Review: Ariadne

Ariadne

Written by: Jennifer Saint

Flatiron Books

2021

Jennifer Saint makes Ariadne more than a mother, a sister, or a wife; she makes her a woman with power and heart.

Perfect for fans of Greek Mythology, Ariadne reclaims her identity, delving deeper into her story while giving readers a deeper look into the myths surrounding her.

Storytelling

I absolutely loved the storytelling here and the style of Saint’s prose. The strong opening gives insight into Ariadne, her father, and how he views and treats women.

A lot of lore surrounds Ariadne, from the Minotaur, Theseus, Phaedra, and Dionysus. Her story is connected to so many figures in mythology, and Saint explores that connection.

We start with her relationship with the Minotaur, her little brother, born of a godly curse and a being that grows into a monster. And yet, Ariadne feels compassion for it. Ariadne has a kind, resilient heart, which makes her such a strong character, and it is the connection between the stories, her compassion, and her heart.

But what Saint does is she builds the story. She builds the tension, capturing the emotions of those moments in Ariadne’s life to draw the reader into the story.

It feels like a myth come to life, one that makes the storytelling so captivating. Reading about myths is one thing, but through Ariadne, we experience them. The pain, the love, and the heartache resonate off the pages.

Ariadne is, simply put, breathtaking.

Final Thoughts

I loved Ariadne. As a lover of Greek Mythology, I was drawn in by the myths by Saint’s beautiful prose that gives these classic myths more depth and more emotion.

Cynthia Ayala

Cynthia Ayala-Bujnicki majored in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College. Editor-in-chief of Cyn's Workshop, she loves to read and write while tending to her pepper plants. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, two kids Dante and Selene and two furbabies Mr. J the Kitten who Thinks He's Batman (yes, that is his full name) and Nyx.