"I made it here. I will show them what my name means.”

Outrun the Wind begin on the premise of a hunt; it is fast paced, intense and is positively exciting. However, it shortly looses this momentum following the first couple of chapters and falls into a sluggish narrative, largely driven by prose and the woes of palace life.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find a lot enjoyable about this book. Namely because it was really lacking in excitement, tension and romance. More importantly the characters, plot and world were seriously unimaginative. After a promising opening scene what follows is a slow paced, unimaginative fantasy novel that is quite frankly boring.

➳ PLOT
The plot seems to be the most integral aspect to my dislike for this story. Both main females characters are instantly pitched as being warriors, yet they then go on to do essentially nothing. This because Atalanta and Kahina both get stuck idling by in a castle for majority of this story. I think this had ramifications on other aspects – characters, romance and the world building.

I love where we meet the characters at the beginning, like I said the opening sequence was really promising. It was what came after that was ultimately a let down. Which in actuality, wasn’t a whole lot. (Which is the problem) Without any significant events occurring, this book lacked the tension and thrill to get me excited about it. As well as events that help the characters arc advance or that help their connections with one another deepen. I also feel like there were a myriad of hidden strengths each girl had that could’ve been illustrated with a more innovative plot.

The most that happens in this novel is that Atalanta participates in a series of races to avoid marrying a man, it often feels glossed over;

“The next morning’s race is fairly standard. No surprises, no wild excitement.”

and,

“Five more races pass without a hitch.”

This whole novel feels like it can be really summed up with these two quotes; no surprise, no wild excitement.

➳ WRITING
Unfortunately the writing does nothing to help elevate the story or grab the reader’s attention. The writing heavily relies on telling. Telling , telling, telling.

For example, there is a painful memory from Kahina’s past that is obviously significant to her character. It is reference a lot, and so as the reader you are expecting a big reveal or explanation of her past. However, when this is eventually revealed, it is told from Atalanta’s perspective and is largely told without dialogue and feels really glossed over. A consequence of this was that it lacks whatever intending affect the author is reaching for. I truly could’ve have cared less about Kahina because this is how her “painful” backstory was delivered to me:

- “She’d told me her father is a successful merchant who’d seen every corner of our world. He’d met her mother while trading in northern Africa.”
- “I lean forward, elbows on knees, and run my hands through my hair as she tells me how her cousin brought her to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.”
- “She tells me that the god’s priests and priestesses had all been affected by Apollo somehow.”

In short: “She told me…”,”as she tells me…” and “she tells me…”. This is not how I want to experience a story.

Secondly, this novel is also very prose heavy and I’m a reader that loves dialogue. Not necessarily in favour of prose, but I definitely like prose and dialogue to be at least balanced. That was not that case with this book.

➳ WORLD
The lack of innovation also extends to the world. It’s so incredibly vague, as is any existing magic system. Which is relevant only slightly, but it appears as though some magic is performed. The fantastical aspects are also considerably missing.

Considering how popular Greek mythology is, I can’t see this book as doing anything to even try to stand out in the crowd. The extent to which this can be considered Greek mythology is that the characters have the names of mythological gods, goddesses etc. and their relationships were perhaps transposed. (I say perhaps, because I’m not 100% familiar with this mythology.) Nevertheless the political aspects and relationships of this world never really felt explored and is again, really vague

➳ CHARACTERS
There was definitely thought put into Kahina and Atalanta’s back stories, but I think it was at times convoluted and not thoroughly explain well (as mentioned above in the writing section of this review). I don’t really have a good understanding of how the characters got to the place where we meet them. Some aspects of the characters are also confusing too. Early on, Kahina throws an arrow that makes the killing blow to an animal, as such she appears to be a good warrior. This is also supported by the fact that she’s one of Artemis’ huntresses. This definitely positions Kahina as a warrior to me (the reader). Yet there is a direct line that opposes this later on;

“C’mon, Kahina! You can do it. You’re a huntress, after all!” “Not really!” I hear her yell after me.

What?! This is such a let down… but also slightly true. Kahina doesn’t appear to have skills that support she’s a competent huntress as well (aside from in the beginning), mainly because the plot doesn’t let her show us what she’s capable of. Also why make her a huntress if she’s not going to be or become a good one?!

➳ ROMANCE
The F/F romance felt non-existent here. I don’t think a romance was necessarily promised, but I implied it where the blurb briefly mentions Kahina’s ‘connection to Atalanta deepens.’ If you’re like me and implied that as well, their relationship doesn’t show signs of being one until roughly 60%.

Whilst it could be argued that their relationship progresses through friendship to something more romantic (which appears to be the intention) I would’ve liked to have seen more subtleties of attraction between the two main characters shown earlier on. Because if they were there, they went over my head. More banter, angst, dialogue etc. please!

Ultimately, I’m slightly upset I didn’t like this book because it was on my TBR for months. I’m really grateful I was able to receive an e-arc from NetGalley, but unfortunately this is not a book I’d recommend, largely based on the fact it’s severely lacking in imagination.

I love Greek and Roman mythology so much and Artemis is one of my favorites cause she's so badass and a huntress so I loved this book a lot.

Outrun the Wild has the amazing Greek mythology a person like me would want. From legendary characters to new characters that are lovable, empowering, and relatable.

There are many great characters, especially Kahina, but Atalanta was my favorite. Atalanta was a strong female lead who bowed to no man, who wanted to be seen as equal. She embodies the amazing spirit from Greek mythology.

The story itself is very fast pace and really takes you through a lot of Greek Mythology which makes you want more. From the world building to the characters, it was a great read and I’d love to see more in the series.

I have a great fondness for books inspired, and based around, Greek mythology. Atalanta and the Calydonian Bear was a legend that fell into the periphery of my knowledge, and thus I was excited to read a unique spin on the tale (especially since my favourite goddess is involved, and Tammi delivers to us f/f romance). Outrun the Wind is a alternating first-person perspective novel, moving between Atalanta (the famed huntress) and Kahina (a huntress of Artemis).

I quite liked this book, but I’m afraid that I also find myself at an impasse with this book. As stated, I enjoyed the story, but some aspects fell a little too flat, or too unrealistic, for my enjoyment to be fully formed. The plot was interesting and enjoyable, but whilst the writing flowed easily it also had a quality to it which felt lacking: it is a personal preference, but I like stories with an historical setting to have that reflected in the writing, but Outrun the Wind, with the writers use of “okay” and other such words, felt too modern and this disconcerted the Ancient Greek backdrop. Aside from the writing, a small thing that irked me was how simple it was for Atalanta to run away at the start of the book.

Take the things that I found bothersome away and you’re left with a decent story, one perfect for those both new to Greek mythology and those who seek familiarity with a fresh twist. The characters are weighted with interesting personalities, and I love a slow-burn romance. Also, who doesn’t love badass female characters not only surviving, but thriving, in a male-dominated environment?

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars (rounded up).

While a well-written story, and one I'm sure will appeal to many, it didn't quite hold my interest as I hoped it would. It delves into Greek mythology, rewrites some of the stories in a compelling way, but it does sometimes feel like it dragged. Still, it is worth giving a chance if Greek mythology and the plot are of interest.

A brilliant reimagining of greek mythology. The relationships in this story are its strength, be they familial, platonic, or romantic, positive or negative. Characters are well formed and the plot grabs you and gets running--nearly as fast as the heroine. The major criticism for me is that the novel was too short. There was a lot more than could have been explored more in depth--indeed it would have made certain parts less confusing and added to the weight of other reveals. Still, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved this!
"Outrun the Wind" is a retelling of Atalanta's story with the added original narrative of an Artemis Huntress named Kahina.
Atalanta is a fighter. She is strong, quick with a bow, and especially a fast runner. After her first hunting party goes awfully wrong, she has to figure out a new life for herself and she has to face the secrets of her past.
Kahina's past might be equally dark. She joined Artemis's hunt to get away from her destiny as one of Delphi's oracles, but when she fails to comply with the orders of the goddess, she is forced to carry out an assignment that ensures she is forever entangled in Atalanta's story.

"Outrun the Wind" is a fast paced book written in a pleasant writing style. The narrative is split between Atalanta and Kahina, alternating the chapters. This made it a more detailed and complex story. Unfortunately the narrative voices became too similar towards the end, which caused confusion and made me double check my chapter titles. *Hence only 4 stars and not 5*

The author has taken the creative liberty to introduce new characters into her history, so if you are expecting a verbatim retelling of Atalanta's myth, you might feel disappointed. However, if you are a fan of myths and enjoy exploring and dreaming about those worlds some more, definitely check this out!

I loved the start of this book. It had so much promise and as a huge fan of mythology I thought it showed real promise. I struggled to finish the second half of the book though, and almost gave up entirely.
One of my main problems with this book was how the all powerful god/goddesses were portrayed. They were easily defeated by humans. I mean don't get me wrong, I understand that some humans are tricky, but it seems like if a Goddess wanted a human and they just hid in the shadows and slipped, away they would do more then just sigh and let it go


I like that the story was different, it just didn't pan out for me. This was a meh book in my opinion, wasn't the worst wasn't the best. It was just ok.

I will admit that until I read the first chapter, I did not know about Atalanta, which I immediately rectified by Googling. The base for the story is an interesting one, certainly – a legendary huntress who demanded that her suitors beat her in a footrace to win her hand, but defeated by distraction via some golden apples (how the heck does THAT happen?). Anyway, so this book fills up her story, introducing some new characters, taking a few liberties with some stories, and tells us about a girl who was so glad to have a family she felt indebted, and another who is escaping the will of a god.

During the slaying of the Calydonian bear, Kahina was the one to strike the killing blow but Atalanta the one to take the credit, not knowing it was her. Due to this, Kahina gets punished by Artemis to go reclaim a temple in Arkadia, coincidentally the same polis where Atalanta is about to return as a lost princess. The initial interactions between the girls is strained, because Kahina resents having to be her handmaiden (that’s her cover), and also she doesn’t like Atalanta having taken credit for her kill. She doesn’t tell her reasons for her anger nearly halfway into the book, though, Atalanta is just a little confused, and wary of Kahina. However, soon, they move towards tolerance and a tentative friendship, formed from empathy towards each other (both were, after all, running from things), and rounding out their trio is Phelix, Atalanta’s half-brother, and the king’s bastard. While he is mostly in the margins, he does provide a tempering presence to the earlier volatile stages of their relationship.

It builds on the characters slowly in the first half, and the writing was good enough, but I felt some reactions of the characters were exaggerated. Some things were mentioned, some tension sensed that isn’t resolved or explained even until the end. The race doesn’t get through until like halfway through the novel, and Kahina helps Atalanta keep the suitors off her back with a cleverly planned race that alleviates the latter’s duty towards her kingdom (Arkadia is broke, and she is supposed to marry a rich guy) but also keeps her out of marriage. Here’s where their relationship starts to dip into romantic territory, which is sort of a slow burn. There’s still their respective futures standing in their way, as Kahina needs to stay in the Huntresses to be safe from Apollo. When the god forces their hand, there is a big showdown that incorporates a sibling feud, a rescue and some clever Kahina plans. This climax was probably the reason I got off the fence about how to rate it – it was chaotic, confusing, and not as big as it was building up to be (it is supposed to be two GODS fighting dammit). Also, the one seemingly significant character death didn’t feel like anything, which maybe because the characterization felt like it left a few holes.

Overall, a good mythology retelling, but wasn’t compelling enough.

This book was very up and down for me.

My favorite part of this book was the plot. The beginning chapters drew me into the Greek-inspired world, and I immediately was taken away by the story. But as the book progressed, I would find myself on these little hills of being into it and then just kind-of going with the flow of the story.

There is a lot that goes on at first with the relationships between the King and Artemis; their two worlds colliding with hints of mystery in their past. I did find myself wanting more from the world building itself though.

I think it was the writing itself that I had trouble with. I wouldn’t say this is a bad book at all, because there are a ton of scenes that I was on the edge of my seat, but I think the more ‘dry’ parts took a little away from my overall enjoyment.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. There is a LGBT romance between the two main characters that I could tell right away was going to be a thing, but watching it unfold was fun to read. There are some harsher parts to this story as well, so there is a trigger warning for implied sexual assault.

Overall, it was a twist to the Greek Mythology that hones in on the YA Fantasy setting, so if this sounds like an adventure you may be in to, I recommend giving it a try.

My Review: I was really intrigued by this synopsis, there are not nearly enough re-telling/ adaptations of the myths around Artemis. It is told from 2 perspectives of Atalanta and Kahina, and it was a little confusing at first until the character's voices defined themselves. I was a bit familiar with Atalanta so it was nice to be able to reference the relation to the myths. The writing was pretty simple and easy to read and may make it more approachable. I think if you struggled with Song of Achilles but like the idea, this might be a great book to start with instead; on the other hand if you loved Song of Achilles and the epic poems and mythology of the past, you might find this to be a bit too simplistic. I loved the friendship and the development of the relationships throughout this book, that is what drew me into the story. A great book for those wanting to get more into mythology and re-tellings.

My Review: While I did enjoy this one, and love the focus on Artemis and Atalanta, I did find it a bit tedious. The story and writing was almost a bit to simple for me, as a fan of Epic Poetry and the old myths, I would prefer a bit more to the writing itself. I give it a rating of Two Paws and a Stump Wag.

Actual ratig 3.5 of 5 stars

To start, I want to say I was extremely excited to read this retelling of Atalanta of Greek mythology's tale (or at least the start of it). Going into it I was expecting a large twist on her tale, a change in events, possibly a gender bending. Instead I got an almost direct retelling with a lesbian love interest - I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this but I had extremely high expectations from all the hype.

So as I said earlier, its a retelling of Atalanta. All the elements are there, Meleager's love and demise, the Huntresses, Artemis and Apollo quarrelling with the best of them, the footraces and the lions. The only major difference I found was the love interest Atalanta and the shunned Huntress, Kahina. I hope for some dramatic twist but was ok with the fact that it didn't differ a grand amount.

I appreciated the multi POV's as it allowed a greater understanding of the story. I also enjoyed the interactions of Kahina and Phelix - it was a welcome change giving a slightly different perspective. Although this is more or less 360 pages of simplified mythology, I quite liked it although I can't honestly say I loved it. As a tale for those new to mythology, it would be a quite interesting read, while for those who are already familiar, it is a welcoming hug from the tales we all know and love.

Overall I enjoyed this book! It seems to fit the current zeitgeist that’s seen the rebirth of classic tales in works like The Mere-Wife, Circe, and The Silence of the Girls (as well as my own WIP, hehe). I can’t say that Outrun the Wind ranks with other retellings and reimaginings (The Crystal Cave, anyone?) but it was a quick, fun read that represents diverse experiences and presents a light introduction to the concept of narrative adaptation and retelling of classic tales, especially for teen readers.

The book could have delved deeper into some really important issues that it brought up but this is a good first piece. A blog post I read recently argues that both YA books and the YA community isolate teens, the audience they’re intended for, in fundamental ways. Outrun the Wind as a commodity will still isolate teens, it’s kind of hard not to based on some of the points the author of that article brings up, but in terms of character, I feel like this book does a good job of representing teens and their experiences. And to be fair, the concept of an F/F romance set in ancient Greece is cool and different and feminist, which I always love.

The book tells the story of Atalanta, the beautiful hunter-raised wild-child renowned throughout Greece for her speed, and of Kahina, the Ethiopian-Greek Oracle-of-Delphi-turned-Huntress (after being rescued by Artemis’s crew). Atalanta incurs Artemis’s wrath after allegedly slaying the Calydonian boar, created by the goddess to wreak havoc upon the kingdom of Calydon for forgetting to honor her. Turns out it was Kahina who slew the boar on an impulse to save Atalanta. She doesn’t know why she did it, but she does know she’s equal parts terrified to tell Artemis the truth and pissed off at Atalanta for taking the credit (and her golden dagger). Well, since Artemis is omniscient and all, she finds out one of her own Huntresses killed her boar and banishes Kahina to Arkadia—which just happens to be ruled by Atalanta’s long-lost father, King Iasus. Arkadia is the pits: mushy grapes, barely enough fuel to light the torches at night, a tumbledown temple that everybody and their brother (or at least Kahina, Atalanta, and her brother Phelix) all want to ruin for their own reasons. Just as Kahina arrives in Arkadia, Iasus brings his abandoned daughter back to the palace in the hopes of marrying her off and saving Arkadia from itself. Kahina spends most of the book hating Atalanta, being her handmaiden, and teaching her how to use a fork while falling irrevocably in love with her. The girls then devise a footrace to prevent Atalanta’s marriage while bolstering Arkadia’s financial situation, and everyone lives happily ever after (mostly).

I was happy to see the author taking parts of the myth and running with it, but I didn’t feel as if some of these plot points were fleshed out enough. For example, the idea that the Golden Apples were some sort of magical apparatus, almost like a hallucinogen, that distracted Atalanta (rather than a woman’s simple love of shiny things) was unique and engaging. However, I wanted to know more. What are those apples, really? Where did they come from? Who gave them to Hippomenes? What exactly do they do? A little more subtext and foreshadowing would’ve been appreciated.

Finally, it was refreshing to see an F/F love story set in ancient Greece. I feel like this “sapphic interpretation” of the Atalanta story is unique, exploring an aspect of ancient life that we typically associate with scholarly old white guys. I even saw a little bit of polygamy, I think, in there – did anyone else notice a potential love triangle forming among Kahina, Isidora, and Phelix before he bit the dust? I was really hoping the book would have a deeper cultural and social insight on the relationship between Kahina and Atalanta, as witnessed through the eyes of the other characters (and the author does say she did lots of research so I was thinking she might have come across something in this regard); but as it is all we get are a couple of widened eyes. It was fun to follow the growing (or grown) love relationships in this story though, and I was really rooting for Kahina and Atalanta to get over themselves and just fall in love!

Overall this is a quick read and one that engages themes and identities that need greater engagement in genre fiction, particularly fantastical retellings of classic stories like this one. And the world needs more young writers writing YA. The world needs more writers writing about diverse experiences. I hope Tammi will delve deeper into what she started here in her next books.

The book is told in alternating perspectives from Kahina and Atalanta. I think was a good choice and the best way to tell the story, as not all the action occurs when they are together. Yes, their voices were similar but both characters are strong, independent huntresses so it does make sense.

The novel is set in Ancient Greece, however the historical setting didn’t come to life as it does in other novels set in that time period, like Kerry Greenwood’s Delphic Women Series or either of Madeline Miller’s books. If you removed the Greek city names, it still has the feel of a standard fantasy with the Gods thrown in. I understand that this is a YA series, however Emily Hauser’s For the Most Beautiful and Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack The Ripper series are YA and have vivid and realistic historical settings.

Not to say the setting limited my reading enjoyment, the plot and characters do make this an engaging story, however this was an element that was lacking in comparison.

The romance between Kahina and Atalanta was so sweet. I loved the fact that there wasn’t a big deal make that the romance was between two girls. Also, enjoyed the slow build up and how the attraction is sprinkled throughout. It would be nice if the book was longer to give space for each plot point along with the romance elements.

Overall this was an enjoyable debut novel. I adore the mix of Greek mythology we do get. Artemis is my favourite goddess and think her representation was believable in comparison to the myths. The romance was so sweet and I really adore these two together.

3.25 Stars. I thought this story started out with huge promise, but fizzled out some in the second half. It is a decent read, I was just hoping to be wowed. This is a YA fantasy, Greek myth inspired, wlw story.

I was a huge mythology fan growing up, especially Greek. I do remember hearing about Atlanta, but for the life of me I could not remember her. I had to take the authors word that while she took some liberties, she tried to stay true to the character. I do have to say this felt more Greek myth inspired than a myth retelling as the world building didn’t feel ancient Greece to me. I felt like I was in a generic fantasy world which was a bit disappointing.

There are two main characters this story follows: Atlanta, who is a bisexual warrior woman, and Kahina, a lesbian and huntress for the goddess Artemis. While I did like both characters I never connected to either as much as I hopped. I did feel closer to Kahina. I think her feelings and motives are more laid out for us. Atlanta was tougher for me as her character seems to have a major shift after the first third of the book. Anyway, there is a light PG romance. I do think the connection between the characters was obvious, but I also feel the romance could have been much more fleshed out.

One of the biggest issues for me might have been expectations; loving Greek mythology this book was high on my to read list. I thought the book started great. An exciting hunt against a “monster” had my heart pumping. We meet Artemis and I think this book is going to be awesome. However, the storyline switches to Atlanta and a new chapter in her life and things went downhill for me. The storyline became very predictable and it lost its flare. I do want to make clear I think the writing is good, it was just the story choices and not really fleshing out all of the characters.

If you are a YA fantasy or mythology fan you might enjoy this. Not the best wlw fantasy book of the year, but it’s a slightly above average read. If Tammi wrote another wlw story I would give her another read.

Oh man, I really liked this! There were a few points in the middle there that bored me a bit, and there wasn't a whole lot actually happening. But that ending completely took me by surprise, and I was SO glad that it was happy and satisfying. Atalanta and Kahina were two girls who just wanted to take control of their own futures, but what they didn't expect was to fall in love with each other along the way. Their romance was sweet and soft (though neither of them are really sweet and soft, hahaha), and it had time to develop over the course of Atalanta's races to get her suitors out of her life. I also really adored Phelix, Atalanta's brother, and his relationships with the both of them. And Nikoleta and Isidora! I wish there'd been more of the huntresses, honestly, but that last fight with Apollo and his priestesses was super awesome. I knew I had to read this when I heard it was an f/f retelling of the famous Atalanta's story, and I enjoyed it very much! I'm always here for authors who spin the Greek myths on their heads and make them queer. :D

Rating: 3.5 Paw Prints!

Outrun the Wind is a retelling of the Greek myth of Atalanta, a woman who agreed to marry only if her suitors could outrun her in a footrace. As such, Outrun the Wind was very intriguing. While the story was interesting, it left me feeling completely detached. I never got immersed in the story, and I was often confused about what was going on. The first 25% of the novel were a bit of struggle to read through as we are thrown in the middle of action with little context.

Outrun the Wind alternated between the perspectives of Kahina and Atalanta. This could have been the perfect device for making the occassionally slow storytelling more interesting, but unfortunately it didn't quite play as well as I wanted it to. The perspectives are very similar, and Kahina and Atalanta seemed to me almost like the same person throughout the novel. That also meant that I couldn't tell whose perspective we were following if I happened to forget whose name was in the chapter title. I got the feeling that Kahina and Atalanta were supposed to be very different personas but somehow it didn't show from their way of thinking.

We get some awesome LGBT+ rep in this YA fantasy, but unfortunately I didn't feel very connected with the romance. I was struggling to find a spark in this pairing and it was a bit of a too much of a slow-burn considering that I could see it coming from the first pages of the novel.

Outrun the Wind was simply a bit too predictable overall (and I don't even mean the retelling aspects of the story). I felt like I could predict what the characters will do a couple pages before they ended up doing it which was just all in all pretty frustrating to read.

While I have basically scooped up negative feedback only for this review, the book wasn't bad. It simply didn't match my expectations. I have been eagerly wanting to read this since May and now that I finally did I just feel like sighing infinitely. SIGH.

The goddess Artemis requires all of her huntresses to obey her and to never fall in love. In order to save the huntress Atalanta, Kahina disobeys the goddess and then is cast out. She has to fulfill a mission given by the goddess in order to prove her loyalty, and that brings her into Atalanta's path again.

This is a novel that takes on Greek mythology and really gives it life. Atalanta is known as a huntress that is agile with a bow and the fastest runner. Here, she had been raised by a group of hunters and left them in order to preserve her sense of self and not be seen as a man's prize. However, she is actually a lost princess that her father wants to bring home in order to marry her off to repair the finances of his kingdom. Kahina has her own demons to outrun, as her cousin had sold her to be an Oracle at Delphi, a power she didn't ask for or want. Both girls are in their late teens and bound up in a man's world that doesn't value their opinions.

Chapters alternate between Kahina's and Atalanta's points of view. We see their frustration with the world around them and how gods and men want to use them regardless of their wishes. At the same time, we see the little battles that they wage against that, as well as their growing friendship and connection with each other. This is the first book I've read that delves into Atalanta's story, and I sympathize with how out of place she feels almost everywhere she goes.

I had flown through this book, eager to know what would happen next, and I was certainly not disappointed. Prophecies aren't all that they're purported to be, either, and the end of the novel is fitting, if tinged with sadness as well.

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.

I adored this book from start to finish. It was an effort not to read it all at once (I would've if I'd had the time to). I think the story flowed well and the dual POV worked beautifully within the overall plot. Loved the idea from the beginning and only loved it more by the end. Was it flawless? No. It's hard to find a story that is. But the flawed aspects of it enhanced the flawed characters and the complex relationships among them. Absolutely recommending this one to everyone I can.