Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

37 reviews

queerbookworm's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is so emotional and thought provoking. I'm writing this review just after finishing reading so I haven't really sat with it for long but I thought it was beautiful. A lot happens in this book, Ariadne is from a family with quite a few associated myths, and even though I have read all of them several times it felt brand new. 

This book focuses on two perspectives not often cared for in Greek mythology, that of humans and that of women. If you are a fan of these myths I can guarantee that this book will at least change how you think about the myths recounted in this book, but it may change how you view Greek mythology as a whole. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It is beautiful written and, if you're an audiobook listener, the narrator does a fantastic job of making you feel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, and Blood

Nothing that you wouldn't get out of a regular Greek mythology book

emoryjoy's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense 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? Yes

2.0

I would like to give the caveat that I was listening to this as an audiobook and had it at double speed by the end. This quite nearly was a DNF. 

I'm not sure if the story took liberties with the myth or was just much more in depth than I knew about. Either way, it absolutely nailed the Greek Tragedy vibe and was gruesome in that very specific way that myths often are. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

alli_e_oop's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and War

idk_indigo's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book took me a really long time to read. It wasn't bad, and I quite enjoyed it when I was able to read for stretches of time. The pacing was all over the place, the first 1/4 felt alright, then the 2nd 1/4 was so slow I thought I might never finish it, then the 3rd 1/4 picked up, then the last few chapters I sort of just checked out. I think the author took "show not tell" to the extreme but instead of showing us or telling us she did neither. I was very confused at times, but also I am partially chalking that up to the fact that, again, it took me a really long time to read. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

captnmorgan's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a lovely book! It was a slow start but after part one it picks up and draws you in. I found a lot of similarities in the story to Circe, and without knowing much of the classical Greek mythology, I’m not sure if they just had similar stories or if it was on purpose. Either way a lovely book! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

yannic_rasmus's review

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A beautifully tragic retelling of another woman in Greek mythology who deserved better.
Wonderful writing style, captivating characters and very true to the original source material. 
Also recommended for fans of Madeline Miller's "Circe"!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, and Blood

sandy_21's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Gore, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and War

ibjilln's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and War

camiandkitread's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

4.5

Jennifer Saint’s “Ariadne” is a beautiful retelling of the Ariadne myth. 

The pacing is slow but steady, enough to keep the reader’s engaged but calm while the tense parts of the myth are spread out. 

The ending of “Ariadne” was not one that I was familiar with but suited this interpretation nicely. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hannahbailey's review against another edition

challenging sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I went into this excited to read a Greek myth feminist retelling that WASN'T about the Trojan war and instead focused on Ariadne, sister of the Minotaur and traitor to her family. After trudging through (barely) the clunky prose I was disappointed to discover this portrayal of Ariadne as passive and boring. I kept persisting with the hope that she would either become more interesting or begin her revenge arc, but she did neither. As I'd not read about this myth before I was interested to find out how it ended, and it seemed to be leading somewhere empowering (finally!) for Ariadne. Jokes on me, I was wrong again. The ending left me unsatisfied and a bit speechless tbh. I could go on but to spare you the pain, if you're struggling to get through this, it doesn't get better -- sorry 🤷‍♀️😔

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol