I really liked how this story was crafted. For being a retelling of a mythological story, Saint’s novel was surprisingly realistic, and with realism comes tragedy, but I didn’t mind it. I felt as if it only added to the beauty of Ariadne’s and Phaedra’s story. Dealing with the gods certainly does not equal simplicity or ease, but in fact quite the opposite, and Saint did a wonderful job piecing together the difficulty and apprehension that comes with involving oneself with beings of great power.

I also liked how the Saint focused on the nuances of female life. There are many facets of the feminine that present themselves within the story, and I really appreciated how Saint approached them. It wasn’t too dramatic or obvious, so I enjoyed seeing those elements come through.

I don’t have many dislikes for this story, but one would be the usage of dialogue. In some places, the dialogue felt unnecessary and because of that, felt rushed, forced, and boring. Much of what was dialogue could have been actual story. I wish Saint had been more mindful of what was necessary to be dialogue and what wasn’t. I feel it would have enhanced the story.