A review by heather_harrison
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
adventurous
medium-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
4.25
Thank you Headline Publishing & NetGalley for my audio ARC of Atalanta by Jennifer Saint.
Ancient Greek retellings are very on trend right now, and Atalanta certainly delivers. Yet another retelling which highlights the women previously left behind in these tales, and I am absolutely loving it! This is my first of Jennifer Saint's books and I'm certainly more inclined to potentially pick up Ariadne or Elektra.
Saint did a great job of balancing this feminist icon alongside the sheer misogyny of that world. Her writing is stunning - I'd go so far to say that parts were certainly beautiful, lyrical prose.
Plotwise I felt like it all came together very well, however I wasn't a huge fan of the voyage with Jason and the Argonauts. I felt myself getting bogged down and wasn't overly engaged with it. Hearing Atalanta finally return to her father, only to have him attempt to marry her off was frustrating, until she took it upon herself to turn the tables and turn the entire farce into a footrace. It genuinely gave the same energy as "I'll be shooting for my own heart" from Brave's Merida and I feel like there is some overlap between the two characters.
Narration by Beth Eyre was sensational, and I felt she did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.
I did not see the ending coming and it definitely swept me off my feet.
"I am wild, I am free, I am Atalanta."
Ancient Greek retellings are very on trend right now, and Atalanta certainly delivers. Yet another retelling which highlights the women previously left behind in these tales, and I am absolutely loving it! This is my first of Jennifer Saint's books and I'm certainly more inclined to potentially pick up Ariadne or Elektra.
Saint did a great job of balancing this feminist icon alongside the sheer misogyny of that world. Her writing is stunning - I'd go so far to say that parts were certainly beautiful, lyrical prose.
Spoiler
Plotwise I felt like it all came together very well, however I wasn't a huge fan of the voyage with Jason and the Argonauts. I felt myself getting bogged down and wasn't overly engaged with it. Hearing Atalanta finally return to her father, only to have him attempt to marry her off was frustrating, until she took it upon herself to turn the tables and turn the entire farce into a footrace. It genuinely gave the same energy as "I'll be shooting for my own heart" from Brave's Merida and I feel like there is some overlap between the two characters.
Narration by Beth Eyre was sensational, and I felt she did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.
I did not see the ending coming and it definitely swept me off my feet.
"I am wild, I am free, I am Atalanta."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Violence, Death, and Rape