I requested this book because I recently read Circe and was craving to read more stories about women in mythology.
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this, thank you to Net Galley and Flatiron Books!
I am pretty familiar with Greek and Roman mythology, and ever since I was a young reader I have often wondered why there were not more tales and books that really concentrated on the women (human and goddesses) in mythology or sang the praises of or told their stories. They have always been told within the stories of men and gods and even then, there never really seemed to be great detail of WHO they were and or the exact role they played outside of to cater to, for the amusement of, to be conquered by, or to have babies for ...men.
Not only does Saint do an excellent job of giving Ariadne a voice, she also gives voices to other women like her younger sister Phaedra, her mother Pasiphe, and the many women who came to Naxos to worship Dionysus.
Though this is based on Ancient Greek mythology, the characters and situations are still relatable and relevant. The writing was not too clunky and the author did a really great job of balancing the right amount of dialogue to keep the story moving forward and the reader engaged.

For fans of Circe by Madeline Miller. I loved this female-focused retelling of Theseus and Crete. I found the first part less interesting since it doesn't do much to add to the myth of the minotaur that many already know, but everything after was so rich with added scenes that only featured women, parts left out in the original myths. I did find there were times where the narrative would skip over an obvious scene and it would interrupt my reading experience, but the quality of the prose would pull me right back in.

In her feminist debut novel "Ariadne," Jennifer Saint relates an empowering tale of two mythic sisters, Ariadne and Phaedra. In case you need a quick family tree (and who doesn’t?), here is a little background: their mother Pasiphaë fall sin love in love with a bull (a god’s cruel trick), and gives birth to the Minotaur, half human, half bull. Shut up in a maze, the savage Minotaur is paid tribute once a year by seven Athenian men and seven Athenian women, whom he devours. King Minos takes pleasure in terrorizing the subject Athenians and in embarrassing his own family. (He is the only one not related to the Minotaur.).

And then Theseus, the handsome prince of Athens, arrives with the other 13 Athenians who will be the tributes. He claims he will kill the Minotaur and save the Athenians. Ariadne and Phaedra are so mesmerized by his charisma they help him with the killing of their monstrous brother. In fact, without these two he could not have done it, but afterwards he boasts that he did it all himself and deserts both girls, leaving Ariadne on an uninhabited island, and having misdirected Phaedra. I don’t want to give away the plot, but I will tell you that the two sister’s lives are entwined with Theseus. Poor things!

I found the first part rather lacklustre, but it becomes intriguing when you reach Part II, and Saint begins to alternate the narrative of Ariadne with that of her fiery sister Phaedra. The book is a little uneven, but lots of fun to read!

Overall, I very much liked this retelling, especially that it focused on Ariadne rather than the Labyrinth and Theseus. It is also great that Ariadne’s marriage to Dionysus is included. I liked that it focused on the women of Greek mythology, their pain and joys, and how they were used or influenced the outcome. It also examines the emotions of various characters. However, I felt that the writing was rushed in various parts. It’s difficult to fit so much into 300 pages, so it is understandable. I would recommend this to people who have a good grasp of Greek mythology already or symbolism and references may not make sense. I will definitely purchase this book and be recommending it for my library.

3 stars

It's impossible to arrive at a mythological retelling and not compare to Miller, and I will admit that as a staunch Miller fan, I limited my expectations coming into this piece. While _Ariadne_ does not function on the level of _Circe_ or _Song of Achilles_ in some central ways, I do think most readers who enjoy either of these pieces and/or the idea of a mythological reimagining in general will find a lot to like here.

Though Ariadne is the central (and first person) voice here, her sister, Phaedra, does pop in at times, and I'd have liked to see more of this. The standout joy of this piece is getting to know both of these characters better, and while their joint inaction can be challenging at times, it helps to understand motivation and see some growth, even when it is minor. I wanted to see much more of this, though. Ariadne considers the plights of women characters like her mother and Medusa, among others, and does recognize their poor treatment. Rather than ruminating on these plights - and in some ways adding to this themselves - I'd have liked to see more agency and more empowerment (even if only in their minds) for the two sisters. There's a sense of despair that lasts from start to finish that I'm not sure was necessary or essentially modern. It's possible to follow a woman character (Circe, for example) who suffers greatly at the hands of men and of her own poor decisions but also grows markedly, and I really missed that powerful messaging here.

The novel is appealing stylistically, and the series of events and inclusions of various characters make it an enjoyable read. I wanted more explicitly modern ideals for women to come through, but I still recommend this for readers who have exhausted Miller.

I could certainly see the heart in this book. Ariadne's story is one of pain and heartbreak, and this tale certainly captures all of that.
I found the beginning of the book difficult to read only because of how Ariadne fawned over Theseus. Knowing what's going to happen with a myth retelling like this doesn't make it easier to swallow in the moment. As the story went on, it really only got more depressing, which is painfully realistic. Myths show men wielding power over women and that dominance was etched into so much of this book.
While 'sisterhood' is a message that can be gleaned from "Ariadne", what I got was mostly "men are going to ruin everything women attempt to hold onto." So, you know, not an uplifting book in the slightest. I would not necessarily recommend this book for all readers of Circe by Madeline Miller. While it is a myth retelling like Circe, it is far more depressing, whereas Circe has some hope in it.

4.5 !!! I didn’t think that any Greek myth retelling would ever begin to fill the hole in my heart that Madeline Miller’s Circe left there. Let me just say that I was wrong. Jennifer Saint has managed to deliver a story quite vast in scope that manages to feel so intimate while reading. We follow the two daughters of King Minos, Phaedra and Ariadne, through their beautiful and tragic lives tied to great and terrible men.

“What I did not know was that I had hit upon a truth of womanhood: however blameless a life we led, the passions and the greed of men could bring us to ruin, and there was nothing we could do.”

This touched a lot on the typical roles women play in these myths and how they mostly meet tragic ends and works to rally against these ideals.

The language used here manages to be beautiful but still very very accessible. This was my little nitpick— I wanted the author to lean a little more into the language and really almost go over the top with it. I think it would have really suited the story.

Overall, this was great and I know it is going to be a big big hit this year! Would make an amazing book club selection- lots of talking points here!!

Thank you to Flatiron Books, Netgalley, and the author for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed Madeline Miller's Circe and hoped that Saint's Ariadne would perhaps be in the same vein -- I was not disappointed! The novel weaves mythological detail with the voices of Ariadne and Phaedra. While I found the middle of Ariadne to be fairly slow, the pace quickly picked up and I was captivated, flying through the final chapters. This was a rich retelling of Ariadne and Phaedras stories that gave such a depth of humanity to these two women.

“Just as you will never lose me, you will never lose your crown,” he murmured, his arms wrapped tightly around me. “Your coronet will guide sailors to safety through the labyrinth of the treacherous seas. Women will look to it for a sign of comfort, a light in the darkness. Children will whisper their wishes to it before they close their eyes to dream. It will stay there, fast and true, for all time.”

I threw out all my responsibilities today to sit in bed and read this book because I COULD NOT put it down. Bravo to Jennifer Saint on a wonderful debut and thank you for emotionally destroying me today - I loved every second of it.

If you are well versed in Greek myths you may feel differently, since Ariadne's story(ies) has variants and can be interpreted in a few ways, but I knew very little about her story(ies) going into it and I loved the interpretation Saint took. Ariadne is the eldest princess of Crete, daughter of Minos, sister to the Minotaur. I knew the Minotaur story, the background and some of the side stories around it going into "Ariadne" but that's where my knowledge ended and I was frankly mind blown for the rest of the book. Ariadne is the one who helps the ~legendary~ Theseus defeat the Minotaur and flees with him from Crete (this is not a spoiler it's in the book description), from there, Ariadne's story really blooms.

Saint does a wonderful job at giving a voice to the women of the stories, which have been male dominated for so long. "Ariadne" is told from two perspectives: Ariadne's and her younger sister Phaedra. There were points in the stories that I audibly gasped and there were so so so many things I was not expecting. Once again, it's highlighted that Greek women were forced to bend to the will of men (which was usually disappointing) and as with all the Greeks, to the whims of the gods. I was completely captivated by Ariadne's story and the sub-stories throughout & I loved learning more about the various Greek myths that touched Ariadne's life. There were so many 'human' and emotional moments - I loved it all.

* Trigger warnings for various things common in Greek myths (violence, death, abuse etc.) so if you have a trigger, I would recommend doing a quick search on Ariadne's story.*

All in all, if you are a fan of Madeleine Miller's "Circe", I think you'll LOVE this one. I certainly loved it: it left me wanting more, and it emotionally impacted me. A truly beautiful story.

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*.

I received an advanced reader copy from Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an honest review.

Of all the books I've read so far this year, Ariadne hits the top. Strong writing, consistent characterization, effective plot devices, and a clear knowledge of the Greek mythology.

Jennifer Saint takes time to develop the strong bonds of women in a family full of scandal and scorn. And family can be found and created, as gods and their heroes are want to do. There's a feminist thread, of women pushing against their expectations after reaching that breaking point, that runs throughout. Yet there's a clear stopping line that fits the society that Ariadne and Phaedra are forced to participate in.

The last twenty percent took my breath away, so engaged, that I couldn't stop reading. It's not a happy tale because women in mythology among the Greek gods weren't afforded such options. But the book does a great job of showing how self-autonomy can be freeing yet binding at the same time. That rights were often at the decision of the men around the women.

Trauma binds so many people. Even years apart. When those bonds are shattered, needing to be rebuilt, it's not always easy. Saint does a terrific job of unraveling and rethreading both women's stories into a solid book. There were some slow passages that were forgiven as the story resumed between. Dual point of view definitely helped.

There are trigger warnings for child abuse/murder, violence against women, rape/sexual assault, and animal torture. The book does start with the Minotaur tale, after all. Mythology is filled with such topics and this book spans over three decades, so please be advised before reading.

This book was captivating right from page 1. Admittedly I’m a sucker for retellings of Greek myths, especially if they focus on more minor characters.
Jennifer Saint brought Ariadne to life, with motivations for her actions helping Theseus, and how she felt when he abandoned her. Heroes in Greek myths are often kind of jerks, but Theseus is both a hero and a villain in Saint’s retelling.
And her life doesn’t end when Theseus leaves her on the island, I totally forgot that she marries Dionysus and they have children. This book follows her life until the very end, and it is just perfection.

3.5 - good, well-written book.

I am a huge fan of ancient mythology, and a huge fan of 'Circe,' so I was especially excited to read Ariadne. Any time there can be a focus on women in these tales, it's notable. I found the first half of the book to be really engaging and creative, but then it just got bogged down with too much introspection and too many details to hold my attention. I appreciate that Saint kept a focus on the mythological canon of Ariadne, but I would've liked a new and different scenario. A good debut, all the same.

This is Saint’s debut novel, and for a debut novel, this is really solid! There’s a solid balance between external actions and internal narration (the POV here is first person, primarily Ariadne and later on her sister for about a third of the book), and looking at two characters who you don’t typically hear about beyond their brief appearances in male heroes’ myths. We get some good extrapolation from their shared childhood under Minos and their mother Pasiphae, and how it affects them later in life. I would say the major weakness in this book is that Saint feels too bound by how the mythology turns out for her two main characters (Ariadne and Phaedra). The best moments this book has is when Saint extrapolates out about how Ariadne and Phaedra’s childhoods affects them later in life and how they interact with others. However, there are times where this book can feel like inner monologues between other characters verbally monologuing about major mythological events, and unfortunately, during those times it feels like I’m reading a Wikipedia page copy/pasted into these dialogues. I also feel like there are certain elements dropped when they are no longer relevant to the immediate story that we maybe could have used more on, like Pasipahe essentially disappearing from the story after a certain point or maybe serving as a third POV character. This is something that can be fixed for future writing that Saint does though! It’s a matter of finding her footing, and while this one doesn’t quite do it for me, I’m sure she’ll do better on her next go.

(There’s also a bit of woo-woo around the universality of giving birth that I’m not that much of a fan of.)

Definitely worth a check out at your library!

Thank you to Flatiron Books for providing me with a copy of “Ariadne” by Jennifer Saint to read and give an honest review!

I absolutely love Greek mythology retellings, and “Ariadne”’s story certainly includes a lot of betrayal, tragedy, and self-discovery that lends itself nicely to the genre. I loved how in this story, Saint chose to give a voice to not one, but two women who find themselves lost and used in the enterprises of some of the “heroic” and powerful men of Greek mythology. In this novel, we follow Ariadne, along with her sister Phaedra, as they are betrayed by Theseus after the whole ordeal with their father, King Minos, and the Minotaur and must find their place in the world that is dominated by mortal men and immortal gods. I think the story of these women, along with all the others such as Pasiphae and the Maenads, was shown so beautifully and was the best part overall. I am so grateful that I was able to read this and fall in love with these women that you do not get to hear much about in the original myths.

This book could almost have been called Ariadne and Phaedra, there was so much about the two sisters, but Ariadne is really the star of the show. The novel tells the story of Ariadne, Princess of Crete, under the rule of her tyrannical father, Minos, and his monster, the Minotaur. We then meet Theseus, the dashing hero from Athens who will slay the monster and free the people. Saint introduces a cast of characters from Greek mythology that any fan will recognize, telling their stories in accessible and exciting ways. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and think any fans of Greek mythology would, too. But even if your understanding or love of mythology were minimal, this retelling is modern and clear enough that you wouldn't feel like you were reading The Odyssey. It's a great topic and a great story.

⭐ 3.75 / 5 ⭐

Packed with rich storytelling and prose, Saint unfolds Ariadne’s epic in a way that will leave you weeping & yet begging for more.

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything.

This one hurt like a mothertrucker, dudes. It was gruesome and too honest, and stunggggg. The emotions were real in this one. If you’re looking for a book to make you cry, pick this one up and learn about the sweeping legend of Ariadne and her sister Phaedra.

The story of what happened to Ariadne’s mother Pasiphae hurt too!

(Can you tell that everything about this book pretty much hurt?)


I loved her character so much and the complexity of her arc was so infuriating and heart-wrenching. Anger for the gods really spikes up in every plot point within this book, and as much as I love Greek Mythology, I ended up hated them too 😂 Because as enigmatic and all-powerful as they are, you have to acknowledge most of them truly are terrible. Except for Hades and Persephone.

#CoupleGoals

Ariadne really makes you look at just how messed up the Olympian gods genuinely are because they aren’t human. They don’t know how to appreciate truly beautiful things, because they are immortal. To them, nothing fades, and they can go on pleasing themselves at the expense of mortals forever - but the humans are the ones taught to cherish, to give gratitude. Because nothing lasts forever. The gods will never understand that.

The way Saint explores the reasoning behind why the gods are the way that they are is just so 🙌

There are too many beautifully written lines to quote, and while the plot and pacing did drag a bit, the ending will rip your heart in half. If you were a fan of Circe, The Song of Achilles, A Thousand Ships, or The Silence of the Girls you’ll love this one!

Thank you to Flatiron Books for sending me an ARC copy of this book!

Book Breakdown

Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
World-Building: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Characterization: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Romance: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Dialogue: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Plot: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆」

*Review will also be posted on www.lovefangirl.com ASAP*

When I saw this book first on Netgalley, I was incredibly excited about it. With its comparison to Madeline Miller’s books, it seemed right up my alley. After reading this, I can honestly say it does not disappoint.
Ariadne starts as a little cold, and hard to connect to. Her emotions towards Theseus bring life to her, and her inherent betrayal more emotion. This story truly expanded upon characters that you don’t hear much about. The pacing of this writing was well done. The gentle hints at other myths as they all intertwined were perfect. If you are new to Greek myth, or familiar with these tales, you would appreciate the intricacies of this. Nothing feels too much like it assumes you know the history.

This book is the story of Ariadne, without whom Theseus could not have slayed the Minotaur and escaped from the labyrinth, and her sister Phaedra. The minotaur is just the beginning of their story, though.

I love a good retelling of a Greek myth, and this one is great. It took me a while to get into it (in part because I couldn't remember if Ariadne = Arachne, and thus doomed to become a spider - spoiler alert, they are NOT the same, and Ariadne does not become a spider), but by the end, I was fully enamored. It is wonderfully refreshing to have fully realized female characters from Greek mythology who exist to do more than support the stories of the male heroes and gods.

Ariadne is Jennifer Saint’s re-telling of the Princess of Crete’s epic story. Spanning many well-known events, characters and venues - Minos, Daedalus, the Labrynth, Asterion (the Minotaur), and Theseus, to name a few - leaving the agency and the voice to Ariadne herself.

I knew from the moment this book was announced that it would hold a special place on my bookshelf; I am a woman who has spent a large portion of her life studying the Classics, and therefore, a bunch of men. I stayed in my field of study due to the compelling voices of the women who mentored me, whether it was Barbara Gold, Shelley Haley, or my go-to Mary Beard. All to say, if you love mythology, have heart, and have long wanted to feel represented in its writings, Ariadne is for you!

If you loved - A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, Circe by Madeline Miller, Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, or the trials and tribulations of Sansa or Aria Stark through GoT - Ariadne is the book (and woman!) for you!

Calliope, the Muse of Epic Poetry, has been busy these days inspiring a number of excellent retakes on Greek myths, revealing again the timeless power of these stories. This recent crop of fine novels told mostly from the women’s point of view, is a treat! Madelyn Miller, Natalie Haynes, and now Jennifer Saint retell these stories through a different lens, and the results make great reading.
Remember Ariadne? The Cretan princess who gave Theseus a ball of yarn so he could find his way out of the Labyrinth after killing the Minotaur? We all suspected there was more to that story. The Minotaur was Ariadne’s brother, who she tried to love but who now is a mad devourer of human flesh. She is blinded by the glow of the Athenian hero, even when he escapes with her and abandons her on the empty island of Naxos, and tells the rest of the world that she is dead.
After weeks alone struggling to survive, the God Dionysus arrives at the shore. Naxos is his home, and he welcomes her with fruit and flowers. He is kind and warm, caring. But we know there’s another side of him, one that comes forth when his followers arrive at Naxos, taking the roles of servants and friends to Ariadne and her children by day, and something completely different by night.
We know that the Greek Gods are fickle and meddling, but we forget the form that might take. Ariadne’s sister Phaedra finds out, as does Ariadne herself.
Add “Ariadne” to your list if you are as riveted by these stories as I am.