It looks as though my Greek mythology bender is still going strong - and it’s not difficult when there are fabulous stories like Atalanta being retold.

And what an amazing heroine Atalanta is - the only woman amongst the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece, she can run faster than the men, beat the best at wrestling, shoot arrows more accurately and hunt wild animals. All activities completely unexpected for women of the time. But Atalanta was raised by a bear from when she was abandoned as an infant, and then nurtured by Artemis and her nymphs in Artemis’ own forest.

When Atalanta leaves the safety of Artemis’ forest to go on her adventures, Artemis warns her that she must remain a virgin - if she doesn’t and she consequently marries, it will be her undoing.

So you just know what’s going to happen!

I loved this book, I loved Atalanta, I love thatGreek mythology is having something of a renaissance in the last few years (but has it ever not been popular in one way or another?), and I love these Retellings where the women are front and centre.

This is just perfect - more please!!

I have to admit, I was particularly excited about this, especially after learning that she also wrote Elektra (genuinely one of the best mythology retellings I have read). This book, however, fell completely short in numerous aspects.

One, I was hoping this would turn out to be similar to I Who Have Never Known Men (one of my all-time favourite books) because I gathered as much from the premise. But boy, I was so so wrong.

Two, I strongly dislike how Athena is depicted here. I just want to read about a huntress who isn't a total jerk. Jeez.

Three, I wanted to throw my phone across the room during all the lovey dovey kissy scenes because the romance was so awfully written. There was no chemistry between the characters.; I mean, the guy speaks like some sort of robot for crying out loud.

On the whole, it was alright but just not as good as I heavily hoped it would be.

So far, all books from Jennifer Saint are unmissable: happily this new epic is no different from the writer’s earlier smash-hit novels Ariadne and Elektra. This time the author has turned her attention to retelling the legendary story of Atalanta, who was left to die on a hillside as a baby for the “crime” of being a girl – then saved and raised by bears, before being taken by the goddess Artemis to live alongside her nymphs, enjoying a seemingly idyllic childhood in an enchanted forest, running wild, growing strong and learning to prove herself – yet as she matures (unlike her ageless companions) she starts to question the unbending rules and harsh punishments which Artemis imposes upon her pastoral idyll. Atalanta is curious about adventure, to experience life outside the forest, and is soon given her chance by the goddess: she is sent to join the Argo, to be the only female Argonaut, and takes her place as one of Jason’s crew on his mythical voyage to retrieve the legendary golden fleece. She proves her worth time and time again, winning over the initially sceptical crew with her strength, her speed, her loyalty and devotion to her patron Artemis, and her journey sees her encounter monsters, navigate challenges and cross paths with other heroes and legends from myths, all described in Jennifer Saint’s artful, poetic prose. This book will no doubt already be on the radar of those who love retellings of classical Greek stories, but anyone who loves a strong female lead will adore this adventure alongside the fearless, irresistible Atalanta: grab your sandals and your spear and strap in for the ride.

A brilliant book; hugely deserving of all the plaudits it gains.
A scintillating telling of Atalanta, the only women among the Argonauts.

This was really fun and enjoyable. I love everything Jennifer Saint writes so I’ve been eagerly anticipating this one and I waited until I was on holiday to read it.

The story of Atalanta is one I’m not really familiar with so this was new territory to me. I didn’t enjoy it as much as her previous books, due to the pacing. It seemed quite rushed and I could’ve done with another few 100 pages really going into depth. Essentially, I wanted the book to be longer and to be able to enjoy her writing even more 😂😂

3.5 stars!

It was interesting to read a retelling of Atalanta, as oppose to some of the more famous stories from Greek myth. An enjoyable read but some of the chapters put me in a bit of a slump as they seemed to be more fillers than important to the story.

Nice to read about Atalanta, who I didn’t know much about. Some powerful moments and another good read for fans of Greek myth retellings.

Based on my understanding, Atalanta is a very minor character in Greek mythology. Therefore, I’m not sure if this was exactly a modern re-telling of a Greek myth. The author definitely had to create a lot of backstory for this character. Some readers have even suggested that this book is more fan-fiction than the re-telling of a classic story.

Regardless of how the story should be catered, it was an enjoyable book. The author is clearly a talented writer and gifted storyteller. However, I feel that the author chooses the wrong source material for her books. I also read the book, Ariadne, by this author. I would love for this author to write a re-telling of a different female character from Greek mythology, perhaps one less obscure than Atalanta or Ariadne.

I didn’t love Atalanta’s character or the choices she made. Her ending is not as tragic as most female characters’ endings are within this genre. However, I felt the character deserved a more tragic downfall. She is “punished” for the wrong reasons and never shows real remorse for her actions. Based on her actions, I felt it difficult to feel sympathy for her character.

In the end, I’m not giving up on this author and look forward to what she writes next.

I actually really enjoyed this book, despite knowing pretty much nothing about Atalanta. It was a really inspiring book and showed a strong female character breaking the mould and stereotypes. It was very well-written.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Headline and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book

I am fast becoming a fan of Jennifer Saints, her three Greek Myth titles are all really good.

I enjoyed this mash up of all the Atalanta myths into one coherent story. I also liked how gods were actively included in this book, unlike the authors previous books.

I did think the ending was quite rushed, I would have liked a bit more time spent coming up to the conclusion.

Another great feminist retelling by Jennifer Saint bring us the story of Atalanta, the forgotten member of the Argonauts, who was abandoned as a baby by her father and raised by a bear. Atalanta, a protegee of the goddess Artemis, is the only woman to embark on the journey to retrieve the golden fleece, along with the Argonauts, a group of mighty heros and sons of gods. Something I quite enjoy in Saint's books is how the mythological characters crossover with other books and how they are linked to different legends. A must read!

Atalanta tells us the story of a girl abandoned as a baby and raised by a god; her travels, relationships and destiny. I had a good feeling about this book as soon as I heard it was being written, ms it didn’t disappoint. Perhaps my favourite retelling yet, I didn’t want it to end, but when it did it was a wonderful end.

We see Ancient Greece through the eyes of a female, but having lived in the forests with the nymphs, Atalanta has had no knowledge of customs or expectations, and when amongst men she rightly sees herself as an equal - and I love her opinions of Jason and the Argonauts! With strength, skill and intellect she proves herself - there are so many great and satisfying moments.

The men are the side characters and vary in importance, some we recognise but see in a different light, and the locations make for great stories within stories.

A super book. I loved it. Many thanks NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

It was my first book by the author and I liked it a lot ! I’m not usually fan of mythology books and I haven’t read a lot of them but this was nice

Not the son her father hoped for, Atalanta is left on a mountainside to die. However she is raised, first by a bear and then by the goddess Artemis, and becomes a great huntress. Atalanta is not wise to the world but Artemis tells her she must join the crew of the Argo in search of the legendary Golden Fleece. During her adventures Atalanta discovers what men are really like and on her return is written out of the sagas.
This is Saint's third book which draws on the ancient Greek myths but retells from both a feminine and feminist perspective. She is an incredibly engaging writer who cuts through verbose classical language and makes the stories accessible and entertaining. This is her best yet and that is saying something as I've loved everything so far!

A must read for all Greek mythology fans! As always Jennifer has come through with a great retelling from a female perspective.
Atalanta is a story about strength and power. She was left on a mountain as a baby by her father and raised by bears and grew up strong. I loved the forest living with the nymphs' and hers and Artemis relationship at the beginning - how she acts as a sister, guide, teacher and mother figure for her. Atalanta is also fierce and loyal and really comes across in the book.
When she joins Jason in the quest for the Golden fleece in place of Artemis she knows she will have to prove herself against some of the strongest men in Greek myth history and it won't be easy as she is quite shy - but she is brave and wants her place on the Argo.
The books is also great at showing how in the past we only really ever hear about the men as Heroes in these tales and the females are often left out. Atalanta wants to make her mark in history and be talked about. She wants the recognition she so rightly deserves and to be remembered and sung about.
I was swept up in the book and didn't want it to end. I will be recommending this book to others and will be eagerly awaiting news of a new book hopefully soon!

Having read Jennifer Saint's previous work, I was very much looking forward to this novel. The tale is told through Saint's poetic and whimsical tone, and feels like you're stepping back in time to Ancient Greece.
Atalanta is a great main character to focus on, with so many dynamic segments of her story. She maintains her steadfast stubbornest throughout the story. I was worried that we would watch Atalanta fall to become a shadow of herself, but I was pleasantly surprised with how the story ended.
I do this that the pacing was stilted at times, and that there were sections that dragged along, but despite this, I think this is a great addition to the feminist Greek myth retellings.

Atalanta ⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a baby, Atalanta is left on the mountainside to die, but is instead raised by a family of bears under the watchful eye of the goddess Artemis. To prove her worth she joins Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to steal the Golden Fleece.

This was a really enthralling adventure but I missed the human element that I so enjoyed of Elektra, also with so many characters introduced throughout their journey it was hard to keep track of all the names and places. That being said it was a great fast paced and empowering read

It took me a while to really get into this book, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. The novel tells the story of Atalanta, a woman who was raised by Artemis, who lived a life of seclusion in the forest until she was thrust into the world and into a grand adventure — the only woman to join a band of legendary warriors on their quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Greek mythology mixed with a strong feminist character and a story of love that creeps unseen and unbidden. It was a fascinating read!

A beautifully written retelling of the story of Atalanta. She is wonderfully strong and confident and it was refreshing to read about a less popular Greek character. The weaving of other myths and characters was great and gave enough depth without taking away from the main story line. Wonderful read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Jennifer Saints work.

I adore a Greek mythological retelling, and this one didn’t disappoint! We meet Atalanta, having been abandoned on a hillside as a baby, as she is raised amongst nymphs by the goddess Artemis.

Atalanta has incredible hunting and athletic skills and, eager to prove herself as equal to any of the heroes famed throughout Greece, she is sent as Artemis’ champion to join the crew of the Argo, where she fights alongside Jason as he sails to bring back the Golden fleece. From there, she is also involved in the Calydonian boar-hunt, after which she must decide whether she is willing to pay the price that Greek heroes are asked for the fame and immortality they enjoy.

There are some really nice passages in this book, and the pacing is just right. I love the fact that Atalanta is placed at the heart of so much of the action and, even though the author does take some liberties with the original tale, the plot is fascinating. I loved all of the characters, and would read more by this author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.