A retelling of the classical Greek myth of Theseus and Ariadne, in simplified language for new readers. Includes activities and exercises to enhance reading comprehension skills and improve vocabulary.

A mesmerizing debut novel for fans of Madeline Miller's Circe. Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice. When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind? Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne forges a new epic, one that puts the forgotten women of Greek mythology back at the heart of the story, as they strive for a better world.

"What line should the critic follow in explicating, unfolding, or unknotting . . . passages? How should the critic thread her or his way into the labyrinthine problems of narrative form?--from chapter I In this brilliant and engaging book, one of America's leading literary critics explores the intricacies of narrative theory. Using the image of Ariadne's thread, which was given to Theseus to carry into the labyrinth so that he could find his way out, J. Hillis Miller traces out the "line" so often associated with narrative and writing in general. In the process he illuminates the nature of literature as well as the nature of narrative. Considering a wide range of texts from Western literature over the last two centuries--in particular Meredith's The Egoist, Goethe's Elective Affinities, and Borges's "Death and the Compass"--Miller explores the way rhetorical devices and figurative language interrupt, break into, delay, and expand storytelling. He also illustrates these rhetorical disruptions of narrative logic in his own work. In its four chapters--about the role of line, character, interpersonal relationships, and figurative language in narrative--Miller's study encounters in its own language the problems it discusses, as concepts and words are scrutinized for their diverse meanings and resonances. Demonstrating that every narrative, including this one about the nature of narrative, has divergent lines and multiple motives and uses, Ariadne's Thread tells its story and enacts its subject at the same time.

Ariadne, princess of Crete, helps her beloved Theseus, prince of Athens, escape death in the labyrinth of the monstrous Minotaur.

A legendary story. An impossible choice. As heir to the throne in ancient Crete, Ariadne feels like a poor substitute for her heroic brother. She's wild, where he was brave. Impulsive, where he was noble. Restless, where he was steady. Things get complicated when a handsome, arrogant warrior arrives with the tribute from Athens and makes claims that threaten the shaky peace between their kingdoms. Ariadne's torn. Theseus is the enemy, but she starts to think he might be right. When her world starts to unravel, Ariadne is caught between loyalties. Should she trust Theseus, betray her father and risk losing everything? Or does her path lie with the reckless new god, Dionysus? "This is perhaps one of the best and the most entertaining young adult/mythology/epic novels I have read so far this year." - Readers Favorite Review

An Englishman sets out for an ancient Greek palace in Crete to clear his family's name. The man's father and grandfather excavated it and they have been accused by the archeological community of fabricating artifacts. A first novel.

"Ariadne's Thread is a mini-encyclopedia of more than a hundred such international oral tales, all present in the literature of ancient Greece and Rome. It takes into account writings, including early Jewish and Christian literature, recorded in or translated into Greek or Latin by writers of any nationality. As a result, this book will be invaluable not only to classicists and folklorists but also to a wide range of other readers who are interested in stories and storytelling."--BOOK JACKET.