'Saint's immersive novel thrusts the reader straight into the heart of Greek mythology with this wonderful reimagining of the story of Ariadne.' - iPaper Saint joins the likes of Madeline Miller and Pat Barker in forging mesmerising retellings of ancient Greek myths from a female perspective.'. 'With her wonderfully executed debut that reimagines the classic tale of Theseus, Adriane and the Minotaur, Jennifer 'ARIADNE gives voice to the misused Princess of Crete who betrayed her father to save Theseus from the Minotaur. 'Exquisitely written and exceptionally moving, this is a mythical retelling to savour.' - Elodie Harper, author of THE WOLF DEN Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel. In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?ĪRIADNE gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods.

But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods - drawing their attention can cost you everything. When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year. 'The story is well known, of course, but Saint tells it skilfully and, like Miller and Haynes, gives a twist to familiar myth by offering the perspective of women characters' - The Sunday TimesĪs Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. 'Here, Ariadne takes centre stage in a lyrical, insightful re-telling that explores her motivations and emotions and the grievances caused by grumpy, cold-hearted gods and warm-blooded men, who are equally vengeful and self-interested - Daily Mail Perfect for fans of CIRCE, A SONG OF ACHILLES, and THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS. This is her story.Ī mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.

In one of the most famous Greek myths, Ariadne betrayed her father, King Minos, to help Theseus defeat the Minotaur.

Ariadne by jennifer saint summary