What do you think?
Rate this book
Méduse
Burton, whose debut The Miniaturist (Pan Macmillan) was published in 2014, said that she "wanted to reclaim Medusa's story and invite the reader into her mind” to explore gender politics following the sexual harassment claims faced by US film director Harvey Weinstein and many other powerful men.
Burton said: "So often [Medusa’s] robbed of agency, turned into a monster, and used as a stepping stone for heroes. The myth of Medusa is a tale of objectification and toxic masculinity, and the meaning of consent. Given the continuing revelations about men like Weinstein and (US president Donald) Trump, and others we have each encountered on our way through life, Medusa's myth is ripe for the retelling."
Burton said: "So often [Medusa’s] robbed of agency, turned into a monster, and used as a stepping stone for heroes. The myth of Medusa is a tale of objectification and toxic masculinity, and the meaning of consent. Given the continuing revelations about men like Weinstein and (US president Donald) Trump, and others we have each encountered on our way through life, Medusa's myth is ripe for the retelling."
160 pages
First published October 28, 2021
622 people are currently reading
53150 people want to read
About the author
Jessie Burton
13 books3,762 followersJessie Burton studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she appeared in productions of The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, Play and Macbeth. In April 2013 her first novel, The Miniaturist, was sold at an 11-publisher auction at the London Book Fair, and went on to sell in 29 other countries around the world. It was published by Picador in the UK and Holland in July 2014, and the USA in August 2014, with other translations to follow. Radio 4 commissioned it as their Book at Bedtime in July 2014. Her second book, The Muse, set in a dual time-frame, during the Spanish Civil War and 30 years later in 1960s London, was published in 2016. Jessie's first novel for children, The Restless Girls, will be published in September 2018.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,474 reviews
March 3, 2022
This was the story that Medusa deserves. So stunning!
October 28, 2022
4 siss-iling stars for the retelling and the reimagining of one of Greek Mythology’s greatest stories. Imaginative, different and a story that provides all the elements we have come to expect in a Greek tragedy.
“I had a map I had a star, but I also made hurricanes. I am telling you this because you need to understand what happened when Perseus turned up on my island. I made a choice, but also that choice was beyond me, waiting for its making”
With a look that would turn men to stone, Medusa has earned her place in Greek mythology as the ruthless Gorgon, with a head of snakes. However, forget all that because Jessica Burton tells a very human story about Medusa, the young girl who is thrust into an adult world at the tender age of fourteen, as she learns to deal with betrayal and abuse as she write her own story.
A story that is magical yet tragic and beautiful yet disturbing in its evocative themes, and poignant messaging. A book that is brilliantly conceived, vividly depicted, and expertly written and a book for everyone.
The Plot
Medusa was a fourteen-year-old girl who had drawn the attention of Poseidon and Athena for the wrong reasons. Stalked by Poseidon she is sexually abused by him in Athena’s temple but far from sympathy you would expect from Athena, instead the goddess turns her beautiful hair to a mass of venomous snakes with a promise “woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now”.
Four years on and exiled in a remote island with little company except her two immortal sisters, dog and the snakes that adorn her head, Medusa is entranced by the arrival of Perseus. A friend that she begins to trust, and with the desire to shed the ‘ache of loneliness’, she opens up to him. A friend or yet another male that is about to deceive her?.
Review and Comments
Beautiful, captivating and fascinating as a retelling of Medusa, however, the standout from the book are the poignant messages, fables and life lessons that are subtly interspersed through the story. Apart from the often-told horrors of rape, and stories of abandonment, male dominance, and deception, we see a coming-of-age of a girl disfigured and wrongly accused by the people who should be protecting her. The way Burton captured the sentiment around all these themes was extraordinary yet simple, although they did stir up strong emotions.
In a book that included so many fables, here are some of the standout ones for me
If you could bottle confidence Medusa recalls “when I was little, my sisters never asked me to be anything other than who I was. Myself. That’s a great gift…. But in the end, it was taken from me”
A girl who no longer puts her key to happiness in someone else’s hand she recalls.“They all tested me; they all tried to see if I could break. But I was tired of men and gods and goddesses dictating the ebb and flow of my happiness, my state of mind… my one true hope was me”
One that made me think was the message to not over promise, because Medusa had promised many things that she did not have the power to control, and in doing so entrapped herself and sealed her own destiny.
A stunning story, a beautifully illustrated hardback that is worth having on the bookshelf for the imagery alone and a story that is told with sentiment, elegance and meaning.
“I had a map I had a star, but I also made hurricanes. I am telling you this because you need to understand what happened when Perseus turned up on my island. I made a choice, but also that choice was beyond me, waiting for its making”
With a look that would turn men to stone, Medusa has earned her place in Greek mythology as the ruthless Gorgon, with a head of snakes. However, forget all that because Jessica Burton tells a very human story about Medusa, the young girl who is thrust into an adult world at the tender age of fourteen, as she learns to deal with betrayal and abuse as she write her own story.
A story that is magical yet tragic and beautiful yet disturbing in its evocative themes, and poignant messaging. A book that is brilliantly conceived, vividly depicted, and expertly written and a book for everyone.
The Plot
Medusa was a fourteen-year-old girl who had drawn the attention of Poseidon and Athena for the wrong reasons. Stalked by Poseidon she is sexually abused by him in Athena’s temple but far from sympathy you would expect from Athena, instead the goddess turns her beautiful hair to a mass of venomous snakes with a promise “woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now”.
Four years on and exiled in a remote island with little company except her two immortal sisters, dog and the snakes that adorn her head, Medusa is entranced by the arrival of Perseus. A friend that she begins to trust, and with the desire to shed the ‘ache of loneliness’, she opens up to him. A friend or yet another male that is about to deceive her?.
Review and Comments
Beautiful, captivating and fascinating as a retelling of Medusa, however, the standout from the book are the poignant messages, fables and life lessons that are subtly interspersed through the story. Apart from the often-told horrors of rape, and stories of abandonment, male dominance, and deception, we see a coming-of-age of a girl disfigured and wrongly accused by the people who should be protecting her. The way Burton captured the sentiment around all these themes was extraordinary yet simple, although they did stir up strong emotions.
In a book that included so many fables, here are some of the standout ones for me
If you could bottle confidence Medusa recalls “when I was little, my sisters never asked me to be anything other than who I was. Myself. That’s a great gift…. But in the end, it was taken from me”
A girl who no longer puts her key to happiness in someone else’s hand she recalls.“They all tested me; they all tried to see if I could break. But I was tired of men and gods and goddesses dictating the ebb and flow of my happiness, my state of mind… my one true hope was me”
One that made me think was the message to not over promise, because Medusa had promised many things that she did not have the power to control, and in doing so entrapped herself and sealed her own destiny.
A stunning story, a beautifully illustrated hardback that is worth having on the bookshelf for the imagery alone and a story that is told with sentiment, elegance and meaning.
January 27, 2022
Vigilant
Jessie Burton’s retelling of the Medusa story turns several of the recognised elements about Medusa on its head. This book asserts the tale of a woman as fascinating as anyone in Greek mythology and certainly one of the most tragic. Burton’s interpretation of Medusa is not the stereotypical fixation of a monster deployed as an opponent in a hero’s golden quest. She is a vividly drawn young woman, fearful, lonely, unsure of her future, and searching for answers.
The novel advocates a woman’s position, a woman wronged, and a journey to discover herself and find acceptance for what she has become. At one level, this can be interpreted as a feminist opportunity to illustrate the power of women and the deceit of men. Still, I instead wanted to see this through the lens of a dazzling tragedy of humanity.
Medusa was a beautiful young woman pursued by Poseidon until he raped her in Athena’s temple. Athena’s retribution was to punish Medusa and her two sisters by turning them into Gorgons. Stheno and Euryale became immortal winged beings, while Medusa, the mortal sister, with hair replaced by snakes, received a further cruel warning.
Medusa’s happy fishing life with her sisters is replaced with an isolated existence on a deserted island. While her sisters can fly off, Medusa is confined to the rocky landscape with only her dog as company. One day a young man lands on the island as if blown off course, but armed with his sword, shield and winged sandals all kept covered on his boat. Medusa directs him to the edge of her cave but warns him not to come in or look at her. He says his name is Perseus, while Medusa claims her name is Merina.
As they spend their days talking, they realise the growing intimacy and the sense of companionship. They discuss many things and seem to be open and revealing about themselves. Although both still hide a secret. What is Perseus’s true mission, and why won’t Medusa give her real name. Could this be love, and will it survive if they tell each other their hidden secrets?
The book is a sensitive view of Medusa that we don’t usually have the opportunity to consider. Her fate designated at the hands of a God and Goddess feels cruel, how through no fault of her own has she been so horribly damned. As the story progresses, her sense of worth and hope grows. Perhaps she has overimagined or misunderstood Athena’s curse – “Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now!” Perhaps Perseus can help!
The book is an illustrated version, with remarkable drawings from Olivia Lomenech Gill, that fit perfectly with the theme of Greek mythology and ancient history. I would recommend this book, and I want to thank Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ARC in return for an honest review.
Jessie Burton’s retelling of the Medusa story turns several of the recognised elements about Medusa on its head. This book asserts the tale of a woman as fascinating as anyone in Greek mythology and certainly one of the most tragic. Burton’s interpretation of Medusa is not the stereotypical fixation of a monster deployed as an opponent in a hero’s golden quest. She is a vividly drawn young woman, fearful, lonely, unsure of her future, and searching for answers.
The novel advocates a woman’s position, a woman wronged, and a journey to discover herself and find acceptance for what she has become. At one level, this can be interpreted as a feminist opportunity to illustrate the power of women and the deceit of men. Still, I instead wanted to see this through the lens of a dazzling tragedy of humanity.
Medusa was a beautiful young woman pursued by Poseidon until he raped her in Athena’s temple. Athena’s retribution was to punish Medusa and her two sisters by turning them into Gorgons. Stheno and Euryale became immortal winged beings, while Medusa, the mortal sister, with hair replaced by snakes, received a further cruel warning.
“ ‘Medusa, listen well. Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now!’ ‘What do you mean?’ I whispered, barely able to speak, but Athena saw no need to give me an answer.”
Medusa’s happy fishing life with her sisters is replaced with an isolated existence on a deserted island. While her sisters can fly off, Medusa is confined to the rocky landscape with only her dog as company. One day a young man lands on the island as if blown off course, but armed with his sword, shield and winged sandals all kept covered on his boat. Medusa directs him to the edge of her cave but warns him not to come in or look at her. He says his name is Perseus, while Medusa claims her name is Merina.
As they spend their days talking, they realise the growing intimacy and the sense of companionship. They discuss many things and seem to be open and revealing about themselves. Although both still hide a secret. What is Perseus’s true mission, and why won’t Medusa give her real name. Could this be love, and will it survive if they tell each other their hidden secrets?
The book is a sensitive view of Medusa that we don’t usually have the opportunity to consider. Her fate designated at the hands of a God and Goddess feels cruel, how through no fault of her own has she been so horribly damned. As the story progresses, her sense of worth and hope grows. Perhaps she has overimagined or misunderstood Athena’s curse – “Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now!” Perhaps Perseus can help!
The book is an illustrated version, with remarkable drawings from Olivia Lomenech Gill, that fit perfectly with the theme of Greek mythology and ancient history. I would recommend this book, and I want to thank Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ARC in return for an honest review.
January 6, 2022
I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
I’d been looking forward to this retelling of Medusa’s tale since it was announced and thankfully, Jessie Burton didn’t let me down. I’d never read any of her previous books before, and I’m so very glad that I finally did. I had a grand time reading this.
As always, I prefer the original Greek myth, which didn’t have any involvement from Poseidon, but instead focused on Medusa’s innate power that came from being born the mortal Gorgon. However, I think Burton did a great job of blending the various interpretations in hers, both from the Greek original as well as from Ovid’s more popularised Roman retelling. Burton’s retelling read like a faery tale, its lyrical tone pulling me along on Medusa’s journey.
I especially loved the inclusion of Medusa’s sisters, who are so often sadly omitted in modern retellings. Burton also portrayed another side to Perseus, which I hadn’t seen before and greatly appreciated. It was simply a compulsively readable story that sucked you in, making you curiously turn the pages, excited to find out what happened next.
Not only did I enjoy the story itself, but the art to go along with the retelling was equally stunning. It was simultaneously antique with a creative twist, not entirely Greek-inspired art, but something wholly original too. I’m glad it was illustrated because it greatly enhanced my reading experience and added to the storybook atmosphere the words themselves created.
This was one of - if not the best - Medusa retelling I’d read in years and I highly recommend it to those wanting a fresh take on her myth. Burton’s retelling is another fabulous addition to the recent stack of feminist mythological retellings and I do hope she plans to write more of them in the future. I’d pick them up in a heartbeat.
I’d been looking forward to this retelling of Medusa’s tale since it was announced and thankfully, Jessie Burton didn’t let me down. I’d never read any of her previous books before, and I’m so very glad that I finally did. I had a grand time reading this.
As always, I prefer the original Greek myth, which didn’t have any involvement from Poseidon, but instead focused on Medusa’s innate power that came from being born the mortal Gorgon. However, I think Burton did a great job of blending the various interpretations in hers, both from the Greek original as well as from Ovid’s more popularised Roman retelling. Burton’s retelling read like a faery tale, its lyrical tone pulling me along on Medusa’s journey.
I especially loved the inclusion of Medusa’s sisters, who are so often sadly omitted in modern retellings. Burton also portrayed another side to Perseus, which I hadn’t seen before and greatly appreciated. It was simply a compulsively readable story that sucked you in, making you curiously turn the pages, excited to find out what happened next.
Not only did I enjoy the story itself, but the art to go along with the retelling was equally stunning. It was simultaneously antique with a creative twist, not entirely Greek-inspired art, but something wholly original too. I’m glad it was illustrated because it greatly enhanced my reading experience and added to the storybook atmosphere the words themselves created.
This was one of - if not the best - Medusa retelling I’d read in years and I highly recommend it to those wanting a fresh take on her myth. Burton’s retelling is another fabulous addition to the recent stack of feminist mythological retellings and I do hope she plans to write more of them in the future. I’d pick them up in a heartbeat.
April 21, 2023
Medusa is definitely having her moment just now and Jessie Burton's take on the story doesn't let her down. This was different to other retellings, combining elements from classic versions of the myth and offering something unique too.
November 18, 2022
“If I told you that I’d killed a man with a glance, would you wait to hear the rest? The why, the how, what happened next? Or would you run from me, this mottled mirror, this body of unusual flesh?”
In this fascinating reimagining of the myth of Medusa, author Jessie Burton presents us with a novel feminist twist to a character and story that has, for the most part, featured as one of Perseus’s heroic exploits. Simply put, Perseus has always been the hero and Medusa the vanquished. But Jessie Burton’s Medusa is much more than that. Cursed by the Goddess Athena and transformed into a Gorgon with snakes in place of her once beautiful hair, the once beautiful Medusa now lives on a deserted island with her sisters, Stheno and Euryale,and her dog Argentus. Her transgression? Being raped by Poseidon within the premises of the Temple of Athena.
“Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now!”
Four years into her exile, when Perseus moors his boat on the shores of the island, he catches Medusa’s eye. Medusa longs for his company and companionship. However, she is uncertain of how Perseus would react to her appearance (at this point she is unaware of the full weight of Athena’s curse) and speaks to him only from behind the shelter of rocks at the entrance of her cave while her sisters are away during the daytime. Perseus and “Merina” (the name she uses with Perseus) share their stories and initially, Medusa is unaware of Perseus’s real intentions behind his journey to her island just as he is unaware of her true identity. As the story unfolds and secrets are revealed Perseus and Medusa must make choices that will irrevocably change their lives forever.
“No woman is an island—unless she’s been forced there by a bunch of strangers.”
Medusa, in this version, is a lonely young girl , the victim of a horrific act of rape, exiled to a “half-life”, disfigured and insecure, fearful for her future, loved and protected by her sisters but seething with rage within. She experiences the full spectrum of human emotions - love, sorrow, pain, jealousy and rage. Though unhappy with her appearance, she shares an interesting relationship with her snakes who each have names and moods that need to be tended. Medusa’s story also sheds a light on complex issues such as sexual abuse and victim shaming along with the psychological effects of insecurity and isolation resulting from the same. Jessie Burton gives Medusa a voice to tell her story and an opportunity to chart her own destiny. She is much more than a monster whose head is a coveted prize for Perseus and the King who sent him on his quest.
“My name was Medusa, and I was a girl. Perseus had made me sound like a mythical beast. I didn’t want to be a myth. I wanted to be me.”
The prose is beautiful and unambiguous in keeping with the author’s intention to make this story accessible to a younger audience. Therefore, this might not read as comprehensive or complex as similar retellings featuring strong female protagonists from the Greek myths. Both young and older readers will find this a captivating read, not overly long but deeply thought-provoking.The full-color illustrations by Olivia Lomenech Gill are stunning and I could spend hours just poring over them. This is a beautiful edition that I’m happy to be adding to my personal collection.
“Some people think that we’re born with our destiny mapped in our blood. But mapped by whom? By the gods? By fate, a mysterious mix of birth and starlight? We were all planned out, we just didn’t know it. We tread a fully formed path, and those who stray from it will crash and die. Then there are others who believe we’re born blank. Clean as spring water, we become the creators of our own hurricanes. I think it’s both. I had a map, I had a star, but I also made some hurricanes.”
In this fascinating reimagining of the myth of Medusa, author Jessie Burton presents us with a novel feminist twist to a character and story that has, for the most part, featured as one of Perseus’s heroic exploits. Simply put, Perseus has always been the hero and Medusa the vanquished. But Jessie Burton’s Medusa is much more than that. Cursed by the Goddess Athena and transformed into a Gorgon with snakes in place of her once beautiful hair, the once beautiful Medusa now lives on a deserted island with her sisters, Stheno and Euryale,and her dog Argentus. Her transgression? Being raped by Poseidon within the premises of the Temple of Athena.
“Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now!”
Four years into her exile, when Perseus moors his boat on the shores of the island, he catches Medusa’s eye. Medusa longs for his company and companionship. However, she is uncertain of how Perseus would react to her appearance (at this point she is unaware of the full weight of Athena’s curse) and speaks to him only from behind the shelter of rocks at the entrance of her cave while her sisters are away during the daytime. Perseus and “Merina” (the name she uses with Perseus) share their stories and initially, Medusa is unaware of Perseus’s real intentions behind his journey to her island just as he is unaware of her true identity. As the story unfolds and secrets are revealed Perseus and Medusa must make choices that will irrevocably change their lives forever.
“No woman is an island—unless she’s been forced there by a bunch of strangers.”
Medusa, in this version, is a lonely young girl , the victim of a horrific act of rape, exiled to a “half-life”, disfigured and insecure, fearful for her future, loved and protected by her sisters but seething with rage within. She experiences the full spectrum of human emotions - love, sorrow, pain, jealousy and rage. Though unhappy with her appearance, she shares an interesting relationship with her snakes who each have names and moods that need to be tended. Medusa’s story also sheds a light on complex issues such as sexual abuse and victim shaming along with the psychological effects of insecurity and isolation resulting from the same. Jessie Burton gives Medusa a voice to tell her story and an opportunity to chart her own destiny. She is much more than a monster whose head is a coveted prize for Perseus and the King who sent him on his quest.
“My name was Medusa, and I was a girl. Perseus had made me sound like a mythical beast. I didn’t want to be a myth. I wanted to be me.”
The prose is beautiful and unambiguous in keeping with the author’s intention to make this story accessible to a younger audience. Therefore, this might not read as comprehensive or complex as similar retellings featuring strong female protagonists from the Greek myths. Both young and older readers will find this a captivating read, not overly long but deeply thought-provoking.The full-color illustrations by Olivia Lomenech Gill are stunning and I could spend hours just poring over them. This is a beautiful edition that I’m happy to be adding to my personal collection.
“Some people think that we’re born with our destiny mapped in our blood. But mapped by whom? By the gods? By fate, a mysterious mix of birth and starlight? We were all planned out, we just didn’t know it. We tread a fully formed path, and those who stray from it will crash and die. Then there are others who believe we’re born blank. Clean as spring water, we become the creators of our own hurricanes. I think it’s both. I had a map, I had a star, but I also made some hurricanes.”
May 5, 2022
4.5 Stars. I loved this book! I read from the library but I’m ordering the hardback!
At first I didn’t like it was a young adult but there were so many things that reeled me in snd I love the artwork. I leave you with a few pieces and a quote.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
At first I didn’t like it was a young adult but there were so many things that reeled me in snd I love the artwork. I leave you with a few pieces and a quote.
You could take away my arms and legs, my body and my breasts; you could cut off my head and still not end the myth. You will not find my answer in the puzzle of a stony foot, you will not find me in my snakes. You will not find me in my deeds, nor in poems written by long dead men. But you will find me when you need me, when the wind hears a woman’s cry and fills my sails forward. And I will whisper in the water that one must never fear the raised shield, the reflection caught in an office window, or the mirror in a bathroom.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 25, 2022
Stunning. The vivid illustrations were very moving. It's a ⭐️3.5 for me only because it was short and didn't leave me with enough of a story. But what it did give me was breath taking.
Let me just share some of my favorite quotes to show you it's beauty...
"I woke to the dying sound of her laugh..."
"I know my worth. It's not my job to count those coins"
"Well, I think it's easier being told you're a handsome boy than it is to be told you're a beautiful girl. When beauty's assigned you as a girl, it somehow becomes the essence of your being. It takes over everything else you might be. When you're a boy, it never dominates who you can be."
Let me just share some of my favorite quotes to show you it's beauty...
"I woke to the dying sound of her laugh..."
"I know my worth. It's not my job to count those coins"
"Well, I think it's easier being told you're a handsome boy than it is to be told you're a beautiful girl. When beauty's assigned you as a girl, it somehow becomes the essence of your being. It takes over everything else you might be. When you're a boy, it never dominates who you can be."
December 16, 2021
Really enjoyed Jessie Burton’s take on this myth, especially the sisterly bond. It has the overhanging sense of dread throughout when you know it’s not going to go as hoped, the foreboding really shone through. But piecing Medusa’s story together through the course of this book, a story fractured by monstrous myths, proved to be at once satisfying and heartbreaking.
The illustration style wasn’t quite my thing but I enjoyed seeing visuals from the story nonetheless, and I sped through the book easily. Would recommend!
The illustration style wasn’t quite my thing but I enjoyed seeing visuals from the story nonetheless, and I sped through the book easily. Would recommend!
January 28, 2022
this book was literally two characters reading the wikipedia articles of their respective greek myths with the other occasionally going “oh no!” or “i understand”
also, the writing was bizarre to me. it was obvious the author wanted to emulate this flowery writing, perhaps like madeline miller’s, but it was so rigid and jarring instead. one line would be beautiful and introspective, and the next would be a line you’d read in a stereotypical YA novel. at one point, medusa yells that she just wants to be normal. like ???
the characters were flat. this added absolutely nothing to the original myth(s). if i knew this was just going to be two characters repeating their backgrounds and then the actual myth part of the story happening in the last 5% or less, i would never have added this to my most-anticipated. i’m so frustrated and disappointed.
the summary for this book touts a ‘feminist’ retelling, but it’s not. it’s the original retellings smashed together but medusa is super sad about it and her life. the conclusion is so forceful in its want to be a ‘feminist’ book too, as it ends with a warning about women who gain reputations like medusa. okay? what’re we supposed to do with that?
i’m just really having a hard time wrapping my head around what part of this was supposed to be something new or interesting. i will say i enjoyed the illustrations. they were beautiful.
also, the writing was bizarre to me. it was obvious the author wanted to emulate this flowery writing, perhaps like madeline miller’s, but it was so rigid and jarring instead. one line would be beautiful and introspective, and the next would be a line you’d read in a stereotypical YA novel. at one point, medusa yells that she just wants to be normal. like ???
the characters were flat. this added absolutely nothing to the original myth(s). if i knew this was just going to be two characters repeating their backgrounds and then the actual myth part of the story happening in the last 5% or less, i would never have added this to my most-anticipated. i’m so frustrated and disappointed.
the summary for this book touts a ‘feminist’ retelling, but it’s not. it’s the original retellings smashed together but medusa is super sad about it and her life. the conclusion is so forceful in its want to be a ‘feminist’ book too, as it ends with a warning about women who gain reputations like medusa. okay? what’re we supposed to do with that?
i’m just really having a hard time wrapping my head around what part of this was supposed to be something new or interesting. i will say i enjoyed the illustrations. they were beautiful.
May 7, 2022
"Is love just easier when one of you no longer exists ?"
somebody sedate me i'm in pain
somebody sedate me i'm in pain
October 18, 2022
A quick story i blitzed through, telling Medusa’s story from her perspective.
I loved the illustrations in this, they made the story for me.
We meet Medusa living on a remote island with her two sisters. When a stranger arrives on his boat she is desperate for conversation but remains hidden. Will she ever reveal herself to him and what will happen if she does?
This story gives Medusa a lot more depth. She is a fleshed out, human character with a tragic past. I enjoyed spending time with her in this book.
***********************
Library copy available for pick up
This one looks amazing!
I loved the illustrations in this, they made the story for me.
We meet Medusa living on a remote island with her two sisters. When a stranger arrives on his boat she is desperate for conversation but remains hidden. Will she ever reveal herself to him and what will happen if she does?
This story gives Medusa a lot more depth. She is a fleshed out, human character with a tragic past. I enjoyed spending time with her in this book.
***********************
Library copy available for pick up
This one looks amazing!
November 28, 2021
Even if you are not a lover of Greek Mythology the chances are extremely high that you will at least have heard of the infamous Gorgon named Medusa.
Jessie Burton has followed down the path taken by writers such as Pat Barker, Madeline Miller, and Natalie Haynes. And that path is retelling these ancient myths from the perspective of, not minor characters, but characters who do not shine in the spotlight. In particular the female voice rarely heard in many of these tales.
With this novel Burton tells the story of Medusa and Perseus from Medusa’s perspective. Giving her a very human side.
Burton’s Medusa is a young woman trapped in her own body. Her body transformed into the monster by Athena that is now her prison. She is unbearably lonely, horrified by what she has become. Indelibly she is slowly dying inside.
As with many of the Greek Myths, mortals should always be careful what they promise, and what they wish for from the gods. The Greek gods all seem to have a wicked sense of humor and take pleasure in twisting a mortal’s wish simply to take pleasure in the results.
So, when Poseidon takes an interest in Medusa while she fishes in her little skiff, there is very little she can do to repel his unwanted advances. Even when she stops taking to the waters to fish, Poseidon punishes her village with floods and storms.
Medusa’s sisters, who are both immortal, think that the only way to stop a god is to ask another god for help. They ask Athena to help. Athena gives Medusa refuge in her temple, and for a short time it appears that everything is fine. But Poseidon, enraged, leaves the sea and rapes Medusa, destroying Athena’s temple in the process. When Athena finds out what has happened, she blames Medusa for desecrating her temple and sanctuary. Just as enraged as Poseidon, Athena turns each and every strand of Medusa’s beautiful hair into a snake. She then declares, “Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you”. I do believe that every reader of this book knows what she means, but Medusa is puzzled. Is it a warning?
When the novel opens Medusa has been living in a cave on a remote island for four years. When Perseus washes up on her island, she helplessly cannot resist talking to him. She makes Perseus stay on the outside of the cave wall while they converse and ultimately get closer to each other. With each day affection grows on both sides, with Perseus declaring that he thinks he loves Medusa, Medusa realizes that she feels the same.
“I marvelled that we could fall for each other without meeting face to face, that the mortal mind was capable of such gymnastics when it wanted.”
They promise to tell each other their story. Medusa, what she now is, and how she became this way, and Perseus why he is truly on the island. It seems he has not just washed up randomly at all. King Polydectes has charged Perseus with the task of cutting of Medusa’s head.
Both Medusa and Perseus just youngsters, who were falling in love. Both forced to change, to be something they’re not. Medusa forced by the gods. Perseus forced by King Polydectes.
We all know what happens, but I will stop there, leaving you dear reader in Burton’s capable hands as she ends her marvelous retelling of this tale with a climactic ending.
I must give recognition to Olivia Lomenech Gill for the many wondrous, beautiful illustrations. They add so much to the story.
Simply brilliant!
Jessie Burton has followed down the path taken by writers such as Pat Barker, Madeline Miller, and Natalie Haynes. And that path is retelling these ancient myths from the perspective of, not minor characters, but characters who do not shine in the spotlight. In particular the female voice rarely heard in many of these tales.
With this novel Burton tells the story of Medusa and Perseus from Medusa’s perspective. Giving her a very human side.
Burton’s Medusa is a young woman trapped in her own body. Her body transformed into the monster by Athena that is now her prison. She is unbearably lonely, horrified by what she has become. Indelibly she is slowly dying inside.
As with many of the Greek Myths, mortals should always be careful what they promise, and what they wish for from the gods. The Greek gods all seem to have a wicked sense of humor and take pleasure in twisting a mortal’s wish simply to take pleasure in the results.
So, when Poseidon takes an interest in Medusa while she fishes in her little skiff, there is very little she can do to repel his unwanted advances. Even when she stops taking to the waters to fish, Poseidon punishes her village with floods and storms.
Medusa’s sisters, who are both immortal, think that the only way to stop a god is to ask another god for help. They ask Athena to help. Athena gives Medusa refuge in her temple, and for a short time it appears that everything is fine. But Poseidon, enraged, leaves the sea and rapes Medusa, destroying Athena’s temple in the process. When Athena finds out what has happened, she blames Medusa for desecrating her temple and sanctuary. Just as enraged as Poseidon, Athena turns each and every strand of Medusa’s beautiful hair into a snake. She then declares, “Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you”. I do believe that every reader of this book knows what she means, but Medusa is puzzled. Is it a warning?
When the novel opens Medusa has been living in a cave on a remote island for four years. When Perseus washes up on her island, she helplessly cannot resist talking to him. She makes Perseus stay on the outside of the cave wall while they converse and ultimately get closer to each other. With each day affection grows on both sides, with Perseus declaring that he thinks he loves Medusa, Medusa realizes that she feels the same.
“I marvelled that we could fall for each other without meeting face to face, that the mortal mind was capable of such gymnastics when it wanted.”
They promise to tell each other their story. Medusa, what she now is, and how she became this way, and Perseus why he is truly on the island. It seems he has not just washed up randomly at all. King Polydectes has charged Perseus with the task of cutting of Medusa’s head.
Both Medusa and Perseus just youngsters, who were falling in love. Both forced to change, to be something they’re not. Medusa forced by the gods. Perseus forced by King Polydectes.
We all know what happens, but I will stop there, leaving you dear reader in Burton’s capable hands as she ends her marvelous retelling of this tale with a climactic ending.
I must give recognition to Olivia Lomenech Gill for the many wondrous, beautiful illustrations. They add so much to the story.
Simply brilliant!
November 23, 2021
medusa is my favourite greek myth and i’ve been craving a feminist retelling of it for SO LONG, but this was…a bit of a let down.
while the illustrations are gorgeous and there are some parts i liked — for example: it was a really quick read — it definitely disappointed me in most places.
perhaps my expectations were just really high, but i craved more. it all felt so surface-levelled, especially the characters.
it’s literally a retelling of the myth as in everything is kinda just…told to you. there’s not a lot of showing and, this is definitely due to my expectations, i was disappointed to find out it was just the myth as we know it but with feminism.
as a medusa lover, i really wished there were some more twists from the myth but for people who don’t know a lot about this story, i can recommend it! it explains most things in a great way from a slightly feminist point of view!
while the illustrations are gorgeous and there are some parts i liked — for example: it was a really quick read — it definitely disappointed me in most places.
perhaps my expectations were just really high, but i craved more. it all felt so surface-levelled, especially the characters.
it’s literally a retelling of the myth as in everything is kinda just…told to you. there’s not a lot of showing and, this is definitely due to my expectations, i was disappointed to find out it was just the myth as we know it but with feminism.
as a medusa lover, i really wished there were some more twists from the myth but for people who don’t know a lot about this story, i can recommend it! it explains most things in a great way from a slightly feminist point of view!
December 30, 2022
No voy a mentirles. Las primeras 80 páginas (se leen rapidísimas) me tuvieron muy escéptico sobre si iba a disfrutar este libro. Algunas partes muy entretenidas y otras sumamente tediosas de leer. Además de que el romance no me gustó para nada cómo se desarrolló. No me lo creí.
Pero fue después de eso que empecé a disfrutarla como se debe. Una reflexión sobre cómo los dioses, reyes y hombres se han encargado de guiar las vidas de las mujeres a su gusto y convenio por el poder que la sociedad les ha dado.
Me encantó leer a esta medusa que en muchos relatos es tratada como monstruo, cuando realmente fue una mujer que sufrió la venganza de una Diosa.
Disfruté mucho los monólogos de nuestra protagonista donde expresa sus emociones y reflexiones, se nota la perspectiva feminista de la autora que de manera muy sensible pero directa aborda problemáticas que no han cambiado con el tiempo.
Además, las ilustraciones me parecieron hermosas.
Recomendado ✨
Pero fue después de eso que empecé a disfrutarla como se debe. Una reflexión sobre cómo los dioses, reyes y hombres se han encargado de guiar las vidas de las mujeres a su gusto y convenio por el poder que la sociedad les ha dado.
Me encantó leer a esta medusa que en muchos relatos es tratada como monstruo, cuando realmente fue una mujer que sufrió la venganza de una Diosa.
Disfruté mucho los monólogos de nuestra protagonista donde expresa sus emociones y reflexiones, se nota la perspectiva feminista de la autora que de manera muy sensible pero directa aborda problemáticas que no han cambiado con el tiempo.
Además, las ilustraciones me parecieron hermosas.
Recomendado ✨
November 8, 2021
This book was described as "a dazzling, feminist retelling of a Greek myth," which is a perfect fit for my daughter's reading pile. However, I bought it for myself & thoroughly enjoyed it. Although based on a Greek myth author Jessie Burton grounds the story in strong, truly believable characters & it works brilliantly. The story is enhanced by some superb illustrations by Olivia Lomench Gill.
Now I can prove to my daughter that I do read outside my comfort zone & as an added bonus she gets to keep this book as well. Don't suppose she'd like something from my huge pile of crime novels ? Probably not. She prefers more literary fare than the pulp fiction I usually read. No wonder I'm so proud of her.
Now I can prove to my daughter that I do read outside my comfort zone & as an added bonus she gets to keep this book as well. Don't suppose she'd like something from my huge pile of crime novels ? Probably not. She prefers more literary fare than the pulp fiction I usually read. No wonder I'm so proud of her.
January 27, 2022
I received an advanced galley of this book, from the publisher, through Netgalley - in exchange for my honest feedback.
This is a hard review to write, folks, as I had really high hopes - but unfortunately, they were pretty thoroughly dashed.
This book was somehow both pretentious & careless - with turns of phrase that i’m sure were meant to evoke great emotion, or be permanently tattooed into young, romantic minds - but they felt stiff and forced and unrealistic. Medusa turned from misunderstood villain to manic pixie dream girl, and it was hard not to make it through every page without rolling my eyes. It was a lot of really flowery, really beautiful “Tumblr-esque” language - both in conversations and in Medusa’s internal dialogue - and it felt so forced and unrealistic.
I wasn’t expecting The Odyssey, but i was expecting some effort to at least pretend like the author was trying to make it authentic to Ancient Greece… Instead, I kept finding turns or phrase or stylistic choices that decidedly didn’t belong in this era - like “girlfriend” and “boyfriend” - and honestly it was distracting - it kept taking me out of the story.
The art was beautiful, and this book had so much promise for me - but unfortunately fell very flat.
I really appreciated the perspective on Medusa - finally giving her agency in her own story, finally not painting her as a villain, but as a victim, and as a survivor, as a teen girl subject to the whims of the gods. It’s the story I and so many others have wanted for a long time. I think the writing wasn’t bad either - just kind of insufferable at times - which feels crappy to say.
Also, most of the book is told in conversation format. So a lot of the significant events in Medusa’s mythos don’t actually *happen* in this book - Medusa just talks about when they happened. It was an interesting stylistic choice, and perhaps it works for some, but not for me - it made me a little bored, to be honest. (Very literal example of someone TELLING and not SHOWING).
All in all, not the book for me, but I appear to be in the minority right now. I kind of hope I stay in the minority, as I really was rooting for this book, so maybe others will be able to look past some of the things that bothered me!
This is a hard review to write, folks, as I had really high hopes - but unfortunately, they were pretty thoroughly dashed.
This book was somehow both pretentious & careless - with turns of phrase that i’m sure were meant to evoke great emotion, or be permanently tattooed into young, romantic minds - but they felt stiff and forced and unrealistic. Medusa turned from misunderstood villain to manic pixie dream girl, and it was hard not to make it through every page without rolling my eyes. It was a lot of really flowery, really beautiful “Tumblr-esque” language - both in conversations and in Medusa’s internal dialogue - and it felt so forced and unrealistic.
I wasn’t expecting The Odyssey, but i was expecting some effort to at least pretend like the author was trying to make it authentic to Ancient Greece… Instead, I kept finding turns or phrase or stylistic choices that decidedly didn’t belong in this era - like “girlfriend” and “boyfriend” - and honestly it was distracting - it kept taking me out of the story.
The art was beautiful, and this book had so much promise for me - but unfortunately fell very flat.
I really appreciated the perspective on Medusa - finally giving her agency in her own story, finally not painting her as a villain, but as a victim, and as a survivor, as a teen girl subject to the whims of the gods. It’s the story I and so many others have wanted for a long time. I think the writing wasn’t bad either - just kind of insufferable at times - which feels crappy to say.
Also, most of the book is told in conversation format. So a lot of the significant events in Medusa’s mythos don’t actually *happen* in this book - Medusa just talks about when they happened. It was an interesting stylistic choice, and perhaps it works for some, but not for me - it made me a little bored, to be honest. (Very literal example of someone TELLING and not SHOWING).
All in all, not the book for me, but I appear to be in the minority right now. I kind of hope I stay in the minority, as I really was rooting for this book, so maybe others will be able to look past some of the things that bothered me!
August 22, 2021
4.5****
Wow this book is another in a Medusa mythology retelling and it was needed! This tells Medusa’s story and gives her a voice which very few mythology tellings give notice to.
Her Medusa has been on an isolated island, with her two sisters and her dog as company, since she was cursed by Athena to have snakes for hair. She has been on this island for 4 years isolated and lonely from others her age. When one day an intriguing boy arrives on the island called Perseus, he might be able to alleviate this desolation which will leas to trust, love and betrayal.
This book had so many good things covering Medusa’s story. It shows her before Poseidon and Athena: how she was a sailor with her two sisters as divers. This book also shows a strong sisterhood between Stheno, Euyale and Medusa and I absolutely loved the relationship between Stheno and Medusa especially. This book also delved into rape culture, victim blaming and slut shaming- even by other women, acting as an agent for the patriarchy.
Most importantly this book looks at self acceptance, accepting and owning who you are despite very dark periods and your mistakes. This made me love Medusa even more and was just so wholesome and happy to read these parts.
The illustrations to this book are absolutely stunning and beautiful. Some of the illustrations are so powerful as well, you could feel the emotions emanating off the page.
I will be buying a copy of this book once it comes out (I have been reading this on my tiny phone screen). This is the Medusa myth that should be told to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a e-Arc to read of this.
Wow this book is another in a Medusa mythology retelling and it was needed! This tells Medusa’s story and gives her a voice which very few mythology tellings give notice to.
Her Medusa has been on an isolated island, with her two sisters and her dog as company, since she was cursed by Athena to have snakes for hair. She has been on this island for 4 years isolated and lonely from others her age. When one day an intriguing boy arrives on the island called Perseus, he might be able to alleviate this desolation which will leas to trust, love and betrayal.
This book had so many good things covering Medusa’s story. It shows her before Poseidon and Athena: how she was a sailor with her two sisters as divers. This book also shows a strong sisterhood between Stheno, Euyale and Medusa and I absolutely loved the relationship between Stheno and Medusa especially. This book also delved into rape culture, victim blaming and slut shaming- even by other women, acting as an agent for the patriarchy.
Most importantly this book looks at self acceptance, accepting and owning who you are despite very dark periods and your mistakes. This made me love Medusa even more and was just so wholesome and happy to read these parts.
The illustrations to this book are absolutely stunning and beautiful. Some of the illustrations are so powerful as well, you could feel the emotions emanating off the page.
I will be buying a copy of this book once it comes out (I have been reading this on my tiny phone screen). This is the Medusa myth that should be told to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a e-Arc to read of this.
April 22, 2023
"My name was Medusa and I was a girl. Perseus had made me sound like a mythical beast.
I didn't want to be a myth. I wanted to be me. ... I thought I was safe,
because Perseus still didn't know about my snakes"
“If I told you that I’d killed a man with a glance, would you wait to hear the rest? The why, the how, what happened next?”
This is a YA and feminist retelling of the Medusa and Perseus myth in novella form. It takes place over a few days, and the ending is different to the original. It addresses the issues you would expect: the nature of beauty, love, attraction, victim blaming, being different, gender stereotyping and the trauma of sexual assault. Both Medusa and Perseus feel very young and indeed they are eighteen and seventeen respectively. The illustrations are very good. Medusa is the first person narrator. One clever twist was giving each of the snakes on her head its own character and personality. There are also a couple of dogs thrown in as well as Medusa’s sisters.
“‘Who are you?’ I called down. I spoke in panic, worried that Argentus’ suspicion of this new arrival would drive him to his boat at any moment. And I spoke in hope: it felt of utmost importance that this boy should stay on my island – for a day, a week, a month. Maybe longer.”
This is ok; I can see it being used with teenagers in school. It can be a bit heavy-handed and there’s no real plot. It is predictable and certainly not the most interesting addition to the current clutch of myth retelling tomes.
I didn't want to be a myth. I wanted to be me. ... I thought I was safe,
because Perseus still didn't know about my snakes"
“If I told you that I’d killed a man with a glance, would you wait to hear the rest? The why, the how, what happened next?”
This is a YA and feminist retelling of the Medusa and Perseus myth in novella form. It takes place over a few days, and the ending is different to the original. It addresses the issues you would expect: the nature of beauty, love, attraction, victim blaming, being different, gender stereotyping and the trauma of sexual assault. Both Medusa and Perseus feel very young and indeed they are eighteen and seventeen respectively. The illustrations are very good. Medusa is the first person narrator. One clever twist was giving each of the snakes on her head its own character and personality. There are also a couple of dogs thrown in as well as Medusa’s sisters.
“‘Who are you?’ I called down. I spoke in panic, worried that Argentus’ suspicion of this new arrival would drive him to his boat at any moment. And I spoke in hope: it felt of utmost importance that this boy should stay on my island – for a day, a week, a month. Maybe longer.”
This is ok; I can see it being used with teenagers in school. It can be a bit heavy-handed and there’s no real plot. It is predictable and certainly not the most interesting addition to the current clutch of myth retelling tomes.
April 9, 2024
High 3.5 stars
Very poetic, it felt like a therapeutic journey with a victim who finally feels free and strong...I liked her take on the myth, it only seemed fitting.
Very poetic, it felt like a therapeutic journey with a victim who finally feels free and strong...I liked her take on the myth, it only seemed fitting.
Read
January 16, 2024"O livro dá-nos, claro, o ponto de vista da Medusa e faz-nos empatizar com ela, questionando porque é que a associamos à monstruosidade. Mas, no que diz respeito à reinterpretação mitológica, senti que não acrescenta muito: conta a história mais ou menos como a conhecemos, só altera a lente com que a observamos. Ainda assim, acabo a avaliar a leitura como bastante positiva por causa da escrita..."
Opinião completa em:
https://ritadanova.blogs.sapo.pt/medu....
Opinião completa em:
https://ritadanova.blogs.sapo.pt/medu....
September 8, 2021
Actual rating 4.5/5 stars.
"So often [Medusa’s] robbed of agency, turned into a monster, and used as a stepping stone for heroes. The myth of Medusa is a tale of objectification and toxic masculinity, and the meaning of consent. Given the continuing revelations about men like Weinstein and (US president Donald) Trump, and others we have each encountered on our way through life, Medusa's myth is ripe for the retelling."
Medusa's story is one that has long captivated me and I implicitly trusted Jessie Burton to deliver her story with the sensitivity and depth of emotion her character deserved, and with an empowering spin and full female autonomy that all women deserve. This is exactly what occurred.
The entire story was just so tragically beautiful. Medusa was painted as the victim in her own story and not the vengeful killer or the objective to be slain, that she has often been made out to be. She was, instead, viewed here an ordinary girl wishing to live a quiet and solitary existence and with no desires for the power from or notice of the gods.
Olivia Lomenech Gill's artwork was the perfect match for the subtleness of emotion exhibited throughout the tale and also the melancholy that exuded from it at the end. A muted colour palette consisting of mostly earthy tones was used for each of the gorgeous images and I would happily display every single one of them on my walls. They were harrowing yet alluring, exactly like the story surrounding them.
In the synopsis it is stated that Burton's aim with was to "reclaim Medusa's story" and that is exactly what she did! None who read this can relate to owning sentient hair but many can relate to being punished by society, paying for the mistakes of powerful others, being subjected to the whims of those in authority, and being viewed as one of few accepted binaries. Burton allows us to see and to believe that we contain multitudes, and that we can be the hero of our own story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Jessie Burton, the illustrator, Olivia Lomenech Gill, and the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for this opportunity.
"So often [Medusa’s] robbed of agency, turned into a monster, and used as a stepping stone for heroes. The myth of Medusa is a tale of objectification and toxic masculinity, and the meaning of consent. Given the continuing revelations about men like Weinstein and (US president Donald) Trump, and others we have each encountered on our way through life, Medusa's myth is ripe for the retelling."
Medusa's story is one that has long captivated me and I implicitly trusted Jessie Burton to deliver her story with the sensitivity and depth of emotion her character deserved, and with an empowering spin and full female autonomy that all women deserve. This is exactly what occurred.
The entire story was just so tragically beautiful. Medusa was painted as the victim in her own story and not the vengeful killer or the objective to be slain, that she has often been made out to be. She was, instead, viewed here an ordinary girl wishing to live a quiet and solitary existence and with no desires for the power from or notice of the gods.
Olivia Lomenech Gill's artwork was the perfect match for the subtleness of emotion exhibited throughout the tale and also the melancholy that exuded from it at the end. A muted colour palette consisting of mostly earthy tones was used for each of the gorgeous images and I would happily display every single one of them on my walls. They were harrowing yet alluring, exactly like the story surrounding them.
In the synopsis it is stated that Burton's aim with was to "reclaim Medusa's story" and that is exactly what she did! None who read this can relate to owning sentient hair but many can relate to being punished by society, paying for the mistakes of powerful others, being subjected to the whims of those in authority, and being viewed as one of few accepted binaries. Burton allows us to see and to believe that we contain multitudes, and that we can be the hero of our own story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Jessie Burton, the illustrator, Olivia Lomenech Gill, and the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for this opportunity.
June 7, 2023
”...are you made of gold and rubies?”
I’d imagine that if I said the name Medusa to you, the picture that would immediately spring to mind would be of a wild eyed harridan, with snakes madly circling her head.
But all myths have to start somewhere. As did Medusa's. She was once a young woman, happy to sail along the shores of her land, fishing and enjoying her freedom along with her sisters. Oblivious to whether or not she was beautiful, until she was “accused” of being just that in the small village where she lived. It ailed her to think of people either adoring or being jealous of her for her beauty, as it seemed this was something that belonged to them, rather than to her. All she wanted was to float above the azure seas. Which is where she unfortunately caught the eye of the sea god Poseidon, who would not take no for an answer.
”It’s inexplicable…To whom the gods are fair and foul.”
The book opens on a hot, stark island, where Medusa - now with writhing snakes for hair instead of her previous dark locks - lives here in exile with her two sisters. All of them banished due to the whims of gods and goddesses. Onto this island sails a young lad, Perseus, who is on a quest, also at the behest of his fickle elders.
The young Medusa and Perseus form a quick friendship, bordering on more, each sharing their life stories to that point. And discover that as alike as they are, they are set on a collision course that only one can survive.
This book is absolutely stunning. A beautiful modern re-telling of a very old tale. It was refreshing to see the point of view of a young Medusa. Not the scary gorgon that she is most commonly known as.
The glorious illustrations add to the emotion of the story. They are bold and colourful. I’m sure this format is one that would entice younger readers to read (whether mythology or other stories). And this format is also one which I feel would reignite the wonder of more mature readers to revisit these wonderful tales.
WORDS: Jessie Burton
ILLUSTRATIONS: Olivia Lomenech Gill
”...life just seems like a series of endless questions that you really don’t want to answer.”
I invite you to read Neale’s wonderful review, as he explains the myth of Medusa beautifully ✒️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
”We are all of us complicated creatures, whether we have snakes for hair or not.”
I’d imagine that if I said the name Medusa to you, the picture that would immediately spring to mind would be of a wild eyed harridan, with snakes madly circling her head.
But all myths have to start somewhere. As did Medusa's. She was once a young woman, happy to sail along the shores of her land, fishing and enjoying her freedom along with her sisters. Oblivious to whether or not she was beautiful, until she was “accused” of being just that in the small village where she lived. It ailed her to think of people either adoring or being jealous of her for her beauty, as it seemed this was something that belonged to them, rather than to her. All she wanted was to float above the azure seas. Which is where she unfortunately caught the eye of the sea god Poseidon, who would not take no for an answer.
”It’s inexplicable…To whom the gods are fair and foul.”
The book opens on a hot, stark island, where Medusa - now with writhing snakes for hair instead of her previous dark locks - lives here in exile with her two sisters. All of them banished due to the whims of gods and goddesses. Onto this island sails a young lad, Perseus, who is on a quest, also at the behest of his fickle elders.
The young Medusa and Perseus form a quick friendship, bordering on more, each sharing their life stories to that point. And discover that as alike as they are, they are set on a collision course that only one can survive.
This book is absolutely stunning. A beautiful modern re-telling of a very old tale. It was refreshing to see the point of view of a young Medusa. Not the scary gorgon that she is most commonly known as.
The glorious illustrations add to the emotion of the story. They are bold and colourful. I’m sure this format is one that would entice younger readers to read (whether mythology or other stories). And this format is also one which I feel would reignite the wonder of more mature readers to revisit these wonderful tales.
WORDS: Jessie Burton
ILLUSTRATIONS: Olivia Lomenech Gill
”...life just seems like a series of endless questions that you really don’t want to answer.”
I invite you to read Neale’s wonderful review, as he explains the myth of Medusa beautifully ✒️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
”We are all of us complicated creatures, whether we have snakes for hair or not.”
September 6, 2024
'Medusa' by Jessie Burton reimagines the tale of the most prominent Gorgon in Greek mythology through a fresh, sympathetic lens.
Written from the perspective of Medusa herself, the prose is sensitive and engaging, gracefully depicting fantastical action sequences amid the alluring landscape of ancient Greece.
The novel urges readers to empathise with the lead, portrayed not as a contemptuous villain but as a tragic victim of the gods, a beautiful young woman whose life has been irrevocably altered without her consent.
Overall, my only complaint would be that I finished reading 'Medusa' far too quickly! This is a short but memorable book that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Genre:
-High Fantasy
Tropes:
-Fantasy creatures
-Mythology
Written from the perspective of Medusa herself, the prose is sensitive and engaging, gracefully depicting fantastical action sequences amid the alluring landscape of ancient Greece.
The novel urges readers to empathise with the lead, portrayed not as a contemptuous villain but as a tragic victim of the gods, a beautiful young woman whose life has been irrevocably altered without her consent.
Overall, my only complaint would be that I finished reading 'Medusa' far too quickly! This is a short but memorable book that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Genre:
-High Fantasy
Tropes:
-Fantasy creatures
-Mythology
April 10, 2022
A YA Medusa retelling with beautiful illustrations is something that should sing to my soul. However, this just left me feeling a little cold. Jessie Burton can certainly write, but I don't think she's the writer for me. Her prose are a bit too flowery, a bit too meandering when all I wanted was for the story to get to the point. I liked the overall message of reclaiming control, how beauty for women often defines them and leads to destruction, but I just had no emotional connection to the story at all.
Another little irritant was that I found my reading experience hampered by the book itself. Its really heavy and cumbersome to hold and I just found myself irritated. Also, the pictures are pretty, but honestly I think they sometimes overpowered the text or didn't really fit the tone for me personally.
Definitely a case of its me, not you.
Another little irritant was that I found my reading experience hampered by the book itself. Its really heavy and cumbersome to hold and I just found myself irritated. Also, the pictures are pretty, but honestly I think they sometimes overpowered the text or didn't really fit the tone for me personally.
Definitely a case of its me, not you.
January 11, 2024
*4.5 stars
After being exiled to an island far from the rest of the world, Medusa never thought she’d find love. Not that she was looking for it. Abused by a god, cursed by a goddess, Medusa just wanted to live in peace with her sisters and dog. But one day a handsome man rowed up to her shores, making her question everything she thought she wanted.
In this Medusa retelling, Jessie Burton shows us that labels never give us the full story of a person. She uses the story of Medusa to show how often, instead of being seen as victims of abuse, women have been accused of bringing on the abuse instead.
In a short amount of time, we see Medusa change from a naive girl, to a woman who refuses to be blamed for something she didn’t do. She refuses to be ashamed of who she is now, and embraces the scars that have made her who she is today.
This is a moving story. I could feel anger for the injustice Medusa experiences, yet I loved the way this story ended.
If you like Greek mythology and enjoy retellings that focus on sharing the side of the women characters labeled as monsters, I’d recommend picking up Medusa!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.
After being exiled to an island far from the rest of the world, Medusa never thought she’d find love. Not that she was looking for it. Abused by a god, cursed by a goddess, Medusa just wanted to live in peace with her sisters and dog. But one day a handsome man rowed up to her shores, making her question everything she thought she wanted.
In this Medusa retelling, Jessie Burton shows us that labels never give us the full story of a person. She uses the story of Medusa to show how often, instead of being seen as victims of abuse, women have been accused of bringing on the abuse instead.
In a short amount of time, we see Medusa change from a naive girl, to a woman who refuses to be blamed for something she didn’t do. She refuses to be ashamed of who she is now, and embraces the scars that have made her who she is today.
This is a moving story. I could feel anger for the injustice Medusa experiences, yet I loved the way this story ended.
If you like Greek mythology and enjoy retellings that focus on sharing the side of the women characters labeled as monsters, I’d recommend picking up Medusa!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.
June 13, 2023
There was literally nothing happening but conversations for 170 pages. Half the dialogue was so out of place, set in ancient Greece and talking about "girlfriends" and cologne and calling someone "that creep". Honestly kinda felt like it was written by a 13 year old on wattpad
September 17, 2021
Oh how I loved this book. I'm a huge fan of greek mythology and Medusa has always been one of my favourites but this beautiful retelling is unlike nothing I have read of her before. The feminist spin on the myth is absolutely incredible, with every possible problematic thought being challenged directly. I cannot wait to own a physical copy of this book so that I can annotate and highlight all of the beautiful and empowering quotes.
Not only is the writing so wonderfully feminist, it is also beautiful. Jessie Burton writes Medusa in such a heartbreaking and (finally) humanising way so that I wanted to weep for this young girl of 18 who had only ever been treated horrendously and subject to misogynistic thinking. I loved Medusa more than I have loved any character in a book for a long time, I am still in awe of how Burton brought her to life so well and made my heart break for her.
Finally, how could I not mention the absolutely stunning artwork throughout this book? Where Burton brings life to the characters with her words, Olivia Lomenech Gill's brushstrokes do just as perfect a job. I had to pause multiple times just to admire those beautiful illustrations.
Basically, I adored this book and it is 100% a new favourite.
Not only is the writing so wonderfully feminist, it is also beautiful. Jessie Burton writes Medusa in such a heartbreaking and (finally) humanising way so that I wanted to weep for this young girl of 18 who had only ever been treated horrendously and subject to misogynistic thinking. I loved Medusa more than I have loved any character in a book for a long time, I am still in awe of how Burton brought her to life so well and made my heart break for her.
Finally, how could I not mention the absolutely stunning artwork throughout this book? Where Burton brings life to the characters with her words, Olivia Lomenech Gill's brushstrokes do just as perfect a job. I had to pause multiple times just to admire those beautiful illustrations.
Basically, I adored this book and it is 100% a new favourite.
December 23, 2025
I have always since I first encountered the story of Medusa in grade seven English (when we were covering Greek mythology) been extremely uncomfortable with considering Medusa as simply a monster and Perseus as the hero meant to and needing to slay her. For yes, even in 1979, it certainly seemed to me that the true horror in this story was in fact the goddess who had turned Medusa into a snake headed monstrosity for being courted and physically, sexually desired by Poseidon, that Athena really acted horrifically, without justification and that Medusa was being torturously and unfairly punished by Athena, by another woman basically, just for being beautiful and as such catching Poseidon's unwanted attention (although I as a thirteen year old did not dare to in class and openly claim that Poseidon's behaviour towards Medusa was sexual assault even though privately I did think that Poseidon basically raped Medusa and that Medusa was then unjustly and misogynisticly punished and blamed for this by Athena, by the goddess turning Medusa into a monster with snakes instead of hair and capable of killing in particular men with one single direct gaze). And yes, after reading Jessie Burton's 2021 feminist retelling of Medusa, after reading her Medusa, I have been left not at all textually uncomfortable and fuming anymore (as I was at school) but instead with feelings of intense and all encompassing exultation, justification and delight (and I am also left thinking that with Jessie Burton's text and Olivia Lomenech Gill's accompanying artwork Medusa well deserves to be on the long list for both 2023 the Carnegie and the Kate Greenaway Medals, and I that I am definitely hoping that Medusa is going to chosen as the winner for both awards).
For yes, I absolutely and totally adore how Jessie Burton has textually made Medusa a relatable and evocatively compelling story told delightfully, engagingly (and with wonderful verbal imagery) in the first person and thus of course totally from Medusa’s point of view, a one hundred percent sympathetic to and compassionate for Medusa's life and struggles account, and which also and absolutely in every way focusses, concentrates on and justifies what I have always found so hugely and deeply troubling and problematic with the Medusa story of Greek mythology, and with Medusa in Jessie Burton's retelling absolutely and in every manner being shown and described as a woman wronged, as a woman without justification being punished, being cursed, exiled and turned into a snake haired monster simply and painfully for her beauty, for being an attractive looking young adult female, and that Medusa is of course totally being made the scapegoat, victim blamed and shamed by Athena (by a goddess, by another woman therefore) for being sexually assaulted, for being raped and violated by Poseidon (by a male deity but also of course by Athena's uncle, by a member of Athena's family). And while the author's, while Jessie Burton's textual take in Medusa is of course also painful and certainly infuriating because of this truth of the matter regarding Medusa and what happened to render her hair into a bunch serpents capable of turning men into stone, and that I kind of do rather want a happily ever after ending for Medusa and Perseus as a couple, I totally love love love seeing Medusa both exonerated and indeed also honoured by and in Burton's text and that basically NONE of the Greek deities (both male or female) come away at all positively but basically being shown as dangerous misogynist pricks (and well, that I do really and majorly appreciate that in Medusa it is in fact Medusa who ends up surviving, that she also does not consider herself as in any way culpable and to blame for what happened with and to Perseus, and that it sure is wonderful to read how in Medusa, Medusa's sisters protect her, cherish her and never ever cast blame at her like has been done by Athena cursing and basically disfiguring Medusa and holding her responsible for being sexually assaulted, for being raped).
Therefore and for me, with Medusa Jessie Burton gives us a fresh and delightful reimagining of the Medusa myth, and one that shows Medusa as lovely, relatable and as a victim who has in fact done nothing at all wrong (and yes, Perseus himself is also rather shown as being a victim himself in Medusa but not ever of Medusa but like Medusa of the whims of the gods and their dysfunctional relationships and mindsets, but also and importantly that even with Perseus also being shown as having been victimised, he is still rather stuck in his ways and is certainly and unfortunately not as ready to show criticism and contempt of and for the Greek gods, of and for Greek society with its misogyny and "the gods are always right" mentality). Highly recommended and solidly five stars for me (even with me kind of wishing for a lasting Perseus/Medusa coupling), and I just hope that Jessie Burton will not have Medusa challenged and banned in American book banning states (although it would unfortunately and sadly also make sense that with regard to thematics and the sexual assault angle of Medusa and the fact that it represents a feminist retelling of a Greek Myth, Medusa would likely be rather on the radar for ignoramuses like the governors of Florida and Texas and American Taliban like groups such as Moms for Liberty).
Finally, with regard to Olivia Lomenech Gill's artwork for Medusa, it is visually spectacular, stunning and I adore how she makes both Perseus and Medusa appear as both physically appealing (with no ugly faced, nasty Medusa and hideous, horrifying snakes) and equally also as both being vulnerable, unsure, even terrified (and thankfully with both Perseus and Medusa also being depicted by Lomenech Gill as light brown skinned and thus of course southern Mediterranean, as it sure is ridiculous how many pictorial renditions over the centuries and even recently tend to show both Medusa and Perseus with a Northern European skin colour). And while I personally do find that Jessie Burton's words, that her writing for Medusa does not really require illustrations, Olivia Lomenech Gill's pictures do provide a wonderfully appealing visual accompaniment and are also and equally an aesthetic treat in and of themselves.
For yes, I absolutely and totally adore how Jessie Burton has textually made Medusa a relatable and evocatively compelling story told delightfully, engagingly (and with wonderful verbal imagery) in the first person and thus of course totally from Medusa’s point of view, a one hundred percent sympathetic to and compassionate for Medusa's life and struggles account, and which also and absolutely in every way focusses, concentrates on and justifies what I have always found so hugely and deeply troubling and problematic with the Medusa story of Greek mythology, and with Medusa in Jessie Burton's retelling absolutely and in every manner being shown and described as a woman wronged, as a woman without justification being punished, being cursed, exiled and turned into a snake haired monster simply and painfully for her beauty, for being an attractive looking young adult female, and that Medusa is of course totally being made the scapegoat, victim blamed and shamed by Athena (by a goddess, by another woman therefore) for being sexually assaulted, for being raped and violated by Poseidon (by a male deity but also of course by Athena's uncle, by a member of Athena's family). And while the author's, while Jessie Burton's textual take in Medusa is of course also painful and certainly infuriating because of this truth of the matter regarding Medusa and what happened to render her hair into a bunch serpents capable of turning men into stone, and that I kind of do rather want a happily ever after ending for Medusa and Perseus as a couple, I totally love love love seeing Medusa both exonerated and indeed also honoured by and in Burton's text and that basically NONE of the Greek deities (both male or female) come away at all positively but basically being shown as dangerous misogynist pricks (and well, that I do really and majorly appreciate that in Medusa it is in fact Medusa who ends up surviving, that she also does not consider herself as in any way culpable and to blame for what happened with and to Perseus, and that it sure is wonderful to read how in Medusa, Medusa's sisters protect her, cherish her and never ever cast blame at her like has been done by Athena cursing and basically disfiguring Medusa and holding her responsible for being sexually assaulted, for being raped).
Therefore and for me, with Medusa Jessie Burton gives us a fresh and delightful reimagining of the Medusa myth, and one that shows Medusa as lovely, relatable and as a victim who has in fact done nothing at all wrong (and yes, Perseus himself is also rather shown as being a victim himself in Medusa but not ever of Medusa but like Medusa of the whims of the gods and their dysfunctional relationships and mindsets, but also and importantly that even with Perseus also being shown as having been victimised, he is still rather stuck in his ways and is certainly and unfortunately not as ready to show criticism and contempt of and for the Greek gods, of and for Greek society with its misogyny and "the gods are always right" mentality). Highly recommended and solidly five stars for me (even with me kind of wishing for a lasting Perseus/Medusa coupling), and I just hope that Jessie Burton will not have Medusa challenged and banned in American book banning states (although it would unfortunately and sadly also make sense that with regard to thematics and the sexual assault angle of Medusa and the fact that it represents a feminist retelling of a Greek Myth, Medusa would likely be rather on the radar for ignoramuses like the governors of Florida and Texas and American Taliban like groups such as Moms for Liberty).
Finally, with regard to Olivia Lomenech Gill's artwork for Medusa, it is visually spectacular, stunning and I adore how she makes both Perseus and Medusa appear as both physically appealing (with no ugly faced, nasty Medusa and hideous, horrifying snakes) and equally also as both being vulnerable, unsure, even terrified (and thankfully with both Perseus and Medusa also being depicted by Lomenech Gill as light brown skinned and thus of course southern Mediterranean, as it sure is ridiculous how many pictorial renditions over the centuries and even recently tend to show both Medusa and Perseus with a Northern European skin colour). And while I personally do find that Jessie Burton's words, that her writing for Medusa does not really require illustrations, Olivia Lomenech Gill's pictures do provide a wonderfully appealing visual accompaniment and are also and equally an aesthetic treat in and of themselves.
December 11, 2021
thank you netgalley, bloomsbury usa children's books, and jessie burton for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! i really enjoyed this book and sped through it in one day. i found the illustrations to be extremely gorgeous and i loved seeing medusa's myth from a more feminist perspective. i've always been fascinated with medusa and how she's seen as a villain despite her backstory and this book added a lot to that. i recommend this book to fans of greek mythology for the fresh new look at the story plus some stunning artwork!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,474 reviews