Atalanta

Saint (Elektra) continues to breathe new life into Greek myths in this exciting and intelligent reimagining of the story of warrior Atalanta. After Atalanta’s father, a Greek king, abandons her as an infant to die on a mountainside, she’s rescued by a bear and later comes under the protection of Artemis, goddess of hunting, who raises her among nymphs and orders her to fend off men. When Greek hero Jason begins gathering Greece’s greatest warriors to join his quest for the Golden Fleece, Artemis chooses Atalanta, who’s honed her skills at archery, as her representative on the Argonauts. On her way to join the crew, she encounters Meleager, a king’s son, who’s also en route to join up. She overcomes skepticism from her comrades and proves her worth on the perilous journey as they battle monsters, six-armed giants, and hostile soldiers. Readers familiar with the original will appreciate Saint’s thoughtful creation of an inner life for her protagonist, who struggles to reconcile her chaste upbringing with the passions Meleager inspires. For readers who can’t get enough of feminist retellings, this will more than do the trick. (May)