First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author, or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
- Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
- Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
- Finally… reveal the book!
First Lines:
When I was born, they left me on a hillside. The king had given his decree – if it’s a girl, expose her on the mountain – and so some unfortunate soul was dispatched from the palace with this unwanted scrap of humanity: a baby girl instead of the glorious heir the king desired.
Do you recognize the lines?
Here’s a hint:
It’s a new Greek myth retelling.
Still not sure? Here’s another hint:
It’s written by Jennifer Saint.
The First Lines Friday book is:
Atalanta
About the Book:
Page Length: 304
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Synopsis: From the beloved, bestselling author of Elektra and Ariadne, a reimagining of the myth of Atalanta, a fierce huntress raised by bears and the only woman in the world’s most famous band of heroes, the Argonauts
Princess, Warrior, Lover, Hero
When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one condition: if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.
Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis’s warning, she begins to question the goddess’s true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?
Full of joy, passion, and adventure, Atalanta is the story of a woman who refuses to be contained. Jennifer Saint places Atalanta in the pantheon of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, where she belongs.
Have you read Atalanta? Did you recognize the first lines? Comment below!
Very intriguing first lines!
I didn’t recognize them but I’m definitely more interested in the book after reading them!!
Right! I need to read it soon!
No- but do love Greek Mythology
Oooh thats such a great first line! I haven’t read any Jennifer Saint yet, but I might have to pick this one up 😀
I would definitely recommend the author if you like Greek myth retellings!
The lines intrigued me, and your first clue gave it away. I haven’t read it yet, but I do have it on my TBR. Nice choice, Julie.
Thanks, Carla! I hope you get a chance to read it soon. 🙂