Bea Fitzgerald 4

When Ariadne, Princess of Crete, vows to help free the Athenian prince, Theseus, and his fellow tributes - sacrifices for the monster which allegedly lurks beneath her palace's floors - she hopes she will free herself from the savage rule of her father, too. Instead, she finds herself abandoned on an island the morning after Theseus has sworn love and marriage - watching his ship sail away without her. In return, Ariadne swears revenge. Which is all very well - except for the aforementioned being abandoned on an island thing. Luckily for her though, the island happens to belong to a god. Alright, currently a fairly minor one (though only if you think wine and partying are minor concerns) - but it quickly turns out Dionysus and Ariadne may be able to help each other. Dionysus needs followers to maintain his fragile, threatened power. Ariadne wants to stop Theseus from spreading rumours of his own greatness any further. Together, they may be able to make a story so powerful, it will elevate them both to the status of legends. Ariadne isn't interested in real love any more - of course - which is a shame, as there's something irresistible about the pull between her and Dionysus - even if he is completely infuriating. And he is the first person to agree with her that women can be more than just footnotes in men's myths. They have a power of their own. And once that power is unleashed - the men of Ariadne's story, and even the gods themselves, should prepare to tremble . . .