"Ugly words don't always mean ugly feelings."
― Elizabeth Tammi, Outrun the Wind
Elizabeth Tammi shows that she is a talented writer with this story about the Greek myth Atalanta. I enjoyed that this book addresses the harsh realities of Ancient Greek womanhood while also giving the women of steel protagonists a happy ending. There is not any shaming of women who are not as physically capable as the strong female Atalanta, which was a breath of fresh air. It is definitely a slow burn romance about Greek gods and goddesses, but the ending is worth it. If you grew up reading books about hunting, you would love Outrun the Wind.
This is a lovely fantasy fiction retelling of the myth of Atalanta in the vein of The Song of Achilles and Percy Jackson. It is an extended slow burn LBGTQIA diverse romance that is only realized in the last quarter of the book. Atalanta's story is different from a lot of other Greek heroines in mythological fiction; she is one of the few whose skills come from her physical abilities first which is a decidedly male trait.
I do feel like I have read a lot of fantasy this year that is along the lines of "King is not doing well, finds abandoned disobedient daughter to save the kingdom" cliche, and sadly this story was not executed in a way that stands apart. For those who know the original myths of women hunters, be prepared for this book's departures and liberties from the source mythology. There were some times when I got confused whose point of view it is, which is the danger when alternating first-person points of view of characters with similar abilities.
Overall I enjoyed the plot-driven storyline of this book and recommend it to Greek myth nerds and those who want to see more gay relationships. I love stories with Greek mythology as a plot or subplot, and this one with an angst-filled tone and female-female love story is even better. This is a retelling and the author makes changes to make it her own story of young women, so it is worth it to read the end acknowledgments. The romantic tone and relationships in this novel make it a fascinating read.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about forbidden love. The parts with the Greek deity Artemis were worth the wait. If you loved the Lightning Thief series and have grown up and want something about characters and characteristics in mythology to reminisce on your childhood love this is it. As a lover of mythology I was excited to read a retelling of the Greek myth Atalanta with a teenage same-sex romance. Tammi's storytelling is fresh and real and brings this world of hunters of Ancient Greece to life.