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yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
“The oracle warned that I would lose myself, but the opposite is true. I am more myself than I have ever been. I am wild, I am free. I am Atalanta.”
It's been too long since I last read a Greek mythology retelling, so I was looking forward to finally pick up Atalanta. I loved the sound of Atalanta's character and her connection with Artemis as well as the quest itself... And I'm happy to announce that Atalanta ended up being an excellent read for me. There was something about the story that drew me straight in, and not even the slower-than-expected pace could prevent me from enjoying the journey. This story is divided into parts, each part focusing on a different part of Atalanta's life. This division worked really well, as you got to enjoy the different aspects of her life that made her the woman she is. I loved the chapters set in the forest where she grew up, although the part set during the quest itself was probably the most engaging of them all. There is a lot of focus on violence and things can get pretty graphic, so make sure to prepare yourself for a darker read... Then again, it IS Greek mythology we are talking about after all. Atalanta has to fight against prejudices as the only woman on the quest, and I loved her strength and perseverance. The ending was actually perfect for this character, even though it wasn't what I expected. Atalanta turned out to be an excellent retelling and I can definitely recommend it if you enjoy this kind of story.
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
kamelleruano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Infidelity and Grief
tashtasher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Slavery, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
lauramcc7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Pregnancy
shayna14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
gracescanlon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
vixenreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cursing, Slavery, Blood, and War
Be warned about the loss of a friend, humans turning into animals, parents leaving babies for dead, and victim-blaming.alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
danimacuk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Alcohol, and Classism
bandysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
To start, I loved the characterization of Atalanta. She has been raised to be fierce and independent. She knows no limitations and so she is a very effective warrior. She's never been taught to think that a woman is somehow less capable, so she joins the Argonauts knowing that she will excel. The warning that Artemis gives her to take no husband seems logical, but as Atalanta explores the world, we see her struggle with her obligations to Artemis and the things she now wants as a human. I definitely think this was the strongest part of the book.
The plot was a bit of a let down for me. While there was a lot going on, it didn't feel like much of it was deeply explored. I expected the journey with the Argonauts to be more exciting, but somehow it felt like a secondary plot. There was a lot more time spent on the romance aspect and I think the action and timing suffered a bit because of it. I don't want to make this sound like it was terrible or anything. It was still an enjoyable story. It's just that comparative to Ariadne and Elektra, this one wasn't quite up to the same standard.
All in all, if you enjoy Greek mythology retellings, you'll likely find this one enjoyable as well. Atalanta is an interesting character and the story does move quickly.
As for the narration of the audiobook, I thought it was well done. It was easy to understand and I found the pacing to be typical for an audiobook. (I always speed them up.) It was easy to follow which characters were speaking and overall, I would recommend the audio option if you typically enjoy them.
3.75 Stars rounded up to 4
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment