Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

27 reviews

alice_underland's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I did really enjoy this book, a tale of a strong women. The pacing closer to the last part did feel rushed in comparison to the rest of the book.

I would definitely recommend giving it a read:)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape

yvo_about_books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

4.0

Finished reading: August 20th 2024

“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. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

catarina_pego's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Abandonment

shay43geek's review against another edition

Jennifer Saint is a hit or miss author for me and the book dragged on way too long.  Atalanta's story was not my favorite of Greek Mythology and the Jason and the Argonauts storyline is very boring.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Murder

stellahadz's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

As someone who grew up reading and hearing Greek mythology, Atalanta's story is one I admittedly wasn't very familiar with, so I was excited to get into this book. It started off a little slow, but once it gets going, it doesn't stop. The writing is detailed and vivid, which I loved. I wish the author had taken some time to flesh out the characters a bit more - one problem I have with Greek mythology is that the characters are sometimes portrayed in a caricature-ish way, and modern retellings have the opportunity to give them a little more complexity while also staying true to the characters based on the different readings we have access to today. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Blood, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death

tashtasher's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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

hspfost's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

• 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

3.75

This was an enjoyable read: good setting, good storytelling. The plot moved quickly, but it somehow still dragged at times.

I definitely had some mixed emotions at the end, despite the fact that it isn’t a tragedy.

Overall, glad I read it, but not sure that I would read it again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Moderate: Sexual assault

redheadorganist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape and Suicide

lauramcc7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Pregnancy

chainsawheartbooks's review

adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

“Equal in strength”.

I enjoyed this more than I expected to if I’m honest. I’m a fan of Greek mythology, and re-tellings are such an interesting way to learn more, especially of stories less shared.

This started out quite slow, of course setting up the character and getting to know the protagonist well before she heads on her quest, and I struggled with this build-up even though I knew it was necessary for the story.

But when I started Part 2 I found it difficult to put down. The journey was so rich, the characters felt fleshed out, and I just needed to know more. 

I audibly gasped at one point in a later part which is rare for me, and yet I am so thankful it was this book that made it happen. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Blood