Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
ABOUT THE BOOK
A mesmerising retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Perfect for fans of Circe, A Song of Achilles and The Silence of the Girls.
As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the terrible bellows of the Minotaur from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur – Minos’ greatest shame and Ariadne’s brother – demands blood every year.
When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus defeat the monster means betraying her family, and Ariadne knows that in a world ruled by mercurial gods, drawing their attention can cost you everything.
Ariadne has heard too many tales of women being punished for the acts of men – she is determined to set her own fate. But will her decision to help Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover’s ambition?
For Ted and Joseph.
I hope you know that your dreams really can come true.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Writing these acknowledgements feels almost impossible – I don’t know where to begin in thanking the many people I have come to realise it takes to make a book happen. I will start by fervently apologising to anyone I have missed! It turns out that despite having idly scripted my novel acknowledgements in a million daydreams, when it actually comes to writing them it is hard to find the words that will come close to expressing my gratitude.
Firstly, I must thank my incredible agent, Juliet Mushens. She saw the potential in my early draft and in our first meeting, she gave me the vision and the tools to transform it. It is not an exaggeration to say that she has transformed my life as well.
I am also so very grateful to the wonderful team at Wildfire Books. I am so privileged to work with such dedicated people who are so passionate about books. My editor, Kate Stephenson, is insightful and inspiring and I am incredibly lucky to have her working her magic on Ariadne. My US editor, Caroline Bleeke at Flatiron Books, is similarly amazing, and I feel so honoured to have such talented women championing my book. Thank you also to my line editor, Shan Morley Jones, whose meticulous attention to detail is staggering. I also want to thank the Rights Team for taking Ariadne around the world.
I wanted to write a Greek myth which brought the women to the forefront so I must acknowledge the many impressive and inspirational women in my life. The women of the Honley English Department (Caroline, Rachel, Sarah, Suriana, Claire, Emma, Lucinda and Nicole) believed in me and supported me for years. I have learned so much from them all and am so glad to have them in my life. Likewise, I am lucky to have my friends from childhood, school, work and motherhood who have all encouraged me forever to write.
Particular thanks go to Bee who has been with me from across the Atlantic Ocean for every step of Ariadne’s journey, and to Clare, Fiona, Johanna, Jo and Sean for all the years of friendship.
Ariadne is a book with sisterhood at its core. At the core of my life is my relationship with my sisters, Sally and Catherine, who are constant sources of comfort, wisdom, hilarity and love.
I also had the good fortune of marrying a man with a wonderful and supportive family. I am so grateful especially to my motherin-law, Lynne, for so much – not least la petite maison in Normandy where the ending of Ariadne was written.
My parents, Tom and Angela, have had such unstinting faith in me, and their love and support has sustained me always.
Finally, thank you to Alex for being nothing like the men in this book but for being everything I need.
‘Mean while to Athens your swift Ship does run;
There tell the wondring Crowd what you have done.
How the mix’d Prodigy you did subdue,
The Beast and Man how with one stroke you slew.
Describe the Labyrinth, and how, taught by me,
You scap’d from all those perplext Mazes free.’
Ariadne’s letter to Theseus, Ovid’s Heroides
PROLOGUE
Let me tell you the story of a righteous man.
The righteous man of the story is King Minos of Crete, who set out to wage a great war on Athens. His war was one of retribution upon them for the death of his son, Androgeos. This mighty athlete had reigned victorious in the city’s Panathenaic Games, only to be torn to pieces by a rampaging bull on a lonely Athenian hillside. Minos held Athens responsible for the loss of his triumphing son and thirsted for blood-soaked punishment for their failure to protect the boy from the savage beast.
On his way to inflict his wrath upon the Athenians, Minos stopped to destroy the kingdom of Megara in a show of strength. The King of Megara, Nisus, was widely famed for his invincibility but his legend was no match for the mighty Minos, who cut away the crimson lock of hair upon which Nisus’ power depended. Divested of that blood-red curl, the hapless man was slain by the conquering Minos.
How had he known to shear away Nisus’ hair? Minos would cheerfully recount to me how the King’s daughter, the beautiful princess Scylla, had fallen wildly and helplessly in love with him. As she murmured her sweet promises into his receptive ear, telling of how she would gladly give up her home and family in exchange for his love, she let slip the key to her father’s ruin.