REVIEW: Ariadne (Jennifer Saint)

Book: Ariadne

Author: Jennifer Saint

My rating: 3.5/5.

Premise: Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up with the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, echoing through the palace. When Theseus arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees her chance to escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne's decision ensure her happy ending?

The book is dual perspective, following both Ariadne and her sister Phaedra's stories. Ariadne is wary of both and is rather timid throughout the book I felt. I liked that her and her husband created a haven for women, but I was frustrated at how she buried her head in the sand. I preferred Phaedra's perspective as she was stronger and got involved in politics, manipulating men to get her way.

I didn't know much about the Greek mythology in this book so I found it interesting and did a lot of googling on the side. The story is ultimately bittersweet. Throughout we see how women are treated as the playthings of men and Gods alike. There were a number of other women from Greek mythology mentioned and the injustices of their stories highlighted.