“I know that human life shines more brightly because it is but a shimmering candle against an eternity of darkness, and it can be extinguished with the faintest breeze.”
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I love a mythology retelling and Ariadne did not disappoint! I actually think the name is a misnomer as while the story revolves around Ariadne we get into the dramatic lives of so many Olymipans. As with any Greek tragedy, we know this is gonna be a rough ride with lots of licentious drama and angry gods meting out punishments at every turn. Poor Ariadne was a sweet, hopeful girl who learned from a young age that as a woman she was not in control of her own fate. She feared one of the terrifying punishments with every move she or anyone around her made. And yet, she allowed her moral compass to be her guide unfortunately for her that compass had little guile.
We see Ariadne try to right the wrongs of her parents and be led astray by the first heroic man who comes across her path. When she is left alone and double crossed she finds herself in the path of a god who is intrigued by her. All too aware of how insignificant mortals are to the gods, Ariadne is incredulous and careful to step lightly around him. Over the years finds herself living in peaceful domesticity until her past comes crashing back to disrupt the peace she so carefully constructed and she is forced to choose between her family and what is right.
None of the fates in this story are new but the masterful way they are weaved together and retold made this book hard to put down for me. I think this story will get lots of comparisons to Madeline Miller’s work but those are character driven stories and this is much more action packed and focused on the world around Ariadne. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this novel. All opinions above are my own.
What’s your favorite book featuring mythology?
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