Lost in the Labyrinth [Paperback]

Patrice Kindl (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

From the deepest layer of the Labyrinth under the Royal Palace to the topmost floor of the prison tower, this enthralling version of the myth of the maze and the Minotaur by master storyteller Patrice Kindl is filled with the marvelous and the strange.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kindl (Goose Chase) inventively meshes classical myths, archeological findings and imaginative speculation in an intriguing tale full of mystery and emotion. Set in Crete, the story up-ends tradition, in which Ariadne achieves a tragic glory for helping the Greek hero Theseus slay the Minotaur. Kindl taps Ariadne's younger sister, Princess Xenodice, to narrate. Where this Ariadne is ruthless, like their stepmother, Queen Pasiphae, who rules over matriarchal Crete, Xenodice is kindhearted. She feels protective of her half-brother Asterius, the much-feared Minotaur who is kept in a separate chamber of the labyrinth where the royal family resides. While most people consider Asterius a monster, the princess grows deeply troubled when she learns that Ariadne and Ariadne's lover, Theseus, are conspiring to kill him. Then Xenodice discovers that she and her good friends Daedalus and Icarus also may be in danger. The author nimbly reweaves classical motifs while vividly conjuring an ancient world. As fans of her The Woman in the Wall might expect, Kindl does particular justice to the idiosyncrasies of the labyrinth; her envisioning of a matriarchal society and its rituals also proves memorable. While the story will especially interest those with a grounding in mythology, cloak-and-dagger buffs should enjoy it, too. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10-Kindl retells the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur through the perceptive eyes of Xenodice, the younger sister of Ariadne. In this inventive version, no Athenians are killed by the Minotaur, who is gentle despite his monstrous appearance, unless provoked. Xenodice loves and tries to protect her human/bull brother, not only from the harshly heroic Theseus, but also from the schemes of her own family. The author artfully includes many elements of the legend while at the same time creating a fully realized and original setting. Xenodice elegantly narrates the events, introducing characters and providing background information without disrupting the flow of the storytelling. Early on, she acts more as an observer than a participant in events, and her automatic obedience to the strong-willed Ariadne hides the courage she shows later. The story becomes more involving when Xenodice herself takes a more active role, attempting a midnight rescue of her brother and later helping Daedalus and Icarus (whom she loves) make their winged escape attempt. Readers who know the legend will enjoy the parallels and contrasts that occur throughout, but the strong storytelling lets Xenodice's tale stand on its own, as well.
Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Graphia (September 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618394028
• ISBN-13: 978-0618394029
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #962,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patrice Kindl's first novel, Owl in Love, was an ALA Notable Book for Children, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an SCBWI Golden Kite Award Honor Book. She lives in Middleburgh, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Why Did You Not Wait for Me?", June 25, 2005

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lost in the Labyrinth (Hardcover)

In recent years there has been a massive increase in the publication of re-told fairytales and mythologies, usually with the author twisting the known facts and meanings of the original source material into something more contemporary: villains become sympathetic characters, we see the proceedings through the eyes of a minority group such as a slave or a female, or hidden agendas and meanings are revealed behind the bare-bones of the story.

Famous examples of this have been Marion Bradley Zimmer's "Mists of Avalon", Gail Carson Levine's "Ella Enchanted" and any of Donna Jo Napoli's wonderful canon of reshaped fairytales. Patrice Kindl takes a similar path with "Lost in the Labyrinth", a retelling of the Theseus and Minotaur myth, and though she is not quite as successful as the above-mentioned authors, she still gives us an interesting and sometimes haunting read.

The original myth took place entirely on the island of Minos, where twelve young Athenians were taken each year in order to be sacrificed to the vicious Minotaur, the offspring of a bull and the goddess-cursed Queen Pasiphae. King Minos was disgusted by his Queen's bestiality and the sight of her son, and so employed the inventor Daedalus to design a labyrinth in order to hide this Minotaur, and sacrificed the Athenians to it in order to keep it under control. Finally, Prince Theseus of Athens came to the island, and with the help of the king's daughter Ariadne he slew the monster and made his escape.

This story however, though it keeps all the basic facts, changes the meaning and reasoning behind these events. It is told in first-person by Princess Xenodice, who is satisfied with her lot in life: helping at the menagerie, enjoying the comforts of palace life and in love with Daedalus's son Icarus. But changes are brewing for Xenodice when a ship bringing the latest group of Athenians comes ashore, bringing with them Prince Theseus who is eager to continue his heroic feats by slaying the Minotaur.

But the Minotaur - or Lord Asterius as his family call him - is not the monster that the Athenians have longed believed him to be. The boy with the bull's head is not a monster, but rather a docile beast that is dangerous only when provoked and Xenodice is very fond of him. Concerned for his safety Xenodice does all in her power to protect the ones she loves when she discovers her elder sister Ariadne is in love with Theseus and there is a plot afoot to topple the royal prince.

Despite all the changes from the original source, Kindl falls to a new set of clichés that abound in this new genre. Starting with "The Mists of Avalon" is this constant trend of presenting ancient societies as matriarchal utopias, where the women are in charge. Not only is this historically incorrect, but the fact is that all the darker components of the myth are "sanitised" in order to fit into this New Age idea of ancient civilisation. For example, the Minotaur in Kindl's retelling is a creature who owes its existence to the will of the Goddess and the mythic figure of "the Bull of the Earth", not a potent symbol of the animalistic side of man. The Athenian sacrifices are brought to the island simply to tend to the royal family rather than sacrifices. The continued imprisonment of Daedalus and Icarus is based on a technicality rather than suspicion and jealousy. The sinister curves and twists of the labyrinth is now the ancestral palace of the royal family. In other words, all the juicy bits have been removed! There's nothing wrong with changing myths in order to find a deeper meaning to them, but often it felt that Kindl simply catered to a New Age ideology that brings no deeper resonance to the story.

However, all this is just my personal opinions on what myths mean and how they should be retold, and most young readers will be delighted with this retelling. Kindl's details of the particulars of Minoan life are detailed and realistic, and the labyrinthine palace with its luxurious baths and dark prisons come to life on the page. Her characterisations are thoughtful, with no true heroes or villains, and she brings touches of intrigue to the tale, such as Xenodice's vision of Ariadne, the resurrection of Glaucus, or her haunting last paragraph. If you are aware of the ending of this particular myth then you'll be dreading the ending, but Kindl manages to hit the right note of poignancy without being too depressing or too uplifting.

"Lost in the Labyrinth" was my first read of Patricia Kindl, but it shall not be my last.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, but not what I was looking for, October 6, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost in the Labyrinth (Paperback)

My fourth grade son is interested in Greek mythology and archaeology. I pre-read this book, and I think it may be intended for an older and more feminine reading population.

I think there is a market for books that retell and fictionalize the old myths; we found a few good ones when he was interested in Ancient Egypt. This book has Ariadne, Theseus, the minotaur (Asterius), also Daedalus and Icarus -- all interwoven.

It's an interesting idea for a story, but it was very heavy on the goddess-worship that Patrice Kindl imagined for the island. We've done a lot of reading about what they have found of Minoan civilization, and with all the emphasis on the Bull in the murals and artifacts found there, it's hard to believe that Knossos was a Queendom, as this story suggests.

It's an entertaining book, but it may be a better book for kids who are interested in a good love/heartbreak story, rather than a good historical story.

4.0 out of 5 stars Lost in the Labyrinth- a great read, May 19, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Lost in the Labyrinth (Paperback)

Lost in the Labyrinth, by Patrice Kindl, is a great book I would recommend to 6th-8th graders. A little bit advanced and complicated, mixed with puzzles and mysteries, the main character Princess Xenodice discovers her family's deep secrets. This book is based on Greek myth about the Minotaur and Theseus. I would recommend this book to kids who would enjoy reading a historical fiction book of Ancient Greece and discover mysteries that lies beyond the labyrinth.