Book Review: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Length: 308 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

"It was the women, always the women, be they helpless serving girls or princesses, who paid the price. Cursed to roam the land without refuge, transformed into a shambling bear or lowing cow, or burned to ashes by the vengeful white armed goddess."

Trigger Warnings in this book for Blood, Violence, Gore and Mention of Rape

I have always, since my earliest memories, been enamored with Greek mythology. Now, that same love extends to all mythologies and folklores, but the tales of Zeus and Hera, Artemis and Apollo, the ill-fated Cassandra and the murderous Medea, will always have a special place in my heart. When I saw Ariadne by Jennifer Saint was one of Book of the Month's May selections, I knew I had to have it!

Ariadne is best remembered for giving the crimson thread to the hero Theseus, allowing him to find his way through the labyrinth and destroy her monstrous brother, the Minotaur. Then, cruelly, she is abandoned on the island of Naxos. But there is more to the story.

Told in alternating POV's between Ariadne and her younger sister, the doomed Phaedra, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne gives the story back to the women, who have so often born the brunt of the God's ill-will. Ariadne, at first resigned to die on Naxos, discovers that she has caught the eye of Dionysus, the God of wine, fertility, festivity, and general indulgence, and soon comes to meet him. She is wary, as she knows well what happens to mortals favored by the Gods.

Phaedra is married to Theseus, who tells her Ariadne was killed by a snake on Naxos. Never really believing him, Phaedra tries her hardest to gather power and learn just what makes a Queen. I generally preferred Phaedra; she was strong-willed and fiery, as opposed to the sometimes boringly good Ariadne. Phaedra's downfall comes in the form of Theseus' son by Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons, Hippolytus.

While sometimes I felt the prose fell a bit short, I truly enjoyed reading these legends come to life. With only a few differences from the original mythology, it was bittersweet to follow these fabled women to their fates. I am eagerly anticipating Saint's next novel, Elektra, which will tell the stories of three women from the doomed House of Atreus: Clytemnestra, Cassandra and Elektra. Be sure to pick this up if you're a mythology lover like me!