Strong, fleet, and an outstanding archer, Atalanta lived an idyllic woodland life among Artemis’ chaste community of nymphs at ease with the goddess’ prohibition of marriage. That night, I did not sleep next to the bears’ shaggy warmth, the heavy thrum of their hearts beating in my ears, but on a bed of animal skins, and I woke to the sound of a woman singing.

Whenever I hear that Jennifer Saint, has a new book on its way into the world, I suspect I am not alone, in clapping my hands in glee. They both do important work to further highlight Atalanta’s story as a human’s story, not just a woman’s. Elsewhere, Jason is preparing to set out aboard the Argo on his mission to obtain the Golden Fleece from the King of Colchis.

So when Artemis tasks her to join the heroic quest of Jason and his Argonauts, Atalanta is eager to join the adventure and bring glory to her goddess. It was Artemis who had come for me, I would discover, and it was to her sacred grove that she had taken me. Five more winters passed before she came to me one dawn at the start of spring, when she whispered “Atalanta?

When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The narrator, soon established as Elliot Chase, then zooms out to address the reader directly, introducing the players—most importantly movie star Lana Farrar. As you read Atalanta’s story, you can’t help by admire her, she’s fierce, fiery, and fearless with the skills of an expert huntress and the heart of a warrior.It retells the events of the Trojan War, giving a lot of time and sympathy to the character of Helen, so I think it really imprinted on me early on that the women of the myths have a great story to tell too! Across the water, set into the sloping mountainside, was a wide cave with large rocks dotted about in front of the entrance. There are just so many great female characters in that pantheon and collection of stories that are only mentioned briefly but who hint at fascinating, untold histories. Atalanta’s story of a woman’s strength and valor, the cost of her success as a warrior, and of being a mortal, seems tailor-made for a feminist retelling. grin] I should be reading Saint’s ‘Ariadne’ some time in the next 6 weeks, and will be adding this one to my interest list.