Overall, what do you think of Ariadne? (no spoilers in this thread, please)

Overall, what do you think of Ariadne? (no spoilers in this thread, please)

I adored this book. I loved the fact that it was written from two women's points of view and really added so many new dimensions to the classical myth.

I thought it was a remarkable and enjoyable book. I had no idea of what would transpire and by Chapter 3, I was immersed and found it hard to put down.

I didn’t initially request this book thinking, ugh, Greek mythology? But I’m glad I was given a second chance. I loved the book! I also found myself researching every story that arose during the book. Very well written

I felt great sympathy for her. A strong women, she faced her many challenges and grew from them, did not become overly embittered.

I thought it was fantastic--I've read a lot of Greek mythology retellings and this one felt fresh. The characters were all distinct and believable and I thought the narrative was exciting and unpredictable.

I was a real Greek mythology enthusiast when I was younger, so I looked forward to this book. I did not know a lot about the central character, and admit, spent some time going down the internet wormhole to refresh what I may or may not have know 40 years ago.
What I enjoyed was the fresh modern feminist take on something this ancient. It truly made it current.

I really enjoyed this book. I know very little about Greek mythology so was a learning experience, a new history lesson and opened a whole new world in my reading. Made me laugh, made me cry!

I wasn't sure about a retelling of Greek mythology, but Saint really made the characters and the plot come alive.

I devoured the book as quickly as I could, being caught in its net of lyrical writing (some of those metaphors!) and a wonderful plot that transported the old Greek myths into a feminist sphere.

Like rebajane, I did not originally request this book and was offered a second chance. I am grateful for that. I vaguely remember a Greek unit when I was in seventh grade. I know I watched Disney's Hercules with my son when he was small. I really got into the Percy Jackson series when my fifth graders started reading it. So basically, this was it as far as my experience with Greek Mythology and Greek gods and goddesses went. I think the reasons I always held back was due to the fact that all of the relationships seemed so confusing, and the language of many of the stories made it difficult for me to become engaged. Ariadne was a real treat. The relationships between characters were explained well. The importance of the gods and goddesses made sense, as did the contradictions in their personalities and behavior in relation to their positions. A longer version of the myth of the minotaur allowed for the presentation of more background information, character development, and comprehension. I will definitely look for more books like this from Jennifer Saint! I think it is a real gift to be able to share one's passion in such an engaging way.

Great book. Got me out of my reading funk, that good. I was surprised by it because I didn't know a lot about the story of Ariadne so it kept me guessing. Definitely enjoyed the feminist take on the story and because it was told from the point of view of the two sisters. I was also surprised that the ARC was so well edited. An extra plus!

I did enjoy it but in my opinion it cannot compare to Circe by Madeline Miller. Possibly part of the reason that Circe was so good was that she was such a minor character in mythology that Madeline Miller had much more freedom in the telling. Interesting side note, Circe was a sister of Pasiphae. In Madeline Miller’s book, she goes to Crete to help her sister with the birth of the minotaur.
Also I kind of felt that the lack of power of females was really way too much the focus of this book.

Ariadne the book:
I truly enjoyed this, at first for the beautiful, poetic language, then for the realistic and distinctive characters, both human and “divine.” And finally for the strong theme, the importance of recognizing and valuing women’s lives and their need for freedom to make their own choices.

Ariadne the character: I liked her empathy and sense of moral purpose, starting with how she supported her mother, her decision to help rescue the Athenian youths, and later her need to find out for herself the truth about her husband’s rituals with the manaeds, to examine their relationship instead of taking it for granted, and to challenge him to be his best self. She did not want to “live a lie.” She was willing to take risks to have a mature and honest relationship.

I enjoyed this book. The writing was beautiful and immersive. I could almost feel the sea breezes. Most importantly, I cared about the characters, even those I didn't like.

Since I’ve never read a Greek tragedy retelling, I found the first chapter a little slow. I’m so glad I persevered, because the story became more interesting as it transpired. Also, I thought almost every character in the book, and perhaps in Greek Mythology in general, seemed to be so selfish. They were evil in one way or another.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will recommend it to others. I admit to a bias: I have always enjoyed Greek mythology (good old Edith Hamilton!)and seeing the myths from a woman’s perspective was very refreshing. However, I did feel at times that it was a bit heavy handed. There were instances when I wanted to say, “we get it!” I would have appreciated more nuance and the opportunity to arrive at the conclusion myself, rather than being told that life and the gods were unfair to women.

The mythology really kept my interest. The author presented a point of view of Ancient Greek life that resonates and rings true. As with many books, I read four chapters then began again, giving me a better understanding of the characters and plot. Altogether an enjoyable and worthwhile read.

I love books that put new spins on classics, whether they be myths, fairy tales, or novels. The thing I really liked about this book was how sympathetic it was to the women, even Medusa. The women often bore the punishment for the actions of men and gods.

I truly enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful journey into Greek Mythology. The story was engaging, with many surprising twists and turns.
I loved the fictional aspect of the story, while tying it to traditional Greek mythology.

I was a little nervous going into this one because I don’t tend to pick up other Greek mythology reads, however I was so surprised when I started reading Ariadne and was immediately hooked! I thought the writing was fantastic and appreciated the fact that the focus was on the women in the stories, not the men.

I know nothing about Greek Mythology and I found the book hard to keep my attention when I first started reading. Lots of names of characters I don't think I could pronounce or spell correctly. I did persevere, finished the book, and was glad I did. Congratulations to Jennifer Saint. Not typically a book I would choose, but it was good to read something else besides the norm.

I very much enjoyed the book. Having had little exposure to mythology (through my own choice, sad to say) it was a fresh experience for me and one that I really enjoyed. The book is well written; the story flows easily, the characters are fleshed out and believable, and the ending definitely took me by surprise. Because I had no knowledge of any of the mythical characters, I was constantly having to look at a reference in order to have better understanding. Thus, my only suggestion is that perhaps a glossary of names and a small amount of background on each would be helpful. But I would not give the novel a lower rating on a scale because of this.

This was an okay read for me. I wanted a more feminist view in this retelling and thought the author followed more closely to the more classical model but did enjoying hearing the story from a more women's point of view.

The first half of the book - I was rooting for Phaedra as I was hoping that her seeming aggressive behavior and curiosity would fare well for her. But, by the second half, I was appreciating Adriadne's personality more and her ability to crave out happiness that worked for her and worked for the world that she lived in.