Outrun the Wind

by Elizabeth Tammi

The Huntresses of Artemis must obey two rules: never disobey the goddess, and never fall in love. After being rescued from a harrowing life as an Oracle of Delphi, Kahina is glad to be a part of the Hunt; living among a group of female warriors gives her a chance to reclaim her strength, even while her prophetic powers linger. But when a routine mission goes awry, Kahina breaks the first rule in order to save the legendary huntress Atalanta.

To earn back Artemis’s favor, Kahina must complete a dangerous task in the kingdom of Arkadia— where the king’s daughter is revealed to be none other than Atalanta. Still reeling from her disastrous quest and her father’s insistence on marriage, Atalanta isn’t sure what to make of Kahina. As her connection to Atalanta deepens, Kahina finds herself in danger of breaking Artemis’ second rule.

She helps Atalanta devise a dangerous game to avoid marriage, and word spreads throughout Greece, attracting suitors willing to tempt fate to go up against Atalanta in a race for her hand. But when the men responsible for both the girls’ dark pasts arrive, the game turns deadly.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, LGBT, Young Adult, Retellings, Queer, Romance

302 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2018

About the author

Elizabeth Tammi is the author of OUTRUN THE WIND (Flux, 2018) and THE WEIGHT OF A SOUL (Flux, 2019). A recent graduate of Mercer University, Elizabeth currently works in social media/public outreach at NASA and lives in Florida. You can find her online on Tumblr at (annabethisterrified), Twitter at (@ElizabethTammi), Instagram at (elizabeth_tammi), and at elizabethtammi.com.

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never, ever forget to honor Artemis. This Greek goddess relishes revenge. With a fine-tuned, blood-curdling cruelty. One retaliation resulted in the creation of The Calydonian Boar. In an either epic display of ignorance, or a sick desire to taunt the deity, the very King that caused her anger, proceeds to order his son to select a hunting party to slay her beast.

Despite vehement opposition, Prince Meleager includes Atalanta. He knows she’s an asset as “…the fastest runner he’d ever heard of and the most precise archer he’d ever dreamed of,” but his comrades simply see a beautiful, but (by definition, useless) female.

Until the moment the boar is felled. And the men see Artemis, in her righteous rage and flanked by her huntresses, glaring at them over the corpse of her creation.

Then, the hunters happily give Atalanta full and complete credit for the kill. She has only one real option. Atalanta runs.

Fighting to make her own way (quite literally), Atalanta is followed by one of Artemis’ patronesses as her father frantically searches for her. Kahina, a natural huntress with hidden knowledge, makes it to Atalanta’s home first, and awaits her arrival. It is when Atalanta and Kahina come together that the sparks really fly.

I’ve always been a fan of retold fairy-tales, so I was certainly psyched to check out mythology re-imagined. Ms. Tammi manages stay true to themes; the lives of mere human beings are secondary to the quarrels among the gods and goddess, while keeping current with quick-witted, cutting dialogue. This is simply too good to keep to myself, so I’ll be sending my copy to my favorite classroom library. And I’ll be looking forward to more from Ms. Tammi.


This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books, with huge thanks to North Star Editions for the Advance Review Copy.

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Ugly words don't always mean ugly feelings.”

3 1/2 stars. Ovid found dead.

There is something very satisfying about reading a book that sees fit to rectify the sins of the past. The story of Atalanta is a story of an arrogant woman being outsmarted by a clever man — just as in the story of Circe, or of Antigone, or of any of a number of women who have been raped & betrayed in Greek and Latin myths, there is no greater sin of a woman than arrogance. In Outrun the Wind, however, Atalanta is the heroine, and her desire to not be married is not the opponent.

Outrun the Wind is, in basic conceit, a romance between the famous Atalanta and an ex-oracle of Delphi and huntress of Artemis named Kahina. And as a romance, it is quite good! We see the development from enemies, to friends, to lovers. It’s sort of heartbreaking at times and really really nice.

The idea of the power of women is very strong within this book. Our main wlw romance, for example, is based quite solidly on connection between women and intimacy between women. The very sympathetic Artemis and unsympathetic Apollo serve as another distinct and interesting choice, playing into an idea of women as the forces of good in this text.

The parts where the book faltered fell primarily in character development and plot structure. While Kahina and Atalanta are both likable enough characters, I sometimes found it slightly hard to invest in them as individuals; I feel like I got more of an essence than I got actual characterization, ya know? It just felt first-drafty.

The plot structure is another big issue; I really felt I didn’t know where this book was going for a really long time. It’s just one of those narratives that feels like it lacks thinking out from the beginning. Again, this is the kind of issue that gets ironed out in further drafts; it didn't quite feel like the book had yet arrived.

Overall, this was good, and entertaining - it just feels like it could have gone through another round of drafting.

Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

[clara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars

My first thoughts upon finishing Outrun the Wind was thank god it’s over.

Going into this book, I knew little of what it was about, and even less of the the myth it was based on. All I knew was that it was a sapphic retelling of greek mythology, so I immediately expected a story akin to The Song of Achilles. Let’s just say that this didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

It’s not that this was a particularly bad book; I just found that I couldn’t really connect with the story or any of the characters.

I think one of the main reasons why was because the characters weren’t really fleshed out — especially Artemis and Apollo — who weren’t really believable as supposedly powerful deities. When Atalanta refuses Artemis’ offer to join her huntresses, she manages to run away from the goddess, and somehow she doesn’t get caught, despite the fact that Artemis clearly wanted her to join her maidens. Let me repeat, Atalanta, a human, managed to run away from a goddess, and this is Artemis’ reaction:

”[Atalanta] melts into the shadows of the forest and Artemis lets out a frustrated sigh.”

[surejan.jpg]

In addition to this, their powers and limits weren’t really fleshed out so in the final battle scene there was just a lot of vague magic-y stuff going on.

Although I didn’t really find myself connecting to the two protagonists, Kahina and Atalanta, I did enjoy their relationship and its slowburn nature; it’s enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, which is undoubtedly and indisputably the best trope ever invented (fight me). I also enjoyed the way diversity was effortlessly incorporated into this book — Atalanta is bisexual and Kahina is a lesbian woman of colour. But… that’s where the positives end.

Despite Outrun The Wind being set in Ancient Greece, it didn’t feel that way. The setting felt inauthentic and really just read as any other YA fantasy world.

As the book was from two different point of views, I would have liked more distinction between the voices of Atalanta and Kahina. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing and found it a little dry, but I have read a lot of reviews praising the writing style so it might just be me.

TL;DR: an underwhelming greek mythology retelling with a cute w/w romance, but the inauthentic setting and monotonous characters meant this was a miss for me.

CW: attempted rape

thank you to North Star Editions for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lex Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars. I thought this story started out with huge promise, but fizzled out some in the second half. It is a decent read, I was just hoping to be wowed. This is a YA fantasy, Greek myth inspired, wlw story.

I was a huge mythology fan growing up, especially Greek. I do remember hearing about Atlanta, but for the life of me I could not remember her. I had to take the authors word that while she took some liberties, she tried to stay true to the character. I do have to say this felt more Greek myth inspired than a myth retelling as the world building didn’t feel ancient Greece to me. I felt like I was in a generic fantasy world which was a bit disappointing.

There are two main characters this story follows: Atlanta, who is a bisexual warrior woman, and Kahina, a lesbian and huntress for the goddess Artemis. While I did like both characters I never connected to either as much as I hopped. I did feel closer to Kahina. I think her feelings and motives are more laid out for us. Atlanta was tougher for me as her character seems to have a major shift after the first third of the book. Anyway, there is a light PG romance. I do think the connection between the characters was obvious, but I also feel the romance could have been much more fleshed out.

One of the biggest issues for me might have been expectations; loving Greek mythology this book was high on my to read list. I thought the book started great. An exciting hunt against a “monster” had my heart pumping. We meet Artemis and I think this book is going to be awesome. However, the storyline switches to Atlanta and a new chapter in her life and things went downhill for me. The storyline became very predictable and it lost its flare. I do want to make clear I think the writing is good, it was just the story choices and not really fleshing out all of the characters.

If you are a YA fantasy or mythology fan you might enjoy this. Not the best wlw fantasy book of the year, but it’s a slightly above average read. If Tammi wrote another wlw story I would give her another read.

An copy was given to me for a honest review.

[Erin Bembridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
5 Cookies
“I think, let this be forever.”
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
my Blog
Holy moly guacamole. I was very surprised with this book! Anyways into the review!! :)

🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛:)):):):)
Storyline:
I’m going to say about 4.5 glasses of milk for this one... (if that makes any sense) Of course this book is based loosely on Greek mythology. Well... I don’t really know anything about Greek mythology. (I KNOW ITS SAD) However doing some research I found it matched up with the book on a few aspects. Not the whole book, but a few aspects. Which I thought was interesting the way the author made it her own story. I think that maybe if it related to the story just a tad more that’s what would have set it really over the top...

🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛
Writing:
The writing style I really liked. It wasn’t too descriptive but descriptive enough. She added things that made the writing really enjoyable, and dare I say... EYE CANDY!

🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛
Characters:
Kahina: OH MY GOODNESS. My sweet little brownie. (I missed a great opportunity to use cookie but I’m craving a brownie so we’re going to go with it.) Kahina had a truly great character. Underneath her coldness she opened up to Atlanta in a way nobody else could make her do. Please enjoy a sassy quote from the sassy queen.

-“We’ve noticed something about you, Kahina, since getting here.” “I assume it’s not my impeccable grace and beauty?”

Atlanta: Everyone meet Atlanta. The beautiful empowering totally bad to the bone lady. Atlanta is the character I found myself loving more and more as the story progressed. (Using big words now are we.)

Relationships: I’m pretty sure we all now what relationship I’m referring to. ATLANTA AND KAHINA! My two babies. Ah I love. Here are some quotes that show how I feel.
There relationship had so much understanding and trust and I just ate it all up.

-“As safe as an escaped Oracle can be,” Atalanta whispers.
- I grip Atalanta’s hand, and the whole world unfurls itself into glorious possibility.

Curtain close: Um... Where is my sequel? I need now. ASAP. LETS GO!!! Without giving too much away, I enjoyed the ending and look forward to another book. PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK

Cons:(start with the bad...)
The only thing I would have changed would have been too add a little more on Greek mythology but other then that... *finger guns* perfecto

Pros:(end with the good...)
Everything! This book was full of adventure and page turning awesomeness. So glad I requested this book and like I said I need a freaking sequel.

[Elizabeth Tammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I'm definitely biased. But I sincerely hope that Kahina and Atalanta will find a place into your world (and bookshelves) this November! Writing this wasn't easy by any means, but it brought me so much joy and I'm very excited (and a little terrified) for you to read it. Thank you!

[Christina Loeffler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars

Wow! What an excellent first novel, this was an exciting and very well written story. I haven’t read a lot of Greek mythology or retellings but I really enjoyed this take on common myths and legends that even a novice would be familiar with.

My favorite aspects of this were definitely (in order) Atalanta and Kahina. While I did feel their voices were written fairly similarly and there were times when my wires got crossed with who I was reading I really enjoyed them as MCs. Atalanta is a strong willed, bad-ass protagonist who managed to maintain that strength while also showing and feeling fear and anxiety. I thought it was a very realistic depiction of someone facing Gods and monsters and I think it added a lot of depth to the story and her character. She was easily my favorite part.

I really enjoyed the subtle, under-played romance between Atalanta and Kahina. I thought it was sweet and charming and didn’t detract from the story or come into play at unrealistic times.

This loses it’s 5th start for me because while the writing was excellent throughout the novel, the over attention to detail left parts of the book a little slow and sagging. I also felt the “rules of magic” could’ve used a little more fleshing out. It read a little like Tammi didn’t think it need further explanation because…Greek mythology so….Gods, duh. I wish we could’ve gotten a bit more world / magic building here to better understand this retelling, versus knowing things about Greek mythology and having to fill it in ourselves.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I’m really excited for this author. I think it was generally a fast paced, fun and enjoyable read that I would certainly suggest to anyone interested in Greek mythology and retellings.

[rin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

it was lowkey hard to percieve apollo as an actual antagonist when you're in the middle of the trials of apollo especially

anyway
the problem of this book is that it's supposed to be set in ancient greece, since it's greek mythology inspired. i mean yeah, it IS technically set there, it features a lot of characters we know or myths we've already heard. however, it doesn't feel like it's a greek mythology retelling. it reads like a generic fantasy novel with gods, girls with superpowers and yadda yadda. it somehow completely lacks the atmosphere of ancient greece and that's why i didnt enjoy it wholeheartedly.
don't think i didn't like it. i did! the plot is very decent and i loved the relationship between atalanta and kahina. the f/f romance wasn't heavily featured, but it was there and it was cute. (even though sometimes actions of characters made little to no sense to me). i just feel like you could take this book, change the names and locations, and it would look just like every second fantasy book set in some fantasy world. not that it's bad, it's just not what i wanted to get from this.
i also had troubles with narration. the book is narrated from two alternating POVs, kahina's and atalanta's, and it was pretty hard for me to distinguish them. so many times i got distracted while reading it and when i came back, i just couldn't remember whose POV i was reading at the time. both girls sounded absolutely the same and it was annoying.
this is a solid debut novel though and the writing overall is really good. i still enjoyed it, despite the issues i had with it, so my final rating is 3 out of 5.

I've received the arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[tappkalina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to those who loved Ash. I disliked both of them, but I feel like they had similar vibes and both were painfully slow and lacked of depth.

-----------------------------------------------

So this is about gay huntresses of Artemis? That's everything I ever wanted from The Titan's Curse!

[Silvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars

I liked this book and especially for a debut I think the author did a great job, but there were also things I was looking for in a book set in ancient Greece that simply weren’t there, and that’s the reason why this isn’t a five star, but let’s slow down a little.

The book is narrated from two alternating POVs, Atalanta’s and Kahina’s. I think this type of narration was the best choice for it, but one problem I had with it is that the two voices weren’t distinct enough. I think it makes some sort of sense, because the two characters are kind of similar on many levels, but that made it difficult to differentiate their internal monologues. But other than that, I think they were both well-written, just like well-written was the whole book. Sometimes, dare I say, a little too well written. This might make no sense, but I don’t know how else to put it. I just felt like every sentence was thought over meticulously, with great attention paid to the show, don’t tell and other rules, but sometimes that made the narration a little dry and perhaps impersonal. That’s obviously a very minor thing and it’s not really something I even thought about until writing my review, and it didn’t influence my rating negatively.

My favorite aspect of the book was probably the f/f romance, and not just because it’s f/f. It honestly wasn’t even a huge part of the book, it’s just something that happens within the book, but that’s what made it special. I don’t really want to say much about it because it should be experienced while reading the book.

The plot was at times a little slow and I think a few elements could have been removed or made less relevant in order to focus more on other aspects. Something else I didn’t necessarily agree with is the characterization of Artemis and Apollo, but I respect the author’s choice, and it’s true that Greek mythology isn’t always consistent and that there’s not two versions of a god or a Greek hero that are the same.

But speaking of ancient Greece, I didn’t find it in this book. If you replaced the names of places and people with random ones, this would read as a generic fantasy. I didn’t see Greece in the culture, in the way gods were worshipped, in the way men and women related to each other, I simply didn’t see it anywhere. The author note explains that liberties were taken, since the mythological Atalanta belongs to the first generation of heroes, even before the Trojan war, and not a lot is known about many aspects of life back then. This, in my opinion, resulted in a worldbuilding that’s not here nor there. You could tell me it’s set in the same universe and time period as Cinderella and I’d believe it. I think that a retelling of a Greek myth loses a lot of its value if it doesn’t transport the reader back to ancient Greece, and that’s truly what bothered me most about an otherwise above-average book.

All in all, I would recommend it if you can look past the missing ancient Greece and are looking for a f/f romance that’s not the focus of the book.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

At first I couldn’t really get into the story, it was all a bit too chaotic. But after the first third the plot got pretty interesting and I was eager to know what was going to happen.
The characters were interesting and the story was definitely something different from what I’m used to read in stories set in ancient Greece. The fact that she decided to race her suitors was quite original and entertaining to read.
I think this book would have worked better as the first of a duology. There were a lot of things to resolve and it was all done pretty quickly and easily. Even the end scene and the death of one of the characters didn’t really surprise me much. I would also have loved to know more about the future of Arkadia and most importantly about Atalanta and Kahina’s relationship.
Still, it was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

[Abi (The Knights Who Say Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I am ALL for making Greek mythology gay. I mean, gayer than it already is, which depending on the myth is already pretty gay — but there's not nearly enough wlw in the mythology retellings I've read, which is why I'm so happy about Outrun the Wind.

One question: when you first heard the myth of Atalanta racing her suitors and announcing she would only marry the man who could beat her, did you also sort of hate the guy who won by distracting her with golden apples? Yes? Good, this book is for you.

Because this is the story of Atalanta falling in love with a disgraced huntress of Artemis and the plan they make to keep Atalanta from being married off for politics. It's about how gods suck, how girls deserve better, and finding someone who will always come back for you.

In that respect, this book is great. I love the concept, and I like Atalanta and Kahina together. But it never shaped up to a great story overall. The plot needed more work.

Kahina has the power of prophecy, for reasons I won't spoil. There is definitely some thought put into keeping this power from being the magical solution to everything (for example, Kahina can only magically speak the answer when other people ask her questions, she can't do it herself), but I felt it needed more boundaries and more fleshing out.

And when there are gods involved I think there needs to be more explanation of the limits of their power, because otherwise they can just do random things with no limits and it's bad for the story. This becomes relevant in the epic final battle, when there are gods involved and very vague god powers. Literally deus ex machina. At least the gods weren't present for most of the book, so Atalanta and Kahina were using their own skills.

But frankly, the part with Kahina trying to figure out how to fulfill Artemis's quest could have used more development too. Atalanta just sort of hits on the answer and then we find out it's right without showing us much actual development.

Anyway, it's a book with some flaws that are saved by two girls falling in love and protecting each other from crappy men and gods.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review on my blog • Twitter • Instagram

Rep: f/f romance, lesbian mc, bi mc 

I received an arc from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

Outrun the Wind is a fantasy inspired by Greek Mythology, one of the main characters Kahina being a huntress of Artemis and the other main character Atalanta being accused of killing Artemis's boar, and wanting to be recruited by her.  Atalanta doesn't want to be part of the huntresses though. Atalanta is really good at archery, and is on a team of only men. However she does struggle with men judging her ability, which is an interesting juxtaposition to Kahina's experience.

I did enjoy both Kahina and Atalanta as character, which was one of the higher points for me. I did however not love the plot. When it's revealed Atalanta is a princess and must marry, the plot kind of dulled. There were attempts to make it more interesting but it didn't work for me. The romance was also a surprisingly minimal part of the book. As Kahina is forbidden from love and marriage due to being a huntress of Artemis, the romance took its time. However, I think it could've been developed a little better due to the forbidden factor to it. 

I enjoyed both the main characters a lot though and really liked the world. I would likely read more of them but this particular story didn't work for me. 

[Biz]

dear god I am so bored with this book. I love some of the characters, but the plot doesn't make sense to me and I don't understand how Atalanta can just,,,, run away from the hunters of Artemis. Artemis is a God. and she was just like "oh snap she's running guess we can't catch up!!!" (maybe they explain this later in the book?? whatever)

great themes, okay characters, but the plot just didn't make sense.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!  What can I say, this book caught me totally off guard.

It's been years since I read any Greek mythology and so I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this book. I should have not worried. The story captivated me from the start and I fell in love with the two main characters, Atalanta and Kahina. 

Kahina disobeys the orders of the Goddess Artemis and kills Artemis' boar in order to save Atalanta. Everyone believes Atalanta killed the boar herself as she already had the reputation of a fierce warrior, being brought up by hunters in the wild. Kahina detests Atalanta for taking credit for killing the boar and hiding the truth. Atalanta is soon reunited with her father, King Iasus, who is keen to find her a suitable husband. Atalanta has no interest in marriage or men and grows more and more fond of Kahina, and Kahina reciprocates her feelings.

"You might be a warrior, but you are still human."

I'm giving this book 4.5 stars and highly recommend to anyone who is into Greek mythology, or anyone looking to venture from their usual genre like myself. 

I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Holly Hearts Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Personal rating: 2.5
This is a very simple and basic story that is not an Artemis retelling even though it is promoted to be that way. Artemis is maybe present in 15 pages out of the 300. This is an Atalanta retelling who is the lost princess of King Iasus and has a run in with Kahina, a huntress of Artemis as they slowly "fall in love". I quote those words because the romance (which I dislike and actually went into this wanting it) never really happens until the very very very very very end. Soooo barely any Artemis, and no LGBTQ+ romance.. =\ A TON of angst though, phew.

I feel like if you took out the greek mythology and location names, this is a YA contemporary.

[Marta :} · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mythology f/f retelling that I really liked, it was slow at first and it literary took me so long to get into the action and become invested in the story. But when it happened, I started appreciating the story because it was amazing. The premise was very original – Atalanta, the only well known female greek hero, and her famous races being retold with Kahina, a huntress of Artemis being thrown in. They had a hate-to-love relationship that I wish I got to see more of. It was probably the slowest slow-burn romance I’ve ever read and I don’t know, I wanted more. BUT I still really liked it as a whole.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

Galley provided by publisher

Rep: bi mc, lesbian mc

To be honest, I think the hype for this book actually killed it for me. If it hadn't been so hyped and I came to it with no expectations, I'd have probably liked it more than I did. Because the writing is pretty good, the characters were alright, and there's a good romance. But it was hyped, and so I'm disappointed in how it turned out.

THE GOOD

- The relationship between Atalanta and Kahina was well-developed and nicely slowburning. They start off disliking each other - or rather Kahina dislikes Atalanta for reasons she can't actually explain to her, and Atalanta dislikes her in response to that - and then come together to work against the suitors later on. You might say that they start liking each other fairly abruptly, but besides that the development was realistic.

- The writing wasn't awful. OK, I'm definitely framing that in a negative way but I mean like. It was alright. Not much more, not much less. Readable, but nothing special.

- The characters were good - maybe not very nuanced - but they were good characters. I just didn't really like any of them particularly, which was unfortunate. I think if I'd liked them, things would have gone better for me.

THE BAD

- Just to clarify, I don't mean bad bad, but more like these-are-the-things-I-didn't-like bad.

- It just felt like your generic superpowered fantasy (albeit with an f/f relationship), where the characters happened to have names from Greek myths, and not actually a Greek myth retelling. I know, in the author's note, it said that she did research and took certain historical and mythological licences when writing it, but it doesn't even feel like it's actually set in Ancient Greece. Part of that was because of the language used ("insane", "lieutenant" are the examples that stick out), and the descriptions of their clothing (calling what Ancient Greeks wore a "dress" doesn't help in making it seem believable). Overall, though, besides the names for things, there didn't feel like that much effort in worldbuilding. I couldn't help comparing it (unfavourably) to Madeline Miller's novels in the end, because those are examples of how to take some liberties with the myth and still have it feel like it's actually set in Ancient Greece.

- Also, I know in the author's note she does mention that in the time of the myth - 3500BC or so - there wouldn't be coins as money and some of the city states wouldn't have been formed (although in the book she actually does have these things), but it's that kind of thing that takes me out of the story. Specifically in this book, I was taken out the story when Kahina started teaching Atalanta about forks. Which, as the smallest bit of research would tell you, were not used in Ancient Greece. Forks as we know them weren't actually used in the west until only a few centuries back. And that kind of anachronism really annoys me for some reason. It's the kind of detail that makes me think that, while there might have been plenty of research gone into the myth itself, research into the era might have been overlooked.

- There was plenty of plot to this book, but even so, I actually found it fairly boring. I think that's mostly linked to the fact that the writing was only alright, but also a bit to my next point.

- I didn't like any of the characters. Don't get me wrong - I didn't dislike them. But I just didn't actually like them. Ultimately, I didn't care about them, which would be a major factor in me liking a book (second to good writing). They are good characters, like I said before, but I didn't care.

- Finally, I just couldn't see Apollo as an out and out villain. Maybe part of that is because of Rick Riordan and the way he writes the Olympians. But for whatever reason, it just didn't work for me.

So yeah, in the end, this was just one of those books that was overhyped for me, meaning I didn't like it as much as I was hoping to.

[prag ♻ · Rating 5 out of 5]

because i don't know how else to ever explain the immense love i have for this sapphic (!!) story, here's me pretending i'm a green brother:

Dear Outrun the Wind,

When I first heard of you, months ago, I knew I would love you. And I was right; as soon as I got about three chapters in, I fell in love with you. I fell in love with Kahina and Atalanta, and I fell in love with their relationship.

[insert gif of boyle anytime he's in the same frame as peraltiago]

This is a sincere thank you for existing. Thank you for being a book about greek mythology with queer main characters; thank you for being a which includes Artemis; thank you for being a book that made me feel content and satisfied (and smile for fifteen minutes straight).

Sincerely,
A Sapphic Mess


---
arc received from netgalley!

[Shealea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick thoughts:
- Greek myth retelling of Atalanta
- Hate-to-love f/f romance
- Dual POV w/o distinct voices
- Questionable portrayal of popular Greek figures
- Angsty & boring
- Weakly written & forgettable
- Neither impressed nor blown away
- Trigger/Content warning: implications of sexual assault

🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter

[Dr. Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This retelling centers on the Greek myth of Atalanta. A young Greek girl who learns that she can run incredibly fast. Atalanta grew up in the hunt and has never wanted anything more than her freedom. She wants to be everything that her name means, "equal in weight". On the Calydonian Boar Hunt, Atalanta almost makes a fatal error, when Kahina, a huntress of Artemis, saves her by killing the boar. Kahina must prove her loyalty to Lady Artemis and is sent to Arcadia. The girls cross paths again by the gods design and must work together to save themselves from the hand fate has dealt them.

I love Greek mythology, it was the first one I came to love. Getting to dive deeper into the myth of Atalanta was such a treat, because first there are so FEW Greek heroes who are woman and second I've wanted to know more about Atalanta ever since reading Riordan's Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes. When I first started, I couldn't decide whose POV I liked more: Kahina or Atalanta. Kahina's were definitely longer for the most part, but I loved getting to know both of these girls.

In the beginning, they're both so wary of each other. I loved seeing them form a tenuous friendship that blossomed into so much more. This was the best enemies to lovers slow burn I've read in a long while. It was so easy to love these girls, at their core they both want freedom and safety. Attaining and keeping these two ideals was incredibly difficult for Greek women, especially young unmarried ones.

As the story unfolds, we get to see more of Artemis and Apollo. The story of the twins in this retelling was one of bitterness, hatred and sibling rivalry. In many depictions, I've seen the twins close, but here we see them competing with each other and constantly trying to undermine the other. It was such a different vibe, but also felt so true to what the Olympian gods could be. Apollo is often shown as a golden boy since he is the incarnation of the sun. While he definitely shone, he had none of the qualities of a golden boy besides an extreme addition of narcissism.

Part of the reason I love mythology and retellings is that it shows you facets of a story you might not see otherwise. I really believe the Olympian gods could be vicious, shallow, cunning and cruel. We see some of that in this story. But I also believe they can be generous and kind at times, which is what we see in Percy Jackson. I don't think they are only one thing and I love seeing their personalities present in different ways.

The ending of Outrun the Wind was heartbreaking, but it was also so damn hopeful. I wish there had been an epilogue, I want to know what happened to the girls and the huntresses after everything that went down. Overall, a lovely retelling that only made my love for mythology grow.

[- ̗̀ DANY ̖́- (danyreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

. : ☾⋆ — 3 ★

READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG!!!
https://bit.ly/2OUEyva

ARC provided from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (thank you Flux & North Star Editions!!)

The Song of Achilles but make it sapphic !!!

after joining Meleager on the hunt for the Calydonian Boar as the only woman on the crew, huntress Atalanta is faced with the terrifying consequence of drawing first blood on the boar, a creature made by the goddess Artemis. except Atalanta didn’t kill the Calydonian Boar, one of Artemis’s own huntresses, Kahina, did. as both make their way to the kingdom of Arkadia—Atalanta, returning home, and Kahina, trying to earn back Artemis’s favor—their paths cross and their fates unravel, revealing so much more than either girl ever bargained for.

very loosely based on the greek myth of Atalanta, Outrun the Wind is a fun, quick read. my expectations were high for this one, and i’m happy to say that, despite a few issues i had with the book, my expectations were mostly met!!

i can’t write this review without mentioning at least once how often this book reminded me of the first 60-75 pages of The Song of Achilles, when Achilles and Patroclus still live as boys in Phthia. from Greece itself as a setting, to Patroclus/Achilles and Kahina/Atalanta and their tranquil relationship as the plot develops, and the undeniable parallels between Atalanta/Achilles and Kahina/Patroclus. Kahina’s POV, her voice and storytelling style, were both very similar to Patroclus’s in my opinion. Outrun the Wind is obviously not as emotionally loaded as TSOA, and the ship itself is not as heavy and remarkable. TSOA is a masterpiece on its own, but Outrun the Wind definitely had very similar vibes. so if you find yourself looking for something like TSOA but with lesbians, this is it.

speaking of lesbians, though. this book almost had me thinking it was gonna queerbait me. the slow burn is very subtle, and you honestly never know when (or even if) the main characters are even going to get together. it wasn’t until around 80% of the way through the book that we even had any evidence that either of them truly had romantic feelings for the other, before that it’s just very angry but extremely subtle requited pining. so the chemistry was there, but something was definitely missing as far as relationship development goes. it isn’t the best wlw ship i’ve read, but it was okay. however!!! i’m happy to say that this book has a bisexual MC and a lesbian MC, and that is super fun!!!!

for a debut novel, i think Elizabeth Tammi’s writing style was pretty good!! as i said, it kept reminding me of TSOA, and that HAS to be a good thing. my only issue with Tammi’s writing style is that Kahina’s and Atalanta’s POV’s were barely discernible between one another. if we didn’t have the character’s name before each chapter to tell us who the narrator is, i don’t think i would’ve been able to tell the difference. aside from that, though, i think Tammi did a fantastic job.

overall i think this was a fun, quick read and i was really impressed by it!! despite the few issues i had with it, i’m very happy to have been able to read an early copy and i’ll be eagerly awaiting its release in november. thanks again to NetGalley, Flux & North Star Editions!!

[Lenore . · Rating 3 out of 5]

✧ ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ✧

Greek mythology was my childhood obsession. Ever since my parents gave me a wonderfully illustrated storybook of Greek myth retellings, I fell in love with the complexity of the heroes' position between fate and free will, as well as the flawed humanity of their gods. Percy Jackson and the Olympians was the series I grew up with, solidifying my love for moody deities and merciless monsters. And this year, I was able to experience Greek myth in all its glory and gore while reading Madeline Miller's Circe. In this context, I expected to enjoy Outrun the Wind immensely, even if it wasn't anywhere near the level of its predecessors. But I found myself frowning at the first few chapters' portrayal of Artemis, and I've come to the reluctant conclusion that this book will not do my beloved myths justice. Its representation of Greek myth so far is just not... well, realistic.

I know, I know, how can I be arguing for realism in myth?

Let me recap the scene: Atalanta and four guys were hunting Artemis's giant boar, but one of her huntresses - Kahina - kills the boar when it seems like it would harm Atalanta. Atalanta pretends she killed it, and Artemis and huntresses arrive to seek justice for the slayer of her monster. Artemis invites Atalanta to join her hunt; Atalanta refuses.

Here are some examples of what I deem an unrealistic portrayal of Artemis:

"Princeling. Tell her she will join my huntresses."

YOU ARE AN ALMIGHTY GREEK GODDESS. WHY WOULD YOU NEED AN IRRELEVANT HUMAN PRINCE TO ENFORCE YOUR WILL???

I [Atalanta] shift my shoulders, just to make sure my quiver is still strapped to my back.
Though I'm not sure what good my arrows will do against an Olympian.

A BIG FAT LOAD OF NOTHING. YOUR ARROWS ARE LIKE TOOTHPICKS TO A GREEK DEITY. IF SHE WERE TO SHOW HERSELF IN HER TRUE FORM, YOU WOULD MELT INTO A POODLE FROM THE MERE SIGHT OF HER DIVINITY. WHY ON EARTH AREN'T YOU ON YOUR KNEES BEGGING FOR MERCY?!?!

I start to reach for my bow. [...] Artemis's lips slide into a grin, and as she raises her own bow, she shakes her head.

YOU. DO. NOT. PICK. FIGHTS. WITH. GREEK. GODDESSES!!!!!!!!! YOU'RE NOT EVEN A FREAKIN' DEMIGOD!!!!!!!!!

And what does Atalanta do when faced with Artemis's refusal to accept the girl's decline of the goddess' offer?

My whole being responds, my mind locking one command into place: run.

That's right. She RUNS AWAY. And Artemis would just stand there sighing like a powerless maiden, letting her get away? Really??? And she would let herself be blackmailed by a son of Poseidon who happens to be working for her brother, because Apollo would go against his own twin sister in order to defend some measly half-god? Really?????

And don't even get me started on Kahina's motivations for saving Atalanta. Because there are NONE. Girl was simply in the mood to throw a knife given to her by Artemis herself at Artemis's own monster. Because logic.

I meant to read at least 20% before I call it quits, but my patience has worn thinner than Arachne's net. 3 stars for above average writing and some potential I'm too enraged to see through. DNF at 13%.

Note: All quotes are from an uncorrected ARC, and are subject to change.

More of my reviews can be found on my blog, Valley of the Books.

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

It was the summer between third and fourth grade when I fell in love with Greek Mythology. It was actually part of the mandatory summer reading and I found myself utterly fascinated. So as a general rule I like all things that incorporate those myths.

"Outrun the Wind" is a wonderful retelling of Atalanta’s story with a LGBT spin on it. From the very start it was obvious that this story will be very different than the original myth and that it will explore some difficult, heavy themes. Personally I don’t think they were handled well but I’ve read worse. Actually that handling and the way most men are portrayed are the main reasons why I gave it a 3.5 rating. However, it has that special thing that makes you want to keep reading despite the flaws. So I’d recommend "Outrun the Wind" to people who love retellings and the Greek Myths. I promise you won’t regret giving it a chance.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

When I saw this beautiful cover, I knew I had to read it. And when I learned it was a fantasy book with a FF relationship, then I was even more excited.

Outrun the Wind follows two girls: Atalanta and Kahina. Atalanta is a talented young woman who's been raised by hunters. She doesn't know who her parents are, so it comes to her as a surprise when she learns that she's the long-lost princess of Arkandia (if I'm spelling it wrong, please excuse me). Kahina on the other hand, is one of Artemis' huntresses who escaped Apollo (Artemis' brother).

I will admit that I feel that this book lacked world-building and explanations. There are some things that confused me but eventually, I was hooked by the story and its characters. I really wanted the girls to be together and kiss and make-out so it was cute to see how their relationship developed. Kahina wasn't Atalanta's biggest fan at first, even though she kinda saved her life ;).

This book has a lot of potential and even though it isn't perfect and I had some minor problems with it, I still ended up enjoying it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author & publisher for letting me read and review this book.

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 stars

Outrun The Wind was an interesting debut novel about two female heroines and a secret that kept me on my toes for three days. At first I thought it was built around Kahina and Atalanta’s romantic relationship, but once I understood the general angle I was glad I had been proven wrong. This novel was more about the world building than it was about the romance. The f/f love story was there, always tangible and yet, it wasn’t the main focus at all. Only three things left me unimpressed: the mythological world building, the überpolished writing and the double point of view. In terms of world building, it didn’t feel like a mythological read —more like fantasy. And that disappointed me. A bit. Moreover the whole story was told by two different point of views, Atalanta and Kahina’s, and yet their voices weren’t that different at all. Sometimes I ended up being confused and I had to re-read some passages. The author’s writing was on point though, but I would have appreciated less descriptions. Overall it was a lovely debut novel. And the f/f romance was nicely built.

Thanks to NetGalley and North Star Editions for providing me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

[Rianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

31/52 books read in 2018.
Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this!
"Outrun the Wind" is a retelling of Atalanta's story with the added original narrative of an Artemis Huntress named Kahina.
Atalanta is a fighter. She is strong, quick with a bow, and especially a fast runner. After her first hunting party goes awfully wrong, she has to figure out a new life for herself and she has to face the secrets of her past.
Kahina's past might be equally dark. She joined Artemis's hunt to get away from her destiny as one of Delphi's oracles, but when she fails to comply with the orders of the goddess, she is forced to carry out an assignment that ensures she is forever entangled in Atalanta's story.

"Outrun the Wind" is a fast paced book written in a pleasant writing style. The narrative is split between Atalanta and Kahina, alternating the chapters. This made it a more detailed and complex story. Unfortunately the narrative voices became too similar towards the end, which caused confusion and made me double check my chapter titles. *Hence only 4 stars and not 5*

The author has taken the creative liberty to introduce new characters into her history, so if you are expecting a verbatim retelling of Atalanta's myth, you might feel disappointed. However, if you are a fan of myths and enjoy exploring and dreaming about those worlds some more, definitely check this out!

[Ezzydesu · Rating 4 out of 5]

''But nobody can beat fate - not even her. Nobody can outrun the wind.''

★★★★✩

I was offered this e-ARC by Elizabeth Tammi in exchange of an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing it.

I was quite excited to read this book as I really love Greek mythology. I had Greek and Latin language and mythology lessons for almost 4 years during middle school, but myths were always told in short tales instead of like an actual book, which is a shame as a lot of those stories are incredible and I think they would speak to more people in a more bookish format.

I had heard of the name Atalanta and I knew about the existence Artemis' Huntresses, but never heard about their stories or truly knew why they were so famous. I went in this book pretty much blind and didn't have any material to compare the story with, so I had no expectations of the story itself. I think it was a good thing as this is a retelling and things get changed and you can get disappointed with adaptions if you are fan of the original. But that is me and I think there are plenty of Mythology lovers that are just thrilled to read this take on the stories of the Huntresses of Artemis and Atalanta.

In short, the book is about one of Artemis' Huntresses, Kahina. She became part of the Hunt when she was rescued by them from Apollo, Artemis' twin broher, and an awful life as the Oracle of Delphi. She loves being part of the Hunt, both for the protection from Apollo and living with a group of female warriors, even though she was still being affected by the lingering prophetic powers. While being part of the Hunt, the Huntresses only had to obey two rules: never disobey the goddess and never fall in love. But when a routine missions goes wrong, Kahina breaks the first rule. To earn back Artemis' favour, she has to complete a dangerous task. What that task is and how she broke the rule is revealed early in the book in case you got curious.

I dove into this book fairly soon after receiving it and I was hooked really fast. It starts with such an interesting event, right in the middle of the action and it just plays out without too much extra and I am not gonna spoil anything, but say it shows how badass women can be and how they can stand up for themselves. I loved every part of it and I hope to see more of it in Elizabeth's next work.

The story itself didn't have a huge, complicated plot or hundreds of pages and I actually thought it really fit the kind of story. It wasn't dragged out and I believe more authors should take a note here. The pacing of the story felt really natural; the action packed scenes had a quicker pace compared to, let's say, a dinner, just to keep up the thrill of the moment. The other way round I liked how I could just enjoy moments of friendship in less of a hurry. I was carried away on the wave of this story and I have stayed up late several nights, because I wanted to read 'one more chapter' as was too curious what happened next to put down my e-reader. I wished I could have finished this book quicker, but falling ill and a busy schedule certainly didn't help.
The characters were really well written and felt like real people. The MC's truly felt like girls my age, even though they live in a completely different world. I absolutely felt for them and understood their emotions and choices as they were expressed clearly, but not overly. This deserves some praise coming from a debuting author, as there are still authors who have published several books and are still having trouble doing this.

I'd really recommend this book. It is a whole different sort of fantasy as it is a Greek mythology retelling, but any lover of fantasy will absolutely adore this book. This is one of those books you can devour in one or a few sits, which is totally recommended. Giving bonus points for the great female leads and the LGBT+ rep, really well done.
As it seems now, Outrun The Wind will be a stand-alone, but Elizabeth has plans for more stories in the same universe! Until then, go read this book, you won't regret it.

Outrun The Wind releases November 27th!
Pre-order now on Amazon and Bookdepository!
_____
Elizabeth Tammi is debuting with her novel Outrun The Wind.
She was born in California and grew up in Florida, but is currently double-majoring in Creative Writing and Journalism as an undergraduate at Mercer University in Georgia. When she’s not writing, you can probably find Elizabeth at rehearsal for one of her vocal ensembles, or at work for her university’s newspaper and literary magazine. Her other interests include traveling, caffeinated beverages, and mythology.

_____

Read more reviews on my blog:
https://ezziesbookshelf.wordpress.com

[Keri · Rating 2 out of 5]

***I received a free e-ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

Yikes, I really, really wanted to like this book, but alas I found myself extremely disappointed. This f/f romance Greek mythology retelling held great promise, but it completely missed the mark. Now, according to the e-copy I was supplied with, I read an uncorrected advance proof, so I’m aware that the book will go through additional editing/revisions, but the critiques I hold of this book are overarching problems that I believe will still be relevant to the final version.

Outrun the Wind follows two perspectives: that of Kahina’s and Atalanta’s. Kahina is a huntress of Artemis, who one day disobeys the goddess by killing the Calydonian Boar in order to save Atalanta. Atalanta is a legendary huntress and warrior running from her past and struggling to find where she belongs. In order for Kahina to redeem herself to Artemis, she’s sent on a mission that causes her to once again cross paths with Atalanta. As the women are forced to work together to overcome obstacles, they find their initial dislike of each other blooming into something more.

Of course, I loved the ideas that this novel was built upon: a Greek mythology retelling, a f/f romance, and two badass women protagonists. Additionally, the romance was combined with one of my favorite tropes: hate-to-love! But while this book had a great premise, its execution was quite lacking.

One of the first warning signs that I noticed about this book was the writing. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was blatantly amateur. It was very straightforward writing and there wasn’t much flourish to the phrasing. Additionally, the writing was inconsistent. The first two chapters portrayed the Calydonian Boar Hunt from Atalanta’s perspective and then Kahinas’s. Yet in Kahina’s perspective, the order of events wasn’t quite the same. It was a small detail (when the group split up and when Atalanta shot the boar in the leg), so I’m hoping it will be caught before the final version is released.

Going along with inconsistent writing, a lot of Atalanta’s badassery was told, not shown. The author tells us Atalanta is this legendary huntress known throughout the land, but we’re never told why? What did she do to get this rep? I understand that Atalanta is a Greek heroine, but I didn’t know about her until I read this story, so if there were events that happened prior that the author expected me to know, I obviously didn’t (I honestly believe this story could have benefitted from starting earlier along the plotline). When we see Atalanta through Kahina’s perspective, she does appear to be pretty badass and intimidating, but as soon as were put in Atalanta’s head, she suddenly becomes this unsure, confused, and emotional teenager. All of her hardcore huntress edge just dissipated.

Alongside that, I felt that a lot of the character’s goals and motivations where unclear. Why Kahina knowingly disobeys Artemis to save Atalanta (who is a stranger at the time) is never made clear. Atalanta wanders around aimlessly for the first half of the book before finally gaining a central goal. And then the main antagonist’s actions are written without motivation or justification. He’s a very much a one dimensional villain who’s evil just to be evil. In all honesty, all the characters felt cardboard-like. Yes, Kahina and Atalanta have dark pasts, but they felt like they were put there as a poor attempt at character depth.

And my final critique is that a decent chunk of the plot felt very unnecessary. Deaths came out of nowhere and did little to aid the plot. Details were given in a weak attempt to flesh out characters but in actuality had no impact on their personality (aka Kahina’s upbringing).

Overall, Outrun the Wind was a weak attempt at a Greek mythology YA story. I struggled through the first half and the second half was only slightly more interesting because I just wanted to know how it ended. I wouldn’t really recommend this book, but if you’re enraptured by the synopsis, I say give it a try since everyone has different preferences (but definitely bail if you don’t like the beginning).



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can see this review, my other reviews & additional bookish posts at my blog: Are You My Book?

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, North Star Editions, and Elizabeth Tammi for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had very high expectations of this book based on a number of the reviews I read that are already out there. While it didn't quite meet my expectations, Outrun the Wind by Elizabeth Tammi was still a very engaging and exciting read.

The story: Atalanta was raised as a warrior, and Kahina is a huntress of Artemis. When Kahina kills Artemis's boar to save Atalanta, she must redeem herself to get back into Artemis's good graces. When Atalanta turns out to be none other than the Princess of Arkadia, she is not thrilled at the fact that her father wants her to marry as soon as possible. Kahina comes up with the brilliant plan of having suitors race Atalanta, since it will be impossible for anyone to outrun her.

This plan seems like a good idea, until it turns into higher stakes: life and death. When  suitors see they are  bound to die, they leave Atalanta alone. All except one who refuses to back down, a follower of Apollo sure of his own victory.

One thing that originally drew me to the book, based on other reviews, was the female/female romance aspect. I enjoyed this, but I really with there was more of it a lot sooner in the novel. The lack of action made the romance feel rather stilted and unbelievable.

I really enjoyed the hunt at the beginning of this book. It really made the setting. There's even a reference to Odysseus's father, which was a nice Easter egg and a way to show the time period without having to explicitly say. The part between the hunt and the racing (a huge chunk of the first half of the book) felt a bit slower and dragged slightly in comparison to the rest. Once the races start, the story becomes exciting again, and the stakes are pretty high.

The writing style itself is very nice and elegant, as well as easy to read. The only problem I had was that the voices of the two different characters tended to feel too similar more often than not, and I would occasionally forget who's perspective I was reading.

Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read and would recommend it to teen girls specifically. There's a good takeaway from this book about not letting your past define you and really finding who you are and being comfortable with that person. A person shouldn't let others try to change them. Great message!