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Andromeda
Blessed by the gods with unparalleled beauty, Andromeda lives a life of ease within her Aethiopian palace walls. Content with her sanctuary, the young princess has no concerns other than the royal expectations her parents have for her – until a single, fateful proclamation changes everything.
When the queen defies the gods with a blasphemous claim, Poseidon, fearsome God of the Seas, delivers a deadly ultimatum that puts the queen’s life in Andromeda’s hands. Poseidon sends his loyal servant, the shape-shifting Ceto, to seal the princess’s fate.
But Ceto is not just a servant. With a sharp tongue and hardened heart, she has little interest in the princess’s appearance – and even less in the games of gods. Yet an undeniable tension begins to bloom between them, and both quickly realise Andromeda’s beauty is not only a gift, but a weapon to wield. As Poseidon’s judgement draws ever closer, the two women find themselves pulled into something far more passionate – and dangerous – than either could have predicted...
When the queen defies the gods with a blasphemous claim, Poseidon, fearsome God of the Seas, delivers a deadly ultimatum that puts the queen’s life in Andromeda’s hands. Poseidon sends his loyal servant, the shape-shifting Ceto, to seal the princess’s fate.
But Ceto is not just a servant. With a sharp tongue and hardened heart, she has little interest in the princess’s appearance – and even less in the games of gods. Yet an undeniable tension begins to bloom between them, and both quickly realise Andromeda’s beauty is not only a gift, but a weapon to wield. As Poseidon’s judgement draws ever closer, the two women find themselves pulled into something far more passionate – and dangerous – than either could have predicted...
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
July 29, 2026
Once this hits its stride, it really gets going and does some beautiful character work. I love the romance that develops and I would’ve read even more of it. Obviously this is a retelling so the mythological characters that already existed are one thing, but I liked what the author did with them to make them her own. There was some really beautiful prose in a lot of places, and though I didn’t like the end as much as from 20-70%, it was still a nice ending.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK | Transworld Publishers for providing me with an ARC and giving me the opportunity to share my honest review.
"Names are a kind of prophecy and prophecy is a kind of burden"
If only E.S. McLeod had turned her frustration with a whitewashed Andromeda into visual art. A painting. A collage. A moodboard, even. Anything but this ill conceived and poorly written book.
Usually with modern myth retellings, I get the feeling the author skimmed their chosen character's Wikipedia page once and went to work. I don't think McLeod did even that - there were just so many elements that didn't make sense within the context of greek myths - why would Poseidon wait for Andromeda to "come of age", when greek gods have no qualms about kidnapping their chosen mortal lovers (see: Zeus and Europa, Zeus and Ganymede, Zeus and practically anyone, really), why would he reward Cassiopeia's hubris by offering to marry her daugher, why would he care if she could bear him sons when sons are the leading cause of death among greek gods (see: Uranus, Kronos)? This choice of central conflict was baffling at best and deeply frustrating at worst.
The enemies to lovers plotline between Andromeda and Ceto did little to help the novel's case - it was oftentimes flat (with many an overused booktok enemies to lovers line) and could have been better developed, had there only been fewer time skips.
The writing itself too was often clunky and used some odd, too modern phrases, namely:
That is not to say it was all negative, there were some good ideas there too - for example, the juxtaposition between greek and egyptian gods - though I wish that had been erexplored a little bit more.
Overall, if you're a fan of sapphic enemies to lovers stories, this book might be of interest to you. If you like greek myth retellings, though, this will probably be a frustrating experience for you too.
"Names are a kind of prophecy and prophecy is a kind of burden"
If only E.S. McLeod had turned her frustration with a whitewashed Andromeda into visual art. A painting. A collage. A moodboard, even. Anything but this ill conceived and poorly written book.
Usually with modern myth retellings, I get the feeling the author skimmed their chosen character's Wikipedia page once and went to work. I don't think McLeod did even that - there were just so many elements that didn't make sense within the context of greek myths - why would Poseidon wait for Andromeda to "come of age", when greek gods have no qualms about kidnapping their chosen mortal lovers (see: Zeus and Europa, Zeus and Ganymede, Zeus and practically anyone, really), why would he reward Cassiopeia's hubris by offering to marry her daugher, why would he care if she could bear him sons when sons are the leading cause of death among greek gods (see: Uranus, Kronos)? This choice of central conflict was baffling at best and deeply frustrating at worst.
The enemies to lovers plotline between Andromeda and Ceto did little to help the novel's case - it was oftentimes flat (with many an overused booktok enemies to lovers line) and could have been better developed, had there only been fewer time skips.
The writing itself too was often clunky and used some odd, too modern phrases, namely:
That is not to say it was all negative, there were some good ideas there too - for example, the juxtaposition between greek and egyptian gods - though I wish that had been erexplored a little bit more.
Overall, if you're a fan of sapphic enemies to lovers stories, this book might be of interest to you. If you like greek myth retellings, though, this will probably be a frustrating experience for you too.
December 13, 2025
One thing about me is that I love a retelling. ESPECIALLY when it’s Greek mythology. I went into Andromeda already interested on that basis, and came out utterly obsessed with the characters. This book takes a familiar myth and reshapes it into something intimate, fierce, and quietly powerful.
Andromeda becomes a really compelling heroine. She begins sheltered and constrained by expectation, defined by her beauty rather than her will, and watching her slowly reclaim that narrative was deeply satisfying. Her beauty is never treated as something shallow or passive. Instead, as with all things Ancient Greek, it feels dangerous and threatening. Her growth felt earned and emotionally resonant.
Ceto absolutely stole my heart. Sharp-tongued, guarded, and clearly weary of the gods and their games, she is the perfect counterbalance to Andromeda. The dynamic between them is electric. Their relationship builds through tension, defiance, and reluctant understanding rather than instant trust, and I loved how layered and restrained it was. Every interaction felt charged, full of things unsaid. The slow realisation of desire and respect between them was beautifully done.
The gods are genuinely frightening here (as they should be!!) especially Poseidon. The power imbalance is palpable, and the looming sense of judgement creates a constant undercurrent of dread that raises the stakes in every scene. I loved how the story explores what it means to live under divine cruelty and how resistance can take many forms, not all of them loud or violent. The description of Aphrodite in one scene (no spoilers) genuinely had me cackling with glee because it’s so perfect.
The writing is elegant and immersive, with a strong sense of atmosphere and emotion. The pacing allowed the characters and their relationship to breathe while never losing the sense of urgency ticking down toward judgement. More than a few times I found myself desperately checking page numbers in the hopes that Andromeda had more time. If you know the myth, you’ll know the arrival of a particular character in the latter half of the book signals a change in the narrative, but it was still just as emotionally rewarding for me.
Overall, this book felt thoughtful, romantic, and quietly powerful. It’s the kind of retelling that respects the original myth but also isn’t afraid to question it. I finished it feeling a little bit wrecked and very grateful I picked it up. Five stars from me.
Thank you to L. S. McLeod, Random House, and NetGalley for the eARC!!
Andromeda becomes a really compelling heroine. She begins sheltered and constrained by expectation, defined by her beauty rather than her will, and watching her slowly reclaim that narrative was deeply satisfying. Her beauty is never treated as something shallow or passive. Instead, as with all things Ancient Greek, it feels dangerous and threatening. Her growth felt earned and emotionally resonant.
Ceto absolutely stole my heart. Sharp-tongued, guarded, and clearly weary of the gods and their games, she is the perfect counterbalance to Andromeda. The dynamic between them is electric. Their relationship builds through tension, defiance, and reluctant understanding rather than instant trust, and I loved how layered and restrained it was. Every interaction felt charged, full of things unsaid. The slow realisation of desire and respect between them was beautifully done.
The gods are genuinely frightening here (as they should be!!) especially Poseidon. The power imbalance is palpable, and the looming sense of judgement creates a constant undercurrent of dread that raises the stakes in every scene. I loved how the story explores what it means to live under divine cruelty and how resistance can take many forms, not all of them loud or violent. The description of Aphrodite in one scene (no spoilers) genuinely had me cackling with glee because it’s so perfect.
The writing is elegant and immersive, with a strong sense of atmosphere and emotion. The pacing allowed the characters and their relationship to breathe while never losing the sense of urgency ticking down toward judgement. More than a few times I found myself desperately checking page numbers in the hopes that Andromeda had more time. If you know the myth, you’ll know the arrival of a particular character in the latter half of the book signals a change in the narrative, but it was still just as emotionally rewarding for me.
Overall, this book felt thoughtful, romantic, and quietly powerful. It’s the kind of retelling that respects the original myth but also isn’t afraid to question it. I finished it feeling a little bit wrecked and very grateful I picked it up. Five stars from me.
Thank you to L. S. McLeod, Random House, and NetGalley for the eARC!!
June 29, 2026
Andromeda, a famed beauty, is raised with the single purpose of living up to her name, “ruler of men.” She will marry her cousin Phineus, bear his sons, and become queen. But her scheming mother, Cassiopeia, has higher wishes for her, and makes a deadly boast that Andromeda is more beautiful than Poseidon’s bride. Intrigued by the claim, Poseidon makes a wager that if Andromeda is as beautiful as claimed when she comes of age, he will marry her instead. But if not, Cassiopeia must forfeit her life. He assigns his most loyal sea serpent Ceto to watch over Andromeda and make sure no tricks are pulled. At first a bitter hatred forms between the two girls, but as the years pass a fondness arises that develops into something deeper. Andromeda soon learns that her beauty is more of a threat than a gift.
McLeod reimagines a well known myth, keeping the same outline but reshaping the path to get there. It’s a story that still feels very aligned with ancient myth cannon. It serves as a warning against challenging the gods. It depicts the consequences of trying to outmaneuver the fates and prophecy. And it also touches on the politics of the gods, and their favoritism being a boon and a threat. It poses the question, what was Andromeda’s life before Perseus swooped in to “save” her? What if Andromeda fell in love with her monster?
This book gives agency to the various women in the original myth who are merely supporting characters. Cassiopeia is shown to be a shrewd ruler, making various calculating moves to position her daughter to greatness. And while these decisions are made at the expense of the daughter she claims to love, we see how they are actually born out of her fear for her child. It is her wish to make Andromeda immortal so she can never be harmed. The original sea serpent Cetus, is changed to a sister of the Nereids named Ceto. Ceto is bound to Poseidon, sworn to answer his calls and to do his bidding. We see how she tests the boundaries of her oath, longing for a freedom with Andromeda that she has never been allowed. Even Amphitrite, Poseidon’s bride is given layers. Her complex relationship with Ceto is a glimpse at sibling dynamics Andromeda is unfamiliar with. And of course, Andromeda is fleshed out into a full individual. She is more than a damsel in distress. She has her own heritage, family, hopes, fears, and feelings. We see her go from a young girl to a grown woman, as her perceptions of the world are shaped by every man who lays a hand on her. As she learns to take back her own destiny.
I love a queer retelling of an Ancient Greek myth, it just feels so right. McLeod completely turned this story on its head by recontextualizing the moment Andromeda is chained to that cliff. The anguish of that scene was transformed into something so tragic. At the beginning of Ceto and Andromeda’s relationship, I didn’t really care for the perceived hatred between them. As soon as Ceto became her companion, Andromeda transformed into a spoiled brat obsessed with her own beauty and it came out of left field. The tension felt manufactured and didn’t really service their romance. It was only once the insults ceased that their relationship really flourished. I loved the way Ceto could just be a girl with Andromeda. The way she came to love the river even though she was a salt water creature. Andromeda playing with Ceto in her serpent form. It was beautiful how they protected each other.
I really wish Andromeda’s heritage was explored more. Her home is in Ethiopia and The Nile plays such an important role in her upbringing. We get mentions of Cassiopeia’s gods, and I found the contrast between the Greek and Egyptian traditions so fascinating. But overall it felt relegated to the sidelines. Maybe that was intentional on McLeod’s part, to emphasize how their gods abandoned them. How Cassiopeia was forced to assimilate into her husband’s kingdom. It just would have been so intriguing to have it play a bigger role.
McLeod is a beautiful writer and I thought this was a solid reimagining that kept the spirit of Greek myth while fleshing out its female figures. It has a very heartfelt romance and highlights the strength of women’s bonds.
McLeod reimagines a well known myth, keeping the same outline but reshaping the path to get there. It’s a story that still feels very aligned with ancient myth cannon. It serves as a warning against challenging the gods. It depicts the consequences of trying to outmaneuver the fates and prophecy. And it also touches on the politics of the gods, and their favoritism being a boon and a threat. It poses the question, what was Andromeda’s life before Perseus swooped in to “save” her? What if Andromeda fell in love with her monster?
This book gives agency to the various women in the original myth who are merely supporting characters. Cassiopeia is shown to be a shrewd ruler, making various calculating moves to position her daughter to greatness. And while these decisions are made at the expense of the daughter she claims to love, we see how they are actually born out of her fear for her child. It is her wish to make Andromeda immortal so she can never be harmed. The original sea serpent Cetus, is changed to a sister of the Nereids named Ceto. Ceto is bound to Poseidon, sworn to answer his calls and to do his bidding. We see how she tests the boundaries of her oath, longing for a freedom with Andromeda that she has never been allowed. Even Amphitrite, Poseidon’s bride is given layers. Her complex relationship with Ceto is a glimpse at sibling dynamics Andromeda is unfamiliar with. And of course, Andromeda is fleshed out into a full individual. She is more than a damsel in distress. She has her own heritage, family, hopes, fears, and feelings. We see her go from a young girl to a grown woman, as her perceptions of the world are shaped by every man who lays a hand on her. As she learns to take back her own destiny.
I love a queer retelling of an Ancient Greek myth, it just feels so right. McLeod completely turned this story on its head by recontextualizing the moment Andromeda is chained to that cliff. The anguish of that scene was transformed into something so tragic. At the beginning of Ceto and Andromeda’s relationship, I didn’t really care for the perceived hatred between them. As soon as Ceto became her companion, Andromeda transformed into a spoiled brat obsessed with her own beauty and it came out of left field. The tension felt manufactured and didn’t really service their romance. It was only once the insults ceased that their relationship really flourished. I loved the way Ceto could just be a girl with Andromeda. The way she came to love the river even though she was a salt water creature. Andromeda playing with Ceto in her serpent form. It was beautiful how they protected each other.
I really wish Andromeda’s heritage was explored more. Her home is in Ethiopia and The Nile plays such an important role in her upbringing. We get mentions of Cassiopeia’s gods, and I found the contrast between the Greek and Egyptian traditions so fascinating. But overall it felt relegated to the sidelines. Maybe that was intentional on McLeod’s part, to emphasize how their gods abandoned them. How Cassiopeia was forced to assimilate into her husband’s kingdom. It just would have been so intriguing to have it play a bigger role.
McLeod is a beautiful writer and I thought this was a solid reimagining that kept the spirit of Greek myth while fleshing out its female figures. It has a very heartfelt romance and highlights the strength of women’s bonds.
January 10, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’m really not someone who’s suckered in by a cover usually but OH MY GOD I’M ONLY HUMAN AND LOOK AT IT.
Okay now the fangirling is done with on to the meat of it.
Andromeda is a coming of age story about a girl declared by the Gods to be beautiful. When her mother’s wayward tongue invokes the anger of the God of the Sea, she is entangled in a marriage agreement to take place when she first bleeds. Ceto, a sea monster, is tasked with keeping the Princess of Aethiopia safe till her wedding day.
As you can imagine in a story about the Gods; chaos shortly ensues.
For a very short book characterisation is immediate and impactful. Every relationship is painted in clarity, whether lovely like that between Andromeda and her mother and grandmother, or the more turbulent relationship between her and her dad, the courtiers and eventually Perseus (I’ll get to that.)
But nowhere is it better sold than in Andromeda’s relationship with Ceto. Their conflict was compelling and relatable, their mistrust and frustration with each other and their lot in life painful but brilliantly done. The eventual shift from dislike to something more was spectacular. A near book long arc that makes you earn your yearning, a defining example of slow burn if I’ve seen one.
As a coming of age story this is mostly an introspective book about development rather than something action packed. But the action McLeod gives us is beautifully paced. There’s not a tonne of gorier details but the author has a real talent for depicting violence when she leans into it. There’s some really gut wrenching stuff alongside absolutely stunning descriptions. It was such a blend of talent and writing muscles and I was addicted to it.
The writing style of this has immediately elevated McLeod into the position of one of my favourite prose-centred writers. Everything is purposeful but gorgeous, and she paints all the places and people in Andromeda with startling precision. She is absolute in what she wants to get across, whether it be an emotion like grief or lust, or the beauty or ugliness of a given thing. All without an ounce of telling, and I adored it. The portions of the book about Poseidon’s realm were done especially beautifully the author absolutely nails the mythic, aweinspiring tone books about the Gods demand.
My issue was that I don’t know who the hell the Main Character was, but she wasn’t Andromeda.
McLeod has a genuinely impressive imagination and I think this book would have been an easy 6/5* had this been based on an entirely original pantheon. Instead McLeod shoehorned traits and new histories onto very well established myths. While I genuinely adored this book in spite of that - I can absolutely see that miffing some mythology buffs.
For absolute, irrefutable clarity my issue is in no way that this book was brought back to its original Ethiopian setting. I loved that aspect.
A dear friend bleeds on the altar of everything Greek mythology, so I was discussing the Andromeda myth with her as I read along. Safe to say she was startled to learn Perseus doesn’t show up til the 60% mark.
Andromeda in the original stories is a woman of agency and her relationship with Perseus is one of few examples of a non-toxic partnership in…. Well the entirety of Greek lore (a generalisation but forgive me.)
It’s not that I don’t like this Andromeda. Quite the opposite, I loved her arc and characterisation here, but so much of it was dishonest to the original stories this played homage too. I love that she’s made sapphic, but not at the assasination of Perseus.
I completely understand retellings will have changes, interpretations and creative liberties. But where sold as a “retelling” the spine or scaffolding of the stout should really be recognisable. If the original Andromeda story was a fish, this interpretation was a cat.
A beautiful cat, but a cat.
Also to say this book handled incestuous plotlines in a weirder way than GREEK MYTHS is possibly a world first. The creepy betrothed uncle got more decent character work than Perseus did for a chunk of this book.
I didn’t need McLeod’s retelling to be a mirror image of everything that came before. But when the homage is a world apart from the original and maintains its claim on “retelling” unfortunately disappointment in some form is inevitable.
Thankfully, if you close your eyes and imagine this is all just very coincidental. The core character arc of Andromeda and Ceto is genuinely phenomenal. I loved them and this setting in spite of it being slightly weirdly sold. And I for one am very excited to see what McLeod has in store next.
I’m really not someone who’s suckered in by a cover usually but OH MY GOD I’M ONLY HUMAN AND LOOK AT IT.
Okay now the fangirling is done with on to the meat of it.
Andromeda is a coming of age story about a girl declared by the Gods to be beautiful. When her mother’s wayward tongue invokes the anger of the God of the Sea, she is entangled in a marriage agreement to take place when she first bleeds. Ceto, a sea monster, is tasked with keeping the Princess of Aethiopia safe till her wedding day.
As you can imagine in a story about the Gods; chaos shortly ensues.
For a very short book characterisation is immediate and impactful. Every relationship is painted in clarity, whether lovely like that between Andromeda and her mother and grandmother, or the more turbulent relationship between her and her dad, the courtiers and eventually Perseus (I’ll get to that.)
But nowhere is it better sold than in Andromeda’s relationship with Ceto. Their conflict was compelling and relatable, their mistrust and frustration with each other and their lot in life painful but brilliantly done. The eventual shift from dislike to something more was spectacular. A near book long arc that makes you earn your yearning, a defining example of slow burn if I’ve seen one.
As a coming of age story this is mostly an introspective book about development rather than something action packed. But the action McLeod gives us is beautifully paced. There’s not a tonne of gorier details but the author has a real talent for depicting violence when she leans into it. There’s some really gut wrenching stuff alongside absolutely stunning descriptions. It was such a blend of talent and writing muscles and I was addicted to it.
The writing style of this has immediately elevated McLeod into the position of one of my favourite prose-centred writers. Everything is purposeful but gorgeous, and she paints all the places and people in Andromeda with startling precision. She is absolute in what she wants to get across, whether it be an emotion like grief or lust, or the beauty or ugliness of a given thing. All without an ounce of telling, and I adored it. The portions of the book about Poseidon’s realm were done especially beautifully the author absolutely nails the mythic, aweinspiring tone books about the Gods demand.
My issue was that I don’t know who the hell the Main Character was, but she wasn’t Andromeda.
McLeod has a genuinely impressive imagination and I think this book would have been an easy 6/5* had this been based on an entirely original pantheon. Instead McLeod shoehorned traits and new histories onto very well established myths. While I genuinely adored this book in spite of that - I can absolutely see that miffing some mythology buffs.
For absolute, irrefutable clarity my issue is in no way that this book was brought back to its original Ethiopian setting. I loved that aspect.
A dear friend bleeds on the altar of everything Greek mythology, so I was discussing the Andromeda myth with her as I read along. Safe to say she was startled to learn Perseus doesn’t show up til the 60% mark.
Andromeda in the original stories is a woman of agency and her relationship with Perseus is one of few examples of a non-toxic partnership in…. Well the entirety of Greek lore (a generalisation but forgive me.)
It’s not that I don’t like this Andromeda. Quite the opposite, I loved her arc and characterisation here, but so much of it was dishonest to the original stories this played homage too. I love that she’s made sapphic, but not at the assasination of Perseus.
I completely understand retellings will have changes, interpretations and creative liberties. But where sold as a “retelling” the spine or scaffolding of the stout should really be recognisable. If the original Andromeda story was a fish, this interpretation was a cat.
A beautiful cat, but a cat.
Also to say this book handled incestuous plotlines in a weirder way than GREEK MYTHS is possibly a world first. The creepy betrothed uncle got more decent character work than Perseus did for a chunk of this book.
I didn’t need McLeod’s retelling to be a mirror image of everything that came before. But when the homage is a world apart from the original and maintains its claim on “retelling” unfortunately disappointment in some form is inevitable.
Thankfully, if you close your eyes and imagine this is all just very coincidental. The core character arc of Andromeda and Ceto is genuinely phenomenal. I loved them and this setting in spite of it being slightly weirdly sold. And I for one am very excited to see what McLeod has in store next.
June 13, 2026
This isn’t a myth retelling, it’s a let’s use some names and setting from a myth and create an entirely different story with underdeveloped characters, and called it feminist….needless to say, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
May 20, 2026
This was a great read, as long as you remember this is not the Andromeda you think you know. Which I guess is the problem people might have with retellings, so a disclaimer upfront: if you're looking for a traditional version, this isn't it.
With that said, I loved how we look into Andromeda's life before Perseus sweeps in to "save the day". This is a story of her life, her passions, her coming of age, and her fight against destiny to keep the love of her life. For the majority of the story, we follow Andromeda's narration, getting a glimpse into her parents' court, Cassiopeia's drive to push her own ambitions onto her daughter, and Andromeda's relationship with her grandmother and the river folk. You finally understand that she wasn't just the daughter of a king, she was also a descendant of the gods, hence her gifts at birth and her legendary beauty.
Her relationship with Ceto was beautifully done. This is exactly how a good queer retelling should be written. I really enjoyed the touch of the enemies-to-lovers trope, as they try to overcome their destinies and figure out how to break an unbreakable oath. They grow up together, even though they are at different stages in their lives, finding each other through their shared lack of freedom to choose their own paths. Somehow, through all the struggles, they do find their way in the end, but it takes a lot of grief to get there.
For the majority of the story, we follow Andromeda's first-person narration, so when tragedy hits, it works brilliantly to switch to a third-person narrative. It perfectly shows her detachment from life, her depression, and how she just floats along with the events around her, simply following each breath with no real agency. Although she learns to love Perseus (whom I usually love, but oh, how he broke my heart when he arrived here!) and starts her own family with him, her longing for Ceto is still there, and always will be.
The ending actually ties everything together really well with the traditional Andromeda myth. Without spoiling anything, with her deal with Poseidon, you could argue this retelling is how it "actually" happened, and then we just got the "other" version passed down through history. It all fits perfectly with how I imagine the Greek gods—they're terrifying, whimsical, and spoiled, but they do have a set of rules they work within, which you can try to navigate as a human to get what you need.
Highly recommend this if you like queer retellings of Greek myths.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
With that said, I loved how we look into Andromeda's life before Perseus sweeps in to "save the day". This is a story of her life, her passions, her coming of age, and her fight against destiny to keep the love of her life. For the majority of the story, we follow Andromeda's narration, getting a glimpse into her parents' court, Cassiopeia's drive to push her own ambitions onto her daughter, and Andromeda's relationship with her grandmother and the river folk. You finally understand that she wasn't just the daughter of a king, she was also a descendant of the gods, hence her gifts at birth and her legendary beauty.
Her relationship with Ceto was beautifully done. This is exactly how a good queer retelling should be written. I really enjoyed the touch of the enemies-to-lovers trope, as they try to overcome their destinies and figure out how to break an unbreakable oath. They grow up together, even though they are at different stages in their lives, finding each other through their shared lack of freedom to choose their own paths. Somehow, through all the struggles, they do find their way in the end, but it takes a lot of grief to get there.
For the majority of the story, we follow Andromeda's first-person narration, so when tragedy hits, it works brilliantly to switch to a third-person narrative. It perfectly shows her detachment from life, her depression, and how she just floats along with the events around her, simply following each breath with no real agency. Although she learns to love Perseus (whom I usually love, but oh, how he broke my heart when he arrived here!) and starts her own family with him, her longing for Ceto is still there, and always will be.
The ending actually ties everything together really well with the traditional Andromeda myth. Without spoiling anything, with her deal with Poseidon, you could argue this retelling is how it "actually" happened, and then we just got the "other" version passed down through history. It all fits perfectly with how I imagine the Greek gods—they're terrifying, whimsical, and spoiled, but they do have a set of rules they work within, which you can try to navigate as a human to get what you need.
Highly recommend this if you like queer retellings of Greek myths.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
May 19, 2026
This took me a long time to finish, not because it was bad, but because it was just written in a style that is quite different from what I normally read. I expected a queer Greek myth retelling, and I did get that - but I also got a lot of flowery, lyrical language that reminded me of the classics of English literature I had to read for my Bachelor’s degree. I have read a number of books that have tried to emulate this ‘classics style’ and most of them failed miserably and just ended up being wordy slogs to get through. This is one of the very few books that was successful and actually managed to tell a story that is not just wordy for the sake of being wordy. This book is a genuinely beautifully written sapphic retelling of the story of Andromeda. I’m glad I read it, but I’m also kinda glad it’s finally over because even as beautiful as the writing was, it was so slow-paced that I fell asleep multiple times while reading this (bc my brain hates me for some reason).
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Many thanks to Bantam for the ARC!
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Many thanks to Bantam for the ARC!
May 16, 2026
✧˖°.˗ˏˋ ANDROMEDA ˊ˗˖°.✧
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Characters: ★★★☆☆
World Building: ★★★☆☆
Plot: ★★★☆☆
Tension: ★★★☆☆
Writing style: ★★☆☆☆
Entertainment: ★★☆☆☆
Overall Score: ★ 2.7/5.0 ★ 5.5/10 ★
˗ˏˋ ✧ I will thank NetGalley and the publisher 'Bantam' (and Random House UK) for this unique chance to get a early glimpse into this story in form of an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy)! Please note, no quotes will be provided, until the (edited) official release! ✧ˊ˗
Another greek retelling and a queer one at that! What could go wrong~ Oh... Thats a Myth i didnt know about...
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˗ˏˋ The Story ˊ˗
Blessed by the gods with unparalleled beauty, Andromeda lives a life of ease within her Aethiopian palace walls. Content with her sanctuary, the young princess has no concerns other than the royal expectations her parents have for her – until a single, fateful proclamation changes everything.
Her Beauty a detriment to her own, suffering from the hands of the gods. With Poseidons sending Ceto to observe the princess, it slowly evolves to something more than mere duty or hatred.
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˗ˏˋ My Two Cents ˊ˗
One history lesson later on the myth of Andromedea and i am ready to discuss this one! This will be a short one...
From the get go i need to say that i wasnt able to fully immerse myself onto the setting nor characters, perhaps it was the bad timing of my own life situation or maybe? At least the writting did not pull me in or captivate me to read futher. I would say more of a slower prose and weird pacing, where i was flying over lines, not really paying attention. I might revisit the book on a later date, but for now i was not fully captivated by the story.
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[ Quote will be revealed later! ]
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Characters: ★★★☆☆
World Building: ★★★☆☆
Plot: ★★★☆☆
Tension: ★★★☆☆
Writing style: ★★☆☆☆
Entertainment: ★★☆☆☆
Overall Score: ★ 2.7/5.0 ★ 5.5/10 ★
˗ˏˋ ✧ I will thank NetGalley and the publisher 'Bantam' (and Random House UK) for this unique chance to get a early glimpse into this story in form of an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy)! Please note, no quotes will be provided, until the (edited) official release! ✧ˊ˗
Another greek retelling and a queer one at that! What could go wrong~ Oh... Thats a Myth i didnt know about...
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
˗ˏˋ The Story ˊ˗
Blessed by the gods with unparalleled beauty, Andromeda lives a life of ease within her Aethiopian palace walls. Content with her sanctuary, the young princess has no concerns other than the royal expectations her parents have for her – until a single, fateful proclamation changes everything.
Her Beauty a detriment to her own, suffering from the hands of the gods. With Poseidons sending Ceto to observe the princess, it slowly evolves to something more than mere duty or hatred.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
˗ˏˋ My Two Cents ˊ˗
One history lesson later on the myth of Andromedea and i am ready to discuss this one! This will be a short one...
From the get go i need to say that i wasnt able to fully immerse myself onto the setting nor characters, perhaps it was the bad timing of my own life situation or maybe? At least the writting did not pull me in or captivate me to read futher. I would say more of a slower prose and weird pacing, where i was flying over lines, not really paying attention. I might revisit the book on a later date, but for now i was not fully captivated by the story.
May 21, 2026
This is the third retelling I have enjoyed this year, after reading I, Medusa and then Cleopatra. I’m glad I read all three (in that order), as they all have a connection that I found pleasing.
All three stories urge us to reframe how we think of women’s strength and power in slightly different ways. And with this one I would say that it very much embodies that if you support women’s rights, you must also look at how you think about their ‘wrongs’, especially in the framework of patriarchy.
I was curious as to how the author would go about this retelling and I felt it was a good choice to flesh out the part of the legend that was selected, being what led to that famous image of Andromeda being tied to that rock. Ceto was a standout character for me, and I liked how Andromeda presented as both soft and dominant. I also thought the way that love and beauty was explored and how social norms were challenged was interesting.
Sadly, the style for the early portion of the story wasn’t really for me, being too flowery for my taste. I found that Andromeda’s thoughts and some of the developments to relationships came through telling after things presumably happening off page. As it result, some if these shifts seemed to come from nowhere and while there were some passionate moments, without the tension to anchor them, some of these scenes felt overwrought.
With that being said, from 60% onwards I felt the writing settled into itself. And the author writes tragedy, melancholy, and violence extremely well. Should the writer choose to write something more along the lines of gothic horror at some point, I will be all over it like a rash.
3.5
All three stories urge us to reframe how we think of women’s strength and power in slightly different ways. And with this one I would say that it very much embodies that if you support women’s rights, you must also look at how you think about their ‘wrongs’, especially in the framework of patriarchy.
I was curious as to how the author would go about this retelling and I felt it was a good choice to flesh out the part of the legend that was selected, being what led to that famous image of Andromeda being tied to that rock. Ceto was a standout character for me, and I liked how Andromeda presented as both soft and dominant. I also thought the way that love and beauty was explored and how social norms were challenged was interesting.
Sadly, the style for the early portion of the story wasn’t really for me, being too flowery for my taste. I found that Andromeda’s thoughts and some of the developments to relationships came through telling after things presumably happening off page. As it result, some if these shifts seemed to come from nowhere and while there were some passionate moments, without the tension to anchor them, some of these scenes felt overwrought.
With that being said, from 60% onwards I felt the writing settled into itself. And the author writes tragedy, melancholy, and violence extremely well. Should the writer choose to write something more along the lines of gothic horror at some point, I will be all over it like a rash.
3.5
March 23, 2026
I LOVE Greek mythology and the retelling of historical stories. The writing…I just couldn’t get into. 😖. I’ll try again in the summer
June 4, 2026
This blew me away… I’ve always loved Greek myths and was really excited to read this because I knew nothing of Andromeda and any of the characters from her time. (Generations before the Trojan war and The Odyssey!) 🏰
🌌In Greek mythology, Andromeda is the daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, and princess of Aethiopia. When her mother Cassiopeia boasts of her daughter’s beauty being unmatched, the god Poseidon is enraged by her arrogance and sends the sea monster Cetus to ravage their kingdom, and chains Andromeda to a coastal rock to suffer as a sacrifice. Perseus, a sung hero, sees her and deems her the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, saves her, and marries her.
💧In THIS retelling, the story is reimagined and the range of possibility expanded beyond what stories have told. Poseidon upon hearing of Andromeda’s beauty, orders Ceto (sea monster Cetus in bodily form) to shadow and witness Andromeda’s every move until she bleeds, before determining the truth of her beauty. If she is indeed the most beautiful, Poseidon will marry her. Against all foretelling, an intense passion blooms between Ceto and Andromeda, a teasing sapling growing and thriving into an undeniable cord of love and feeling. 🌱🪢
What I loved about this was that it placed Andromeda in charge of her own desires and her own fate, an active and assertive woman, Perseus no longer a hero. It reminds us to question what has always been assumed to be true and the power we give to name and reputation.
Andromeda and Ceto’s relationship transcends prophecy, life and death, and centres softness and freedom. The book is quite explicit and there are smutty scenes (happy pride month! 😝) so I was gasping at twists and turns but giggling lots in anticipation!! Prose can be kinda clunky and flowery but I was still deeply invested and kept in a state of wonder as always whenever I read Greek myths. What a bonus to also be visiting castles in Scotland while I read this, really transported me into the story…
🌌In Greek mythology, Andromeda is the daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, and princess of Aethiopia. When her mother Cassiopeia boasts of her daughter’s beauty being unmatched, the god Poseidon is enraged by her arrogance and sends the sea monster Cetus to ravage their kingdom, and chains Andromeda to a coastal rock to suffer as a sacrifice. Perseus, a sung hero, sees her and deems her the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, saves her, and marries her.
💧In THIS retelling, the story is reimagined and the range of possibility expanded beyond what stories have told. Poseidon upon hearing of Andromeda’s beauty, orders Ceto (sea monster Cetus in bodily form) to shadow and witness Andromeda’s every move until she bleeds, before determining the truth of her beauty. If she is indeed the most beautiful, Poseidon will marry her. Against all foretelling, an intense passion blooms between Ceto and Andromeda, a teasing sapling growing and thriving into an undeniable cord of love and feeling. 🌱🪢
What I loved about this was that it placed Andromeda in charge of her own desires and her own fate, an active and assertive woman, Perseus no longer a hero. It reminds us to question what has always been assumed to be true and the power we give to name and reputation.
Andromeda and Ceto’s relationship transcends prophecy, life and death, and centres softness and freedom. The book is quite explicit and there are smutty scenes (happy pride month! 😝) so I was gasping at twists and turns but giggling lots in anticipation!! Prose can be kinda clunky and flowery but I was still deeply invested and kept in a state of wonder as always whenever I read Greek myths. What a bonus to also be visiting castles in Scotland while I read this, really transported me into the story…
June 6, 2026
I do love a good Greek mythology retelling/reimagining and this one hit the spot! There aren't too many stories where Andromeda is the main character (and if there are, I have not read them so please recommend them to me) so it was nice getting to know her more and seeing how the author created her own version of the myth. There have been a lot of sapphic or queer retellings lately and I'm just eating them all up so that also happened with this one. The Andromeda x Ceto storyline was so good! It was quite the emotional story but it also felt powerful in its own way.
I'm not gonna lie, it did take me a bit to get into the story. At first, I wasn't really feeling the writing but once I got into the pacing and the writing, I read through this so quickly. It should say enough that I finished this book in two days!
Another (small) remark is that the pacing of the story itself sometimes felt a little off. Some events happened really fast, while other parts of the story dragged on a little. It's a short book so it didn't bother me too much but it didn't feel quite right.
This is also one of the few Greek mythology books I have read that features Amphitrite, which I really liked since I have a tattoo of her 🤭
I'm not gonna lie, it did take me a bit to get into the story. At first, I wasn't really feeling the writing but once I got into the pacing and the writing, I read through this so quickly. It should say enough that I finished this book in two days!
Another (small) remark is that the pacing of the story itself sometimes felt a little off. Some events happened really fast, while other parts of the story dragged on a little. It's a short book so it didn't bother me too much but it didn't feel quite right.
This is also one of the few Greek mythology books I have read that features Amphitrite, which I really liked since I have a tattoo of her 🤭
June 21, 2026
I really wanted to like this, and I mostly did up until around the 3/4 mark. I could do without multiple, graphic scenes of SA.
July 20, 2026
Yaaaaay I don’t know why this is the first greek mythology retelling I’ve read since Song of Achilles, need to read some more asap
Also I accidentally read most of the sexy scenes sitting next to my flatmates whilst they watched the world cup final which felt electric
Oh to be a mythical princess scissoring in your palace bedroom with your crush
Also I accidentally read most of the sexy scenes sitting next to my flatmates whilst they watched the world cup final which felt electric
Oh to be a mythical princess scissoring in your palace bedroom with your crush
June 4, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. The following opinions are my own.
I love a greek mythology retelling, and in a sense, this was a good one. The writing was absolutely beautiful, and I loved how the characters were portrayed, their dynamics etc.
I went into the book not knowing what it entailed (my mistake), and I didn't know that it was a Sapphic romance [which I am NOT into at all] therefore couldn't enjoy the book well.
Other than that, I guess it was a good read.
I love a greek mythology retelling, and in a sense, this was a good one. The writing was absolutely beautiful, and I loved how the characters were portrayed, their dynamics etc.
I went into the book not knowing what it entailed (my mistake), and I didn't know that it was a Sapphic romance [which I am NOT into at all] therefore couldn't enjoy the book well.
Other than that, I guess it was a good read.
June 14, 2026
if you know me i'm an absolute sucker for greek myth retellings but at first i was genuinely a little lost ngl (found writing a bit confusing and smth just didn't fully click for the first few chapters) but then ceto came into the picture and it got so much better so that by part 2 i was thoroughly hooked and even tho part 3 was not as strong ending was a great choice imo (no The Song of Achilles absolute devastation here) but maybe just maybe some not THAT interesting parts could've been avoided altogether and it could've helped to sped things up a bit in certain parts of the story. still a solid read about the myth i previously knew nothing about
May 22, 2026
This was refreshing. I will admit the build up did not interest me that much. In part two there was a part that dragged a little for me.
However this was a delightful retelling. Andromedas voice is very strong and I like the liberties that were taken with Ceto/Cetus. The depiction of the Gods were marvelous. Escpecially the way Aphrodite was described was mesmerizing.
The fact that the book shifts between first perspective to third perspective and back to first perspective was incredibly clever.
And I actually very much appreciate that not all men were demonized but they actually were allowed in multitudes and their own ways. However it did not take away from Andromeda at all and that was marvelous.
I even very much adore how Andromeda saw Medusas punishment as punishment and not saving at the end. That was really great!
Now I do have to admit I was almost more curious about Cassiopeia and am more curious about Cassiopeia still than I am about Andromeda and I am a little sad that Cassiopeia was not more of a focal point but that is only my personal taste. Otherwise this was really refreshing and I enjoyed it
However this was a delightful retelling. Andromedas voice is very strong and I like the liberties that were taken with Ceto/Cetus. The depiction of the Gods were marvelous. Escpecially the way Aphrodite was described was mesmerizing.
The fact that the book shifts between first perspective to third perspective and back to first perspective was incredibly clever.
And I actually very much appreciate that not all men were demonized but they actually were allowed in multitudes and their own ways. However it did not take away from Andromeda at all and that was marvelous.
I even very much adore how Andromeda saw Medusas punishment as punishment and not saving at the end. That was really great!
Now I do have to admit I was almost more curious about Cassiopeia and am more curious about Cassiopeia still than I am about Andromeda and I am a little sad that Cassiopeia was not more of a focal point but that is only my personal taste. Otherwise this was really refreshing and I enjoyed it
March 18, 2026
As someone who will read anything inspired by Greek mythology, this completely pulled me in.
The prose is honestly one of my favourite parts, it’s lyrical without being overwhelming and there are so many lines that just linger. It really adds to that slightly haunting, mythic atmosphere.
Ceto was such a standout character for me. Sharp-tongued, guarded and clearly weary of the gods and their games, she was such a compelling character. She’s the perfect counterbalance to Andromeda and their dynamic is easily the best part of the book.
I also loved how the gods are portrayed in this book. They actually feel like beings to be feared which makes the stakes feel real in a way a lot of mythology retellings don’t.
My only real complaint is that I just wanted more and I wish the book was longer.
The prose is honestly one of my favourite parts, it’s lyrical without being overwhelming and there are so many lines that just linger. It really adds to that slightly haunting, mythic atmosphere.
Ceto was such a standout character for me. Sharp-tongued, guarded and clearly weary of the gods and their games, she was such a compelling character. She’s the perfect counterbalance to Andromeda and their dynamic is easily the best part of the book.
I also loved how the gods are portrayed in this book. They actually feel like beings to be feared which makes the stakes feel real in a way a lot of mythology retellings don’t.
My only real complaint is that I just wanted more and I wish the book was longer.
June 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this! I was a little leery of Andromeda on the face of it, because I inherently distrust anything marketed as a "feminist retelling", but McLeod does do a good job of examining the women in these stories and not making them cardboard cut-outs. I really liked the theming around telling stories and how those stories grow and change over time. Andromeda's relationships with her mother and grandmother were particularly nice touches. The Andromeda and Ceto romance was fine. I am always down for some lesbianism, and while it wasn't ground-breaking, it was both sweet and bittersweet.
I've got two major complaints: there are some extremely strange takes on slavery in this novel, and the ending. McLeod is very unwilling to engage with slavery throughout the novel, despite a lot of it being concerned with how power works and what it can look like. I can understand not wanting to engage with slavery, but if you're writing a story set in the ancient world, you do have to account for it. Apparently, Andromeda's family doesn't enslave people, and while they are explained as being outliers for this, that still rings false. I don't think this would be as much of a problem if we weren't going for a more grounded retelling of Perseus and Andromeda. If you cite real places and concepts to the point that you have a glossary in the back, I don't think you get to claim "oh, but it's fantasy!". The other much worse take is when For a woman who has experienced sexual violence and intentionally only has servants in her household, this feels wildly out of left field. I think it could have worked if the novel engaged more with slavery as a system, demonstrating that Andromeda doesn't think about enslaved people in the same way as free people, but handled in this way, it feels like a hint to the reader that That leads well into my feelings on the ending
Of the Greco-Roman mythology retellings that I have read, it's pretty damn good.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this! I was a little leery of Andromeda on the face of it, because I inherently distrust anything marketed as a "feminist retelling", but McLeod does do a good job of examining the women in these stories and not making them cardboard cut-outs. I really liked the theming around telling stories and how those stories grow and change over time. Andromeda's relationships with her mother and grandmother were particularly nice touches. The Andromeda and Ceto romance was fine. I am always down for some lesbianism, and while it wasn't ground-breaking, it was both sweet and bittersweet.
I've got two major complaints: there are some extremely strange takes on slavery in this novel, and the ending. McLeod is very unwilling to engage with slavery throughout the novel, despite a lot of it being concerned with how power works and what it can look like. I can understand not wanting to engage with slavery, but if you're writing a story set in the ancient world, you do have to account for it. Apparently, Andromeda's family doesn't enslave people, and while they are explained as being outliers for this, that still rings false. I don't think this would be as much of a problem if we weren't going for a more grounded retelling of Perseus and Andromeda. If you cite real places and concepts to the point that you have a glossary in the back, I don't think you get to claim "oh, but it's fantasy!". The other much worse take is when For a woman who has experienced sexual violence and intentionally only has servants in her household, this feels wildly out of left field. I think it could have worked if the novel engaged more with slavery as a system, demonstrating that Andromeda doesn't think about enslaved people in the same way as free people, but handled in this way, it feels like a hint to the reader that That leads well into my feelings on the ending
Of the Greco-Roman mythology retellings that I have read, it's pretty damn good.
May 13, 2026
3,5 stars
ARC review:
I am a sucker for mythological retellings, so naturally I had to request this book!
I enjoyed reading this book. Andromeda's character really brought me along during her life. I loved Phineus the way Andromeda loved Phineus, I ached for Ceto the way Andromeda ached for Ceto and I learned to love Perseus the way Andromeda learned to love Perseus.
Sometimes during reading I did get a bit distracted, usually when a lot of things were happening at the same time in the plot and a lot of characters were present. I therefore had do reread certain parts, which made the impact a bit less.
But that aside, this book was nice!
ARC review:
I am a sucker for mythological retellings, so naturally I had to request this book!
I enjoyed reading this book. Andromeda's character really brought me along during her life. I loved Phineus the way Andromeda loved Phineus, I ached for Ceto the way Andromeda ached for Ceto and I learned to love Perseus the way Andromeda learned to love Perseus.
Sometimes during reading I did get a bit distracted, usually when a lot of things were happening at the same time in the plot and a lot of characters were present. I therefore had do reread certain parts, which made the impact a bit less.
But that aside, this book was nice!
February 1, 2026
Received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion, thanks!
Absolutely wonderful prose and poignant reclaiming of a Greek myth. It's short, but full to the brim, each page is used to its full potential, weaving a powerful and charismatic story. E.S. McLeod charms with her words, although there were fragments I felt the vocabulary felt a bit too harsh, a bit too out of place. But those were mearly moments. Really strong book.
Absolutely wonderful prose and poignant reclaiming of a Greek myth. It's short, but full to the brim, each page is used to its full potential, weaving a powerful and charismatic story. E.S. McLeod charms with her words, although there were fragments I felt the vocabulary felt a bit too harsh, a bit too out of place. But those were mearly moments. Really strong book.
September 10, 2026
A story just as beautiful & intricate as the cover
I was unfamiliar with Andromeda, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her through the prose of E.S. McLeod. The individual and relational character development was such an interesting and satisfying journey, I’m glad I took the ride.
I was unfamiliar with Andromeda, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her through the prose of E.S. McLeod. The individual and relational character development was such an interesting and satisfying journey, I’m glad I took the ride.
August 9, 2026
“We in our world are obsessed with future memory. We live for the centuries that will come and are ghosts in our own bodies, more alive in the urns and tapestries that paint us. When Ceto is painted it will be as the Cetus, or she will be confused with her aunt – it will not be as she is. –– I mourn it, and yet – There are many things that I am that will not be remembered. And I am glad for the secrecy, the privacy from history’s eyes.”
Andromeda, princess of Aethiopia, grows up knowing she is more beautiful than anyone around her. She spends her days learning the duties of a future queen and is content to follow the path chosen for her by her parents until one day, her mother makes a stunning proclamation that changes everything and angers the god Poseidon. Poseidon strikes a bargain, placing her mother's life in Andromeda's hands, and orders his shapeshifter to guard the princess's every move. But as time goes on, Andromeda finds an ally – and perhaps more – in this shapeshifter. As Poseidon's ultimatum draws closer, can the two women find a way to defy the gods?
E. S. McLeod's Andromeda is a triumph of a novel, a beautifully lyrical reimagining of Andromeda's character and myth, a stunning exploration of power, gender, myth-making and sapphic love, and a captivating coming-of-age story full of intriguing characters. I've never been overtly fond of or intrigued by Andromeda as a character, but I was excited to read this book because I hoped it would make me care about her and her story, and because I was so happy someone wrote a version of her that embraces her identity as an African princess. McLeod's book exceeded my expectations and I truly loved her Andromeda.
The primary setting of the book, Aethiopia, was cool. Not only was it wonderful to have book highlighting Andromeda as an African princess – and a woman, who, by all logic, would be black. She has been thoroughly white-washed over the centuries, and I am so happy McLeod gave her back this side of her character. I loved the descriptions of Andromeda's beloved waters and her swimming in the Nile with her grandmother and Ceto. It was cool seeing the religious complexities of this kingdom: the king is a descendant of Greek divinities, but the land is also ruled by Egyptian/African gods, whom the Queen, Cassiopeia, sometimes worships in secret. McLeod also dove (heh) deep into the hierarchies and complexities of water divinities: there's a lot of conversations about how river and lake nymphs are suspicious of sea nymphs, who, to them, appear arrogant. The ruler of the Sea is the central Olympian in the book, and Andromeda herself is part-Naiad, a freshwater nymph, and is close with Achiroe, her naiad grandmother. Sometimes I feel authors of modern retellings kinda ignore the Sea-side of mythology. There's so much you can do with water nymphs and Poseidon's realm. McLeod also really nailed the depiction of the gods and divinities. Poseidon is truly terrifying in his power and anger, and the divinities often have a very different outlook on life than the mortals around them. Achiroe, for example, is furious with Cassiopeia when she Ceto is also a great vessel to explore divinity and humanity through. Her relationship with her master, Poseidon, is a brilliant example of how complex and messy dynamics with gods can be. To Ceto, Poseidon is master, jailor, teacher, ruler and, at times, a friend. She is his
Andromeda was a wonderful character. I found her love for her people and land, for water and swimming, and for those she cares about really moving, and I thought her arc from a sheltered princess to a woman trying to choose for herself to She goes through so much and it was great seeing her grapple with the choices made for her and the choices she makes herself. Her story is, in many ways, a story of the constant battle for a woman of this world between autonomy and being treated as an object by those around her. It was infuriating, seeing people decide for her and never ask her what she wants (Cassiopeia, for example, ), and seeing men treat her as just a pretty face because of her beauty, someone they can ogle at and paw at. Even I also found Andromeda's journey of loneliness and finding her people really moving. I liked the idea that despite being a princess and, by all accounts, a nice person, people still used to avoid her and be suspicious of her (the gods have blessed her, but this also makes her stand out as an other from the crowd). Seeing her alleviate her isolation by spending time with her grandma, growing closer with Ceto, and One final thing I wanna mention about her was her delight in getting dirty, in swimming, in walking barefoot and in surrounding herself with nature. Seeing her find healing, in times of pain, in forests and creeks, and seeing her and enjoying the process, made me really love her. She could've been written as this, in every way, stereotypically feminine princess of antiquity, but McLeod gave her more personality and more vibrancy, making her feel so much more alive. Regarding her bond with nature, I have to say I also loved the scene where she
The supporting characters were all wonderfully done. I appreciated McLeod making Cassiopeia into a shrewd, clever, ambitious woman who is in charge of everything she does, who is able to control her rather lacklustre husband, and who is not just the arrogant fool she is often seen as. Her relationship with her daughter was also delightfully complex. She wants what's best for her, but she doesn't listen to Andromeda herself and sometimes you feel like she doesn't actually know her daughter all that well, despite spending years coaching her to become a good, powerful queen. Her ending, with her Achiroe, Andromeda's grandmother, was a cool figure. It was lovely seeing this close, loving bond between her and our leading lady, and I loved how fiercely Achiroe tried to, always, protect Andromeda. Cepheus was a frustrating man, and one I ended up Phineus, Andromeda's uncle, was an interesting figure and one I was surprised I ended up liking so much. In a story full of often despicable men, Phineus was a beacon of hope and light, an actually decent man who, though Andromeda is promised to him, never treats her like a pretty object to claim, but a person. He apologises when he hurts her and he wants to rule with her, not over her. I found myself quite Amphitrite is a character I think is criminally underutilised in modern retellings, so I was pumped to see her getting a big role in this novel. She is not a nice person, but she is complex, someone who is capable of kindness and care as well as cruelty, meanness and vindictiveness. I liked her ambition to become queen of the Sea, despite knowing the kind of man Poseidon is, and I liked her
My two fave supporting characters were Ceto and Perseus. Ceto was a character that I'd say was, the most, McLeod's own creation. She did a great job making up a character around the Cetus and making her someone who fits this world seamlessly. I loved Ceto's snark, her fierceness and her refusal to take any shit, and how these traits clashed with her position as a woman bound by oaths and servitude to a god, a woman who lacks the ability to make her own choices a lot of the time. I felt for her, when she talked about how The ending of her character, with Perseus is a character i tend to quite dislike in myth, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I ended up really enjoying his character. McLeod wrote him as a complex man, someone capable of both brutal heroics and true kindness. His relationship with Andromeda was given time to grow organically, and when she ends up I also found the emphasis on Perseus's love for his mother, Danaë, really nice, as it is one of his better qualities. Also, McLeod's decision to depict him as someone who is puppy-like in his ability to get excited about things and someone who is I also liked that he was not the brightest bulb all the time, but he was, most importantly,
The central romance between Andromeda and Ceto was well done and I ended up quite enjoying them, which was a pleasant surprise (I am really picky with romances). I liked them being two othered, lonely women who find love and companionship in each other, and I enjoyed their hate-to-love story. Their banter was nice, as was the way their bickering went from actually them trying to insult each other to a love language of sorts. They are also both women controlled by the men around her who are trying their best to find ways to make their own choices and live their own lives. They had some really cool scenes, such as the moment when and them deciding to The ending of their story was surprising and satisfying, and I liked how My favourite quote either of them said to each other in the whole book was Andromeda saying that she would"rather die as your Meda than live as anyone’s queen”.
I loved the way McLeod explored myth-making in this novel. This book differs a lot from the traditional version of Andromeda's story, but it does so while being conscious of the way it differs. One of the key aspects of this book is that Andromeda can see how her story is transformed and shaped by the people who tell it and how it starts to remind the classic version we know best. Sometimes this is something that pains her, like when she realises how bards are already making her mother out to be this hubristic idiot she never was, but sometimes, there's comfort there for her in realising that becoming a subject of songs means that people will stop seeing the real her, allowing her to keep some things secret and private. It is both a boon and a curse to become mythical. I loved this quote from the beginning of chapter three, as she listens to people I also adored the way in part three
The book also tackled gender and power in a really interesting way. Andromeda is expected to perform traditional, royal femininity all the time, and though it comes easy to her for the most part, she does also revel in moments when she can let loose, and rage and get dirty. The book showcases how there is power to be had in traditional femininity – Cassiopeia, for example, is a great example of how you can tick all the expected boxes of womanhood and still wield immense power – and it shows how, even women who wield and seek power, can be suspicious of women who wear their power differently. Cassiopeia, for example, finds Ceto – a more masculine woman who is physically powerful and refuses to make herself palatable for anyone – unnerving and uncomfortable. McLeod showcases different layers of misogynistic oppression, but her book is also about women reclaiming their voices, seeking out power and keeping going even when they lose everything. It's a hopeful story.
I would recommend this book with all my heart to anyone interested in a sapphic, feminist retelling of Andromeda. This book deserves all the hype and is one of my favorite retellings of all time. Unforgettable, gorgeously written novel. I hope this isn't McLeod's last foray into mythological retellings.
Andromeda, princess of Aethiopia, grows up knowing she is more beautiful than anyone around her. She spends her days learning the duties of a future queen and is content to follow the path chosen for her by her parents until one day, her mother makes a stunning proclamation that changes everything and angers the god Poseidon. Poseidon strikes a bargain, placing her mother's life in Andromeda's hands, and orders his shapeshifter to guard the princess's every move. But as time goes on, Andromeda finds an ally – and perhaps more – in this shapeshifter. As Poseidon's ultimatum draws closer, can the two women find a way to defy the gods?
E. S. McLeod's Andromeda is a triumph of a novel, a beautifully lyrical reimagining of Andromeda's character and myth, a stunning exploration of power, gender, myth-making and sapphic love, and a captivating coming-of-age story full of intriguing characters. I've never been overtly fond of or intrigued by Andromeda as a character, but I was excited to read this book because I hoped it would make me care about her and her story, and because I was so happy someone wrote a version of her that embraces her identity as an African princess. McLeod's book exceeded my expectations and I truly loved her Andromeda.
The primary setting of the book, Aethiopia, was cool. Not only was it wonderful to have book highlighting Andromeda as an African princess – and a woman, who, by all logic, would be black. She has been thoroughly white-washed over the centuries, and I am so happy McLeod gave her back this side of her character. I loved the descriptions of Andromeda's beloved waters and her swimming in the Nile with her grandmother and Ceto. It was cool seeing the religious complexities of this kingdom: the king is a descendant of Greek divinities, but the land is also ruled by Egyptian/African gods, whom the Queen, Cassiopeia, sometimes worships in secret. McLeod also dove (heh) deep into the hierarchies and complexities of water divinities: there's a lot of conversations about how river and lake nymphs are suspicious of sea nymphs, who, to them, appear arrogant. The ruler of the Sea is the central Olympian in the book, and Andromeda herself is part-Naiad, a freshwater nymph, and is close with Achiroe, her naiad grandmother. Sometimes I feel authors of modern retellings kinda ignore the Sea-side of mythology. There's so much you can do with water nymphs and Poseidon's realm. McLeod also really nailed the depiction of the gods and divinities. Poseidon is truly terrifying in his power and anger, and the divinities often have a very different outlook on life than the mortals around them. Achiroe, for example, is furious with Cassiopeia when she Ceto is also a great vessel to explore divinity and humanity through. Her relationship with her master, Poseidon, is a brilliant example of how complex and messy dynamics with gods can be. To Ceto, Poseidon is master, jailor, teacher, ruler and, at times, a friend. She is his
Andromeda was a wonderful character. I found her love for her people and land, for water and swimming, and for those she cares about really moving, and I thought her arc from a sheltered princess to a woman trying to choose for herself to She goes through so much and it was great seeing her grapple with the choices made for her and the choices she makes herself. Her story is, in many ways, a story of the constant battle for a woman of this world between autonomy and being treated as an object by those around her. It was infuriating, seeing people decide for her and never ask her what she wants (Cassiopeia, for example, ), and seeing men treat her as just a pretty face because of her beauty, someone they can ogle at and paw at. Even I also found Andromeda's journey of loneliness and finding her people really moving. I liked the idea that despite being a princess and, by all accounts, a nice person, people still used to avoid her and be suspicious of her (the gods have blessed her, but this also makes her stand out as an other from the crowd). Seeing her alleviate her isolation by spending time with her grandma, growing closer with Ceto, and One final thing I wanna mention about her was her delight in getting dirty, in swimming, in walking barefoot and in surrounding herself with nature. Seeing her find healing, in times of pain, in forests and creeks, and seeing her and enjoying the process, made me really love her. She could've been written as this, in every way, stereotypically feminine princess of antiquity, but McLeod gave her more personality and more vibrancy, making her feel so much more alive. Regarding her bond with nature, I have to say I also loved the scene where she
The supporting characters were all wonderfully done. I appreciated McLeod making Cassiopeia into a shrewd, clever, ambitious woman who is in charge of everything she does, who is able to control her rather lacklustre husband, and who is not just the arrogant fool she is often seen as. Her relationship with her daughter was also delightfully complex. She wants what's best for her, but she doesn't listen to Andromeda herself and sometimes you feel like she doesn't actually know her daughter all that well, despite spending years coaching her to become a good, powerful queen. Her ending, with her Achiroe, Andromeda's grandmother, was a cool figure. It was lovely seeing this close, loving bond between her and our leading lady, and I loved how fiercely Achiroe tried to, always, protect Andromeda. Cepheus was a frustrating man, and one I ended up Phineus, Andromeda's uncle, was an interesting figure and one I was surprised I ended up liking so much. In a story full of often despicable men, Phineus was a beacon of hope and light, an actually decent man who, though Andromeda is promised to him, never treats her like a pretty object to claim, but a person. He apologises when he hurts her and he wants to rule with her, not over her. I found myself quite Amphitrite is a character I think is criminally underutilised in modern retellings, so I was pumped to see her getting a big role in this novel. She is not a nice person, but she is complex, someone who is capable of kindness and care as well as cruelty, meanness and vindictiveness. I liked her ambition to become queen of the Sea, despite knowing the kind of man Poseidon is, and I liked her
My two fave supporting characters were Ceto and Perseus. Ceto was a character that I'd say was, the most, McLeod's own creation. She did a great job making up a character around the Cetus and making her someone who fits this world seamlessly. I loved Ceto's snark, her fierceness and her refusal to take any shit, and how these traits clashed with her position as a woman bound by oaths and servitude to a god, a woman who lacks the ability to make her own choices a lot of the time. I felt for her, when she talked about how The ending of her character, with Perseus is a character i tend to quite dislike in myth, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I ended up really enjoying his character. McLeod wrote him as a complex man, someone capable of both brutal heroics and true kindness. His relationship with Andromeda was given time to grow organically, and when she ends up I also found the emphasis on Perseus's love for his mother, Danaë, really nice, as it is one of his better qualities. Also, McLeod's decision to depict him as someone who is puppy-like in his ability to get excited about things and someone who is I also liked that he was not the brightest bulb all the time, but he was, most importantly,
The central romance between Andromeda and Ceto was well done and I ended up quite enjoying them, which was a pleasant surprise (I am really picky with romances). I liked them being two othered, lonely women who find love and companionship in each other, and I enjoyed their hate-to-love story. Their banter was nice, as was the way their bickering went from actually them trying to insult each other to a love language of sorts. They are also both women controlled by the men around her who are trying their best to find ways to make their own choices and live their own lives. They had some really cool scenes, such as the moment when and them deciding to The ending of their story was surprising and satisfying, and I liked how My favourite quote either of them said to each other in the whole book was Andromeda saying that she would"rather die as your Meda than live as anyone’s queen”.
I loved the way McLeod explored myth-making in this novel. This book differs a lot from the traditional version of Andromeda's story, but it does so while being conscious of the way it differs. One of the key aspects of this book is that Andromeda can see how her story is transformed and shaped by the people who tell it and how it starts to remind the classic version we know best. Sometimes this is something that pains her, like when she realises how bards are already making her mother out to be this hubristic idiot she never was, but sometimes, there's comfort there for her in realising that becoming a subject of songs means that people will stop seeing the real her, allowing her to keep some things secret and private. It is both a boon and a curse to become mythical. I loved this quote from the beginning of chapter three, as she listens to people I also adored the way in part three
The book also tackled gender and power in a really interesting way. Andromeda is expected to perform traditional, royal femininity all the time, and though it comes easy to her for the most part, she does also revel in moments when she can let loose, and rage and get dirty. The book showcases how there is power to be had in traditional femininity – Cassiopeia, for example, is a great example of how you can tick all the expected boxes of womanhood and still wield immense power – and it shows how, even women who wield and seek power, can be suspicious of women who wear their power differently. Cassiopeia, for example, finds Ceto – a more masculine woman who is physically powerful and refuses to make herself palatable for anyone – unnerving and uncomfortable. McLeod showcases different layers of misogynistic oppression, but her book is also about women reclaiming their voices, seeking out power and keeping going even when they lose everything. It's a hopeful story.
I would recommend this book with all my heart to anyone interested in a sapphic, feminist retelling of Andromeda. This book deserves all the hype and is one of my favorite retellings of all time. Unforgettable, gorgeously written novel. I hope this isn't McLeod's last foray into mythological retellings.
August 15, 2026
🤔 Plot Intensity: 4/5
😍 Character Likability: 5/5
🥰 Swoon Level: 5/5
🥵 Spice Level: 2/5
😰 Angst Level: 5/5
🤣 Humor Level: 2/5
🤩 One Thing I Can’t Stop Thinking About: Ceto in shifted form.
😍 Character Likability: 5/5
🥰 Swoon Level: 5/5
🥵 Spice Level: 2/5
😰 Angst Level: 5/5
🤣 Humor Level: 2/5
🤩 One Thing I Can’t Stop Thinking About: Ceto in shifted form.
May 23, 2026
Princess Andromeda is blessed with beauty from birth, but when her mother Cassiopeia challenges the sea god Poseidon, claiming she is more beautiful than the Nereids. Andromeda is assigned a guardian in the form of Cetus—a sea monster and a Nereid—who must determine whether Andromeda is truly that much more beautiful. And if she is she will become queen of the sea, if she isn’t her mother wil die.
This book didn’t really click with me. It’s McLeod’s debut novel, and Andromeda is an original subject I hadn’t read about before but the book takes off well before the known-events of her hanging in the sea being saved from a monster by Perseus.
The story opens off pretty strong: with a contrast between the Egyptian gods and the Olympian gods. But the writing style is difficult, the book contains a lot of fantasy and a heavy sapphic romance. I found the human-monster dynamic a bit hard to swallow. I didn’t find me way around this book.
The story drags on halfway through, and when Perseus arrives, there’s an entire chapter about her life afterwards before going back to the romance part. Anyway, the story didn’t click for me; I think it’s better suited for younger readers who enjoy romance books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Dutch review:
Prinses Andromeda krijgt de gave van schoonheid van bij haar geboorte, maar wanneer haar moeder de zeegod Poseidon uitdaagt dat ze mooier is dan de nereids, krijgt Andromeda een bewaker in de vorm van Cetus, een zeemonster én nereid, die moet uitmaken of Andromeda nu echt zoveel mooier is.
Dit boek klikte niet echt. Het is McLeod's debuutroman en Andromeda is een origineel onderwerp waarover ik nog niet eerder had gelezen. Het boek begint best sterk: met een tegenstelling tussen de Egyptische goden en de Olympus goden. Maar de schrijfstijl is moeilijk, het boek bevat veel fantasy en een zware sapphic romance. Mens x monster vond ik een moeilijke ofzo.
Het verhaal slabakt halverwege en wanneer Perseus aankomt komt er nog een heel hoofdstuk over haar leven nadien. Soit, het klikte niet, ik vind het meer bestemd voor jongere lezers.
Bedankt aan Netgalley en de uitgever voor een exemplaar van dit boek in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.
This book didn’t really click with me. It’s McLeod’s debut novel, and Andromeda is an original subject I hadn’t read about before but the book takes off well before the known-events of her hanging in the sea being saved from a monster by Perseus.
The story opens off pretty strong: with a contrast between the Egyptian gods and the Olympian gods. But the writing style is difficult, the book contains a lot of fantasy and a heavy sapphic romance. I found the human-monster dynamic a bit hard to swallow. I didn’t find me way around this book.
The story drags on halfway through, and when Perseus arrives, there’s an entire chapter about her life afterwards before going back to the romance part. Anyway, the story didn’t click for me; I think it’s better suited for younger readers who enjoy romance books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Dutch review:
Prinses Andromeda krijgt de gave van schoonheid van bij haar geboorte, maar wanneer haar moeder de zeegod Poseidon uitdaagt dat ze mooier is dan de nereids, krijgt Andromeda een bewaker in de vorm van Cetus, een zeemonster én nereid, die moet uitmaken of Andromeda nu echt zoveel mooier is.
Dit boek klikte niet echt. Het is McLeod's debuutroman en Andromeda is een origineel onderwerp waarover ik nog niet eerder had gelezen. Het boek begint best sterk: met een tegenstelling tussen de Egyptische goden en de Olympus goden. Maar de schrijfstijl is moeilijk, het boek bevat veel fantasy en een zware sapphic romance. Mens x monster vond ik een moeilijke ofzo.
Het verhaal slabakt halverwege en wanneer Perseus aankomt komt er nog een heel hoofdstuk over haar leven nadien. Soit, het klikte niet, ik vind het meer bestemd voor jongere lezers.
Bedankt aan Netgalley en de uitgever voor een exemplaar van dit boek in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.
May 24, 2026
This book is so dull and boring I hate it.
It also romanticizes grooming, in the first chapter no less, Phineus is 10 years her senior and her UNCLE yet the narrative never portrays him as a villain bc the author thought it was racist ig which is bs bc she then proceeds to write nearly every other Ethiopian male character into a predator. How is that good racial representation?
Andromeda also has several monologues about how she’s so lonely and “not like the other girls” I rolled my eyes so many times I got a headache.
Don’t even get me started on the romance it was so sauceless and I hated Ceto so much she was so annoying.
If you wanna hear me complain more: https://www.tumblr.com/sarafangirlart...
It also romanticizes grooming, in the first chapter no less, Phineus is 10 years her senior and her UNCLE yet the narrative never portrays him as a villain bc the author thought it was racist ig which is bs bc she then proceeds to write nearly every other Ethiopian male character into a predator. How is that good racial representation?
Andromeda also has several monologues about how she’s so lonely and “not like the other girls” I rolled my eyes so many times I got a headache.
Don’t even get me started on the romance it was so sauceless and I hated Ceto so much she was so annoying.
If you wanna hear me complain more: https://www.tumblr.com/sarafangirlart...
March 15, 2026
3.5⭐️
I love a mythological retelling about the women of Ancient Greece, McLeod’s Andromeda was no exception. The broad spectrum of female characters was refreshing, set splendidly against the backdrop of (what would be modern) north-east Africa.
There were some very tender moments throughout Andromeda’s journey, but at times the writing suffered from overuse of ‘lyrical’ monologues. I also would have liked to have seen the relationship Andromeda had with her mother developed more in the middle part of the book.
Ultimately though, I think McLeod succeeded in writing a novel easily identifiable as a deep ode to womanhood. I’m excited to see what else they have in store.
Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC in an exchange for an honest review.
PS there is no way a dolphin could dive that deep and hold its breath for that long, I don’t care if it’s magical!!
I love a mythological retelling about the women of Ancient Greece, McLeod’s Andromeda was no exception. The broad spectrum of female characters was refreshing, set splendidly against the backdrop of (what would be modern) north-east Africa.
There were some very tender moments throughout Andromeda’s journey, but at times the writing suffered from overuse of ‘lyrical’ monologues. I also would have liked to have seen the relationship Andromeda had with her mother developed more in the middle part of the book.
Ultimately though, I think McLeod succeeded in writing a novel easily identifiable as a deep ode to womanhood. I’m excited to see what else they have in store.
Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC in an exchange for an honest review.
PS there is no way a dolphin could dive that deep and hold its breath for that long, I don’t care if it’s magical!!
Did Not Finish
April 2, 2026DNF @ 30%
As someone who adores Greek mythology, I was excited to read this reimagining of Andromeda. Unfortunately, I personally really struggled to get into this book which I think came down to a combination of the writing style and the pacing of this reimagining not working for me, which in turn made it difficult for me to get engaged with the plot and the characters.
However, while this reimagining wasn’t for me personally, I can see how the writing style and pacing can work for others, especially for those who enjoy a more poetic writing style.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
As someone who adores Greek mythology, I was excited to read this reimagining of Andromeda. Unfortunately, I personally really struggled to get into this book which I think came down to a combination of the writing style and the pacing of this reimagining not working for me, which in turn made it difficult for me to get engaged with the plot and the characters.
However, while this reimagining wasn’t for me personally, I can see how the writing style and pacing can work for others, especially for those who enjoy a more poetic writing style.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 12, 2026
En tant que grande fan des réécritures mythologiques, je me devais de lire cette nouvelle réécriture abordant l'histoire d'un personnage que l'on ne retrouve pas souvent dans les romans. Et même si j'ai trouvé la façon dont est réécrit le mythe intelligente, l'exécution et le fond du livre ne m'ont pas réellement convaincue.
Je ne vais pas mentir, j'ai mis un peu de temps à replacer Andromède. Je suis un peu lente parfois ! J'ai eu une véritable épiphanie lorsque le moment le plus connu de son mythe est arrivé : Persée la sauve du monstre auquel son père l'a sacrifiée pour apaiser Poséidon, après que sa mère a blasphémé contre les dieux.
On connaît principalement le mythe sous cet angle-là, mais rarement ce qui le précède. E.S. McLeod réinvente donc l'histoire d'Andromède, de sa naissance jusqu'à ce point culminant, qui constitue finalement la seule partie de la vie de la princesse que nous connaissons réellement. J'ai beaucoup aimé cette réinterprétation du mythe et la manière dont l'autrice a développé son histoire.
Le livre aurait mérité d'être plus long pour approfondir les personnages et leurs relations, surtout celle entre Ceto et Andromède. Oui, leur alchimie est indéniable dès le départ, mais le problème, c'est que leur relation, qui se développe pourtant sur deux ans, tient en un seul chapitre. Personnellement, ça m'a rendu difficile de ressentir tout le côté tragique de leur histoire. C'était triste, bien sûr, mais il me manquait cette intensité émotionnelle qui aurait fait de cet amour quelque chose d'assez fort pour briser des serments faits aux dieux.
Le point qui va suivre est très personnel : il y a beaucoup trop de scènes de sexe (qu'elles soient hétérosexuelles ou lesbiennes !) et elles ne sont pas vraiment bien écrites. La plume de l'autrice est pourtant très jolie, même si certains dialogues font parfois un peu enfantins, mais les scènes charnelles sont très détaillées, parfois inutilement (surtout celle avec Persée...).
Ça vient sûrement du fait que, de base, je n'aime pas lire de scènes de sexe, sauf lorsqu'elles servent réellement l'histoire. La première entre Andromède et Ceto, malgré une écriture qui ne m'a pas totalement convaincue, était intense et plutôt réussie : elle met en scène leur première fois ensemble, la découverte d'un corps féminin et de nouvelles sensations.
Je ne suis vraiment pas cliente des scènes de smut en général, donc ce point-là est totalement subjectif. En lire une ne me dérange pas, mais pas plus, à moins que la prose soit jolie et que la scène ait une véritable utilité dans le récit.
Faut d'ailleurs qu'on parle de la romance et de la façon dont, selon moi, elle contredit complètement le propos du livre : la liberté et l'idée que l'on s'appartient à soi-même, et non à quelqu'un d'autre.
Le roman a une véritable dimension féministe. Il dénonce la manière dont les femmes sont perçues comme des propriétés, des objets ou de simples utérus sur pattes uniquement bons à enfanter. Si elles n'y parviennent pas, elles sont alors considérées comme défaillantes, voire hystériques. Ce sont des messages importants et très bien amenés. Pourtant, pour moi, ils perdent une partie de leur sens lorsque l'on retrouve dans la romance des phrases comme "You are mine" ou "But that boy touched what is mine." De base, je déteste ce genre de répliques. Je ne les trouve pas romantiques, encore moins sexy. Mais dans un roman qui dénonce justement l'objectification et l'appropriation des femmes, leur présence me paraît particulièrement contre-productive. Pour une relation présentée comme saine, profonde et libératrice, retrouver cette dynamique de possession, héritée de schémas très hétéronormés, m'a profondément déçue.
Et le pire, c'est que lorsque Andromède se retrouve avec Persée, pas une seule fois il ne l'objectifie de cette manière. Ce contraste rend le choix encore plus incompréhensible à mes yeux.
Même chose avec l'utilisation répétée de l'expression "good girl", que je déteste déjà en temps normal. Je ne suis pas une chose, merci bien. Là encore, j'ai trouvé que cela allait à l'encontre du message d'émancipation porté par le roman. Ces dynamiques ne sont jamais remises en question ni critiquées, alors qu'elles reproduisent précisément certains rapports de pouvoir que le livre semble vouloir dénoncer.
Je ne m'attendais vraiment pas à ça. Comme je l'ai dit, je n'apprécie déjà pas ce type de dynamique dans les romances hétérosexuelles, car je les trouve dégradantes et pas romantique du tout. Alors les retrouver au cœur de la relation principale d'un roman qui porte un discours aussi fort sur la liberté des femmes m'a laissée perplexe. J'ai vraiment eu du mal à comprendre ce choix.
Pour continuer, je n'ai pas particulièrement aimé Persée. Là encore, c'est très personnel. J'ai lu tellement de réécritures centrées sur Méduse qu'il m'est difficile d'adhérer à cette image d'un Persée fondamentalement gentil et respectueux des femmes.
J'ai également trouvé son écriture un peu contradictoire. À plusieurs reprises, Andromède semble considérer que parce qu'il aime profondément sa mère, il respecte les femmes de manière générale. Pourtant, le roman lui-même laisse entendre une réalité plus nuancée. À un moment, Persée déclare : "Yes. But I don’t like him – he has been known to be cruel to women and so I prevented it. Now he is to marry someone else."
Cette remarque m'a fait tiquer. Car au final, il ne me semble pas tellement meilleur que les hommes qu'il critique. Il condamne ceux qui sont cruels envers les femmes, mais lorsqu'il s'agit de protéger sa mère, il est tout à fait prêt à ce qu'une autre femme en paie le prix à sa place. J'ai donc eu du mal à adhérer à l'idée qu'il respecte les femmes de manière générale.
J'ai aimé ce que le livre voulait raconter, mais beaucoup moins la manière dont il l'a raconté.
Andromède, princesse réputée pour sa beauté exceptionnelle, voit sa vie basculer lorsque sa mère provoque la colère de Poséidon par une déclaration blasphématoire. Pour punir la famille royale, le dieu des mers envoie Ceto, une créature métamorphe chargée de veiller à l'accomplissement de son jugement. Alors que le destin d'Andromède semble déjà scellé, une attirance inattendue naît entre les deux jeunes femmes. Entre menaces divines, pouvoir, désir et lutte contre un sort imposé, elles se retrouvent entraînées dans une relation aussi passionnée que périlleuse.
Je ne vais pas mentir, j'ai mis un peu de temps à replacer Andromède. Je suis un peu lente parfois ! J'ai eu une véritable épiphanie lorsque le moment le plus connu de son mythe est arrivé : Persée la sauve du monstre auquel son père l'a sacrifiée pour apaiser Poséidon, après que sa mère a blasphémé contre les dieux.
On connaît principalement le mythe sous cet angle-là, mais rarement ce qui le précède. E.S. McLeod réinvente donc l'histoire d'Andromède, de sa naissance jusqu'à ce point culminant, qui constitue finalement la seule partie de la vie de la princesse que nous connaissons réellement. J'ai beaucoup aimé cette réinterprétation du mythe et la manière dont l'autrice a développé son histoire.
Le livre aurait mérité d'être plus long pour approfondir les personnages et leurs relations, surtout celle entre Ceto et Andromède. Oui, leur alchimie est indéniable dès le départ, mais le problème, c'est que leur relation, qui se développe pourtant sur deux ans, tient en un seul chapitre. Personnellement, ça m'a rendu difficile de ressentir tout le côté tragique de leur histoire. C'était triste, bien sûr, mais il me manquait cette intensité émotionnelle qui aurait fait de cet amour quelque chose d'assez fort pour briser des serments faits aux dieux.
Le point qui va suivre est très personnel : il y a beaucoup trop de scènes de sexe (qu'elles soient hétérosexuelles ou lesbiennes !) et elles ne sont pas vraiment bien écrites. La plume de l'autrice est pourtant très jolie, même si certains dialogues font parfois un peu enfantins, mais les scènes charnelles sont très détaillées, parfois inutilement (surtout celle avec Persée...).
Ça vient sûrement du fait que, de base, je n'aime pas lire de scènes de sexe, sauf lorsqu'elles servent réellement l'histoire. La première entre Andromède et Ceto, malgré une écriture qui ne m'a pas totalement convaincue, était intense et plutôt réussie : elle met en scène leur première fois ensemble, la découverte d'un corps féminin et de nouvelles sensations.
Je ne suis vraiment pas cliente des scènes de smut en général, donc ce point-là est totalement subjectif. En lire une ne me dérange pas, mais pas plus, à moins que la prose soit jolie et que la scène ait une véritable utilité dans le récit.
Faut d'ailleurs qu'on parle de la romance et de la façon dont, selon moi, elle contredit complètement le propos du livre : la liberté et l'idée que l'on s'appartient à soi-même, et non à quelqu'un d'autre.
Le roman a une véritable dimension féministe. Il dénonce la manière dont les femmes sont perçues comme des propriétés, des objets ou de simples utérus sur pattes uniquement bons à enfanter. Si elles n'y parviennent pas, elles sont alors considérées comme défaillantes, voire hystériques. Ce sont des messages importants et très bien amenés. Pourtant, pour moi, ils perdent une partie de leur sens lorsque l'on retrouve dans la romance des phrases comme "You are mine" ou "But that boy touched what is mine." De base, je déteste ce genre de répliques. Je ne les trouve pas romantiques, encore moins sexy. Mais dans un roman qui dénonce justement l'objectification et l'appropriation des femmes, leur présence me paraît particulièrement contre-productive. Pour une relation présentée comme saine, profonde et libératrice, retrouver cette dynamique de possession, héritée de schémas très hétéronormés, m'a profondément déçue.
Et le pire, c'est que lorsque Andromède se retrouve avec Persée, pas une seule fois il ne l'objectifie de cette manière. Ce contraste rend le choix encore plus incompréhensible à mes yeux.
Même chose avec l'utilisation répétée de l'expression "good girl", que je déteste déjà en temps normal. Je ne suis pas une chose, merci bien. Là encore, j'ai trouvé que cela allait à l'encontre du message d'émancipation porté par le roman. Ces dynamiques ne sont jamais remises en question ni critiquées, alors qu'elles reproduisent précisément certains rapports de pouvoir que le livre semble vouloir dénoncer.
Je ne m'attendais vraiment pas à ça. Comme je l'ai dit, je n'apprécie déjà pas ce type de dynamique dans les romances hétérosexuelles, car je les trouve dégradantes et pas romantique du tout. Alors les retrouver au cœur de la relation principale d'un roman qui porte un discours aussi fort sur la liberté des femmes m'a laissée perplexe. J'ai vraiment eu du mal à comprendre ce choix.
Pour continuer, je n'ai pas particulièrement aimé Persée. Là encore, c'est très personnel. J'ai lu tellement de réécritures centrées sur Méduse qu'il m'est difficile d'adhérer à cette image d'un Persée fondamentalement gentil et respectueux des femmes.
J'ai également trouvé son écriture un peu contradictoire. À plusieurs reprises, Andromède semble considérer que parce qu'il aime profondément sa mère, il respecte les femmes de manière générale. Pourtant, le roman lui-même laisse entendre une réalité plus nuancée. À un moment, Persée déclare : "Yes. But I don’t like him – he has been known to be cruel to women and so I prevented it. Now he is to marry someone else."
Cette remarque m'a fait tiquer. Car au final, il ne me semble pas tellement meilleur que les hommes qu'il critique. Il condamne ceux qui sont cruels envers les femmes, mais lorsqu'il s'agit de protéger sa mère, il est tout à fait prêt à ce qu'une autre femme en paie le prix à sa place. J'ai donc eu du mal à adhérer à l'idée qu'il respecte les femmes de manière générale.
J'ai aimé ce que le livre voulait raconter, mais beaucoup moins la manière dont il l'a raconté.
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