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No Friend to this House
'Haynes is the modern embodiment of the best of Homer' – Radio Times
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.
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 . . .
Praise for Natalie Haynes:
‘Witty, gripping, ruthless’ – Margaret Atwood on Stone Blind
‘Fiercely feminist . . . A many-layered delight’ – The Guardian on A Thousand Ships
‘Passionate and gripping’ – Madeline Miller on The Children of Jocasta
Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of The Amber Fury, The Children of Jocasta, A Thousand Ships, which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020, and Stone Blind, which was longlisted for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her non-fiction includes, Pandora’s Jar, a bestseller in both the UK and the US, and Divine Might. She has written and performed eleven series of her BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics. In 2015 she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.
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.
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 . . .
Praise for Natalie Haynes:
‘Witty, gripping, ruthless’ – Margaret Atwood on Stone Blind
‘Fiercely feminist . . . A many-layered delight’ – The Guardian on A Thousand Ships
‘Passionate and gripping’ – Madeline Miller on The Children of Jocasta
Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of The Amber Fury, The Children of Jocasta, A Thousand Ships, which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020, and Stone Blind, which was longlisted for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her non-fiction includes, Pandora’s Jar, a bestseller in both the UK and the US, and Divine Might. She has written and performed eleven series of her BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics. In 2015 she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2025
About the author
Natalie Haynes
37 books7,855 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,222 reviews
April 17, 2026
If you don't support Medea then we can't be friends.
March 13, 2026
“hello i’d like to buy a gun” - me, every time I think about Jason
June 5, 2026
Un très bon roman qui m’a permis de revoir le mythe de Médée. J’avais l’impression de lire une tragédie grecque avec les différents personnages comme un chœur qui essayait de me conter une histoire. Même si j’avoue au début j’étais un peu perdue avec tous les points de vue. Mais quand on réfléchit bien c’est un mythe très contemporain, on a tous en mémoire des hommes réussit grâce à leurs femmes et qui une fois au sommet les laissent tomber. Une lecture édifiante apprendre à déconstruire nos mythes et à réfléchir sur nos croyances.
March 16, 2025
We finally have a good retelling of Medea (or Jason), these two are not much different, understand one to know the other.
This is exactly what it should be. I don't want any more suggestions, I've read them all.
And This is IT!
I should stop reading myth retellings and crying at the ending!
... if she is mad, she is not quite responsible for her actions. But the whole point of her extraordinary monologue, in which she wavers over whether to kill her sons before deciding she must (because her anger overwhelms her reason), is that she makes a decision to do something unbearable...
This is exactly what it should be. I don't want any more suggestions, I've read them all.
And This is IT!
I should stop reading myth retellings and crying at the ending!
... if she is mad, she is not quite responsible for her actions. But the whole point of her extraordinary monologue, in which she wavers over whether to kill her sons before deciding she must (because her anger overwhelms her reason), is that she makes a decision to do something unbearable...
August 12, 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!
March 30, 2026
I have waited for someone to portray Jason as the narcissist I always imagined him being. Leave it to Natalie Haynes to show how many women's and children's lives were ruined by this man and his pointless quest. Medea, who has long been cast as a madwoman or an evil witch for committing the most vile of crimes, finally gets a voice thanks to Natalie Haynes. With equal parts tenderness and vitriol, Haynes shows us how love can lead even the most powerful and confident people astray.
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.
September 1, 2025
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.
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.
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 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
November 2, 2026
I love that Goodreads lets me give stars in quarters now so you know I'm giving this novel five full stars with my whole chest.
Medea is wonderful. Jason is horrible, not even love-to-hate horrible. I just hate him. I will never get tired of Greek mythology retellings from writers who do their research and also have the ability to create the kind of compelling story that has me rooting for the protagonist while also thinking "yikes, why'd she do that?" every now and then.
Natalie Haynes is just so talented. You can tell she loves what she does, but she is also just really, really good at it. Wow.
Medea is wonderful. Jason is horrible, not even love-to-hate horrible. I just hate him. I will never get tired of Greek mythology retellings from writers who do their research and also have the ability to create the kind of compelling story that has me rooting for the protagonist while also thinking "yikes, why'd she do that?" every now and then.
Natalie Haynes is just so talented. You can tell she loves what she does, but she is also just really, really good at it. Wow.
May 26, 2026
This book really asked: who was the worst and most useless hero in Greek mythology, and why was it Jason? I was already a Medea stan, but now I like her even more.
July 18, 2026
I’m always drawn to Greek mythology retellings, so I was excited to read this one. I’ve read other books by this author and really enjoy the way she brings new perspectives to familiar stories. I especially liked the different approach to female characters in Greek mythology and seeing their experiences explored in a new way.
That said, this one took me a while to get into. The first half felt a bit slow, but the second half was much stronger and I found myself much more invested in the story. Not my favorite book by this author, but I still enjoyed the unique take on these myths and would recommend it to other mythology lovers.
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.
August 15, 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!
September 30, 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.
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.
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 ⭐️
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.
March 13, 2026
No Friend to this House is a fabulous reimagining of Medea as she meets Jason and the Argonauts, aids in their quest for the Golden Fleece, and...eventually...seeks revenge on Jason for his great betrayal. Haynes does a fabulous job magnifying minor characters and, in doing so, breathes so much life into this myth.
I love, love, loved this book. I was really in the mood for a good, rich, Greek mythology read and No Friend to this House certainly satiated that hankering.
I love, love, loved this book. I was really in the mood for a good, rich, Greek mythology read and No Friend to this House certainly satiated that hankering.
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.
August 30, 2026
Welp…read this in what consisted of one sitting with zero regrets for what may have been neglected while I was swept up in a most excellent read. Medea is one of my favourite character’s. I do not know what this says about me and I guess if I’m really honest I don’t care. This was such a satisfying read and I enjoyed myself immensely.will right a more fitting review tomorrow when my brain feels more cooperative in putting words down that actually reflect how excellent this was.
March 11, 2026
Fair Eyo say I didn’t enjoy this book at all.
While the plot itself was good for the last 25% of the book I did not enjoy the rest of the boom it took to get there.
The way the book is written makes it hard to understand what is going on for the first 50%. The pov is constantly changing each chapter sometimes to people who you never hear from again for the entire book. Sometimes in 1st person sometimes third. Sometimes the pov is talking to the reader. All of this just makes it hard to understand who is who and what is going on with the plot.
You don’t even meet the protagonist properly until around the halfway point. And while she is very likeable it isn’t enough to redeem the book.
The whole thing just feels like squabbling of gods which in my opinion isn’t what gods should be about . So I hated that aspect.
When it wasn’t about squabbling of gods it was about the general flaws of men. And while I’m all for making a man a villain it did not do it in a way that was great for the plot or anything.
I get he was an crappy guy but honestly it just seems like I’m watching someone’s bad relationship in real life with all red flags being ignored because the gods made it so.
Just not a fan. Rant over.
While the plot itself was good for the last 25% of the book I did not enjoy the rest of the boom it took to get there.
The way the book is written makes it hard to understand what is going on for the first 50%. The pov is constantly changing each chapter sometimes to people who you never hear from again for the entire book. Sometimes in 1st person sometimes third. Sometimes the pov is talking to the reader. All of this just makes it hard to understand who is who and what is going on with the plot.
You don’t even meet the protagonist properly until around the halfway point. And while she is very likeable it isn’t enough to redeem the book.
The whole thing just feels like squabbling of gods which in my opinion isn’t what gods should be about . So I hated that aspect.
When it wasn’t about squabbling of gods it was about the general flaws of men. And while I’m all for making a man a villain it did not do it in a way that was great for the plot or anything.
I get he was an crappy guy but honestly it just seems like I’m watching someone’s bad relationship in real life with all red flags being ignored because the gods made it so.
Just not a fan. Rant over.
August 12, 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 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?)
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.
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 1, 2026
Soooo good to shape this novel as not just Medea’s story, but focusing on the women that are abandoned and pushed aside and killed in favour of ‘heroism’. Natalie’s audio performance was outstanding
March 27, 2026
I ugly cried.
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