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Pharmakides
In 'Pharmakides,' Alice Abyss twists myths. She creates a world where witches weave stars. Birds, oracles of the sky, narrate this dark fantasy retelling of Medousa.
274 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2023
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86 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 17, 2024
Everything about the structure of this book proves why the idea is a bad one. In short, the concept is so limited that it forces the writing to conform to a finished product with multiple flaws.
First, the idea of 27 birds narrating your story - this is too many narrators. No chapter can focus on a character for too long, leaving them essentially useless as there's no time to develop a unique POV. Similarly, only three or so actually had distinct voices; most could have been interchanged with each other to no effect. There's also the element of what a bird actually knows, which is often very little. While third-person narration can be very good, this is first-person narration watching someone else, which makes all but a few pages of the book distant and stilted, as it's too removed from the action. Nothing ever hooked me. Not to mention the necessity of each bird (and one bat, which is not a bird at all, come on) learning about Medousa* in real time, which means the reader has to endure over a dozen discoveries of the same information. I know she has a tattoo. I know she has a scar. Sometimes, you give up realism for the sanity of the audience. Oof. Please allow us to fill in the blanks on our own, okay?
Lastly, the birds kept bringing up more interesting things than the actual story. Again, because the narrators are almost never involved directly (and the few exceptions are easily the best part), the plot took a very long time to go anywhere. I'm literally bored to sleep wondering where things are going, and a bird mentions that it used to be a person. Then, another one mentions that it is made of stone but wasn't originally. What happened here, and why can't that be covered in some detail? If you want a reader to care about a story, it should probably give plot and details on the characters it actually follows.
This earned one star for the moments of nice prose and the idea of trying something new. Pretentious spellings (see * for Medusa above; also Phoinix instead of Phoenix, Kerberos instead of Cerberus, etc.) and bad ideas killed the rest.
Content warnings for injury (graphic), murder, assault (sexual and physical), death, grief, graphic animal death, and drowning.
Used for 2024 r/Fantasy Bingo (multi-POV, hard mode); also fits self-published (hard mode), dreams (hard mode), judge a book by its cover (hard mode), and reference materials (glossary).
First, the idea of 27 birds narrating your story - this is too many narrators. No chapter can focus on a character for too long, leaving them essentially useless as there's no time to develop a unique POV. Similarly, only three or so actually had distinct voices; most could have been interchanged with each other to no effect. There's also the element of what a bird actually knows, which is often very little. While third-person narration can be very good, this is first-person narration watching someone else, which makes all but a few pages of the book distant and stilted, as it's too removed from the action. Nothing ever hooked me. Not to mention the necessity of each bird (and one bat, which is not a bird at all, come on) learning about Medousa* in real time, which means the reader has to endure over a dozen discoveries of the same information. I know she has a tattoo. I know she has a scar. Sometimes, you give up realism for the sanity of the audience. Oof. Please allow us to fill in the blanks on our own, okay?
Lastly, the birds kept bringing up more interesting things than the actual story. Again, because the narrators are almost never involved directly (and the few exceptions are easily the best part), the plot took a very long time to go anywhere. I'm literally bored to sleep wondering where things are going, and a bird mentions that it used to be a person. Then, another one mentions that it is made of stone but wasn't originally. What happened here, and why can't that be covered in some detail? If you want a reader to care about a story, it should probably give plot and details on the characters it actually follows.
This earned one star for the moments of nice prose and the idea of trying something new. Pretentious spellings (see * for Medusa above; also Phoinix instead of Phoenix, Kerberos instead of Cerberus, etc.) and bad ideas killed the rest.
Content warnings for injury (graphic), murder, assault (sexual and physical), death, grief, graphic animal death, and drowning.
Used for 2024 r/Fantasy Bingo (multi-POV, hard mode); also fits self-published (hard mode), dreams (hard mode), judge a book by its cover (hard mode), and reference materials (glossary).
November 11, 2024
A book so bad I wish i forgot how to read
October 27, 2023
I want to start by saying a few things, 1) I’m not good at writing reviews, and 2) this isn’t typically a genre I read.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and it just so happened to land in my inbox at the same time as a nasty cold, so I was able to read the whole thing in a day thanks to some warm tea and a nice rain storm outside.
To keep this short and sweet, the book was fantastic. As I stated above, I typically don’t read this genre, I tend to stick with Horror, but when I heard this was a retelling of a story I was somewhat familiar with but through the eyes of different birds, it intrigued me. And it works, the book start to finish was full of amazing detail, not too much like our friend Tolkien, but just enough to immerse you into each chapter, into the eyes of each species of bird. While reading the book, I forgot I was sick and time flew by, next thing I knew I was done entirely and wanting more. I don’t want to say much more about the content of the book as it should be experienced first hand with your imagination running wild with each page.
I believe the book fully releases October 31st, and I strongly believe that for fans of this genre (and even curious readers from other genre fandoms) that this book should be added to the TBR as soon as possible! For a debut novel, the bar has been set pretty high.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and it just so happened to land in my inbox at the same time as a nasty cold, so I was able to read the whole thing in a day thanks to some warm tea and a nice rain storm outside.
To keep this short and sweet, the book was fantastic. As I stated above, I typically don’t read this genre, I tend to stick with Horror, but when I heard this was a retelling of a story I was somewhat familiar with but through the eyes of different birds, it intrigued me. And it works, the book start to finish was full of amazing detail, not too much like our friend Tolkien, but just enough to immerse you into each chapter, into the eyes of each species of bird. While reading the book, I forgot I was sick and time flew by, next thing I knew I was done entirely and wanting more. I don’t want to say much more about the content of the book as it should be experienced first hand with your imagination running wild with each page.
I believe the book fully releases October 31st, and I strongly believe that for fans of this genre (and even curious readers from other genre fandoms) that this book should be added to the TBR as soon as possible! For a debut novel, the bar has been set pretty high.
October 29, 2023
ARC review-
It’s a retelling of Medusa, this retelling digs deeper into the history from the Greek and Roman times not just the well known SA telling.
Each chapter is written from the perspective of different birds. I have never read another book like this told from the perspective of an outsider observing and that outsider switching and the knowledge they have shifting.
The second I got my copy of the book I could not put it down and read through it every chance I got.
Excellently written, extremely descriptive almost boarder-line too descriptive.
It’s a retelling of Medusa, this retelling digs deeper into the history from the Greek and Roman times not just the well known SA telling.
Each chapter is written from the perspective of different birds. I have never read another book like this told from the perspective of an outsider observing and that outsider switching and the knowledge they have shifting.
The second I got my copy of the book I could not put it down and read through it every chance I got.
Excellently written, extremely descriptive almost boarder-line too descriptive.
November 22, 2023
This retelling of Medousa from the viewpoint of different birds is beautifully written, and poetic. Reading this story was like putting together a puzzle with a large group: while we all know what the big picture is, everyone still had to do their part to get to the end.
There was some redundancy throughout the chapters. Each new bird we were introduced to had to go through identifying Medousa, reminding us of the stars, and the symbolism that is Medousa’s marked ankle. I began to grow impatient, as each chapter would start off that way, when I just wanted to get to the meat and potatoes of the story.
If you love Greek mythology, or retellings of tales as old as time, you will LOVE Pharmakides. Other things that make this version different aside from the bird POV is that this author thoughtfully told us a story without SA, with well descriptive birds and plants and their importance, as well as well-placed symbolism.
There was some redundancy throughout the chapters. Each new bird we were introduced to had to go through identifying Medousa, reminding us of the stars, and the symbolism that is Medousa’s marked ankle. I began to grow impatient, as each chapter would start off that way, when I just wanted to get to the meat and potatoes of the story.
If you love Greek mythology, or retellings of tales as old as time, you will LOVE Pharmakides. Other things that make this version different aside from the bird POV is that this author thoughtfully told us a story without SA, with well descriptive birds and plants and their importance, as well as well-placed symbolism.
November 2, 2023
What a fun, intricate read! A beautiful retelling with the exact amount of detail to make you feel like you’re viewing the scene without too many words. It’s a unique perspective being told from the eyes of birds and adds layers upon layers to the meanings of each chapter. Additionally, there is a dictionary in the front so you don’t need to google if you aren’t familiar with some of the creatures and terms! Overall, a beautiful writing debut and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.
December 19, 2023
I researched a bunch of new indie authors on mythology prior to purchasing this book and was intrigued with the idea of all the chapters being told by different birds.
This book blew me away not only with its poetic writing style but also the ability to really immerse myself in the world. I felt as though every detail of the pages were done in a way so that you could see every detail of what she was describing without being over saturated. Every detail and description had meaning behind it and lead to the story being captivating through every page.
I was not only invested in Medousa's story but I also by the birds individual stories that all tied together just beautifully throughout the entire book.
Overall a wonderful read and a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a unique retelling about Medousa.
This book blew me away not only with its poetic writing style but also the ability to really immerse myself in the world. I felt as though every detail of the pages were done in a way so that you could see every detail of what she was describing without being over saturated. Every detail and description had meaning behind it and lead to the story being captivating through every page.
I was not only invested in Medousa's story but I also by the birds individual stories that all tied together just beautifully throughout the entire book.
Overall a wonderful read and a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a unique retelling about Medousa.
November 7, 2023
I've always been a big fan of Greek/ Roman Mythology and Medusa's story from the time I could read has been my favorite, so to say I've read alot of tellings is putting it lightly. This take on her story will hands down be one of my favorites. It's unique, it's beautiful, it's rich, and it's fresh. I love it and I hope you do too.
November 26, 2023
Pharmakides is a beautifully written retelling of the story of Medusa told from various birds eye’s perspective! Using older Greek spellings and removing the tragedy that happened between Poseidon and Medusa. If you’re a mythology lover this book is a must read for you!
November 3, 2023
I had no idea what I was getting into when I saw this book was narrated by different birds. But I was obsessed. Pharmakides is a masterful retelling of a Medusa I’ve never heard of.
November 21, 2023
This is such a new take on the story of Medousa! I was enchanted from the beginning!
December 13, 2023
I received this book as an arc. What an incredible story of Medusa! It was told by birds. I never knew the real story of Medusa, but after reading this book I do! Amazingly written!
January 31, 2024
This was a different take on Medousa's myth. I enjoyed the bird's eye view that the book was told in. If you are looking for some Greek mythology to read or want a fresh look at Medousa's story give this book a try. This is Alice Abyss' debut novel and I will be watching for more from her.
January 23, 2024
I was fortunate to get an ARC of this book. It is a beautifully written reimagining of Medousa's mythology. Each chapter is like a short story based on a bird and how they came to be, with an overarching story of Medousa's life woven between them all. The imagery is beautiful and rich, very much in the flavor of Greek mythos.
It was a very fun and imaginative story.
It was a very fun and imaginative story.
March 8, 2024
This is not mythology like it's taught in school!
This book retells the myth of Medousa in the world of the Pharmakides, immortal witches that shape the universe with their magic, through the eyes of the many enchanted birds of Greece.
The story blurs the lines between monsters and heroes, and between fate and free will, with a pinch of revenge and a hint of jealousy, like any good Greek myth.
Really worth a read, it's a gripping book!
This book retells the myth of Medousa in the world of the Pharmakides, immortal witches that shape the universe with their magic, through the eyes of the many enchanted birds of Greece.
The story blurs the lines between monsters and heroes, and between fate and free will, with a pinch of revenge and a hint of jealousy, like any good Greek myth.
Really worth a read, it's a gripping book!
December 8, 2023
Medusa has always been one of my favorite mythological stories. There has always been that mysterious lore around Medusa and how she had been the victim and punished for it. The view point from the birds eye is very captivating for me. Getting to witness the story from the sky was amazing. The first chapter of the Stork is one of my favorite chapters. I like how the Stork tells of Medusa's birth from the sea and they are known as midwives in this story, especially because we see the Storks as the birds that deliver babies. In this Odyssey like retelling she definitely is not the victim that we have always looked at her as. Alice did an amazing job giving such details and the world building. If you love retellings and you are intrigued by Medusa specifically, this is definitely something that you need to check out
February 28, 2024
I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader. This book was pleasantly surprising and had me geeked. Let me preface by saying if you are attached to the ORIGINAL myths of Medousa this might not be for you. I know some people struggle with retelling and although it has some similarities it is not a retelling.
The author does a phenomenal job of interlocking different myths/stories. She’s even included a glossary to help explain and show pronunciations which I was geeked over. Although I did question the accuracy of some of the terms but I’m putting my faith in the author as I can tell she has done her research to retell these stories I’m sure she would have done the same for the glossary.
The POV is delightful. I think her use of the birds is super cool compared to the usual perspective we get in retellings.
Overall I really enjoyed the book!
The author does a phenomenal job of interlocking different myths/stories. She’s even included a glossary to help explain and show pronunciations which I was geeked over. Although I did question the accuracy of some of the terms but I’m putting my faith in the author as I can tell she has done her research to retell these stories I’m sure she would have done the same for the glossary.
The POV is delightful. I think her use of the birds is super cool compared to the usual perspective we get in retellings.
Overall I really enjoyed the book!
January 7, 2024
Arc review🪶
This is a beautiful retelling of Medusas story. It is told through the eyes of birds. I loved that each chapter was a new bird with a new perspective looking in on Medusas life. The first chapter had me completely hooked, the way everything is described in great detail just pulls you into the story. In this story retelling Medusa is not a victim which is different from every story written about her. A small thing Alice Abyss added was a glossary in the beginning of the book which I really appreciated since there are a lot of Greek words. It’s something so simple that can help readers understanding and become more immersed in the story.
If you like Greek mythology, Medusa, witchy vibes, I would definitely put this book on your TBR
This is a beautiful retelling of Medusas story. It is told through the eyes of birds. I loved that each chapter was a new bird with a new perspective looking in on Medusas life. The first chapter had me completely hooked, the way everything is described in great detail just pulls you into the story. In this story retelling Medusa is not a victim which is different from every story written about her. A small thing Alice Abyss added was a glossary in the beginning of the book which I really appreciated since there are a lot of Greek words. It’s something so simple that can help readers understanding and become more immersed in the story.
If you like Greek mythology, Medusa, witchy vibes, I would definitely put this book on your TBR
November 7, 2023
I recently had the pleasure of reading a book that delves into Greek mythology like no other. It's an absolute masterpiece! The author weaves a truly unique and beautiful story that takes you on a mesmerizing journey through the depths of Greek mythology. The characters are richly developed, and the narrative is so engaging that you won't be able to put the book down. The way the author blends ancient tales with their own creative genius is pure magic. If you're a fan of Greek mythology or simply appreciate a captivating and well-crafted story, this book is an absolute must-read.
November 13, 2023
Let me begin my saying, this normally is not a book /genre I would read however I was Intrigued by the fact it was a Medusa retelling. I ended Up thoroughly enjoying it. The author did an amazing job with the point of views and also with detail. She gave us detail, but not an overwhelming about of it, sometimes too much detail can leave a reader confused . I dont Know about Greek mythology, as it’s not usually my cup or tea . This book was beautifully written and as a debut novel she has set the bar very high for herself.
November 22, 2023
I received this book as an ARC.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology. It is a beautiful twist on the story of Medousa. Each chapter is told by a different bird, giving the story a unique touch. The book is well written and descriptive.
Alice wrote an incredibly immersive story that I was able to lose myself in for hours.
I cannot wait to read more work from Alice Abyss, as she is truly a talented writer.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology. It is a beautiful twist on the story of Medousa. Each chapter is told by a different bird, giving the story a unique touch. The book is well written and descriptive.
Alice wrote an incredibly immersive story that I was able to lose myself in for hours.
I cannot wait to read more work from Alice Abyss, as she is truly a talented writer.
November 2, 2023
A Fresh look at a classic tale.
Looking through the different eyes of different birds of each chapter is a brilliant method of a retelling of the tale of Medousa. I absolutely loved this book and its outlook and retelling of a legend. Excellent work by the author for her debut novel.
Looking through the different eyes of different birds of each chapter is a brilliant method of a retelling of the tale of Medousa. I absolutely loved this book and its outlook and retelling of a legend. Excellent work by the author for her debut novel.
November 12, 2024
Great book! If you're into Greek mythology and exciting adventure, you're in for a real treat!
December 22, 2023
I love anything Medusa and this was no exception. Very great book and the viewpoints from which it was told were unique and fun. I highly recommend to anyone that enjoys mythology and/orMedusa
November 22, 2023
Pharmakides Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Stars
I was given this as an ARC but all thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.
Pharmakides follows a beautifully reimagined story of Medusa. Alice Abyss took on the feat of writing a story from over twenty-five different perspectives. Each chapter is written from the point of view of a different bird, following Medusa’s life. (Medousa in the book.)
The world that Alice created was immersive, and she clearly did a lot of research before diving in to this creation. The multi perspective POV and my love for Greek mythology definitely pulled me into the story.
I do think that she did all of the perspectives well, however, because you’re seeing each chapter from a new birds POV certain things became repetitive as the reader because we have already seen what Medousa looks like and that she has a scar and that she has the infinity snake on her ankle multiple times. Bronze was used heavily in the story which I’m assuming has to do with the lore itself but I wish in certain moments it was described a different way or another metal may have been used just for some levity.
I loved that Poseidon was a force of nature. I thought that was such an incredible interpretation, and it was really interesting to see how that was tied into the story. I know that content warnings are a personal preference, but I do wish it would’ve been mentioned at the beginning simply, for the fact that when the baby is drowning, when the story starts, it was a little jarring because I wasn’t expecting it.
I feel like I went back-and-forth a lot on how I wanted to rate this book because the writing itself was very beautifully done and very artistic and poetic but the repetition did get to me and sometimes I struggled with the pacing. There were definitely some really great moments in regards to action, sequences, and general interest regarding the lore but sometimes when you’re going through each birds perspective, I think certain parts could’ve been condensed.
I will say that I think it’s incredibly amazing that the author was able to make a completely different type of story when there are so many retellings in the Greek mythology world. I want to commend her for stepping outside of the box, and doing some thing that nobody else has done.
Favourite Quotes:
“At first there was only the moon,” my mother said, as she nuzzled us hatchlings off to sleep, “Until the witch made her burning glass. Two parts seawater, one part mercury, enclosed in a glass sphere. She used it to light fires in the dark night. Her torches in the sky never go out. As you sleep they will watch over you. One day you’ll take them as your muse and call them stars.”
“The faint murmur of the dress was something a lover might sew dreamily for their sweetheart.”
“Watching the fish was like watching a slow-motion, graceful carriage wreck.”
“I wept in secret, without his shoulder for my tears. I cried over marble statues. I cried to stone and I cried in deep, personal ruin. I itched to crawl out of my skin.”
“Water was soft, for enemies and for lovers.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Stars
I was given this as an ARC but all thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.
Pharmakides follows a beautifully reimagined story of Medusa. Alice Abyss took on the feat of writing a story from over twenty-five different perspectives. Each chapter is written from the point of view of a different bird, following Medusa’s life. (Medousa in the book.)
The world that Alice created was immersive, and she clearly did a lot of research before diving in to this creation. The multi perspective POV and my love for Greek mythology definitely pulled me into the story.
I do think that she did all of the perspectives well, however, because you’re seeing each chapter from a new birds POV certain things became repetitive as the reader because we have already seen what Medousa looks like and that she has a scar and that she has the infinity snake on her ankle multiple times. Bronze was used heavily in the story which I’m assuming has to do with the lore itself but I wish in certain moments it was described a different way or another metal may have been used just for some levity.
I loved that Poseidon was a force of nature. I thought that was such an incredible interpretation, and it was really interesting to see how that was tied into the story. I know that content warnings are a personal preference, but I do wish it would’ve been mentioned at the beginning simply, for the fact that when the baby is drowning, when the story starts, it was a little jarring because I wasn’t expecting it.
I feel like I went back-and-forth a lot on how I wanted to rate this book because the writing itself was very beautifully done and very artistic and poetic but the repetition did get to me and sometimes I struggled with the pacing. There were definitely some really great moments in regards to action, sequences, and general interest regarding the lore but sometimes when you’re going through each birds perspective, I think certain parts could’ve been condensed.
I will say that I think it’s incredibly amazing that the author was able to make a completely different type of story when there are so many retellings in the Greek mythology world. I want to commend her for stepping outside of the box, and doing some thing that nobody else has done.
Favourite Quotes:
“At first there was only the moon,” my mother said, as she nuzzled us hatchlings off to sleep, “Until the witch made her burning glass. Two parts seawater, one part mercury, enclosed in a glass sphere. She used it to light fires in the dark night. Her torches in the sky never go out. As you sleep they will watch over you. One day you’ll take them as your muse and call them stars.”
“The faint murmur of the dress was something a lover might sew dreamily for their sweetheart.”
“Watching the fish was like watching a slow-motion, graceful carriage wreck.”
“I wept in secret, without his shoulder for my tears. I cried over marble statues. I cried to stone and I cried in deep, personal ruin. I itched to crawl out of my skin.”
“Water was soft, for enemies and for lovers.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2024
This is a beautifully written book that fallows the life of Medusa. It’s I’d told from the point of view from birds that come across her during different parts of her life. I live Greek mythology but the best part of this was the retelling of Medusa’s sorry but a twist at the end which relates to the cover. I can’t say how much I enjoyed this book and this version of Medusa’s life.
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