"Ariadne" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come talk about your initial, general impressions!

Please save all discussion of particulars, details from the story, character choices, plot questions, etc. for the full spoiler thread.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ misogyny, rape, incest, sexual assault, suicide, blood & gore, loss of loved ones, bestiality, harm to animals, adultery (hide spoiler)] from TWDB

[Tina Reads]

Looks like I'm getting this discussion started. I started reading this a little early because my library hold came early. I'm a little over halfway through and am enjoying it a great deal. Jennifer Saint's writing voice really reminds me of Madeline Miller's, and I'm not mad about it.

I have no illusions going in that the men and the gods treat women terribly in this retelling; I remember from reading the myths at how women got the worst of the gods' vindictive punishments for a man's wrongdoing. Or Zeus had sex with them and Hera got mad about it.

I like Ariadne and Phaedra's characters. I honestly can't remember what happens to them after Theseus came to Crete, but it can't be good. I'm looking forward to finding out.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

I've got maybe 7 weeks before my library sends this my way. :(

[Hank, Hankenstein's Modster]

I got mine early as well. It isn't bad but it isn't comparing well to Circe for me.

[Tina Reads]

Hank wrote: "I got mine early as well. It isn't bad but it isn't comparing well to Circe for me."

I haven't read Circe yet (next month!) but it reminded me of MM's writing from The Song of Achilles. What about it didn't compare well? I finished reading it and thought it was very good and brought the story full circle from the prologue.

[Alex]

I just finished Part I and I'm really enjoying it! It's pretty clear from the start that some of the male characters, even those that seem heroic or benign at first, are going to initiate conflict that will harm some of the female characters.

I like that Saint gives us snippets of familiar mythology with emphasis on the women who are often punished for men's behavior while simultaneously setting up Ariadne and Phaedra as two females who won't allow themselves to be victims.

I'm hooked and looking forward to seeing where it goes.

[Chelsea]

I finished it today. It was not what I expected. I am glad I read it. I actually wasnt sure I was going to finish it. It picked up for me about half way through. I found it sad and depressing how the women were expected to live and they way they were treated. I did like Circe more. The writing styles were different.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

I somehow got this through my library today. Started it tonight and... Barrie Kreinik's audio narration is irritating me. It's not an uncommon style, but it is one that I currently find grating.

[Chelsea]

Ha ha ha ha me too. It took me a bit to get over it.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

I'm glad it's not just me. It's as though they place emphasis at unnatural points of words as thoUGh tHey weRe writtEn like tHis.

[Chelsea]

Lol

[Anna]

Brian, this is the thread for Ariadne! :)

[Christi]

I'm not very far in, but I'm enjoying it so far. The Prologue really captured my attention and helped keep me invested in the parts I've read afterward.

[Tina Reads]

Christi wrote: "I'm not very far in, but I'm enjoying it so far. The Prologue really captured my attention and helped keep me invested in the parts I've read afterward."

Yes! I loved how the prologue was written. It drew me in and got me invested immediately, which I wish more writers managed.

[Ruth]

I loved Greek mythology as a child so I know how things are going to turn out (probably) but it’s still interesting to see exactly how it’s going to unfold.

[Paul]

First impressions - Greek gods and men are not in the least bit nice!

[Ruth]

Ruth wrote: "I loved Greek mythology as a child so I know how things are going to turn out (probably) but it’s still interesting to see exactly how it’s going to unfold."

I’ve now read the first few chapters and the narrative is getting through the myths I know at quite a pace. So I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the bulk of the book!

The writing style isn’t blowing me away tbh, the inevitable comparison to Madeline Miller doesn’t flatter Jennifer Saint.

[Sabrina]

So far, I enjoyed the first part more than I thought I would based from a few ratings I have seen as well as from my previous experience with Circe or The Song of Achilles.

I'm not very knowledgable about l Greek Myths, so I have no idea how this will end, which is great :-)

[Bonnie]

Ruth wrote: "The writing style isn’t blowing me away tbh, the inevitable comparison to Madeline Miller doesn’t flatter Jennifer Saint."

Through Chapter 2.
1. ^Same, although I probably could not explain exactly why I think that. I just read The Song of Achilles last month.

2. I keep envisioning Marta in the Netflix German TV show, The Dark standing on stage in her school play about Ariadne. There were some very cool lines about Fate and cycles and the Minotaur and whatnot, linking to the story in The Dark. She was wearing a white robe and red lipstick, maybe holding a red spindle? (i might be making that up) anyway there was visual symbolism with the color red.

3. I did not remember about the dancing floor. Is there something special about it in Greek mythology?

[Ruth]

I’ve decided to DNF this book, at least for now. It’s just not really doing it for me, unfortunately.

[Adeline]

Finally managed to get through the first part.

Can't say that I like it and I'm not sure what the point of this retelling is. At the start of the book I expected a version of the myth that gives Ariadne some agency that isn't about falling in love with Theseus but nope. On the contrary, she can't even muster some rage at her abandonment until days have passed.

I also question the decision to rush through the juciest part of the Ariadne myth (I mean, if you know the myth then you know what follows is pretty boring).

[Brian]

I really like Madeline Miller's work, and I have heard that this is similar to her work, both in subject matter and prose. I was waiting for my library copy to come in, and began reading a Brandon Sanderson book while I waited...looks like I will be participating in the spoiler thread in a few months. LOL.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

I feel like the odd man out again. I don’t think the writing is bad but I don’t think it’s as well done as Miller.

Something about it is too blunt for me to really appreciate right now. I didn’t like racing through all the myths in the first chapter. I’d have preferred if she trickled them in so it didn’t feel so preachy? I don’t know if that makes sense.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

enough for a first impression, I think!

[Oleksandr]

Ryan wrote: "I'm glad it's not just me. It's as though they place emphasis at unnatural points of words as thoUGh tHey weRe writtEn like tHis."

As a non-native speaker I found the narration quite nice :)

[Ann]

I just picked this up from the library a few days ago and am a few chapters in. I like many of you are not as drawn into this book as compared to Miller's, but I listened to her narrate her audiobooks so that might be part of the difference too, not sure. I'm just not feeling much of an emotional connection to these characters, it just feels mediocre so hoping it draws me in more soon.

[Sabrina]

Oleksandr wrote: "As a non-native speaker I found the narration quite nice..."

Same for me :-)