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No Friend to This House: A Novel
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Expected 10 Mar 26No Friend to This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes.
This is what no one tells you, in the songs sung about Jason and the Argo. This part of his quest has been forgotten, by everyone but me . . .
Jason and his Argonauts set sail to find the Golden Fleece. The journey is filled with danger, for him and everyone he meets. But if he ever reaches the distant land he seeks, he faces almost certain death.
Medea—priestess, witch, and daughter of a brutal king—has the power to save the life of a stranger. Will she betray her family and her home, and what will she demand in return?
Medea and Jason seize their one chance of a life together, as the gods intend. But their love is steeped in vengeance from the beginning, and no one—not even those closest to them—will be safe.
Based on the classic tragedy by Euripides, this is Medea as you've never seen her before . . .
This is what no one tells you, in the songs sung about Jason and the Argo. This part of his quest has been forgotten, by everyone but me . . .
Jason and his Argonauts set sail to find the Golden Fleece. The journey is filled with danger, for him and everyone he meets. But if he ever reaches the distant land he seeks, he faces almost certain death.
Medea—priestess, witch, and daughter of a brutal king—has the power to save the life of a stranger. Will she betray her family and her home, and what will she demand in return?
Medea and Jason seize their one chance of a life together, as the gods intend. But their love is steeped in vengeance from the beginning, and no one—not even those closest to them—will be safe.
Based on the classic tragedy by Euripides, this is Medea as you've never seen her before . . .
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 11, 2025
191 people are currently reading
12315 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Haynes
28 books7,009 followersNatalie Haynes, author of THE FURIES (THE AMBER FURY in the UK), is a graduate of Cambridge University and an award-winning comedian, journalist, and broadcaster. She judged the Man Booker Prize in 2013 and was a judge for the final Orange Prize in 2012. Natalie was a regular panelist on BBC2’s Newsnight Review, Radio 4’s Saturday Review, and the long-running arts show, Front Row. She is a guest columnist for the The Independent and The Guardian. Her radio series, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics, was first broadcast in March 2014.
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March 16, 2025Look what we HAVE... Can we finally have a good Medea retelling!?
September 4, 2025
No Friend To This House is Natalie Haynes’s retelling of Euripides’s Medea, narrated in her unique voice in this multifaceted tale of the Argonauts and the witch of Colchis, Medea.
From the start, Haynes makes clear this is her story, not Euripides’s; she begins the tale from the moment the Argo sets sail. Alcimedes continues the narrative, introducing Jason as her son. To anyone familiar with the myth, the plot is easy to follow. The Argo, built with the help of Athene, sets sail to Colchis to retrieve the golden fleece. Once there, Medea falls madly in love with Jason after Cupid’s arrow strikes her. She helps him pass Iolcus’s trial, and when they eventually escape Colchis and commit fratricide, they arrive in Aeaea. Medea’s famous arc unfolds, and they move on to Corinth. The meticulous research one expects from Haynes’s books is present throughout, and enthusiasts of Greek mythology can rest assured that the canon is preserved and any liberties taken always serve the plot.
What distinguishes No Friend To This House is its satiric undertones, where Aphrodite and Athene constantly bicker and plot alongside Hera. The gods were my favourite chapters, and in the style of A Thousand Ships, with each chapter narrated by a different God, woman, or animal. Eione represents the women abandoned by their husbands on the absurd adventures heroes crave. Through her and other minor voices, like the women of Lemnos, unjustly cursed by Aphrodite, or Kleite, queen of the Doliones, Haynes gives voice to characters the core canon ignores. “What’s the point in telling the old stories all over again in the same way?”, she asks. Phrixus and Helle also emerge from the margins, their roles in the golden fleece familiar, yet the details were new to me.
In contrast to A Thousand Ships, this novel fails to connect on a deeper emotional level. Medea lacks the fierce female rage I expected; instead, she is filled with contempt. Her anger is subdued, and there is little pain in her arc. Still, Haynes’s writing is unparalleled, and her sarcastic narrative remains a pleasure to read. No Friend To This House might undersell the emotional impact of these tragedies, especially due to its satiric undertones. Circe appears, but Scylla does not, and after reading Medea and Circe, it is hard to top their characterisation. In the final act of Medea’s arc in Corinth, she is humanised as a caring mother and good neighbour, an interpretation I appreciated in this version and similar to Rosie Hewlett's portrayal.
Ultimately, No Friend To This House by Natalie Haynes is not my favourite of her books, but it remains an interesting feminist retelling of the Argonauts and Medea, one that honours the source material while illuminating obscure characters even the most devoted Greek mythology enthusiast might not know.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher Pan Macmillan | Mantle via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
From the start, Haynes makes clear this is her story, not Euripides’s; she begins the tale from the moment the Argo sets sail. Alcimedes continues the narrative, introducing Jason as her son. To anyone familiar with the myth, the plot is easy to follow. The Argo, built with the help of Athene, sets sail to Colchis to retrieve the golden fleece. Once there, Medea falls madly in love with Jason after Cupid’s arrow strikes her. She helps him pass Iolcus’s trial, and when they eventually escape Colchis and commit fratricide, they arrive in Aeaea. Medea’s famous arc unfolds, and they move on to Corinth. The meticulous research one expects from Haynes’s books is present throughout, and enthusiasts of Greek mythology can rest assured that the canon is preserved and any liberties taken always serve the plot.
What distinguishes No Friend To This House is its satiric undertones, where Aphrodite and Athene constantly bicker and plot alongside Hera. The gods were my favourite chapters, and in the style of A Thousand Ships, with each chapter narrated by a different God, woman, or animal. Eione represents the women abandoned by their husbands on the absurd adventures heroes crave. Through her and other minor voices, like the women of Lemnos, unjustly cursed by Aphrodite, or Kleite, queen of the Doliones, Haynes gives voice to characters the core canon ignores. “What’s the point in telling the old stories all over again in the same way?”, she asks. Phrixus and Helle also emerge from the margins, their roles in the golden fleece familiar, yet the details were new to me.
In contrast to A Thousand Ships, this novel fails to connect on a deeper emotional level. Medea lacks the fierce female rage I expected; instead, she is filled with contempt. Her anger is subdued, and there is little pain in her arc. Still, Haynes’s writing is unparalleled, and her sarcastic narrative remains a pleasure to read. No Friend To This House might undersell the emotional impact of these tragedies, especially due to its satiric undertones. Circe appears, but Scylla does not, and after reading Medea and Circe, it is hard to top their characterisation. In the final act of Medea’s arc in Corinth, she is humanised as a caring mother and good neighbour, an interpretation I appreciated in this version and similar to Rosie Hewlett's portrayal.
Ultimately, No Friend To This House by Natalie Haynes is not my favourite of her books, but it remains an interesting feminist retelling of the Argonauts and Medea, one that honours the source material while illuminating obscure characters even the most devoted Greek mythology enthusiast might not know.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher Pan Macmillan | Mantle via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
September 3, 2025
Natalie Haynes just has this very unique way to write retellings and I eat them up every single time. No Friend to This House is the story of Jason and the Argonauts - and most of all, the often times forgotten women he meets on the way. The most infamous one is, of course, Medea, but in usual Haynes fashion there are a multitude of different perspectives. Be it Alcimede, mother of Jason, or Hypsipyle and her women of Lemnos, or Cleite of the Doliones, or princess Glauke, Circe, or the goddesses themselves, to name just a few. I love this specific retelling style a lot and I could barely put down the book.
With every Medea retelling though, I'm always a bit wary as to how they would approach the terrible things she does. Medea is one of my favourite characters in Greek tragedies and myths, so I basically read any retelling that comes my way. Too often is she portrayed as entirely innocent, a poor girl trapped by a purely evil man who didn't really do what myths told us she did. But Medea was involved in the death of her brother, and Medea did get the daughters of Pelias to kill him brutally, and Medea did kill Glauke, and Medea did kill her own children. Haynes approaches her with all the care she deserves, though. Her Medea is the one I always pictured myself - capable, powerful, complex, brutal yet also warm and devoted. And yes, absolutely still a victim of Jason, though I love that Haynes also depicts his complexity and doesn't turn him into the one-note villainous figure a lot of other retellings do. Obviously we still hate him in this house, though. And in the end, Medea is also just another victim of the games the gods like to play, and the way Haynes interweaves this divine aspect with Medea's own agency is just masterful.
The story does gloss over Pelias' death a little bit, I really thought this would be a longer sequence of events because when it happens, it's actually rather jarring considering what happened before. As in, at this point of the story you really wouldn't think Medea capable of doing what she's doing, and I would have liked some more build-up to it, but I also really enjoyed that it was told from the daughters' perspectives and how they view Medea as a result.
Simply put: probably my favourite retelling of Jason and Medea's myths and cementing Haynes as an auto-buy author.
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the arc!
With every Medea retelling though, I'm always a bit wary as to how they would approach the terrible things she does. Medea is one of my favourite characters in Greek tragedies and myths, so I basically read any retelling that comes my way. Too often is she portrayed as entirely innocent, a poor girl trapped by a purely evil man who didn't really do what myths told us she did. But Medea was involved in the death of her brother, and Medea did get the daughters of Pelias to kill him brutally, and Medea did kill Glauke, and Medea did kill her own children. Haynes approaches her with all the care she deserves, though. Her Medea is the one I always pictured myself - capable, powerful, complex, brutal yet also warm and devoted. And yes, absolutely still a victim of Jason, though I love that Haynes also depicts his complexity and doesn't turn him into the one-note villainous figure a lot of other retellings do. Obviously we still hate him in this house, though. And in the end, Medea is also just another victim of the games the gods like to play, and the way Haynes interweaves this divine aspect with Medea's own agency is just masterful.
The story does gloss over Pelias' death a little bit, I really thought this would be a longer sequence of events because when it happens, it's actually rather jarring considering what happened before. As in, at this point of the story you really wouldn't think Medea capable of doing what she's doing, and I would have liked some more build-up to it, but I also really enjoyed that it was told from the daughters' perspectives and how they view Medea as a result.
Simply put: probably my favourite retelling of Jason and Medea's myths and cementing Haynes as an auto-buy author.
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the arc!
August 11, 2025
I am a sucker for reframed and retold Mythological telling, especially Greek.
This follows Jason, the captain of the Argo sent to retrieve the Golden Fleece, but really it highlights all the women he leaves behind in his wake.
Like Haynes’s other books, we get interjections from a range of wonderful characters. Unnamed side characters, a few Goddesses, a crow…
We get an insight to the Lemnian women who were repudiated by their husbands which I really enjoyed.
Most importantly, we see Medea. A betrayed wife and mother, but also a witch, a revenge-seeker, a kin and king killer, a child-killer.
It was, as I say, a dark night. Poetic, I suppose. Winds howling, clouds covering a quavering moon. And what followed was very poetic, if you like your poetry to be filled with tragic irony. Oh, you do? That is good news, I would hate for you to be bored.
You are made to reflect on the story behind the one we know. Behind the legend, what do the background characters think?
I love the easy way Haynes brings you into the story. The witty writing, the emotion she draws out of a few lines of ancient poetry.
Despite it starting to feel repetitive with all these women being left and hard done by, I throughly enjoyed my time.
It is strange and wonderful reading so many retellings and getting these different takes on the Epics from different authors.
Arc gifted by the publisher.
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This follows Jason, the captain of the Argo sent to retrieve the Golden Fleece, but really it highlights all the women he leaves behind in his wake.
Like Haynes’s other books, we get interjections from a range of wonderful characters. Unnamed side characters, a few Goddesses, a crow…
We get an insight to the Lemnian women who were repudiated by their husbands which I really enjoyed.
Most importantly, we see Medea. A betrayed wife and mother, but also a witch, a revenge-seeker, a kin and king killer, a child-killer.
It was, as I say, a dark night. Poetic, I suppose. Winds howling, clouds covering a quavering moon. And what followed was very poetic, if you like your poetry to be filled with tragic irony. Oh, you do? That is good news, I would hate for you to be bored.
You are made to reflect on the story behind the one we know. Behind the legend, what do the background characters think?
I love the easy way Haynes brings you into the story. The witty writing, the emotion she draws out of a few lines of ancient poetry.
Despite it starting to feel repetitive with all these women being left and hard done by, I throughly enjoyed my time.
It is strange and wonderful reading so many retellings and getting these different takes on the Epics from different authors.
Arc gifted by the publisher.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
September 1, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
I struggled with my rating for this one because there were parts I really loved and others that just didn’t work for me, though I’m sure they could for other readers.
When I first requested this one, it was because the premise suggested it would be a feminist Medea retelling. It definitely isn’t that, Medea herself doesn’t even appear until about 40% of the way through. Instead, this is more of a retelling of the voyage of the Argo as well as Medea’s part within it.
The book started off really strong for me, but then the momentum dipped until about part three. There are a lot of different POVs, from queens and mortals to gods and even animals. Sometimes this worked beautifully, but other times it felt jarring and disrupted the flow, especially when the narrative switched just as a storyline was getting interesting.
The pace overall is quite fast, particularly in the latter half, which helped the story regain its momentum. At the same time though, I wanted to spend more time with Medea. I wanted to get inside her head, to see Haynes’ version of her more fully realised.
I’ve really enjoyed Haynes’ non-fiction and podcast appearances in the past, so I was still glad to pick this one up. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but I was left wishing for something a little more streamlined and a chance to connect more deeply with Medea herself.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC.
I struggled with my rating for this one because there were parts I really loved and others that just didn’t work for me, though I’m sure they could for other readers.
When I first requested this one, it was because the premise suggested it would be a feminist Medea retelling. It definitely isn’t that, Medea herself doesn’t even appear until about 40% of the way through. Instead, this is more of a retelling of the voyage of the Argo as well as Medea’s part within it.
The book started off really strong for me, but then the momentum dipped until about part three. There are a lot of different POVs, from queens and mortals to gods and even animals. Sometimes this worked beautifully, but other times it felt jarring and disrupted the flow, especially when the narrative switched just as a storyline was getting interesting.
The pace overall is quite fast, particularly in the latter half, which helped the story regain its momentum. At the same time though, I wanted to spend more time with Medea. I wanted to get inside her head, to see Haynes’ version of her more fully realised.
I’ve really enjoyed Haynes’ non-fiction and podcast appearances in the past, so I was still glad to pick this one up. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but I was left wishing for something a little more streamlined and a chance to connect more deeply with Medea herself.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC.
September 2, 2025
Dearest mortal, one thing I should make clear from the very beginning of this twisted and sordid tale: what lies within is what no one tells you, in the songs sung about Jason and the goddess-blessed Argo. This part and many others have been long forgotten, by everyone but me. Listen carefully….
Jason and his merry band of Argonauts set sail to find the accursed Golden Fleece, a journey filled with danger, desperation, soulless beings, and he would do well to remember those who follow him blindly will suffer the most, and if he should reach his destination in tact, certain death is his fate.
Medea, a much revered priestess, witch, devout worshipper to Hecate herself, also daughter of a brutal king - has the power to spare the life of a stranger set to land on her shores. Is she willing to betray her family and barter for his life, if salvation is the reward?
Medea and Jason - Should the unlikely pair wish to seize their one chance at life together, as the gods apparently intend, they will soon find their love is jaded, laced with vengeance from the very start, and no one, I repeat no one - not even those closest to them - will be spared such wrath…..
This is a story steeped in love, vengeance, family, betrayal, hubris, and the ever-present interference from the gods. Another five star read from one of my favourite authors! Bravo Natalie!
Jason and his merry band of Argonauts set sail to find the accursed Golden Fleece, a journey filled with danger, desperation, soulless beings, and he would do well to remember those who follow him blindly will suffer the most, and if he should reach his destination in tact, certain death is his fate.
Medea, a much revered priestess, witch, devout worshipper to Hecate herself, also daughter of a brutal king - has the power to spare the life of a stranger set to land on her shores. Is she willing to betray her family and barter for his life, if salvation is the reward?
Medea and Jason - Should the unlikely pair wish to seize their one chance at life together, as the gods apparently intend, they will soon find their love is jaded, laced with vengeance from the very start, and no one, I repeat no one - not even those closest to them - will be spared such wrath…..
This is a story steeped in love, vengeance, family, betrayal, hubris, and the ever-present interference from the gods. Another five star read from one of my favourite authors! Bravo Natalie!
November 9, 2025
Natalie Haynes volta a afirmar-se como uma das vozes mais fortes da reinterpretação dos mitos clássicos. Neste romance a autora transporta-nos para o mundo clássico e para as canções/histórias contadas sobre Jasão e Argo. Mas em vez de seguir apenas os heróis, dá palco às mulheres, às vozes esquecidas e silenciadas.
A autora escreve com uma mistura de humor, empatia e ironia. Para além disso, ela não se limita a recontar a história, mas também a desmontar os ideais presentes numa sociedade patriarcal.
O ritmo da narrativa é envolvente, mas confesso que as várias perspectivas para mim foram um ponto fraco. Só quando a história se focou efetivamente em Medeia é que eu comecei verdadeiramente a apreciar a obra.
É ideal para quem gosta de retellings mitológicos, mas também para quem procura leituras que falem sobre o que é ser mulher num mundo construído por e para heróis masculinos.
3,75 ⭐️
A autora escreve com uma mistura de humor, empatia e ironia. Para além disso, ela não se limita a recontar a história, mas também a desmontar os ideais presentes numa sociedade patriarcal.
O ritmo da narrativa é envolvente, mas confesso que as várias perspectivas para mim foram um ponto fraco. Só quando a história se focou efetivamente em Medeia é que eu comecei verdadeiramente a apreciar a obra.
É ideal para quem gosta de retellings mitológicos, mas também para quem procura leituras que falem sobre o que é ser mulher num mundo construído por e para heróis masculinos.
3,75 ⭐️
August 29, 2025
In No Friend To This House, Natalie Haynes gives us her version of the story of Jason (of the Argonauts fame) and Medea. Of course being Natalie Haynes it has been researched extremely well and pulls in texts from ancient Greeks to modern translations and essays.
Medea is a princess of Colchis. Her first encounter with Jason is an explosive one being as how she has been shot with an arrow by Eros (that troublesome little so-and-so). She falls head over heels in love with this deeply flawed hero ensuring he gains the Golden Fleece. As thanks he takes her away from her home, marries her and then wrecks her happy life.
Natalie Haynes has gathered voices from all over the story of these two doomed lovers. From the women of Lemnos, who Jason encounters and charms to his conquest of the Princess Glauke on Corinth we see this faithless "hero" weave his web. But, as usual, it is the goddesses who continue to pull the strings and there's nothing I enjoy more than one of Ms Haynes scenes where the goddesses try to outdo each other: very funny.
I didn't enjoy this as much as Stone Blind but it's still an excellent interpretation of Medea and Jason's story. If you enjoy Natalie Haynes' books you'll love this too. The writing is excellent and her storytelling superb.
There's also an excellent explanatory essay and bibliography for anyone who likes extra homework.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
Medea is a princess of Colchis. Her first encounter with Jason is an explosive one being as how she has been shot with an arrow by Eros (that troublesome little so-and-so). She falls head over heels in love with this deeply flawed hero ensuring he gains the Golden Fleece. As thanks he takes her away from her home, marries her and then wrecks her happy life.
Natalie Haynes has gathered voices from all over the story of these two doomed lovers. From the women of Lemnos, who Jason encounters and charms to his conquest of the Princess Glauke on Corinth we see this faithless "hero" weave his web. But, as usual, it is the goddesses who continue to pull the strings and there's nothing I enjoy more than one of Ms Haynes scenes where the goddesses try to outdo each other: very funny.
I didn't enjoy this as much as Stone Blind but it's still an excellent interpretation of Medea and Jason's story. If you enjoy Natalie Haynes' books you'll love this too. The writing is excellent and her storytelling superb.
There's also an excellent explanatory essay and bibliography for anyone who likes extra homework.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
July 19, 2025
4,5 ⭐️
No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes is a brilliant and compelling retelling of the myth of Jason and Medea, a story I realized I knew far less about than I thought. Haynes masterfully brings this ancient tale to life through her trademark style of weaving multiple perspectives together. Each point of view is equally fascinating and adds real depth to the narrative. The pacing is spot on, never dragging yet giving every character space to breathe. Haynes’ writing is sharp, vivid, and emotionally resonant, making this myth feel both timeless and fresh. Once again, she proves to be an author who never disappoints me. If you love mythological retellings that give voice to overlooked characters and deliver a truly immersive experience, this book is an absolute must-read. I highly recommend it.
No Friend to This House by Natalie Haynes is a brilliant and compelling retelling of the myth of Jason and Medea, a story I realized I knew far less about than I thought. Haynes masterfully brings this ancient tale to life through her trademark style of weaving multiple perspectives together. Each point of view is equally fascinating and adds real depth to the narrative. The pacing is spot on, never dragging yet giving every character space to breathe. Haynes’ writing is sharp, vivid, and emotionally resonant, making this myth feel both timeless and fresh. Once again, she proves to be an author who never disappoints me. If you love mythological retellings that give voice to overlooked characters and deliver a truly immersive experience, this book is an absolute must-read. I highly recommend it.
December 7, 2025
(3.5*)
I was surprised that this was waiting for me on my shelf to read, when I reserved this the waiting was long and would be sent end Jan 2026 or later.
Natalie Haynes broadens the Medea and Jason myth by including other myths connected to them or the quest of the golden fleece.
In retelling this story.
I liked the first 2/3 and as it wraps up, I liked the style more than the content. I was also expecting more when Medea and Jason are in Corinth; the part that is full of dread, anguish, anger, regret and just awful in how a parent is cornered to make a decision for the safety of their children. These are high-emotional scenes that are not easy to navigate through. Here, the drama was rushed through leaving less room to explore some of the really interesting themes suggested. So, this part didn’t work for me but overall I liked this book for giving other women in Greek myth a front-line seat.
I was surprised that this was waiting for me on my shelf to read, when I reserved this the waiting was long and would be sent end Jan 2026 or later.
Natalie Haynes broadens the Medea and Jason myth by including other myths connected to them or the quest of the golden fleece.
In retelling this story.
I liked the first 2/3 and as it wraps up, I liked the style more than the content. I was also expecting more when Medea and Jason are in Corinth; the part that is full of dread, anguish, anger, regret and just awful in how a parent is cornered to make a decision for the safety of their children. These are high-emotional scenes that are not easy to navigate through. Here, the drama was rushed through leaving less room to explore some of the really interesting themes suggested. So, this part didn’t work for me but overall I liked this book for giving other women in Greek myth a front-line seat.
September 12, 2025
Definitely enjoyed this one. Medea is not as familiar to me as other greek myths but Haynes has enthralled me in another novel.
I loved the use of different narrative voices fitting together like jigsaws to give the full picture. This style of writing really lends itself to myths in particular, since a great many myths and legends were passed through word of mouth for generations.
Medea as a character was wonderful, delightfully real with flaws but enjoyable to read.
Overall, if you're a fan of Greek Mythology retellings? Definitely check this one out.
Thank you Natalie Haynes and Netgalley for the ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved the use of different narrative voices fitting together like jigsaws to give the full picture. This style of writing really lends itself to myths in particular, since a great many myths and legends were passed through word of mouth for generations.
Medea as a character was wonderful, delightfully real with flaws but enjoyable to read.
Overall, if you're a fan of Greek Mythology retellings? Definitely check this one out.
Thank you Natalie Haynes and Netgalley for the ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Mantle for providing me with an ARC and giving me the opportunity to share my honest review.
Let me preface this by saying that Natalie Haynes is obviously and ostensibly deeply knowledgeable in the field of Greek Mythology.
Unfortunately, with her latest releases, it feels like she's been reusing the "A Thousand Ships" formula with diminishing success - where, in her earlier works, the many points of view helped paint a fuller picture of her chosen myth, in "No Friend To This House" it felt like they dilluted the story more than strictly necessary.
The way the book has been marketed doesn't help either. "A Thousand Ships" is described as follows:
"A woman’s epic, powerfully imbued with new life, A Thousand Ships puts the women, girls and goddesses at the center of the Western world’s great tale ever told."
While the first line of "No Friend To This House" is:
"No Friend To This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from The Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes."
The expectations a reader has going into the book oftentimes affect the reading experience, and expecting a book about Medea and getting one about every character even tangentially connected to the Argonautica was an unwelcome surprise. If your book is advertised as focusing on a specific character, it would be helpful if that character was introduced before the 40% mark. Perhaps this blurb won't appear on the physical copy, but it's still available on Goodreads as of 3. October 2025, so I think it's safe to assume it's here to stay.
Several chapters stood out to me, but not for the right reason:
• Aphrodite and Kleite's tones were too similarly petulant, and, forgive me for the choice of word, annoying. While I wouldn't cut Kleite's story because it's directly connected to the voyage of the Argo, I do wish a different tone had been used. Her whining at being unnoticed and forgotten almost made me skip her chapter entirely.
• Ino: In this retelling, similarly to the myth, she's clearly shown to be scheming, but it was baffling to me that the part in the myth where she roasted the seeds and bribed the messengers was changed to not being her doing, doubly so because compelling alternative explanation was offered. She was actively plotting against her stepchildren in this book too, why wouldn't she do those things she did in the myth?
• Hera's temple: The worst offender for me personally, right in the midst of Medea's flight from Corinth, we got treated to the story of Poseidon and Helios's contest for the choice spot in the city and how Hera's temple got erected there. There's a staggering lack of focus in the novel in general, but this one, just as Glauke and Creon were dead, and Medea was yet to commit filicide, we got taken out of the most tense moment in the entire novel, and for what? This chapter should have been cut entirely, regardless of whether the book was marketed as a retelling of all the women connected to the Argonautica or not.
The only reason I didn't dock that last star was because the novel wasn't eggregiously poorly written and that Natalie Haynes has clearly done her due diligence regarding the source material. I deeply appreciate that, but I cannot bring myself to rate this any higher.
Let me preface this by saying that Natalie Haynes is obviously and ostensibly deeply knowledgeable in the field of Greek Mythology.
Unfortunately, with her latest releases, it feels like she's been reusing the "A Thousand Ships" formula with diminishing success - where, in her earlier works, the many points of view helped paint a fuller picture of her chosen myth, in "No Friend To This House" it felt like they dilluted the story more than strictly necessary.
The way the book has been marketed doesn't help either. "A Thousand Ships" is described as follows:
"A woman’s epic, powerfully imbued with new life, A Thousand Ships puts the women, girls and goddesses at the center of the Western world’s great tale ever told."
While the first line of "No Friend To This House" is:
"No Friend To This House is an extraordinary reimagining of the myth of Medea from The Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes."
The expectations a reader has going into the book oftentimes affect the reading experience, and expecting a book about Medea and getting one about every character even tangentially connected to the Argonautica was an unwelcome surprise. If your book is advertised as focusing on a specific character, it would be helpful if that character was introduced before the 40% mark. Perhaps this blurb won't appear on the physical copy, but it's still available on Goodreads as of 3. October 2025, so I think it's safe to assume it's here to stay.
Several chapters stood out to me, but not for the right reason:
• Aphrodite and Kleite's tones were too similarly petulant, and, forgive me for the choice of word, annoying. While I wouldn't cut Kleite's story because it's directly connected to the voyage of the Argo, I do wish a different tone had been used. Her whining at being unnoticed and forgotten almost made me skip her chapter entirely.
• Ino: In this retelling, similarly to the myth, she's clearly shown to be scheming, but it was baffling to me that the part in the myth where she roasted the seeds and bribed the messengers was changed to not being her doing, doubly so because compelling alternative explanation was offered. She was actively plotting against her stepchildren in this book too, why wouldn't she do those things she did in the myth?
• Hera's temple: The worst offender for me personally, right in the midst of Medea's flight from Corinth, we got treated to the story of Poseidon and Helios's contest for the choice spot in the city and how Hera's temple got erected there. There's a staggering lack of focus in the novel in general, but this one, just as Glauke and Creon were dead, and Medea was yet to commit filicide, we got taken out of the most tense moment in the entire novel, and for what? This chapter should have been cut entirely, regardless of whether the book was marketed as a retelling of all the women connected to the Argonautica or not.
The only reason I didn't dock that last star was because the novel wasn't eggregiously poorly written and that Natalie Haynes has clearly done her due diligence regarding the source material. I deeply appreciate that, but I cannot bring myself to rate this any higher.
November 2, 2025
Look, Nathalie Haynes could write a 600 page essay about how ancient greeks watched paint dry and I would love every moment of it.
August 31, 2025
'𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘪𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵?'
Natalie Haynes has done it again, an absolutely INCREDIBLE book. Everything she writes is so beautiful.
Medea is one of my top 3 favourite figures from Greek Mythology so I started reading this with bated breath hoping she would be done justice and let me tell you, she was.
This isn’t just Jason and Medea’s story retold. It’s fierce and fast paced, with an intricately layered narrative that gives a voice to the women left in the shadows of the original myths. From side characters to seemingly minor figures (even objects!), each POV adds depth and nuance to stories we thought we knew.
Haynes shines a light on the treatment of women in ancient Greece, particularly how they were silenced, stereotyped, or just point blank forgotten, and gives them back their voice. Medea in particular is no longer just the scorned woman, she's shaped by betrayal, power, and impossible choices.
There are many POVs (big love from me), but rather than confusing, it enriches the world, showing how all these lives, often ignored, intertwine. I couldn't put it down.
Natalie Haynes has done it again, an absolutely INCREDIBLE book. Everything she writes is so beautiful.
Medea is one of my top 3 favourite figures from Greek Mythology so I started reading this with bated breath hoping she would be done justice and let me tell you, she was.
This isn’t just Jason and Medea’s story retold. It’s fierce and fast paced, with an intricately layered narrative that gives a voice to the women left in the shadows of the original myths. From side characters to seemingly minor figures (even objects!), each POV adds depth and nuance to stories we thought we knew.
Haynes shines a light on the treatment of women in ancient Greece, particularly how they were silenced, stereotyped, or just point blank forgotten, and gives them back their voice. Medea in particular is no longer just the scorned woman, she's shaped by betrayal, power, and impossible choices.
There are many POVs (big love from me), but rather than confusing, it enriches the world, showing how all these lives, often ignored, intertwine. I couldn't put it down.
November 18, 2025
I kind of wish I had done the audiobook of this, just to hear the author turn on her rage during certain parts, but it was good as a regular book, too. I had a bit of a hard time getting into this and seeing how it all connected, despite liking her writing style, but by the end it was very clear how it all came together. The author's love for the source material couldn't be more obvious (I want to see/read her translation of Euripides' Medea!)
October 21, 2025
2.5 ⭐
This is a very straightforward retelling of the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius and the Medea by Euripides. Which is to say, it brings nothing new or interesting to the table. Readers who have not engaged with the original sources may find it entertaining or even educational, but it did nothing for me other than mildly irritate me.
It is clear to me now that Haynes' work is simply not for me. I do not appreciate the borderline preachy tone she takes when her characters break the fourth wall with the intent to "correct" the audience's supposed misconceptions (supposed because in reality, she more or less tells you that the Greco-Roman texts are wrong.) Though to be fair, contempt towards The Poets™️is a common encounter in the majority of mythology retellings.
Her Medea is also just so. Dull. Especially during the Colchis part. Apollonius' Medea is intense, emotional, going through fifteen mood swings in the span of two pages. This Medea seems detached from the situations she is describing, cut off from her own feelings. I suspect this is in part due to the fact that this book is severely lacking in originality, so she was just regurgitating a blander version of Apollonius' writing.
I do not understand how, by the author's own admission, this story is heavily inspired by Euripides' play in particular, yet she chose to write Medea's most famous act as a spur of the moment decision because Grandpa Helios gave her no other choice. Where is the ruthlessness, the agonizing, the consuming need for revenge, the angst? What is there to be gained by pinning the murder of her sons to the gods (once again portrayed as caricatures and once again I don't get why she continues to write the goddesses this way after Divine Might) ? Oh, and special mention to the uncharitable portrayal of poor Glauce, while glazing Ino in the earlier chapters.
And just because I'm a pedant, Hera consistently doesn't give a fig about anyone's marriage but her own. She is very much aware Jason and Medea are not going to last, as one of the arguments she uses when trying to convince Thetis to assist the Argonauts is that Medea is eventually going to marry Achilles in the afterlife (Apollonius my man, you can't just say these things.) Their union was nothing more than another way to ensure her revenge on Pelias.
This is a very straightforward retelling of the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius and the Medea by Euripides. Which is to say, it brings nothing new or interesting to the table. Readers who have not engaged with the original sources may find it entertaining or even educational, but it did nothing for me other than mildly irritate me.
It is clear to me now that Haynes' work is simply not for me. I do not appreciate the borderline preachy tone she takes when her characters break the fourth wall with the intent to "correct" the audience's supposed misconceptions (supposed because in reality, she more or less tells you that the Greco-Roman texts are wrong.) Though to be fair, contempt towards The Poets™️is a common encounter in the majority of mythology retellings.
Her Medea is also just so. Dull. Especially during the Colchis part. Apollonius' Medea is intense, emotional, going through fifteen mood swings in the span of two pages. This Medea seems detached from the situations she is describing, cut off from her own feelings. I suspect this is in part due to the fact that this book is severely lacking in originality, so she was just regurgitating a blander version of Apollonius' writing.
I do not understand how, by the author's own admission, this story is heavily inspired by Euripides' play in particular, yet she chose to write Medea's most famous act as a spur of the moment decision because Grandpa Helios gave her no other choice. Where is the ruthlessness, the agonizing, the consuming need for revenge, the angst? What is there to be gained by pinning the murder of her sons to the gods (once again portrayed as caricatures and once again I don't get why she continues to write the goddesses this way after Divine Might) ? Oh, and special mention to the uncharitable portrayal of poor Glauce, while glazing Ino in the earlier chapters.
And just because I'm a pedant, Hera consistently doesn't give a fig about anyone's marriage but her own. She is very much aware Jason and Medea are not going to last, as one of the arguments she uses when trying to convince Thetis to assist the Argonauts is that Medea is eventually going to marry Achilles in the afterlife (Apollonius my man, you can't just say these things.) Their union was nothing more than another way to ensure her revenge on Pelias.
December 9, 2025
Sou muito fã de mitologia grega e estou a adorar esta onda de retellings que têm sido publicados nos últimos tempos. Natalie Haynes tem uma forma muito única de reescrever estas histórias tão conhecidas, e é das minhas autoras preferidos, dentro deste género. Depois de ter lido o seu romance sobre Medusa, foi a vez de ler o de Medeia e estava muito entusiasmada, pois estas são duas das minhas personagens mitológicas preferidas!
O ponto de partida é a épica viagem de Jasão e dos Argonautas em busca do Velo de Ouro, focando-se nas mulheres, muita vezes esquecidas, que encontram pelo caminho. O grande destaque vai, claro, para Medeia, uma das figuras mais controversas das tragédias gregas, que, apesar de ter ajudado Jasão na sua missão, foi imortalizada por Eurípides como uma mulher vingativa e rancorosa. A passagem do tempo não a favoreceu e os seus poderes e feitos heroicos foram ofuscados por ter assassinado o seu irmão, reis e os próprios filhos que partilhava com Jasão, que entretanto a tinha traído e abandonado...
No entanto, a Medeia de Haynes é mais do que isso: é inteligente, poderosa, complexa e implacável, mas também calorosa e dedicada. Uma vítima (dos homens e dos deuses), mas uma personagem completa e não uma simples vilã unidimensional.
É muito interessante irmos acompanhando as diferentes perspectivas e pontos de vista do livro e temos muitas histórias dentro da história principal. Há imensas referências cruzadas e parece que tudo está interligado. É um grande desafio narrativo ter todas estas vozes, mas é também aqui que está a melhor parte: de que serve termos as mesmas histórias contadas sempre da mesma maneira? O interessante são estas novas perspectivas, sobretudo femininas, e o desmontar dos alicerces da cultura clássica que aclama e exulta os heróis e personagens masculinas.
Uma ótima sugestão para quem gosta de mitologia grega, ou a quer conhecer melhor, e para quem procura uma versão feminina destes mitos universais, onde se honra o original, trazendo-lhe uma nova luz.
O ponto de partida é a épica viagem de Jasão e dos Argonautas em busca do Velo de Ouro, focando-se nas mulheres, muita vezes esquecidas, que encontram pelo caminho. O grande destaque vai, claro, para Medeia, uma das figuras mais controversas das tragédias gregas, que, apesar de ter ajudado Jasão na sua missão, foi imortalizada por Eurípides como uma mulher vingativa e rancorosa. A passagem do tempo não a favoreceu e os seus poderes e feitos heroicos foram ofuscados por ter assassinado o seu irmão, reis e os próprios filhos que partilhava com Jasão, que entretanto a tinha traído e abandonado...
No entanto, a Medeia de Haynes é mais do que isso: é inteligente, poderosa, complexa e implacável, mas também calorosa e dedicada. Uma vítima (dos homens e dos deuses), mas uma personagem completa e não uma simples vilã unidimensional.
É muito interessante irmos acompanhando as diferentes perspectivas e pontos de vista do livro e temos muitas histórias dentro da história principal. Há imensas referências cruzadas e parece que tudo está interligado. É um grande desafio narrativo ter todas estas vozes, mas é também aqui que está a melhor parte: de que serve termos as mesmas histórias contadas sempre da mesma maneira? O interessante são estas novas perspectivas, sobretudo femininas, e o desmontar dos alicerces da cultura clássica que aclama e exulta os heróis e personagens masculinas.
Uma ótima sugestão para quem gosta de mitologia grega, ou a quer conhecer melhor, e para quem procura uma versão feminina destes mitos universais, onde se honra o original, trazendo-lhe uma nova luz.
September 29, 2025
4.5 rounded up.
I had such a great time with this. I love Natalie Haynes' polyphonic approach to Greek mythology. It's aural and epic and feels spiritually much closer to the poems and plays she's taking her inspiration from than the larger trend of picking one woman mentioned in the classics and trying to spin an entire novel out of her. Haynes lets Medea be messy and contradictory and terrible and sympathetic, both in her own words and through the eyes of others, and the framing of the story through Jason's long trail of disappointment is a lot of fun. Much like her other works, this is going to be one I revisit with relish.
I had such a great time with this. I love Natalie Haynes' polyphonic approach to Greek mythology. It's aural and epic and feels spiritually much closer to the poems and plays she's taking her inspiration from than the larger trend of picking one woman mentioned in the classics and trying to spin an entire novel out of her. Haynes lets Medea be messy and contradictory and terrible and sympathetic, both in her own words and through the eyes of others, and the framing of the story through Jason's long trail of disappointment is a lot of fun. Much like her other works, this is going to be one I revisit with relish.
November 4, 2025
A solid okay! I love Natalie Haynes and her beautiful writing, however (!) this was not my favourite of hers. This is a retelling of Jason and the Argonauts / Euripides’ Medea that draws focus away from the men (✅) and spotlights the often overlooked, belittled women. However, this book failed to pack a punch for me, and Medea, though arguably the main character, is portrayed as fickle and flighty and lovesick and changeable (❌). The choppy and constantly changing pov made it hard to really get in her head and have an emotional connection, which therefore made her actions seem unfounded! I did really enjoy the snippy chapters of overlooked characters, but a little overdone (or perhaps that is the point?)
October 27, 2025
Powerful, beautifully written, Natalie once again pieces together a story that we know from many perspectives that we aren't so familiar with, painting a tale of forgotten women as essential to the narrative of these Greek heroes. I love every book that she writes like this very much.
October 20, 2025
3.5 rounded up
October 3, 2025
A fabulous read.
December 5, 2025
This review is available on Grimoire Ink Reviews
Every single moment and page in this book was stunning. While this is only the second of Natalie’s books that I have read, I can see she will be an auto-buy author for me.
I had started to notice the subtitles of the chapters were forming a flow, so at about 30-35% I paused to look into the story of Medea and Jason. I found the opening conversation from the Nurse in Euripides’ Medea. This is where all the subtitles come from and form a monologue to set the stage for this story. It’s also where the book’s title is derived from.
Natalie also comments on all of this in her Author’s Note, so it’s not as if I was especially clever. But it did add another layer of love for the story and for Natalie’s whole skill and I could just swoon. I sent some very unhinged messages in Discord to some people about this. The words ‘kiss her on the mouth’ appeared. And in the event Natalie Hayes ever sees this review, it was a hyperbolic message!
The title, and Natalie’s note, serves to emphasise this is not Medea’s story but it is Jason’s. And in particular it’s all the damage he leaves in his wake as he becomes the hero of legend.
Of course you can’t have a Greek myth inspired story without the gods being the fickle and persnickety bunch. The bit with Aphrodite and Hephaestus especially made me shake my head laughing: “You have festivals on so many islands, my love,” replied Hephaestus, and she responded with a venomous hiss. “Which I see now is not relevant,” he said, “Because you want one here.”
It’s like negotiating with a toddler!
But it also feels absolutely true to how petty we know the Olympians were traditionally. Maybe Disney’s Hades cursing a baby for not being invited to a party was more accurate than most of us expected watching Hercules the first time. Plus Zeus remains utterly unreasonable and problematic, which is his brand. His terrible, terrible brand.
In and around Jason’s travels and stories, we get these interludes that aren’t immediately related to the story but they are because of the effect they have. Like Theophane, Ino, Nephele, Helle, and Phyllis. They aren’t part of Jason’s story but without their story, you can’t see how the pieces all come together. It really hit the ‘nothing happens in a bubble’ of things.
The interlude about Theophane and co. is contrasted by the absolutely humorous tone from Korone’s who asks ‘Well, where did you think my voice was coming from? A what? An otherworldly phantom? Are you drunk?’
As if an otherworldly phantom is out of the realm of possibility for Greeks.
Also the bickering and snappy comments from the Corinthian women was absolutely comical for what is not a comical situation for Jason. Anyone who has been in a room with many Aunties judging someone will feel right at home in this scene.
What I thought was really astounding was Natalie frames this book in such a way that we cannot help be taken with Jason. A brief scene with Peleia, the dove, had me thinking Jason was kind and a good egg. Of course by the end of the book, I wanted to hit him right in the berries.
Now, you might be wondering how I didn’t clock this would happen, given at 30-35% I had read the Nurse’s speech and made the connection to the title of the book. Natalie is just that good! Also by 65% I had apparently noted that I was sick of Jason. 43% me calling him a ‘good egg’ had much to learn. Natalie’s author note also touches on this.
There is no question about Natalie’s ability to bring an ancient tragedy to modern readers who may not think they can follow the original texts.
There’s also no question about her ability to bring the tragedies to modern readers who just want a book that is spectacularly written and researched and leaves you feeling so sad when you turn the final page. (It’s me, I’m the modern reader who is so sad after finishing the final page.)
Every single moment and page in this book was stunning. While this is only the second of Natalie’s books that I have read, I can see she will be an auto-buy author for me.
I had started to notice the subtitles of the chapters were forming a flow, so at about 30-35% I paused to look into the story of Medea and Jason. I found the opening conversation from the Nurse in Euripides’ Medea. This is where all the subtitles come from and form a monologue to set the stage for this story. It’s also where the book’s title is derived from.
Natalie also comments on all of this in her Author’s Note, so it’s not as if I was especially clever. But it did add another layer of love for the story and for Natalie’s whole skill and I could just swoon. I sent some very unhinged messages in Discord to some people about this. The words ‘kiss her on the mouth’ appeared. And in the event Natalie Hayes ever sees this review, it was a hyperbolic message!
The title, and Natalie’s note, serves to emphasise this is not Medea’s story but it is Jason’s. And in particular it’s all the damage he leaves in his wake as he becomes the hero of legend.
Of course you can’t have a Greek myth inspired story without the gods being the fickle and persnickety bunch. The bit with Aphrodite and Hephaestus especially made me shake my head laughing: “You have festivals on so many islands, my love,” replied Hephaestus, and she responded with a venomous hiss. “Which I see now is not relevant,” he said, “Because you want one here.”
It’s like negotiating with a toddler!
But it also feels absolutely true to how petty we know the Olympians were traditionally. Maybe Disney’s Hades cursing a baby for not being invited to a party was more accurate than most of us expected watching Hercules the first time. Plus Zeus remains utterly unreasonable and problematic, which is his brand. His terrible, terrible brand.
In and around Jason’s travels and stories, we get these interludes that aren’t immediately related to the story but they are because of the effect they have. Like Theophane, Ino, Nephele, Helle, and Phyllis. They aren’t part of Jason’s story but without their story, you can’t see how the pieces all come together. It really hit the ‘nothing happens in a bubble’ of things.
The interlude about Theophane and co. is contrasted by the absolutely humorous tone from Korone’s who asks ‘Well, where did you think my voice was coming from? A what? An otherworldly phantom? Are you drunk?’
As if an otherworldly phantom is out of the realm of possibility for Greeks.
Also the bickering and snappy comments from the Corinthian women was absolutely comical for what is not a comical situation for Jason. Anyone who has been in a room with many Aunties judging someone will feel right at home in this scene.
What I thought was really astounding was Natalie frames this book in such a way that we cannot help be taken with Jason. A brief scene with Peleia, the dove, had me thinking Jason was kind and a good egg. Of course by the end of the book, I wanted to hit him right in the berries.
Now, you might be wondering how I didn’t clock this would happen, given at 30-35% I had read the Nurse’s speech and made the connection to the title of the book. Natalie is just that good! Also by 65% I had apparently noted that I was sick of Jason. 43% me calling him a ‘good egg’ had much to learn. Natalie’s author note also touches on this.
There is no question about Natalie’s ability to bring an ancient tragedy to modern readers who may not think they can follow the original texts.
There’s also no question about her ability to bring the tragedies to modern readers who just want a book that is spectacularly written and researched and leaves you feeling so sad when you turn the final page. (It’s me, I’m the modern reader who is so sad after finishing the final page.)
October 5, 2025
3.75
This book is difficult to rate as my enjoyment changed so much throughout! It started off really strong and I loved reading an origin story to the women of Lemnos, and I do generally love a backstory with Greek mythology retellings - but there was too much backstory within this.
We didn't meet Medea until about halfway through the book, and once she was in it the pacing felt really off. It felt like we were skimming on significant parts of Medea's story, and then spending time on insignificant parts. I usually love Haynes' unique and varied POVs, but it sometimes felt out of place in this book and made the story feel disjointed. I also felt a lack of connection to the characters and felt the emotion was lacking, and that if I hadn't read of Medea before I may have struggled to care for her. Saying that, the back end of the book really picked up and I really like how Medea's ending was presented in this novel.
Thank you Pan Macmillan for the proof copy ✨️
This book is difficult to rate as my enjoyment changed so much throughout! It started off really strong and I loved reading an origin story to the women of Lemnos, and I do generally love a backstory with Greek mythology retellings - but there was too much backstory within this.
We didn't meet Medea until about halfway through the book, and once she was in it the pacing felt really off. It felt like we were skimming on significant parts of Medea's story, and then spending time on insignificant parts. I usually love Haynes' unique and varied POVs, but it sometimes felt out of place in this book and made the story feel disjointed. I also felt a lack of connection to the characters and felt the emotion was lacking, and that if I hadn't read of Medea before I may have struggled to care for her. Saying that, the back end of the book really picked up and I really like how Medea's ending was presented in this novel.
Thank you Pan Macmillan for the proof copy ✨️
September 9, 2025
Thank you so much BookBreak/ Pan MacMillan for the ARC!
One thing for sure is that Natalie Haynes knows her stuff and this is certainly a comprehensive retelling. Listening to Pandora’s Jar alongside reading this, especially the Medea chapter helped me understand some of the choices that Natalie Haynes made, some I loved and some not as much.
I think it’s helpful to know going into this that it’s not so much a retelling that’s solely focused on Medea but rather a retelling from the female perspectives of many of the myths surrounding the voyage of the Argo, moving onto Euripides’ Medea in the second half. Haynes stays fairly true to the source material with some clever nods for the less casual reader.
While the way in which this is told is pretty much the opposite to my preference - jumping through many POVs and covering a wide range of stories from a distance, with the gods very much being the ones pulling the strings - I did really enjoy this when I picked it up. To be fully immersed in a retelling though I need it to be much more grounded and focus on the characters’ motivations and emotions.
I learned a lot during the first half but due to the ‘short story’ nature, I don’t feel I developed enough of a connection to this version of Jason and Medea for there to be enough emotional payoff in the second half, despite appreciating the way Haynes concluded the story.
I would still recommend this as a comprehensive retelling of the myths described above, for anyone who would like to learn more about them from a female perspective!
3.75/5
One thing for sure is that Natalie Haynes knows her stuff and this is certainly a comprehensive retelling. Listening to Pandora’s Jar alongside reading this, especially the Medea chapter helped me understand some of the choices that Natalie Haynes made, some I loved and some not as much.
I think it’s helpful to know going into this that it’s not so much a retelling that’s solely focused on Medea but rather a retelling from the female perspectives of many of the myths surrounding the voyage of the Argo, moving onto Euripides’ Medea in the second half. Haynes stays fairly true to the source material with some clever nods for the less casual reader.
While the way in which this is told is pretty much the opposite to my preference - jumping through many POVs and covering a wide range of stories from a distance, with the gods very much being the ones pulling the strings - I did really enjoy this when I picked it up. To be fully immersed in a retelling though I need it to be much more grounded and focus on the characters’ motivations and emotions.
I learned a lot during the first half but due to the ‘short story’ nature, I don’t feel I developed enough of a connection to this version of Jason and Medea for there to be enough emotional payoff in the second half, despite appreciating the way Haynes concluded the story.
I would still recommend this as a comprehensive retelling of the myths described above, for anyone who would like to learn more about them from a female perspective!
3.75/5
October 19, 2025
I am shocked, I absolutely adore Natalie Haynes writing but this book is all over the shop. It's really hard to follow as it's written in such a jumble with so many different characters plus she has tried to be amusing throughout which I found cringey. I was really looking forward to this book so much but a complete let down AND two stars was me being generous
August 24, 2025
4.5 stars
After years of sharing her fascination with Euripides' Medea, Natalie Haynes has finally written her own version, drawing from a multitude of sources to create her own story.
There is a multide of voices (including a hilarious crow for whom I will gladly purchase the audiobook) from a multitude of angles who share their view of Medea. They call her a villain, a monster, a witch, a mother, a healer, forming a picture that never settles on one aspect but allows you enough glimpses to make up your own mind. I found it incredibly fascinating how she was never what I thought she would be.
As always, the man most people like to think of as the glittering manly hero of the tale turns out to be self-involved, whiny ass, and I am here for the disappointment that is Jason. Especially when our goddesses start being really disappointed. Hilarious!
Whether you've ever only thought of Medea as the one who "cut up her brother and threw the pieces into her papa's way" (Georgette Heyer) or thought she must be "perfectly amiable when one comes to know her" (also G.H.), this novel will show you so much more of her, and is bound to keep you thinking about her for a good while.
Personally, there where points where I thought the story would lean a certain way and then didn't, and I couldn't quite make up my mind whether to be disappointed by that. But in the end, I enjoyed it for what it was, a way of showing the multiple ways people have thought of Medea over the years, while never limiting her to just one aspect.
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion*
After years of sharing her fascination with Euripides' Medea, Natalie Haynes has finally written her own version, drawing from a multitude of sources to create her own story.
There is a multide of voices (including a hilarious crow for whom I will gladly purchase the audiobook) from a multitude of angles who share their view of Medea. They call her a villain, a monster, a witch, a mother, a healer, forming a picture that never settles on one aspect but allows you enough glimpses to make up your own mind. I found it incredibly fascinating how she was never what I thought she would be.
As always, the man most people like to think of as the glittering manly hero of the tale turns out to be self-involved, whiny ass, and I am here for the disappointment that is Jason. Especially when our goddesses start being really disappointed. Hilarious!
Whether you've ever only thought of Medea as the one who "cut up her brother and threw the pieces into her papa's way" (Georgette Heyer) or thought she must be "perfectly amiable when one comes to know her" (also G.H.), this novel will show you so much more of her, and is bound to keep you thinking about her for a good while.
Personally, there where points where I thought the story would lean a certain way and then didn't, and I couldn't quite make up my mind whether to be disappointed by that. But in the end, I enjoyed it for what it was, a way of showing the multiple ways people have thought of Medea over the years, while never limiting her to just one aspect.
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion*
December 21, 2025
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shout out to the legendary Stefen for the great book recommendation (you can very much trust that I will be coming back to your store and buying everything you suggest to me, despite being unemployed)!
I must say that this is such a beautifully crafted and considered reimagining of the myth, and as someone who thought she knew it relatively well (thanks to "Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes"), I still found myself completely enraptured by EVERY chapter.
I appreciated how the language wasn't overly complicated and was instead simple, but still really effective. I also love to see the use of em dashes in a published book — thank you, Natalie Haynes, for proving to English teachers across the world that just because we've em dashes doesn't mean we've used AI!!
I really enjoyed hearing the story through the voices of many, rather than just a single, unreliable (and most likely misogynistic) narrator. I especially loved Medea's chapters, but feel that it's much more compelling to have this tale told from a wide range of narrators.
Even just the reasoning behind the title (which is explained in the author's note at the end of the book) had me gagged and nodding to myself that men truly do suck.
PAPA, ME WANT MORE MOVIE.
Shout out to the legendary Stefen for the great book recommendation (you can very much trust that I will be coming back to your store and buying everything you suggest to me, despite being unemployed)!
I must say that this is such a beautifully crafted and considered reimagining of the myth, and as someone who thought she knew it relatively well (thanks to "Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes"), I still found myself completely enraptured by EVERY chapter.
I appreciated how the language wasn't overly complicated and was instead simple, but still really effective. I also love to see the use of em dashes in a published book — thank you, Natalie Haynes, for proving to English teachers across the world that just because we've em dashes doesn't mean we've used AI!!
I really enjoyed hearing the story through the voices of many, rather than just a single, unreliable (and most likely misogynistic) narrator. I especially loved Medea's chapters, but feel that it's much more compelling to have this tale told from a wide range of narrators.
Even just the reasoning behind the title (which is explained in the author's note at the end of the book) had me gagged and nodding to myself that men truly do suck.
PAPA, ME WANT MORE MOVIE.
October 3, 2025
FINALLY - the characterisation of Medea I have been waiting for. I was a bit nervous to start this because I haven’t enjoyed previous portrayals of Medea as much as other mythological retellings but I thought I best just grin and bare it because it’s Natalie Haynes… I’m so glad I did.
This finally captures Medea as I imagine her to have been and one that makes far more sense in terms of the narrative. The final paragraph had me in tears - it was the perfect summary of who she is and why she did what she did.
I can finally love Medea 🤣 .. and continue to hate Jason on a level I didn’t realise was possible.
This finally captures Medea as I imagine her to have been and one that makes far more sense in terms of the narrative. The final paragraph had me in tears - it was the perfect summary of who she is and why she did what she did.
I can finally love Medea 🤣 .. and continue to hate Jason on a level I didn’t realise was possible.
September 4, 2025
I really want to get back into my mythology era and this book was a great starting point.
It's a story of Medea but surprisingly enough she doesn't show up in the story until at least 1/3 in. And it's a story of Jason and the Argonauts but told from the perspective of women (and birds) they encounter along the way, rather than their own. It's a genuinely brilliant twist on how often it's the women's perspective that is missing from a classic story. In this one, we get some basic information on what led to Jason's journey but we never get his real motivations and thoughts. He comes across as more of a charmer with a fragile ego and a bunch of godessed helping him achieve his goal, rather than a real hero.
Medea is the only character whose PoV we stay with throughout more than just a few beats of the story. Because this books is full of PoVs, most of them flesh out the female perspective on side quests and smaller details in the general story. We are often reminded how some of these women are forgotten in these stories by the characters themselves but it never feels preachy. It always comes with Natalie Haynes' recognisable humour.
Higly recommended for any fans of myth retellings as well as just fans of books about interesting but flawed women.
Thank you to Natalie Haynes and Pan Macmillan for providing me with the ARC.
It's a story of Medea but surprisingly enough she doesn't show up in the story until at least 1/3 in. And it's a story of Jason and the Argonauts but told from the perspective of women (and birds) they encounter along the way, rather than their own. It's a genuinely brilliant twist on how often it's the women's perspective that is missing from a classic story. In this one, we get some basic information on what led to Jason's journey but we never get his real motivations and thoughts. He comes across as more of a charmer with a fragile ego and a bunch of godessed helping him achieve his goal, rather than a real hero.
Medea is the only character whose PoV we stay with throughout more than just a few beats of the story. Because this books is full of PoVs, most of them flesh out the female perspective on side quests and smaller details in the general story. We are often reminded how some of these women are forgotten in these stories by the characters themselves but it never feels preachy. It always comes with Natalie Haynes' recognisable humour.
Higly recommended for any fans of myth retellings as well as just fans of books about interesting but flawed women.
Thank you to Natalie Haynes and Pan Macmillan for providing me with the ARC.
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