ability, who was raised by hunters and later recruited by Prince Meleager to join the hunt of heroes for the Calydonian Boar, which the goddess Artemis had sent as revenge against King Oeneus for not honoring her. Kahina is one of the huntresses Artemis sent to follow the boar and ensure its safety, but in a moment of compassion, she violated her mission. As punishment, Artemis required her to restore a temple of Apollo in Arkadia to one honoring her, and there Kahina’s path crosses once more with Atalanta’s, where Atalanta is forced by her father to choose between suitors. Here is where Atalanta announces the races that are told of in mythology, in which Atalanta refused to marry any man who could not beat her in a foot race.
Atalanta and Kahina are two of the strongest female characters I’ve ever read of, and two of the only ones I liked as characters. Atalanta is a female hero who is driven by desire for pride and respect – she is equal and often superior to the other Greek princes and heroes, but they don’t take her seriously, thinking of her as a prize to be won. She desperately wants respect and to be her own person, but she is also compassionate. Kahina is a huntress with mysterious ties to Apollo, and is equal to any man in fighting abilities, but her main goal is to escape being under the thumb of the gods. She is empathetic and has a dry sense of humor. Kahina is also half-Ethiopian, but her racial heritage is definitely not a defining characteristic in this book.
The story itself was great, right from the beginning. It immediately hooks you in and does not let you go. As soon as I started it, I wished that I didn’t have to go to work the next day, even though I’d only read the first chapter. It has good pacing, nicely weaving in the action/adventure, political intrigue, and romance plot lines. The characters were compelling, including the secondary and side characters, and villains. Character development was also spot-on, especially with King Iasus. I knew it was coming, but I liked him so much when I met him, I didn’t want him to betray me like that.
Outrun the Wind is a spectacular debut for Elizabeth Tammi, and if you are looking for a book based on Greek mythology, with strong female characters, or LGBTQ characters, you should definitely check it out. Or just check it out as it’s an awesome book as a whole.
I received this book as a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Outrun the Wind is a retelling of the story of Atalanta from Greek mythology, and follows, in a first-person dual perspective point-of-view, Atalanta and Kahina, one of Artemis’s huntresses in this story. Atalanta is a huntress of legendary speed and fighting ability, who was raised by hunters and later recruited by Prince Meleager to join the hunt of heroes for the Calydonian Boar, which the goddess Artemis had sent as revenge against King Oeneus for not honoring her. Kahina is one of the huntresses Artemis sent to follow the boar and ensure its safety, but in a moment of compassion, she violated her mission. As punishment, Artemis required her to restore a temple of Apollo in Arkadia to one honoring her, and there Kahina’s path crosses once more with Atalanta’s, where Atalanta is forced by her father to choose between suitors. Here is where Atalanta announces the races that are told of in mythology, in which Atalanta refused to marry any man who could not beat her in a foot race.
Atalanta and Kahina are two of the strongest female characters I’ve ever read of, and two of the only ones I liked as characters. Atalanta is a female hero who is driven by desire for pride and respect – she is equal and often superior to the other Greek princes and heroes, but they don’t take her seriously, thinking of her as a prize to be won. She desperately wants respect and to be her own person, but she is also compassionate. Kahina is a huntress with mysterious ties to Apollo, and is equal to any man in fighting abilities, but her main goal is to escape being under the thumb of the gods. She is empathetic and has a dry sense of humor. Kahina is also half-Ethiopian, but her racial heritage is definitely not a defining characteristic in this book.
The story itself was great, right from the beginning. It immediately hooks you in and does not let you go. As soon as I started it, I wished that I didn’t have to go to work the next day, even though I’d only read the first chapter. It has good pacing, nicely weaving in the action/adventure, political intrigue, and romance plot lines. The characters were compelling, including the secondary and side characters, and villains. Character development was also spot-on, especially with King Iasus. I knew it was coming, but I liked him so much when I met him, I didn’t want him to betray me like that.
Outrun the Wind is a spectacular debut for Elizabeth Tammi, and if you are looking for a book based on Greek mythology, with strong female characters, or LGBTQ characters, you should definitely check it out. Or just check it out as it’s an awesome book as a whole.
I received this book as a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.