Ariadne Summary: A Princess’s Rebellion

Ariadne: The Princess Who Rewrote Greek Myth

Why This Book Shattered Me

Let’s be honest—I thought Greek myths were all heroic demigods and epic battles. Then I met Ariadne. Jennifer Saint’s debut novel gutted me. Imagine your half-brother is a flesh-eating monster. Your father feeds children to him.

Then a handsome prince arrives, promising salvation… only to abandon you on a barren island. Ariadne isn’t just a myth retelling—it’s a scream of fury against millennia of silenced women. This Ariadne summary barely captures Saint’s genius.

If you’ve ever rooted for the “side character,” this is your sacred text.

TL;DR: Quick Summary

• What it is: A feminist Greek myth retelling where Princess Ariadne helps kill the Minotaur, gets abandoned, and becomes a goddess’s wife.

• Themes: Female rage; stolen labor; divine abuse; sisterhood fractures.

• Vibe: Visceral, tragic, poetically brutal.

• My Rating: 5/5 stars. A debut that reshapes mythology.

• Perfect for: Circe lovers; mythology nerds; sister-story fans.

• Skip if: You prefer heroic Greek myths without critique.

• Pros:

  • Ariadne & Phaedra’s dual narratives devastate

  • Theseus portrayed as the villain he is

  • Constellation ending = iconic

• Cons:

  • Heavy trauma (check content warnings)

  • Pacing slows in middle Naxos sections

• One-Sentence Hook: A princess’s betrayal by myth’s favorite hero sparks a feminist reckoning with gods and monsters.

Real Reader Reactions (No Spoilers!)

 “Saint didn’t rewrite myth—she weaponized it. Ariadne’s rage is mine.”
“Phaedra’s ending destroyed me. We’ve all loved destructively.”
“That red thread? Greatest metaphor for stolen female labor EVER.”
“Dionysus blurred hero/villain. I’m still reeling.”
“Theseus is the OG fuckboy. Saint exposed him.”
“Constellation ending? Perfection. Women become legends; men become footnotes.”

10 Questions “Ariadne” Answers

1. Who really defeated the Minotaur?

2. Can women survive divine punishment?

3. Why do myths villainize mothers?

4. Is sisterhood stronger than trauma?

5. What makes a man a monster?

6. Can love exist with a god?

7. How do women reclaim stolen narratives?

8. Is betrayal inevitable in patriarchy?

9. Why do heroes abandon women?

10. Where do broken women find power?

Ariadne Summary & Review

What Is Ariadne About? The Core Tragedy

Fractured Fables #1 isn’t a retelling—it’s a multiverse jailbreak. Here’s the spoiler-free essence:

• Crete’s House of Horrors:
  Princess Ariadne grows up in a palace shadowed by the Labyrinth—a maze holding her half-brother, the Minotaur. Her father, King Minos, sacrifices Athenian youths to this beast. Her mother, Pasiphae, haunts the halls, broken by a god’s cruel curse.

• Theseus: The False Hero:
  When prince Theseus volunteers as tribute, Ariadne sees escape. She gives him a ball of red thread to navigate the Labyrinth. Together, they kill the Minotaur and flee Crete.

• The Abandonment:
  Theseus deserts Ariadne on Naxos. Saint’s visceral prose makes you feel the rocks cutting her feet, the salt of her tears. This isn’t romance—it’s betrayal written in blood.

• Dionysus: The Unlikely Sanctuary:
  The god of wine offers refuge. Ariadne rebuilds as his wife, bearing sons and nurturing his cult of maenads (wild women). But gods are fickle—his love hides darkness.

• Phaedra’s Parallel Hell:
  Ariadne’s sister Phaedra marries Theseus in Athens. Trapped in a gilded cage, her forbidden love for Theseus’s son Hippolytus sparks tragedy.

Through alternating perspectives, Saint asks: Can women survive in a world where men are heroes and women are collateral?

Ariadne Summary by Chapter

Part I: Crete and the Labyrinth

Chapter 1: Princess Ariadne & the Minotaur’s Origin

• Princess Ariadne narrates her father Minos‘s stories of judgment and the fate of traitor Scylla.

• Minos demands Athenian tribute: Seven youths and seven maidens sent annually to Crete.

• The tribute feeds the Minotaur, Ariadne’s monstrous half-brother, imprisoned in an inescapable Labyrinth built by Daedalus.

• Pasiphae reveals the Minotaur’s monstrous birth: a curse from Poseidon after Minos deceived the god, driving Pasiphae mad with lust for a bull, aided by Daedalus’s wooden cow contraption.

• Ariadne hears of Medusa‘s punishment and resolves to wear her own potential agony fiercely.

Chapter 2: The Minotaur’s Reign & Pasiphae’s Secret

• Ariadne describes the horrific birth of Asterion (the Minotaur) and its devastating effect on Queen Pasiphae.

• Despite his monstrous nature (hooves, horns, craving raw meat), Ariadne pities and bonds with her brother.

• Minos renames Asterion “The Minotaur” and commands Daedalus to build the Labyrinth to contain him as a weapon.

• Pasiphae exhibits signs of bitterness and possible witchcraft. Whispers claim she curses Minos’s lovers.

• Minos imprisons Daedalus and Icarus to protect the Labyrinth’s secrets. Ariadne dances to escape the horror.

Chapter 3: A Forced Betrothal & Athenian Arrival

• Eighteen-year-old Ariadne faces an unwanted marriage arranged by Minos to Cinyras of Cyprus for political gain.

• Her pleas to Minos are dismissed. Her sister Phaedra longs to escape Crete.

• The Athenian tribute ship arrives, carrying young victims for the Minotaur.

• Ariadne notices a distinctive, broad-shouldered man among them – Theseus, Prince of Athens.

Chapter 4: Funeral Games & Theseus Victorious

• Crete holds funeral games for Androgeos. Ariadne attends with Cinyras.

• Theseus identifies himself as a volunteer tribute and defeats Minos’s champion, Taurus, in wrestling.

• Minos, impressed, offers Theseus freedom, but he refuses, vowing to stay with his people.

• Ariadne crowns Theseus victor, feeling admiration. Daedalus observes her intently.

Chapter 5: Daedalus’ Plan & the Ball of Twine

• Cinyras mocks Theseus. Ariadne observes Phaedra’s infatuation and Daedalus’s watchfulness.

• Horrified by the impending sacrifice, Ariadne seeks help from Pasiphae (unresponsive) and then Daedalus.

• Daedalus reveals Theseus plans to fight the Minotaur, not just escape, and needs Ariadne’s help.

• Daedalus gives Ariadne the means: an iron key to the Labyrinth and a ball of red twine for navigation, warning her to flee Crete afterward.

Chapter 6: A Pact in the Dungeon

• Ariadne uses the key to enter Theseus’s cell. He expects her and acknowledges needing her knowledge of the Labyrinth.

• Theseus recounts his heroic lineage (son of Aegeus, possibly Poseidon) and past deeds.

• Ariadne gives him the key and ball of twine, instructing him to tie it to the door and unwind it to escape after killing her brother.

• Theseus promises to return for her. They kiss, sealing Ariadne’s hope for a future as his wife.

Chapter 7: Theseus’ Heroic Journey

• Theseus continues his story: inspired by Heracles, he chose the path of Virtue.

• He recounts his dangerous journey from Troezen to Athens, clearing the road of monsters and villains.

• He arrived in Athens, exposed his stepmother Medea‘s plot to poison him, was recognized by his father Aegeus, and banished Medea.

• He ruled righteously before learning of Minos’s plague and the horrific tribute demand.

Chapter 8: Phaedra’s Discovery & Androgeos Avenged

• Phaedra appears, having followed Ariadne. She retrieved Theseus’s club.

• Theseus reveals the true reason for Minos’s war: revenge for the Pallantidai killing Androgeos – a group Theseus had already slain.

• He reaffirms his intent to enter the Labyrinth and end the sacrifices.

• Theseus declares Ariadne will leave Crete with him and instructs Phaedra to wait at a cove for rescue with the other Athenians.

Chapter 9: Dawn of the Labyrinth

• Ariadne, charged with purpose, dances on her floor made by Daedalus.

• She witnesses a rare moment of tenderness between Pasiphae and Phaedra.

• Ariadne places Theseus’s club at the Labyrinth entrance, unlocks the bolts (using Daedalus’s secret), and flees from the stirring Minotaur, re-locking the door.

Chapter 10: Escape from Crete

• Ariadne waits in agony outside the Labyrinth. Theseus emerges unharmed with all thirteen Athenian tributes.

• Theseus carries the pulverized head of the Minotaur, which he further destroys on the beach.

• He immediately takes Ariadne onto a ship, promising to return for Phaedra “tomorrow” after resting on Naxos.

• Below deck, Ariadne discovers Theseus’s men have plundered the Cretan palace treasures.

Chapter 11: Abandoned on Naxos

• Ariadne wakes alone on Naxos. Theseus’s ship sails away under black sails.

• She finds minimal supplies – a week’s worth of food – realizing she’s been exiled as punishment for her betrayal.

• Overwhelmed by vulnerability and fear of Minos’s indifference, she despairs.

• Discovering purple grapes and a miraculous spring, a flicker of hope and fury ignites within her.

Chapter 12: Fury and Resolve

• Ariadne rages against Theseus’s betrayal and abandonment, contrasting his supposed heroism with his cowardice.

• She realizes he never intended to retrieve Phaedra.

• Exhausting her anger, she contemplates her fate alone on Naxos – survival or death.

Part II: Diverging Paths

Chapter 13 (Phaedra): Fallout in Crete

• Phaedra waits for Theseus and Ariadne. She witnesses Daedalus and Icarus escape Crete; Icarus falls to his death.

• Alarm erupts over the Minotaur’s disappearance. Minos rages insanely.

• Pasiphae is found cradling the Minotaur’s remains, weeping. No one asks about Ariadne.

• Minos sets sail to pursue Daedalus.

Chapter 14 (Ariadne): Desolation on Naxos

• (Continuation of Ch 12) Ariadne grapples with despair and the decision to search for water or succumb on Naxos.

Chapter 15 (Phaedra): A New Captivity

• Phaedra observes Pasiphae’s complex grief. Rhadamanthus offers insight.

• News arrives: Ariadne is dead (as claimed by Theseus). Minos dies pursuing Daedalus.

• Deucalion returns, becomes King of Crete, and arranges Phaedra’s marriage to Theseus to secure peace, as Aegeus (Theseus’s father) died believing Theseus dead.

• Phaedra feels trapped in a new “bondage” as Queen of Athens.

Chapter 16 (Ariadne): Divine Arrival

• A magnificent ship with white sails approaches Naxos. Ariadne hopes it’s Theseus.

• The ship transforms: vines and grapes cover it, wine flows on deck.

• A golden-haired youth transforms panicked sailors into dolphins, revealing himself as Dionysus, God of Wine.

Chapter 17: Sanctuary with the God

• Ariadne learns the house was Dionysus’s. He invites her to be Guardian of Naxos and his priestess.

• Dionysus treats her with unexpected kindness and courtesy, unlike Theseus or her expectations of gods.

• He shares stories and promises news of Phaedra. Ariadne accepts, finding luxurious comfort and purpose on Naxos.

Chapter 18 (Phaedra): Queen of Athens & Forbidden Love

• Phaedra arrives in Athens, finding sympathy. She learns of Theseus’s rape of Hippolyta (Amazon Queen), resulting in a son, Hippolytus.

• Phaedra masters Athenian politics, manipulating elders and Theseus (encouraging his quests for glory) to rule effectively.

• She struggles with motherhood, hating her children.

• News confirms Minos’s death. Her marriage solidifies Cretan-Athenian peace.

• Hippolytus arrives – virtuous, dedicated to Artemis, chaste. Phaedra contrasts his kindness with Theseus’s brutality and falls deeply in love with him.

• She resolves to seek Ariadne’s help.

Chapter 19 (Ariadne): Life with Dionysus

• Dionysus’s bond with Ariadne deepens. He shares his origin: born from Zeus’s thigh after his mortal mother Semele was incinerated.

• He recounts the story of King Midas and the golden touch.

• Ariadne weaves tapestries depicting women cursed by gods, not dutiful praise.

• She gives birth to her first son with Dionysus, Oenopion.

Chapter 20 (Phaedra): Web of Deceit

• Phaedra continues manipulating Theseus into leaving Athens, solidifying her control.

• She reflects on her hatred for motherhood and Theseus, intensified by Hippolytus’s presence.

• Discovering another pregnancy deepens her despair and resolve to go to Naxos.

Chapter 21 (Ariadne): Truths and Transformation

• Ariadne confronts Dionysus about leaving her on Naxos. He explains Theseus’s perspective: viewing Ariadne as a “traitor” and fearing Athenian rejection (like Medea).

• Dionysus reveals Theseus’s cowardice (needing rescue from the Underworld by Heracles) and exaggerated heroism.

• Ariadne bears more sons with Dionysus. He creates a paradise on Naxos.

• Dionysus places Ariadne’s Crown (a constellation) in the sky, symbolizing their eternal bond. Ariadne finds quiet contentment.

Chapter 22: Paradise on Naxos

• Ariadne describes her peaceful, domestic life with Dionysus, their children, and the community of maenads (women escaping hardship).

• Dionysus is portrayed as caring and generous. Ariadne contemplates mortality vs. his immortality but feels secure in his love.

Part III: Tangled Destinies

Chapter 23 (Phaedra): Ariadne’s Crown Revealed

• During a festival, a captain reveals Ariadne is alive, married to Dionysus, and points out Ariadne’s Crown constellation.

• Phaedra confronts Theseus, who is visibly shaken. He claims Artemis sent a vision making him believe Ariadne was dead.

• Phaedra sees through his lie but goes into labor.

Chapter 24: Motherhood and Misery

• Phaedra gives birth to Demophon. She feels no maternal affection, horrifying herself.

• Theseus is indifferent. Phaedra’s deep unhappiness and resentment grow.

• Another pregnancy solidifies her despair and desire to escape to Ariadne on Naxos.

Chapter 25 (Ariadne): Sisterly Reunion & Shocking Request

• An Athenian ship arrives on Naxos. Phaedra disembarks; the sisters reunite joyfully.

• Phaedra reveals she is Queen of Athens and Minos is dead.

• Phaedra states her purpose: seeking sanctuary for herself and Hippolytus, her stepson, whom she loves.

Chapter 26 (Phaedra): The Allure of Hippolytus

• Phaedra recounts unraveling Theseus’s lies and learning the brutal truth of his rape of Hippolyta.

• She details Hippolytus‘s arrival: gentle, devoted to Artemis, chaste, disclaiming the throne.

• She contrasts his purity with Theseus’s flaws, solidifying her love for Hippolytus and hatred for Theseus.

• She sailed to Naxos determined to be with Hippolytus.

Chapter 27 (Ariadne): A Sister’s Warning

• Ariadne observes Phaedra’s infatuation. Phaedra confesses her love for Hippolytus, praising him and criticizing Ariadne’s “simple” life.

• Horrified, Ariadne warns Phaedra of the shame mirroring Pasiphae’s and the dire consequences.

• Phaedra dismisses the warnings and leaves abruptly for Athens to pursue Hippolytus.

Chapter 28 (Phaedra): Resolve to Confess

• Phaedra sails back, dismissing Ariadne’s warnings as complacency.

• She sheds guilt, resolved to seize happiness with Hippolytus, believing he represents a “world where kindness was king” and that he returns her feelings.

Chapter 29 (Ariadne): Doubts and Divine Secrets

• Phaedra’s departure unsettles Ariadne, making her question Dionysus’s cult.

• She confronts Dionysus about lying about Phaedra’s betrothal; he claims he wanted to spare Ariadne pain.

• Ariadne tells him of Phaedra’s love for Hippolytus. Dionysus notes Hippolytus’s vow of chastity to Artemis.

• Ariadne fears a “doomed enterprise.” She secretly follows Dionysus and the maenads to their mountain rites.

Chapter 30: The Maenad Ritual

• Ariadne witnesses a frenzied ritual: maenads tear apart a baby goat with their bare hands.

• Dionysus, in a trance, miraculously restores the goat to life, whole and unscarred.

• Horrified, Ariadne flees back to the house.

Chapter 31: Understanding the Pain

• Ariadne grapples with the ritual’s horror. Maenad Euphrosyne reveals she joined after her own baby died, seeking solace in Dionysus’s power over life/death.

• Heartbroken by the suffering fueling the gods’ games, Ariadne resolves to go to Athens and help Phaedra.

Chapter 32: Return to Athens & Impending Doom

• Ariadne informs Dionysus she’s going to Athens. He agrees, though puzzled by her anger.

• Ariadne sails to Athens with her son. Phaedra meets her at the harbor, calm but agitated.

• Phaedra intends to confess to Hippolytus that afternoon. Ariadne meets Hippolytus (who calls her “Aunt”).

• Phaedra leaves to find Hippolytus. Horns blare: Theseus returns unexpectedly.

Chapter 33 (Phaedra): The Confession

• Thrown by Theseus’s return but resolved, Phaedra finds Hippolytus alone in the stables and confesses her love.

Chapter 34 (Ariadne): Theseus Returns & Disaster Strikes

• Ariadne encounters Theseus; their reunion is strained.

• A chorus of wailing women emerges. A servant hands Theseus a crumpled letter. He reads it, cries out, and storms off.

• Ariadne picks up the letter, filled with dread.

Chapter 35 (Phaedra): Trapped by Shame

• Hippolytus reacts with horror and disgust to Phaedra’s confession, calling her mad and reminding her of their mother/son bond.

• Phaedra realizes Hippolytus will tell Theseus, ensuring her ruin.

• Hearing Theseus’s arrival horns, she sees escape as impossible. Resolved to avoid public humiliation and Theseus’s wrath, she chooses suicide.

Chapter 36 (Ariadne): Tragedy in the Garden

• Ariadne finds Phaedra’s body hanging in the palace gardens.

• Theseus arrives, broken and enraged. Based solely on the note bearing Hippolytus’s name, he blames his son for Phaedra’s death/defilement.

• Ariadne calls Theseus a fool and expresses regret.

• Theseus invokes Poseidon’s curse on Hippolytus. A monstrous wave rises and kills Hippolytus.

• Ariadne leaves the devastated Theseus and returns to Naxos, grieving Phaedra.

Part IV: Divine Wrath & Apotheosis

Chapter 37: The Limits of Divine Power

• Ariadne tells Dionysus everything. He listens and expresses regret.

• He confirms his power to restore life, but only before the soul fully departs for Hades – too late for Phaedra.

• He explains the maenads’ ritual as an outlet for pain, leading to serenity, not harm.

• Dionysus expresses ambition for more worshippers.

Chapter 38: Confrontation at Argos

• Ariadne and Dionysus sail to Argos, ruled by Perseus (Dionysus’s half-brother), who forbids Dionysus’s worship to appease Hera.

• Dionysus confronts Perseus outside the city walls, demanding hospitality and worship.

• Perseus refuses and insults the cult. Dionysus promises retribution.

• Ariadne urges Dionysus to leave, disturbed by his anger. Dionysus reveals his fear of mortal loss and desire for city-wide adoration to cope.

Chapter 39: The Madness of the Argive Women

• Ignoring Ariadne, Dionysus tries to lure Argive women to his cult, offering freedom and secrets.

• When they refuse, he drives them mad. Snakes appear; the women howl.

• In their frenzy, the women tear apart their own babies. Ariadne and the maenads hide in terror.

Chapter 40: Stone and Stars

• The horror subsides. Filled with molten anger, Ariadne confronts Dionysus, realizing he is as cruel as other gods/men.

• Dionysus calmly states he could not restore the children this time.

• As Perseus’s army approaches, Ariadne commands Dionysus: Leave Naxos to her and the women; deal with Perseus without more bloodshed.

• Dionysus departs. Ariadne resolves to sue for peace with Perseus.

• Approaching Perseus, Ariadne is turned to stone (by either Perseus’s Gorgon shield or Dionysus to protect her).

• Dionysus mourns and sends her wedding crown into the sky, forming the constellation Corona Borealis (Ariadne’s Crown).

Themes That Cut Deeper Than Minos’s Knife

Saint weaves ancient pain into modern resonance:

Characters: Saints and Monsters of Flesh

Saint’s women breathe beyond myth:

Symbols That Haunt Long After Reading

Every object pulses with meaning:

Jennifer Saint: The Modern Ariadne

A former English teacher turned mythic revolutionary, Saint studied Classics at King’s College London. Her mission? “Bring women to the forefront” of Greek myths.

Her style:

• Lush brutality: Vines strangle palaces; blood scents the sea.

• Unflinching gaze: No sugarcoating rape, betrayal, or divine pettiness.

• Dual narratives: Ariadne and Phaedra’s voices braid like fate’s threads.

10 Unforgettable Quotes from Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

1. “I would be Medusa if the gods demanded it.”

2. “Women’s pain throbbed unspoken through tales of male glory.”

3. “Theseus left because nothing mattered beyond his own fame.”

4. “The Labyrinth hid Father’s greatest shame—and his power.”

5. “Gods take what they want and discard the rest.”

6. “On Naxos, I learned saltwater cleans wounds better than wine.”

7. “Phaedra’s love was a noose woven from silk.”

8. “Dionysus’s madness was kinder than Theseus’s sanity.”

9. “Monsters aren’t born—they’re made by vengeful gods.”

10. “My crown became stars—a beacon for women no hero will save.”

Ariadne FAQ

Q1: What’s the book about?

A: Princess Ariadne helps hero Theseus kill the Minotaur, then gets abandoned. Her journey exposes myth’s silenced women.

Q2: Is it worth reading?

A: YES. If you loved Circe or The Song of Achilles, this is essential. Rawer than Miller; focuses on sisterhood.

Q3: What’s the play referenced?

A: The epigraph quotes Ovid’s Heroides—Ariadne’s letter to Theseus. Saint expands this into a novel.

Q4: Is it a series?

A: No. Standalone, but Saint wrote similar feminist myths (Elektra, Atalanta).

Q5: How historically accurate is it?

A: Faithful to myths but centers women’s perspectives. Creative liberties with emotions/untold scenes.

Q6: Does Ariadne get a happy ending?

A: Bittersweet. She becomes a constellation—eternal but frozen. Triumphant yet tragic.

My Verdict: A Masterpiece of Feminist Rage

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Pros: Lush prose; complex sisters; shatters hero tropes; ending redefines victory.
Cons: Heavy trauma—check triggers (rape, abandonment).
Verdict: MUST-READ for fans of:

• Circe (Madeline Miller)

• The Silence of the Girls (Pat Barker)

• A Thousand Ships (Natalie Haynes)

Final Take: Women Outlive Their Monsters

Closing Ariadne, I stared at the night sky. Saint’s genius isn’t rewriting myth—it’s exposing its rot. Ariadne’s thread wasn’t just for the Labyrinth—it’s the lifeline connecting Medusa, Pasiphae, and every woman blamed for her own suffering. That constellation ending? Not a happy ever after—a forever ever after.

This Ariadne summary captures bones—the soul is in Saint’s sentences:

“We are the monsters’ mothers. The heroes’ casualties. The gods’ playthings. Until we write ourselves larger.”

Ready to join the rebellion? Grab Ariadne—and rewrite your story.

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• Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
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Sources & References

• Amazon’s book page
• Goodreaders’s book page
• Author’s image source: hachette.co.uk
• Book Cover: Amazon.com
• Quotes Source: Goodreads.com