This was an interesting retelling, I knew little about the Fates before this so I enjoyed this rendition as a way to learn more about the myth. I particularly liked the storyline about the Fates when they were younger, they felt a lot like one entity and I would assume this was more of an artistic choice than an accidental lack of characterisation.

For me there were too many POVs and jumping timelines to make much sense, especially at the beginning. I liked the plot twist about Atalana but up until the last 25% it all felt quite slow and was somewhat jolty and difficult to keep up with. As with many Greek myths, this was impart to the horribly difficult to pronounce names (but this also comes with reading in the fantasy genre, so it was only a little difficult to follow, I don't envy the audiobook reader)

This was a did not finish for me. While the writing was pretty and whimsical the prose and style was not for me. I love Greek mythology but at 25% into the book I just wasn’t enjoying it sadly.

Before there were Gods and mortals, there were the fates. Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos were three sisters born out of Nyx’s darkness, tasked with weaving the lives and deaths of humankind for eternity with their own immortal lives. Immortality and the fates of others are a heavy burden, especially when Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos become fascinated with the human lives of mortals, mainly the great warrior Atalanta and her ill-fated lover, Meleager. The three sisters learn that they are not masters of fate and try to see if they are to be bound by fate forever.
The Fates tries to reinvent the three fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, turning them from old, withered old women into ageless, hopeful girls whose curiosity gets the better of them. The most common representations have the sisters at different stages of life. Atropos is portrayed as an old woman as she chooses when people die, while Clotho is portrayed as a young woman who is present when women give birth. Having the fates of the same age and the same curiosities is a good choice, but it can lead to their voices melding into one.
Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos are indistinguishable in their narrative voices, which does make The Fates a struggle to read. It had the chance to retell an uncommon story, but instead, the lack of distinguishable voices made The Fates a struggle to read. Garland also seems to struggle to find her voice as a writer in this novel and feels as if she is trying too hard to be poetic, which doesn’t quite fit the narrative she is trying to describe.
While The Fates shows the three sisters in a new light, one of the positives from the book was to see their empowerment as female protagonists while simultaneously addressing the real dangers they face as women. The Fates touches upon patriarchy within Greek mythology, but more so in the myth of Atalanta, overshadowing the sister’s storyline at times. When Zeus is brought into the story, he is presented as cruel and meddling, which paints him in a villainous light that most authors shy away from.
Greek mythology, specifically retelling, is a popular choice amongst writers and readers, and while some authors find a new voice for their leads, it felt as though Garland struggled to find individual personalities for the three fated sisters. Some moments of The Fates were insightful, but they were few and far between, which is a shame given the potential of this retelling.

Honestly don't even know what to say. I haven't read many Greek retellings but I was always fascinated with Fates and with Furies. So I decided to give this arc a chance.

This was a bit of a chore to go through. Maybe it's the authors writing style or maybe the style just didn't fit me as a reader. There are some really interesting parts and then there are parts where my mind would drift and I would have to go back and reread the page or two. Another thing that kind of bothered me are the narrative voices of our Fates, they were I think too similar.

A really interesting take on one of the lesser known mythic heroes and a dramatic recasting of the fates.

Following separate timelines, this is the story of the three Greek mythical Fate sisters, interwoven with the lives of heroes Meleager and Atalanta; opposed by the vengeful, usurper God Zeus. The Fates have always been, but does that mean they have to continue to be?

I was a really big fan of the Stephen Fry Greek Myths and Heroes book so I felt like I came in to this story with a bit of a cheat sheet. However, the backstories of our main characters: Atalanta, Meleager and the three Fates, are very well covered. You don’t need a lot of pre knowledge going in and I think it makes this book really accessible.

I really liked the recasting of the Fates from withered, malevolent crones into ageless, hopeful girls. It has strong Circe vibes in the subtle way it both empowers its female protagonists and also addresses the very real dangers and limitations of their lives due to their sex. It’s not quite the lyrical masterpiece of Madeleine Miller’s Circe but the structure of the story and the writing is beautifully ethereal.

Conversely, Zeus is portrayed as uncouth, brutish, brash and I love this. He’s an absolutely awful man/god and the author has unapologetically written him as angry misogynist.

I did enjoy this but I fell in and out of captivation, there were parts where I was totally immersed and others where I wanted it to get to the point.

If you’re looking for a linear and action-packed story then this isn’t for you but if you’re looking for a peaceful, mythic musing I would highly recommend.

Thank you Quercus Books and Netgalley for my ARC

First mythology book focussing on the fates that I've read. Really enjoyed this perspective though I felt that overall the book could have been shorter. Great prose and well structured.

Interesting premise and enjoyed the overall plot, characters and world building could have been slightly better and more fleshed out and writing style was difficult to get out with, but the latter is a me thing.

This was a totally brilliant read, it was sooo much more than I expected, the characterization was on point and the story pieces together very cleverly. This is the way I like my mythological tales to be written, I like them to be original and interesting and this had it in spades. It was gripping and difficult to put down, just what i needed!

I will be on avid lookout for future books by the author.

The Fates by Rosie Garland is Greek Mythology in a fresh and welcoming way. I know anything I have to say about this book will not even touch Garland’s writing. Reading this felt like how listening to a new beautiful song feels. Easy, lyrical, poetic, imaginative, but accessible and inviting. Following the fates themselves was a perspective I have not read yet in the genre and was a beautiful way to tell the story of our protagonists. Although I felt the story stalled slightly around the halfway mark, it was quickly picked up again and I felt myself becoming more and more attached to the story and the meaningful and poetic storyline’s. Threaded throughout the book was also a strong love letter to femininity and love, in all its forms and I found myself rushing to underline and force myself to remember beautiful lines of work. A new Author to myself, Garland has quickly become a favourite and The Fates a new title I will recommend to lovers of all things Greek Myth, extraordinary writing and compelling thoughts.

I was so excited to read a retelling of The Fates, but unfortunately it didn’t hit the mark for me. I buddy read this and we both agree the narrative voices of each character felt so similar, they were almost indistinguishable. Sadly, it fell flat and when the genre of Greek mythological retellings is so rich and wonderful, it’s a shame to see one falter.

2.5⭐️

The Fates has taken up quite a bit of space in my brain in the days following me finishing the book. Unfortunately, this is not in a good way, as I disliked this book and I have been mulling over why that is exactly and how to put it in to words.

I have not come across many modern day adaptions of The Fates. They’ve been present in other novels, but I have not seen them take such a main role as the one Garland places them in. I do think Garland provides a unique twist which I did not see coming, but I can see this decision being divisive (the person I buddy read this with did not like it all, for example).

I think, despite that one moment of seeming uniqueness, Garland seems to try and imitate the other writers that are existing and thriving in this space and it comes off poorly. It seems to try too hard in all the wrong places, and it never quite seems to properly make its point. For the first half of the novel I was questioning what exactly Garland was trying to do with this as it seemed incredibly disjointed.

The writing tries too hard to be poetic that it comes off as cringey and in some places just plain weird. My two favourite examples of my least favourite lines:

‘I have a cave between my legs and he carries a torch to light the way in between my darkness.’
‘[…] sucks so lustily.’ I feel like there were other, better words to use.

I felt that all the characters had similar internal voices and the narratives began to blend together, making it hard to keep up with the timeline of the novel and events.

I do think there were some moments where the writing was nice and insightful, but it was outweighed by the times were it was not. I think Garland only skimmed the surface level of what she could have explored in terms of gender, womanhood, fate and free will, and that’s disappointing.

It may be unfair to compare but I can not help but think of the quality of other books being produced in this genre/category (Greek myth retellings, to oversimplify) and in comparison this one just does not stand up. It’s just fine.

All in all, I can’t say that I enjoyed this at all and I spent most of the book wishing we were at the end or that I’d turn the page and begin to love it. Only one of those things came true (it wasn’t the latter!). I think Garland has potential as a writer but this one was a miss for me.

Being obsessed with Greek mythology, the title and description of this story hung on to me, and I thought it was right up my alley.

The storytelling was absolutely amazing and the descriptions of each character and place was written so well that I could envisage everything.

I originally thought the tale would be primarily about the Fates, but it also focused on a few other characters - Atalanta, who was left on the mountainside to die as a newborn, but grew in to a strong and fearsome hunter. Meleager, who had been cursed as a baby, yet became a great hero to his kinsmen. Zeus, the King of Gods, who was not as "nicey nicey" as people tend to think.

The story actually starts near the end, and throughout the book, we move in to the past and grow with Atalanta and Meleager; and we learn the secrets of the three sisters; the Moriai, otherwise known as The Fates.

I loved this book so much, and out of everything I have ever read, I honestly think this has been my favourite book.

High marks given for all aspects, and I look forward to reading more from Rosie Garland.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. The prose was magical, the story rich and full thought out, and there was a jaw dropping moment I didn’t see coming.

I truly don’t know enough about Atalanta as I’d like to but this book has enriched my knowledge about the Fates. The pacing throughout kept me captivated and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next.

You know a Mythology retelling is good when it makes you want to research and read more books about the characters.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Rose Blynthe/Rosie Garland and Quercus Books for providing me this ARC. Let me start by saying that when I requested this ARC (and during my reading), I had no ideia the author was THE Rosie Garland from post-punk gothic band The March Violets! My head exploded when I realized! This was just a beautiful cherry on top of a delicious cake. I absolutely adored this book. I was prepared to read about the Fates but I wasn't expecting them to be used as a kind of vehicle to offer a retelling of the beautiful mythological love story of Atalanta and Meleager. The writing was so beautiful and so poetic. I could not put this book down. I really liked the various POVs and how they were structured along the book. I will not spoil the book by going into details but I loved that the narrative presented the Fates as the female version of Prometheus (if you know you know). I am so excited for this book to come out so I can buy a physical copy!

Excellent read. Really enjoyable. Exquisitely written with relatable and likable characters and beautiful world-building. 100% would recommend to all of my friends and fellow book lovers.

I'm a sucker for Greek mythology so when I saw a book about The Fates, I was immediately intrigued. The book starts off slow but once the story really takes off, it's a hard one to put down.

I thought this book would fully focus on the Fates but a large part of the story actually talks about Atalanta and Meleager. I was a bit disappointed by this at first but wow, did I end up loving it! Rosie brought together the stories of the Fates and Atalanta and Meleager in such an interesting and beautiful way, I'm definitely a fan! She gave it her own twists and brought us a great Greek mythology retelling.

Besides POVs of the Fates, Atalanta, and Meleager, there were also some chapters from the POV of Zeus. Now, Zeus will never be one of my favorite characters in Greek mythology but the way Rosie portrayed him was just perfect. He was exactly as the Greeks saw him: selfish, ignorant and so very full of himself. Basically, a jerk. It was a joy to read such an honest depiction of the mighty God.

All in all, a very enjoyable read that I can definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

The Fates is an incredible exploration of fate, time, the patriarchy and love in Greek mythology. It had me hooked from the first page and is one of the most unique books inspired by mythology that I have read.

Woven with the threads of life and loss, with the skill of Arachne

This book... THIS BOOK! Ahh... I cannot wait for it's official release as I will be handing it as a top suggestion to oh so many people. Whether you enjoy the likes of Madeline Miller, Natalie Haynes, Pat Barker... Basically, if you have any interest in Greek mythology, or just fancy an absolutely captivating read, The Fates await you...
In a world currently seeing mythological retellings, especially ones with feminist twists, or female main characters, Blythe has crafted a masterpiece sure to impress.
Also a side note, that Zeus comes across as a meddling deceitful cruel god... The way personally, I have always read him to be, its refreshing to see it so clearly within the genre.
The prose is poetic and lives page to page... Overall I am stunned by how much I loved this book. A true contender for my books of the year...

This book was AMAZING!! A captivating retelling of what actually happened with old myths and legends and a whimsical overview of how the fates were overthrown.
I felt deeply for both the main characters, whose beginning did not define their lives or ending.
Superb writing and very addictive -had to keep reading into the small hours to find out what was going to happen.
Absolutely brilliant and a recommended must read.

First of all, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Quercus for giving me an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Total rating: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you couldn't tell from the speed I read this book, I couldn't put it down. I went into this book with little to no knowledge on Atalanta and Meleager, and have enjoyed learning along the way both in my own research of the people and in the way they are written in the book.

At first, it took me a while to get used to the pacing of the book, as they give detailed history on each character from their own points of view, but once I was getting into the book I was extremely glad they had gone into such detail. It made it so that I found it so much easier to connect to the characters, hanging on to each word by a thread (get it? Like threads of life? cuz it's the fates? no? okay).

Also, just to put it out there, the gods are absolute a**holes in this book and I LOVE IT. Give me egotistical Zeus any day.

The author has also managed to make this book their own with their own twists. I can't even describe how it was done, but it was clever.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Greek mythology (with and without it's accuracies), as it's a lot of fun to read.