I really enjoyed this. The story carried me along. I have always enjoyed a Greek retelling and this can sit among the best of them I think.

The fresh perspectives on characters we think we know well are great and as always it puts the story on its head to hear it from the female perspective. The emphasis changes.

I was frustrated though. Because in this 'retelling' our women do not spring free of the plot already wrought for them. They give us a new emphasis, and a different narrative but the story is the same. Both women recognise their position as women and both make assertions that they will not become victims to the rapacious nature of Greek men and Gods. And then do exactly that. Phaedra has an element of spark about her but Ariadne is completely passive. I wanted Ariadne to disappear off to Naxos and preside over an island of liberated women and kick Dionysus to the kerb. They both meet their end exactly because of men and their position as women.

So that's a fairly miserable outcome. But given the world we currently inhabit, entirely realistic, actually.