This book is the perfect addition to my greek mythology shelf and fits right in with ‘circe,’ ‘the silence of girls,’ and ‘a thousand ships.’

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. I'm always thrilled to come across such a compelling debut, and I cannot wait to see what else Jennifer Saint comes up with. The struggle for females to break free from the influence and punishment of men is a familiar tale, and the infusion of Greek mythology makes it that much more exciting. But then it ends on a strong note, with the last 100 pages picking up the arc of another interesting storyline and taking it all the way to a satisfying close. Not much happens, and we get a lot of background stories on tangentially related mythology characters. The first 100 pages were absolutely unputdownable, with a riveting story arc that just propels the narrative forward. This is the story of Ariadne's life instead of just one event in it, so certain parts definitely feel more cohesive and essential than others. However, I did find the pacing to be a bit uneven. I also found her relationship with her sister Phaedra heartwarming to read. She displays strength and resilience in the face of adversity, and it was fun to follow along and cheer her on. Her character is well fleshed out in all of its complexity, triumph, and heartbreak. I love stories about strong female characters, and immediately found Ariadne to be a captivating heroine.

When she is faced with the terrible atrocities happening under King Minos, will she have the courage to do the right thing and finally accept her destiny? Ariadne vows to never be a pawn for the gods or for mortal men. Growing up in Crete as the daughter of King Minos, she sees how her mother suffers at the hands of the gods as retribution for their anger towards the king. Instead he had traded my existing bondage for another.I just cannot pass up a Greek mythology retelling, and the story of Ariadne is an undeniably fascinating one. I had thought he brought salvation with him.

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint