While Ariadne is cautious and wants a quiet life, Phaedra learns to influence men, so she has some authority. We also see some events from Phaedra, Ariadne’s sister, who acts as a foil to her sister. How can we not share her tenderness of this moment and later her grief for what her brother will become?

She doesn’t see a monster she sees a baby with calf eyes and soft fur. We are drawn in from the start as Ariadne is a caring character who loves to dance, and the action starts with her helping birth the Minotaur. The story is told predominantly from Ariadne’s point of view, her highs and lows, her acceptance of her position, as well as her attempts to change her fate. They are tools for men to use and discard when their purpose is served and as a form of punishment when men go against the gods.Īriadne cannot escape this truth, her mother is punished for her father’s greed, and the result is the Minotaur. Instead, we explore the way women are treated by men and gods alike. This is a Greek mythology retelling that shifts the focus away from Theseus and his heroic exploits to become King of Athens. But will her own sacrifice, the loss of her home and family, lead to a happy ever after, or will Theseus forget her in pursuit of his own fame and fortune?

She is so swayed by his virtue, honour, and handsome face, that she betrays her father to end the murders. Then Theseus, the prince of Athens, arrives as a sacrifice. Every year, Athens sends fourteen young men and women as a sacrifice to the Minotaur, and Ariadne looks away, unable to bear her part in these atrocities. Ariadne is the daughter of King Minos of Crete and the sister of the dreaded Minotaur.

Ariadne jennifer saint book review