A trio of skilled narrators brings to life three figures from Greek mythology whose fates are intertwined in tragedy. Saint’s retelling of the Siege of Troy is straightforward in its plot but layered in its approach to the thoughts and feelings of the women caught up in its wake. Beth Eyre narrates as Elektra, an imperious girl full of pride in her heroic father who turns a heart full of venom on the woman who strikes him down for his misdeeds. Julie Teal’s nuanced performance as Clytemnestra reveals a soul ravaged by betrayal who sacrifices all hope of happiness for the satisfaction of revenge. As the doomed prophetess Cassandra, Jane Collingwood evokes the mournful certainty of a woman who is powerless to stop the destinies she sees are about to unfold. N.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

★ 03/21/2022

Saint (Ariadne) returns with a brilliant feminist revision of the Greek myth of the House of Atreus. As in the Aeschylus plays, the lives of three powerful women intersect through war and vengeance: Cassandra, daughter of the king and queen of Troy; Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon; and Elektra, daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. In alternating chapters, each woman relays her own story and is treated to generous and bold character development. Cassandra, kissed by the god Apollo, receives the gift of prophecy and is disregarded by her family despite the fates she sees for them. Agamemnon wages war against Troy beginning with a treacherous act that Clytemnestra cannot forgive. Clytemnestra soon bears Agamemnon’s son, a child she finds difficult to love because of his association with Agamemnon, and joins forces with her nephew, Aegisthus. Saint enriches the tense story with psychological depth, showing, for instance, how Elektra simmers with resentment of her mother and Aegisthus for their betrayal of Agamemnon. The author also does a splendid job managing the timeline, with rich and sustained scenes and seamless jumps. Out of a canonical myth, Saint has built a commanding story of rebellious women. (May)

Praise for Elektra

A Most Anticipated Book (Harper’s Bazaar, USA Today, Book Riot, BuzzFeed, Bustle, Goodreads, Veranda Magazine, Historical Novel Society, She Reads, The Nerd Daily)

“A powerful glimpse of ancient Greece…If you were ever confused after learning about these characters and their stories in school, you won’t be once Elektra speeds up and dives into the action.”
—Washington Post

“A vivid reimagining of Greek mythology’s most haunted lineage.”
—Harper’s Bazaar

“An elektra-fying take on a classic myth focused on a wildly compelling trio of women all caught up in the midst of curses and tragedy.”
—BuzzFeed

“A spellbinding reimagining of the story of Elektra, one of Greek mythology’s most infamous heroines.”
—Book Riot

“Poignant and necessary…These heroines rage at the dying of the light, refusing to go quietly into the fates that male authors like Euripides, Homer, and Aeschylus have set out for them, and though their endings remain as inevitable as always, for readers, the experience is a deeply cathartic one.”
—Paste Magazine

“A spellbinding tale of war, betrayal and vengeance, but with a modern twist. If you love Greek mythology and drama, this page-turner is for you.”
—Walmart’s Woah, Wait Magazine

“Electrifying…Difficult to put down. It’s an emotion-laden story of revenge and rage driven by loss and fills a gap by giving Clytemnestra a voice. Both readers who know the Greek myths well and readers who only know glimmers of the story will enjoy this new, epic retelling, perfect for fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“Brilliant… In alternating chapters, each woman relays her own story and is treated to generous and bold character development…The author also does a splendid job managing the timeline, with rich and sustained scenes and seamless jumps. Out of a canonical myth, Saint has built a commanding story of rebellious women.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Riveting…Together, these voices show how three very different women understand family, the costs of war, and how to exercise their power…Royals, revenge, curses, and prophecies done right.”
—Kirkus

“Elektra is sensational. Jennifer Saint has created a version of an ancient myth which is absolutely thrilling to read, and which gives so much depth and vitality to the characters. The book is profoundly moving, and full of beautiful touches which made the story feel fresh and immediate without losing any of the magic of the classical setting. I will be pressing this book on everyone I know.”
—Elodie Harper author of The Wolf Den

“Jennifer Saint shows that whole millennia later, these stories have lost none of their power and resonance. In Elektra, the characters of myth take on an immediacy and intimacy that simply wouldn't be possible in the hands of a less assured and less masterful storyteller. Saint imparts both a voice and a humanity to women who have been consigned to narrow roles in the stories we think we know. Her approach is clear-eyed and unflinching, and the result is an enthralling and devastatingly moving work.”
—Katherine J. Chen, author of Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc

"Elektra tells the stories of three women as each battles to forge her own destiny. Jennifer Saint explores how suffering is passed down generations in this compelling novel, told in rich and evocative prose. A truly immersive read.”
—Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women

“Elektra makes the world of Mycenaean Greece feel alive again. In Jennifer Saint’s prose, you can hear the songs of the poets, feel the floors beneath your feet, smell the wood burning in the fire and experience the story of these three very different women as if you are there. A compelling retelling of ancient legacies, betrayal and the whims of the gods.”
—Claire North, author of Ithaca


Praise for Ariadne

IndieNext Pick
Book of the Month Club Selection

“A page-turner…If you like Madeline Miller's Circe and Son of Achilles, you will eat up Ariadne, a retelling of yet another engrossing and horrifying classic Greek myth.” —Glamour

“Beautifully written and nuanced, Ariadne explores the bonds between women and their epic quest for agency in patriarchal Greek society.” —BuzzFeed

“Circe fans would do well to take note.” —Bustle

“If you loved Madeline Miller’s Circe, then you have to check out Ariadne by Jennifer Saint.” —PopSugar

“A lyrical, insightful re-telling.” —The Daily Mail

“Captivating…Saint’s mesmerizingly beautiful prose makes Ariadne a fascinating read.” —The Nerd Daily

“In a world ruled by temperamental, petulant gods, Ariadne is a shining beacon of female strength and courage—making this a story that’s impossible to forget.” —Culturefly

“Relevant and revelatory.” —Stylist

“Energetic and compelling.” —The Times (UK)

“An illuminating read.” —Woman & Home

“Enchanting…As the women navigate their changing positions of power, they court disaster at the hands of both gods and men. Saint expertly highlights how often the women of this world pay the price for the actions of the men around them. Lovers of mythology should snap this up.” —Publishers Weekly

“Complex—and bold…Fans of Madeline Miller's Circe will enjoy this faithful retelling that centers the often-forgotten women of Greek myth.” —Booklist

“Ariadne is a shimmering tapestry of two sisters bound by deceit and the shadows of family history. One marries a hero, the other a god. As their lives criss-cross through girlhood and womanhood, the secrets that their husbands keep become a monstrous backdrop to their relationship. With a fresh voice and keen insight, Saint adds flesh and bone to an ancient myth, drawing the reader into an uneasy world of ever-afters.” —Yangsze Choo, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Tiger

“An ancient story of love and sisterhood reimagined, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne is a truly masterful debut—compulsive, absorbing and lyrical. Saint breathes new life into the forgotten women of Greek mythology with a novel that's both incredibly absorbing, and full of heart.” —Katie Lowe, author of The Furies

09/01/2022

Seamlessly weaving stories from Homeric epics and Greek tragedies into the myth of the Trojan War, Saint (Ariadne) showcases three iconic women of Greek mythology. Clytemnestra, twin sister of Helen whose abduction by Paris, prince of Troy, starts the war, is married to renowned warrior Agamemnon. When he betrays their family to appease the gods, grief-stricken Clytemnestra begins to plot her revenge. Daughter Elektra feels abandoned by her mother and considers Agamemnon a hero, setting the stage for a deadly mother-daughter conflict. The story of priestess and princess Cassandra of Troy is told from inside the besieged city, a unique spin on traditional Trojan War tales. The outstanding performances from Jane Collingwood, Beth Eyre, and Julie Teal transport listeners into the minds of these well-crafted characters, allowing listeners to empathize with them, despite their gruesome acts of revenge. Their careful pacing and nuanced delivery lay bare the characters' rage and grief as they struggle against their terrible destinies. VERDICT Familiarity with Greek mythology is not a prerequisite to enjoying Saint's riveting feminist Trojan War tale, especially since the narrators flesh out the characters so well.—Beth Farrell

12/01/2021

Having triumphed with her internationally best-selling debut, Ariadne, Saint turns to bold Elektra in a story ultimately involving a triumvirate of women. Clytemnestra ignores insinuations of House of Atreus violence and is betrayed when Agamemnon sacrifices their daughter, Princess Cassandra goes unheeded, and Elektra longs to see her father yet wonders if she's doomed to repeat her family's bloody history. With a 100,000-copy first printing.

A trio of skilled narrators brings to life three figures from Greek mythology whose fates are intertwined in tragedy. Saint’s retelling of the Siege of Troy is straightforward in its plot but layered in its approach to the thoughts and feelings of the women caught up in its wake. Beth Eyre narrates as Elektra, an imperious girl full of pride in her heroic father who turns a heart full of venom on the woman who strikes him down for his misdeeds. Julie Teal’s nuanced performance as Clytemnestra reveals a soul ravaged by betrayal who sacrifices all hope of happiness for the satisfaction of revenge. As the doomed prophetess Cassandra, Jane Collingwood evokes the mournful certainty of a woman who is powerless to stop the destinies she sees are about to unfold. N.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

2022-03-30
The tale of the Trojan War told by three women who have their own battles to fight.

Elektra is just a girl when her father, Agamemnon, leads the largest Greek army ever assembled to wage war against Troy. She pines for his return as she comes of age over the decade it takes for Troy to fall. Her mother, Clytemnestra, seethes with rage, grief, and, above all, the desire for vengeance for what her husband is willing to sacrifice for this war of vanity. Meanwhile, in Troy itself, Cassandra watches the daily horrors unfold. Try as she might to warn her people of the devastation she sees coming, she can’t overcome her reputation as a madwoman. The novel is told from the first-person points of view of these three women, and, at first, trying to sort out all the names and family histories, however familiar, feels like the homework assignment it once was. But with the pieces in place, author Saint animates the three women and sets them off. Clytemnestra, the most fully realized, propels the narrative forward with a fresh, raw depth of emotion for a story that’s been told through the ages. Elektra’s and Cassandra’s sections can feel repetitive, but they tend to be shorter, which quickens the pace. Together, these voices show how three very different women understand family, the costs of war, and how to exercise their power. While Helen, Clytemnestra’s twin sister, has some nuance in this version, it seems odd that Saint chose not to take the opportunity to animate the perspective of the legendary beauty who incited the war. Nevertheless, the women whose perspectives are represented are riveting.

Royals, revenge, curses, and prophecies done right.