Heart of Stone

by Kaitlin Noble

The myth of Medusa may be well known, but that story is merely a carefully crafted lie.

Born beautiful and mortal, Gorgo doesn’t fit into her family of immortal monsters and ancient gods. Isolated from the world on the island of Sarpedon, Gorgo grows up longing for something more. When a chance encounter introduces her to the goddess Athena, she leaves the only home she’s known and steps into a vast world of gods and heroes.

As Gorgo builds a new life among Athena and her siblings, she discovers the attention of the gods can be as damning as it is liberating. After a powerful Olympian assaults Gorgo, Athena calls upon unruly magic, and Gorgo’s life is forever changed.

With her relationships shattered and her hair transformed into snakes, Gorgo seeks refuge on Sarpedon. Mortals quickly arrive to take her as their conquest or their trophy, but Gorgo discovers that the magic changed more than her hair when her assailants transmogrify into statues.

Destined to behead the creature who turns men to stone, a young demigod embarks on a journey to Sarpedon, and in order to survive their encounter, Gorgo is forced to decide if she truly is the monster she is fated to become.

Genres: Greek Mythology, Mythology

492 pages, Hardcover

Published January 21, 2025

About the author

Kaitlin Noble graduated from Furman University in 2022, having taken a grand total of one class in mythology. Other than that, she has no background in Greek mythology, nor does she have any previous experience writing novels. Based on that information, one might conclude that she had no business attempting to write this book. However, Kaitlin has a particular passion for researching and learning new skills on her own, and so, here we are.

Despite not studying the subjects formally, Kaitlin had an interest in Greek mythology and writing throughout her youth. That might have made writing the book a little more fun, but let’s be honest, that’s not why she made it. More than anything else, Heart of Stone is the result of her little sister’s love of reading and Kaitlin’s endless need to make her sister the perfect present.

Reviews

[book.nookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

{Description}
Gorgo, the mortal daughter of two gods, longs for connection. On the isolated island of Sarpedon, Gorgo encounters the goddess Athena. A friendship blooms between her and the goddess, leading her to take residence in Athena's temple. A friendship with mighty gods and goddesses can be dangerous for a mere mortal. One tragic night, Poseidon assaults Gorgo, breaking her bones, robbing her of peace and dignity. In an attempt to save Gorgo's life, Athena turns her into a monster with the ability to turn those who threaten her to stone.
Heart of Stone is a Greek mythology retelling that follows the life of Medusa leading up to her transformation into a gorgon and the encounter with the demigod Perseus on her island in Sarpedon. She agrees to travel with him to save his mother's life.
{My opinion}
The wonderful Kaitlin Noble offered me an ARC copy of her novel and I could hardly put it down. I loved her writing and I loved how the story was able to capture my attention. This novel is 560 pages long, yet it feels like I could've read another 560. The relationships Gorgo makes along the way, despite not having the ability to talk, is so heartwarming. The settings are so perfectly described and it felt as if I were in the story with them. The last half of the book had me on the edge of my seat! I laughed, I cried, I felt so many emotions. This was amazing and I would definitely recommend!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a STUNNING Medusa retelling! Review to come! 🐍

(FINAL REVIEW:)

I would like to preface this that the author reached out to me with an early copy of her book. This in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book. Now on to the review! ❤️

This was a beautifully written indie YA retelling of Medusa. I honestly was in tears half the time because Noble wrote Medusa’s story in such a way that you couldn’t help but empathize with her. 🥹

Has this particular figure in Greek mythology been used too many times in recent retellings to count? Yes, and the same goes with Clytemnestra, but I do like the challenge of trying to find the “best” (in my opinion, hence the quotation marks) depiction of these incredible female figures. I think this will go down as my favorite Medusa retelling to date and probably for a while. 🏺

The way in which Noble takes the well known myth and adds her own twist to is not only done in a way that is respectful to the original myth, but it provides a new look at these characters. I loved seeing a childlike wonder in Gorgo and how she has to rebuild herself from the ground up after her traumatic experience at the hands of Poseidon. Her survival is heart wrenching and I thought Noble did a fantastic job depicting sexual assault survivors in a way that doesn’t feel demeaning or too cartoonish to feel like it’s a proper uphill battle to the other side. I do wish we could’ve gotten a little bit more into why she’s mute and whether or not she was born that way or chooses to be mute. ❤️‍🩹

My favorite bits, other than Gorgo’s healing journey, was the depictions of the gods (especially Athena, Hermes, Artemis, and Apollo) and Perseus. While I do love seeing the gods being ridiculously vain beings of immense power, I also enjoy a more humanistic approach to their depiction because they really are just beings that have been elevated by human belief to be gods. My obvious favorite was Athena because she’s my girl, but Hermes was done in such a way that for some reason made me love this trickster god even more. 🪽

And Perseus? Look, I love making fun of Greek heroes and their inability to do basically anything without divine and feminine aid, but I also like seeing a heroic figure like this being presented in a way that shows a young man who just wants to be a good ally to the women in his life. As much as has it is quite fun to see these famous heroes being portrayed in villainous lights after centuries spent being praised for their “wit and tenacity,” I do like seeing them portrayed as nothing more than just vulnerable men who just want to live their lives and love who they want to love (obviously in consenting relationships). I do hope that there will be more stories like this in the future of retellings where the MMC gets a personality and vulnerability because they deserved to be lauded as much as woman who will kick ass and gaslight her way to the top. 🗡️

But really though, I just loved this retelling. It was definitely helping me get out of the slump that I was starting to find myself sinking into after the last few books (not including The Outcast Mage) have been rather . . . disappointing. Huge thank you goes out to Noble once again for reaching out and sending me this wonderful eARC! I’m honored to have been considered for an early read in the first place and I’m so happy to help spread the word about this book! 🥰

Publication date: January 21! So go get a copy!! 🫶🏼

Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️

[Tiffany Godfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a library book I’ve reserved pops up on my Libby account, I often go into it completely blind (other than knowing a friend recommended it). So when a friend recommended her daughter’s debut novel, I took the same approach. I didn’t read any summaries or reviews. And my old eyes didn’t pick up on the sub-title on the Kindle version cover. I just knew it was called “Heart of Stone” and fell under mythology.

So what a surprise I had when I got part way in and thought, “hmmm, this character reminds me a little of those old movies about Medusa.” Who doesn’t remember the scene of the hero thrusting the severed Medusa head into the air? And I have to laugh now at my reaction when I got to the last part titled “Medusa” and finally put the plot line all together and realized this story was a retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa.

Honestly, I am really glad I went into it completely blind because I feel like I am able to give it a truly authentic review. I loved it! And while Greek mythology is not my number one genre, I have read a lot of Percy Jackson back from when my children were younger. I’ve also read several YA series including the Hunger Games, the Divergent series, and the more recent Fourth Wing series. This book can really hold its own next to those series!

Given I had no background on the novel, it was a little harder for me to get pulled in initially. The first fifty to hundred pages moved a little slower as I was trying to understand the context and where the story might be going. But once I moved into the second part the action really picked up and I was hooked. I know when I find myself thinking about the characters when I’m not reading that I am an enjoying a book. The last few hundred pages flew by as I read over my morning coffee, and during lunch AND late into the night! While I couldn’t wait to see how it ended (would Gorgo lose her head and her life true to her original destiny? or would the author write her a new ending?), I also didn’t want it to end because I knew I would miss Gorgo! And Hermes! And Perseus!

When I finish a book that is tied to history or in this case, Greek mythology, the researcher in me needs to know how true the story was to real life (or the original myth). Image my surprise to find almost all of the characters in this novel are in the original Greek myths. Noble really did a fantastic job with her research pulling in multiple bits of the Greek gods and demigods in her writing.

But my favorite part (as was the same with the Percy Jackson series), is she brought these Greek characters to life in a way that will stay with me. I never knew Artemis and Apollo were twins. I had heard of Hermes but didn’t know he covered so much ground (literally).
Now, so many of them have depth and characterizations that will stay with me long after reading this novel. I can only picture Perseus now as a teen boy on the cusp of manhood but still tied to the awkwardness and playfulness of youth.

Without giving away the ending, I will just say I thoroughly enjoyed how the author portrayed Gorgo and her journey from Mortal to Monster to Myth to Medusa. So often the backstory is never told, and now Medusa has a thorough backstory that gives her a name worthy of her calling.

The most amazing part of this story however, is that the author, Kaitlin Noble, is a recent college graduate! This is her first novel. I’m not sure she even had an official editor. And she has written a story worthy of any major publisher. She also created the artwork to go along with it. The writing was very fluid. The main characters had a lot of depth. The plot line moved along well. She built suspense and kept me turning the pages. She made me care about the characters. Once you read the story, you’ll see she’s left the story open for a sequel. I hope she’ll write it because I can’t wait to read it!

[Kenzie Myshel]

So thankful to have received my very first arc and even more excited to be sharing it with you guys on release day!
Immerse yourself in the reimagined world of Medusa through the lens of Nobles’ “Heart of Stone.” While staying true to some elements of the original myth, this book offers an unexpected exploration of fate, adventure, and the bonds of friendship.
At the beginning of this tale, we are introduced to Gorgo, the mortal daughter of a sea God and Goddess. From birth, she has felt a profound indifference from her family, never being taught to fly has left her in isolation on the island of Sarpedon. Gorgo longs for genuine companionship. Her life takes a pivotal turn when she unexpectedly encounters the Goddess Athena, sparking an unusual friendship. Yet the consequences of a being so close with the Gods are unfortunately well known. Gorgo’s journey unfolds through a series of events, ranging from her escape from Sarpedon to the discovery of new friendships and love, ultimately leading her to a painful return to her former life, where she risks losing the only true family she has ever known.
Gorgo then meets Perseus, a stranger whose quest she decides to join. She holds hope that helping him will guide her back to the life she desperately misses and reconcile with those she cherishes.
Will Gorgo successfully reclaim the family and the life she has built? The answer awaits you within these captivating pages.

[Cheyenne Conrady]

I was so appreciative to receive a copy of this ARC directly from the author just before release day! Heart of Stone is a Medusa retelling unlike any you’ve read before (and I know, there’s a lot of them).

In Noble’s retelling, we meet a young Gorgon called Gorgo. Over time, we see her befriend the gods (which never ends well for mortals), find her voice in what sense she can, and meet the damnation of proximity to the divine.

What sets this retelling apart is Noble plays with elements of Medusa’s story to create a world in which Medusa gets to live an almost fantastical version of her myth (Poseidon aside). One where the villains aren’t who you think they are, the “heroes” aren’t who you may have thought, and believe it or not, you might even like the gods. While classicists may find these elements controversial, I had fun seeing Perseus and Hermes from another lens. I hope to build a home like the ones the gods shared in the story, and have a friend like this Hermes. 🪽

Major themes of this story include:
🏛️ Mythology
🐍 Inner Transformation
🏹 Friendship
🌿 Found Family
🗡️ Rage
💚 Love in many forms

Again, my thanks to the author for providing me with this ARC due to my insatiable thirst for mythological retellings! Heart of Stone is out TOMORROW, 1/21! 🐍

[Ray Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ARC review! The author of this book provided me with a free eARC before its publication. This in no way impacted the rating of the book.]

If you're into Greek mythology, and specifically the legend of Medusa, you MUST read this book. Even though this is technically an ARC review, the book is out NOW, so go grab yourself a copy 😉

I always have a tough time rating indie books, because I recognize that they do a lot of it themselves, and you just can't catch EVERYTHING, even when you do have beta readers putting their eyes on it for you and recommending edits and revisions.

Overall, the story was great! I loved this take on Medusa, and I could tell that Kaitlin put a lot of thought (and research) into the plot. I loved the characters that she created and the found family (x2) aspect! Gorgo's character arc was such a fun journey to take with her - it was tragic and empowering all at the same time.

The one thing I struggled with a little bit at times was the writing style. There were a few distracting typos (it happens to the best of us) and some place that felt unclear or awkward that I had to reread a couple of times to understand. For a debut indie novel, it really was a great book!


What I loved!
- found family (x2) 🥰
- Hermes and Perseus
- redemption arc

Adult content/warnings
- language (warranted)
- SA (on page, fade to black, but violent)

[Ella Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible! I loved the way she retold this well known story. It’s amazing how she was able to take already developed characters and make them her own. I totally recommend this book to anyone!

[Samantha Skouros · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Heart of Stone" by Kaitlin Noble is a stunning and an unexpected gem. As someone who doesn't typically gravitate toward YA novels, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. The book tackles some difficult and heavy subjects, but despite that, it radiates a sense of hope, with beautiful themes of family, friendship, and personal growth.
I particularly loved the creative twist on Medusa's story. The alternate narrative reimagines this iconic character in such a fresh and compelling way. The pacing is quite slow, but I found it to be the perfect rhythm to fully immerse in the atmosphere and reflect on the emotions the story evokes. There's something incredibly peaceful about the way the plot unfolds—it's a refreshing change from the darker themes I usually gravitate toward.
Ultimately, "Heart of Stone" left me feeling uplifted. It’s a beautifully told story that offers depth and warmth without sacrificing complexity. A perfect pick for those who appreciate thoughtful storytelling with a little magic. Highly recommended! 💚🐍💚

[Bianca Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most profound aspects of Heart of Stone is how it centers on love—not romantic love, but the kind of love that heals wounds. It’s about the love between friends who stand beside you when you’re at your lowest. The love found in kindness, in understanding, in shared sorrow and shared laughter.

Though Gorgo carries scars from her past, she is not defined by them. She slowly learns to trust again, to embrace her own worth, and to find peace—not by forgetting what was done to her, but by reclaiming her story. 🥹😭✨☁️🩷🐍🪽

[Ashley Barfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this retelling of Medusa’s origin story! I’ve always loved reading about Greek mythology and I feel like the author does a good job of incorporating the characters with her own twist.

I will say there are some instances relating to sexual assault so if you are triggered by that I would recommend not reading this. I loved the main characters journey and strength throughout the story and am really excited to read more!

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what an ARC edition is but if it means ‘free’ , i purchased mine and am so glad I did. I’m a lover of fantasy and books that place me in other worlds and this one did for all 400+ pages. I never thought I’d like Medusa but she is now my friend! Imaginative, well written, quasi heroes and personal struggle. It was educational as I had to google the Greek Gods but it only filled them out a bit more. Ms Noble filled each of them out so that you knew them. There were dark moments that slowed my reading because I didn’t want to go there, but the darkness was more real than I was expecting in a book by a 22 year old, first time author. Ms Noble, when you write the next part of the story, please include a simple god glossary!

[Terri Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know she wasn’t born with snakes? Her real name is Gorgo and she tells her own story starting as a young child. A mortal born of two Demi-gods, she’s exquisitely beautiful. Left by her family, she befriends Athena, Artemis, Apollo, and the adorable Hermes who become her ‘tribe’ as young adults. Her beauty brings her undesired attention, and she’s cursed with snakes for hair and her ability to turn people to stone so that she can protect herself and others. The name Medusa means Protectress. She’s hunted, but a twist in the story takes her on a reimagined path and a different ending than expected. Her story is told with humor, love, heartache, and adventure. The characters each have their own quirks and personalities and I loved them all. Which will be your favorite? Refreshingly, hardly any (3) profanity which is rare in YA books these days. Some mature content based on original Medusa mythology that is not graphic and is handled with care. This book is 500 pages and I flew through it. Read it!!!