Ariadne is yet another Greek retelling, reworking classic tales of heroism for a 21st-century audience. But its ability to co-exist beside genre-defining works like Madeline Miller’s Circe sparks hopes of success for both the genre’s future and Saint’s career.
“What I did not know was that I had hit upon a truth of womanhood: however blameless a life we led, the passions and the greed of men could bring us to ruin”
Jennifer Saint
Greek Mythology is a genre of literature, equally lucrative and crowded. Usually characterised by a myriad of retellings, authentically shaping ancient legends of gods and monsters to be accessible to the wider public; rather than simply for the amusement of academics and scholars.
However, due to a resurgence in book sales through the success of ‘BookTok’, there has been a rise in literature focusing on often marginalised groups in the original tales; particularly women. This growing sub-genre of feminist fables has allowed authors such as Madeline Miller to rise drastically in fame. Now, Jennifer Saint follows in Miller’s footsteps.
Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne masterfully recollects the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, from the perspective of the often forgotten and silenced titular character. In the resurfacing of Ariadne’s lost voice, long forgotten marvels of her own heroism stand triumphant, akin to the mighty Theseus.
“here before me was a vast sweep of empty dark; just the closed door and me, and only the stars sprinkled across the midnight sky to see what I did next”
Jennifer Saint
Saint’s ability to immerse Ariadne with descriptions of everyday ancient traditions breathes fresh energy into historical life. Her descriptions of festivals, sports and rituals create rich, developed environments; matching the craftmanship of Saint’s menagerie of emotive and flawed characters.
“Maybe coming up this close to true magic, before your own eyes, would be enough to rip the veil of sanity from anyone’s mind and leave the stark, staring chaos of madness behind”
Jennifer Saint
It is only a matter of time before Saint’s retelling joins a pantheon of modern classics. Ariadne has become a paragon for 21st-century literature, not only in its quality of writing but also in its ability to depict marginalised voices of the past, while authentically and respectfully illustrating the historical value in the original tales. So, while Miller’s legacy still remains strong, looming over the genre, Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne now rivals even her greatest works.