I have no idea how I missed this review, but I'm truly sorry.

I'll read anything she writes!

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint was a phenomenal debut (at the time).
An engaging and engrossing tale.
Extremely well written. And definitely a page-turner. Jennifer Saint did an outstanding job with this story and I can't wait to read what she brings us next!
The narrator did such a great job at setting scene and bringing these characters to life.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much To net Galley and McMillan audio for my copy of Ariadne by Jennifer Saint Narrated by Barrie Kreinik In exchange for an honest review, it published May 4, 2021.
First off, I have to say that the narration was very well done. I am very skeptical when it comes to Greek mythology books. I also am very on educated so them, so I don’t feel like I am a very good judge on them. However, I feel like this one really taught me a lot about the different characters, and really opened up the world to me in a way that was easy to understand. It was neat to see how the different gods were involved, and the storytelling was brilliant! If you are a fan of Greek mythology books you will definitely like this one.

All a book blurb needs to say is "Greek retelling" and I instantly want to read it. This was such a great read too. Stories involving the Minotaur always intrigue me, and this book told from the perspective of his sisters was adventurous and heartfelt.

I really thought I'd love this but I just didn't get into it. I didn't find the story drew me in and I certainly never cared about any of the characters. Luckily the audiobook had a great narrator and that saved the day.

Too much inner monologue rather than action and dialogue so that ruined it a little for me. Still enjoyed the retelling anyway and would probably read this authors next book.

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint is a mythological retelling follows the titular Ariadne, princess of Crete after Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the Minotaur, 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. Ariadne gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods.

This book was beautifully written and helped expand my knowledge of Greek mythology, It was fun to see characters I was more familiar with like Daedalus, Dionysus, and Theseus in conjunction with lesser known characters like Ariadne and her sister, Phaedra. This story definitely helped shed light on the female characters in Greek mythology that are often forgotten. I do feel that the story was slower paced than I usually like, but worth the read if you want to know more about Greek mythology. I would highly recommend this for fans of Madeline Miller.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am loving the trend of retellings of Greek mythology (Circe, Love Song of Achilles), and I especially love it when we hear the voice of the women, as we know those voices were not the ones prioritized. As a student of the classics. I was familiar with the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, but Jennifer Smith brings Ariadne to the fore in a fresh and unexpected way. The narration of the tale amplifies the oral tradition of these stories.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, narrator, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I’ve always found Greek mythology so interesting and loved learning about it. I’ve never read a book about it though, but this one was fun! It wasn’t one of my favorites or super engaging, but I still had a good time with it!

This is an excellent narration of an interesting book with a feminist twist on Greek mythology. It's interesting to read another perspective on the story of Ariadne with the references to Medusa and the minotaur. The narrators voice and accent fits the classic theme nicely. The feminist twist makes for interesting analysis and this book would be a good choice for a book club. It is not a propulsive book; I stepped away from it a few times, but kept coming back with out losing track and enjoyed it in bits and pieces.

I received an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.

I own the physical copy of this book and am totally here for feminist retellings of Greek mythology. The narrator, Barrie Kreinik, did a wonderful job bringing the words and story to life. I found the audiobook to be a good experience for this story. and I listened as I read.
This was similar to Circe but I enjoyed Circe and Song of Achilles a bit better, but this was worth the read if myth retellings are for you.
#Ariadne #MacmillanAudio #Netgalley

The prose was beautiful and the flow was perfect. It was hard to pay attention at times, though, and I wasn't so enthralled that I had to binge it, like I have other Mythology retellings. the ending felt really abrupt, and though I was familiar with the myths, it felt unfinished (or maybe that was just a part I lost interest and stopped paying attention).

Ariadne is born on Crete, the daughter of King Minos and half-sister to the beast, the Minotaur. Her mother is driven mad by the birth of the Minotaur so Ariadne's childhood is spent mostly with her younger sister, Phaedra. King Minos delights in the Minotaur although it's existence is proof of his being cucockled. He is able to extract a terrible revenge from Athens for the murder of one of his sons. Athens is condemned to send fourteen of their youth to be slain by the Minotaur periodically, seven men and seven maidens. After several years of this horrific event, the Athens prince, Theseus, volunteers to be one of the victims.
Ariadne and her sister Phaedra are both fascinated by Theseus. His beauty and his tales of heroism attract them and when he promises to marry Ariadne she agrees to help him slay the beast. With her help he is able to do so and then he, his crew and Ariadne sail off. He marries her on an island but when she awakes, she has been left behind to perish, his love merely a trick.

But life is not done with the daughters of King Minos. Ariadne has landed on the island owned by the god Dionysus and over time the two fall in love, are married and have a family. Phaedra is married off to cement a relationship with another kingdom. The kingdom is Athens and her husband is Theseus who lets her believe that he saw her sister killed during their escape. After being married to him Phaedra realises that he is a vain man only concerned about his adventures and legends. When the two sisters are reunited a seed is planted that plays out in tragedy.

This is a debut novel. Jennifer Saint was a high school English teacher and her love of language and writing leaps from the pages. The narrator is Barrie Krinik, who is considered one of the best voice actors currently working and her narration is perfect. Most readers will only have heard the story of the Minotaur and perhaps of Theseus. Saint brings the women who lived in this story come to life, exposing their weaknesses and strengths and the reality they constantly faced of living in a man's world, prey to men's desires and wishes. Readers who liked Circe will also like this novel. It is recommended for readers of literary fiction and those interested in mythology.

Greek mythology retellings have always had a special place in my heart, so I always instantly request them.
Also, look at that beautiful cover.

I'm not even sure what to say... The prose was beautifully written in Ariadne with a compelling narrative that had me instantly hooked. I truly felt immersed in the vibrant world Jennifer Saint created and the narrator did an excellent job. It tells the story of two sisters, Phaedra and Ariadne, who live under the often petty will of men and Gods alike and how impulsive decisions change the course of their lives.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of Circe, Silence of Girls and A Thousand Ships. Looking forward to reading more from Jennifer Saint in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for allowing me the chance to read this ARC; this is my voluntary review.

For readers familiar with the story of Ariadne, this book will read as less of a retelling and more of a telling. What sets it apart is the fiercely feminist angle and the pieces Jennifer Saint chooses to focus on. For example, while the book begins with Ariadne and her siblings' childhoods on Crete and their father's brutal nature, the story of Theseus and the Minotaur is just the lead-in to Ariadne's actual life story. Abandoned alone on a remote island by Theseus, Ariadne goes through periods of acute despair, hunger and suicidal ideation. When Dionysus arrives, a god seemingly unlike the other gods, she blossoms like the grapes that suddenly grow in masses on the island. And yet... all is not well in her marriage. Dionysus is not the prince he appears to be and Ariadne once again has to deal with the fallout from the choices of men.
The ongoing theme in Ariadne (the book) is that women are forced to clean up the messes that men and the male gods make. Her mother is bewitched to want to have sex with a bull because Minos is a horrible person. Her younger sister has to marry a bad man for the safety of her people. Ariadne is abandoned on an island after helping Theseus kill her brother. Then she's abandoned again by the man she loves and has to fight him to keep her children safe. Saint works in stories of other women like Medusa, making sure to point out the ways in which other women and goddesses are active participants in the subjugation and abuse of women.
Though this book starts slow and indeed some parts continue to drag a bit, the overall story is a much-needed reworking of this classic myth and gives women back their often-silenced voices.
The audio narration of this book is excellent. I felt the narrator was well-suited to the material and to the low and steady anger that characterizes Ariadne. She isn't a firebrand, her strength is more maternal and vulnerable, but maternal does not mean passive and both the book and narrator convey that.

Loved it! If you enjoyed Circe or other mythological retellings, give it a try. The writing was eloquent and the characters well developed. I especially enjoyed the dual POVs! Though I knew the origianl Greek myth, I was still shocked by the ending, which is a credit to Jennifer Saint's writing. Can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!

Thanks to Flatiron Books for supplying me with this copy of Ariadne in exchange for an honest review!

I am a huge fan of Greek mythology stories, and Ariadne was everything I wanted and more. I was not as familiar with the stories of Ariadne and Phaedra, but this novel shared their beautiful story cloaked with all the tragedy and self-discovery. This novel does cover the difficult topics of rape, postpartum depression, and suicide. The audiobook narration is well done. I would highly recommend this book to any Greek mythology and fantasy fans.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for this gifted copy in exchange

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it just couldn't hold my interest. I didn't feel connected to Ariadne or her story. I expected more of a feminist atmosphere to the story after hearing descriptions of it, but Ariadne was fell flat and many of her decisions felt majorly impacted by the men around her. As the story continued, it basically felt like reading a plot summary of the actual myth with no added substance. This was a miss for me.

I love a good myth retelling and this one was pretty good. I found it dragged a little bit and didn’t really draw me in. I plan to add it to my “re-read” shelf and try again another time when I need a more complex read than my cozy mysteries.

I did love the narrator. She voice is enchanting!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book archived before I could get too far in it (my own fault). But from what I did experience it was like a beautiful siren song that lulled you in and held your attention. The voice for this is spectacular. It felt like a live action myth or fantasy tale because it used real myth that has been around for more than a millennium and combined it with fresh new myth that was so well woven into the older stuff it was hard to separate the two.

First line: Let me tell you a story of a righteous man.

Summary: Ariadne is a princess of Crete. She is the daughter of the mighty king Minos. She is the half-sister to the fearsome Minotaur. As she grew up in the palace she learned from a young age how women can suffer because of the men in their lives. But she sees her savior in the hero, Theseus of Athens. He has been sent to Crete as an offering to the Minotaur. Ariadne takes pity on him and helps him navigate the Labyrinth and defeat the Minotaur. With Theseus’ victory they escape the island but will this be Ariadne’s happy ending or will the legends repeat themselves?

My Thoughts: This book was so much better than Circe. I struggled through that one so I was a little hesitant reading another Greek myth retelling. I know that it isn’t the same author but it was still something I thought of as I picked up Ariadne.

I loved the cover. It is eye catching but simple. I remember seeing it many times before it was released. The marketing was really well done for this book. I felt like the story moved along at a perfect speed, the characters were likeable. It stuck to story lines of the original myths while also giving the sisters their own personalities.

I was not familiar with Phaedra and Ariadne’s stories. I knew of the Minotaur, Daedalus, Icarus and Theseus but not all the details. Greek mythology is filled with shocking tales, death, and tragic love stories. I liked how the author intertwined the story lines. The love and devotion of the sisters was a strong theme but also how women are ruled by the men in their lives. I think it was a great read and a fun retelling.

FYI: Death, gore and disturbing events.