Tuesday 27 June 2023
6-7pm BST via Zoom
Sunday Times bestselling author Jennifer Saint in conversation with classics MPhil student Kitty Low.
In recent years, there has been a surge in fictional retellings of Greek myths – from Madeline Miller’s Circe (2018) to Pat Barker’s The Women of Troy (2021).
On Tuesday 27 June, we were joined by Sunday Times bestselling author Jennifer Saint to discuss her lifelong fascination with ancient Greek myth and its enduring appeal to writers in the twenty-first century.
Jennifer read from her latest novel Atalanta (2023) – the heroic story of the only female Argonaut – followed by a live Q&A. All attendees were entered into a prize draw to win a copy of Atalanta, with six lucky winners securing a coveted copy.
Jennifer Saint
Thanks to a lifelong fascination with ancient Greek mythology, Jennifer Saint read Classical Studies at King’s College, London. Since September 2022, she has been a Visiting Research Fellow in the Classics Department there. In between, she spent thirteen years as an English teacher, sharing a love of literature and creative writing with her students. Ariadne (2021) is her first novel, Elektra (2022) is her second, and Atalanta (2023) is her latest mythological retelling. Find Jennifer on Twitter and Instagram.
‘A stunning retelling filled with breathtaking adventure, Atalanta brings to life a heroine who stands tall among the ancient gods and heroes of legend.’ – Sue Lynn Tan, author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Exposed on a mountainside, the defenceless infant Atalanta is left to the mercy of a passing mother bear and raised alongside her cubs under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis.
Swearing that she will prove her worth alongside the famed heroes of Greece, Atalanta leaves her forest to join Jason's band of Argonauts. But can she carve out her own place of legend in a world made for men?
'You can hear the rustle of the green leaves and taste the salty spray of the sea as the Argo rides forth on its quest. A story of adventure and love against all odds, this is an ancient tale limned with gold.' – Luna McNamara, author of Psyche & Eros
Kitty Low
Kitty is a member of The Chorus steering committee. She has just finished an MPhil in Classics and in September she is going to train to be a Latin teacher.