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mrsmelle's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
adelie_wants_books_and_snacks's review
4.0
This was a great retelling! Being a survivor of abuse I loved watching Medusa on her healing journey. Her resilience is so empowering. Poseidon was a very realistic depiction of an abuser. He reminded me so much of my ex.
But also being a massive fan of Greek mythology I am picky with my retellings and I absolutely loved this new take on Medusa’s story.
I guess the only thing is that I’m not entirely sure about Hermes as a love interest. This character didn’t have a lot of depth. He just felt a bit bland. Like just a stereotypical hot guy. But I did love how he respected Medusa’s boundaries and how he didn’t pressure her into anything. Healthy!
Hades and Persephone are always my favs in Greek mythology and absolutely loved them to bits in this retelling. The only thing missing was Cerberus!
But also being a massive fan of Greek mythology I am picky with my retellings and I absolutely loved this new take on Medusa’s story.
I guess the only thing is that I’m not entirely sure about Hermes as a love interest. This character didn’t have a lot of depth. He just felt a bit bland. Like just a stereotypical hot guy. But I did love how he respected Medusa’s boundaries and how he didn’t pressure her into anything. Healthy!
Hades and Persephone are always my favs in Greek mythology and absolutely loved them to bits in this retelling. The only thing missing was Cerberus!
hellomei's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
YA romance is a gamble for me these days, but i was interested in the medusa focus + hermes as a love interest. he IS the hottest greek god imo!!! sneaky messenger guy!! i asked for this book for christmas instead of getting it myself, and was so glad i get to appreciate it for the fact that it was a gift because it was really not good lol.
not every story needs to have things handled well, but i feel like the author wanted to do so with the sexual assault plotline, but executed it so poorly and unrealistically. betweenvery few of the female gods being useful or on dusa’s side, ALL the male gods – obv except the rapist – being sensible and sympathetic to dusa (ALL the men?????), hermes playing knight in shining armor, and dusa’s "standing up" to her rapist being very Disney Channel Original Movie… really weird messaging.
all the characters are so flat. dusa is so painfully dense… she reads as very Y/N and not even a good Y/N! girl how can you be so DUMB. the intimate scenes were also cringey but maybe that’s because this is meant to be Baby’s First Novel That Addresses Sex (as it probably would be for some teens). also aphrodite and persephone are written like this author has never met a woman in her life. and everyone loves medusa, except for the evil bad ones, and everything works out for her perfectly, especially her family situation Oh Boy!
maybe this book is just wish fulfillment? maybe i've just grown out of this sort of fiction. still, i think there are better romance books about mythology that handle sexual assault and have intimate scenes out there for young teen girls to read. i believe in you, teen girls.
i think the premise of medusa/hermes could be so cute if better executed. a shame it’s such a rarepair and will probably be tough for another writer to try and tackle again without direct comparison, but i would like to see someone better write it. please.
1 star only because the start was okay, and i liked mikkos, and vaguely enjoyed a few of the other characters at certain points.
not every story needs to have things handled well, but i feel like the author wanted to do so with the sexual assault plotline, but executed it so poorly and unrealistically. between
all the characters are so flat. dusa is so painfully dense… she reads as very Y/N and not even a good Y/N! girl how can you be so DUMB. the intimate scenes were also cringey but maybe that’s because this is meant to be Baby’s First Novel That Addresses Sex (as it probably would be for some teens). also aphrodite and persephone are written like this author has never met a woman in her life. and everyone loves medusa, except for the evil bad ones, and everything works out for her perfectly, especially her family situation Oh Boy!
maybe this book is just wish fulfillment? maybe i've just grown out of this sort of fiction. still, i think there are better romance books about mythology that handle sexual assault and have intimate scenes out there for young teen girls to read. i believe in you, teen girls.
i think the premise of medusa/hermes could be so cute if better executed. a shame it’s such a rarepair and will probably be tough for another writer to try and tackle again without direct comparison, but i would like to see someone better write it. please.
1 star only because the start was okay, and i liked mikkos, and vaguely enjoyed a few of the other characters at certain points.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicide attempt
graceborch's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
cozigremlin's review
5.0
Total Sqeeeeee book! At least for me, it was. This book covered some serious content matter (Sexual Assault), but it did it with respect and grace. The writing was good and the story was well written. Plausible? Nah. Grounded in reality in any sense of the word? Nope. But it was an excellent feel-good book that gave Medusa back some of her humanity and painted the Greek god pantheon in new and interesting light. Highly recommend it to any interested in Greek Mythology retellings.
6.24.22
Been digging my Greek Mythology retellings, and remembers really enjoying this book. I will say the book didn't shine as brightly in my mind the second time around, but it was still a really good book and I would still recommend it. Again TW for sexual assault. And it's kind of integral to the story, so do with that what you will.
6.24.22
Been digging my Greek Mythology retellings, and remembers really enjoying this book. I will say the book didn't shine as brightly in my mind the second time around, but it was still a really good book and I would still recommend it. Again TW for sexual assault. And it's kind of integral to the story, so do with that what you will.
rhythmbiscuit's review
4.0
I loved this book! I'm drawn to stories where the "villain" tells her tale, and this one was a good story. I did roll my eyes a few times:
Spoiler
how many times did she talk about the butterflies in her stomach around Hermes? And a literal deus ex machina.storiesdontcare's review
4.0
This may be more of a 3.5 for me; I'm really not sure. When I first saw this book, I knew I had to have it. Aside from the fact that I breathe Greek mythology, I have a soft spot for reviled women getting a sympathetic view. My expectations were high going in.
I really enjoyed the overall character of Medusa; I was able to feel her pain, her pleasure, her desires--really well done, in my opinion. However, there was something about the way the goddesses in particular were portrayed that irked me. Aphrodite and Persephone may just be too bubbly for my tastes here (I liked them, but I found myself annoyed with their dialogue), but Athena's actions are blamed on insanity and rage, and I think it would have done more for Medusa (and survivors reading the book) to address that, rather than cough it up to the book's ultimate reason for Athena's actions.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book, set on Medusa's island. The Olympus section was where I had a hard time story-wise--I hate it when every other character is keeping a secret from the main character about herself. The section that follows pulled me back in again, because it focused primarily on Medusa's healing, but the end resolution was a bit too tidy for me--I didn't dislike the ultimate reveal, but my issues largely had to do, again, with dialogue. There was another (spoilery) piece of Greek mythology that bothered me for most of the book because it seemed like certain...things were disregarded, but at the end this is addressed and these things are in their traditional place.This is nothing in the grand scheme of this novel, but it bothered me personally because of the way I am.
There were also a LOT of typos, and I had some issues with the way the book was set--the last page is a single word; section breaks seem like they ended up on the wrong side of the book, etc. I wouldn't think this is Lyons' fault, but I cringe a bit when I see a printed book with so many issues that should have been caught by an editor.
For readers who are rape survivors, I think this book could be either empowering or triggering, possibly both. Lyons' writing is very vivid--I could feel Medusa's disgust. I liked this book; if Lyons were to tackle another story from mythology I'd be interested in her take on it, but I just didn't love this book the way I hoped I would (that said, Medusa was perfect, and Hermes was almost perfect).
I really enjoyed the overall character of Medusa; I was able to feel her pain, her pleasure, her desires--really well done, in my opinion. However, there was something about the way the goddesses in particular were portrayed that irked me. Aphrodite and Persephone may just be too bubbly for my tastes here (I liked them, but I found myself annoyed with their dialogue), but Athena's actions are blamed on insanity and rage, and I think it would have done more for Medusa (and survivors reading the book) to address that, rather than cough it up to the book's ultimate reason for Athena's actions.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book, set on Medusa's island. The Olympus section was where I had a hard time story-wise--I hate it when every other character is keeping a secret from the main character about herself. The section that follows pulled me back in again, because it focused primarily on Medusa's healing, but the end resolution was a bit too tidy for me--I didn't dislike the ultimate reveal, but my issues largely had to do, again, with dialogue. There was another (spoilery) piece of Greek mythology that bothered me for most of the book because it seemed like certain...things were disregarded, but at the end this is addressed and these things are in their traditional place.This is nothing in the grand scheme of this novel, but it bothered me personally because of the way I am.
There were also a LOT of typos, and I had some issues with the way the book was set--the last page is a single word; section breaks seem like they ended up on the wrong side of the book, etc. I wouldn't think this is Lyons' fault, but I cringe a bit when I see a printed book with so many issues that should have been caught by an editor.
For readers who are rape survivors, I think this book could be either empowering or triggering, possibly both. Lyons' writing is very vivid--I could feel Medusa's disgust. I liked this book; if Lyons were to tackle another story from mythology I'd be interested in her take on it, but I just didn't love this book the way I hoped I would (that said, Medusa was perfect, and Hermes was almost perfect).
prioryofprose's review
3.0
I feel in love with the cover of Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons, plus I got a great deal on Amazon, so I had to read it. I was excited to read a Greek mythology retelling, especially about Medusa!
Likes:
The author did a great job winding in Greek mythology to an updated love story.
I absolutely adored Hermes, Hades and Persephone.
It was a quick, easy read. I would classify it as the new adult genre, and since I haven't really stepped into that genre, it was a good gateway book.
Gripes:
I didn't completely love Medusa. She seemed so weak. I realize that life did not do well for her, but still I really enjoyed her more when she started to live for herself.
The world-building was lacking for me. I would love to have heard more about the island that Medusa initially lived on and then more about Olympus.
Favorite Quotes:
"Death isn't beautiful. Too often than not, it's messy and brutal; even when done in sleep, there's still that theft of breath, that failure of heart. Death is an act of violence. I should know. I am one of the most prolific murders in history."
"I've thought them all worse than the monster I was accused of being. Heartless, fickle beings who loved to torment mortals on the turn of a dime. Maybe I've judged them all without getting to know them first, just as surely as history has judged me."
"The irony is not lost on me that I finally make Death's acquaintance just when I decide life is worth living."
For more reviews visit
A Flurry of Ponderings
Likes:
The author did a great job winding in Greek mythology to an updated love story.
I absolutely adored Hermes, Hades and Persephone.
It was a quick, easy read. I would classify it as the new adult genre, and since I haven't really stepped into that genre, it was a good gateway book.
Gripes:
I didn't completely love Medusa. She seemed so weak. I realize that life did not do well for her, but still I really enjoyed her more when she started to live for herself.
The world-building was lacking for me. I would love to have heard more about the island that Medusa initially lived on and then more about Olympus.
Favorite Quotes:
"Death isn't beautiful. Too often than not, it's messy and brutal; even when done in sleep, there's still that theft of breath, that failure of heart. Death is an act of violence. I should know. I am one of the most prolific murders in history."
"I've thought them all worse than the monster I was accused of being. Heartless, fickle beings who loved to torment mortals on the turn of a dime. Maybe I've judged them all without getting to know them first, just as surely as history has judged me."
"The irony is not lost on me that I finally make Death's acquaintance just when I decide life is worth living."
For more reviews visit
A Flurry of Ponderings
bookishzelda's review
What a cool book idea! This is a reimagining of the story of Medusa. I’m a lover of Mythology but I never would in a million years thought of something like this. Taking a feared monster and giving her another story. This book was addictive right from the start.
This is one of those books that totally took me by surprise. I wanted to read it because it sounded interesting but it totally blew me away and I fell in love with it. Some books just do that and trigger something in you that lights a fire and makes you not be able to stop reading. This was one of those books for me.
I loved Medusa, the misunderstood monster, we start off in her temple as she is arranging another one of her stoned statues. She didn’t mean to kill him but all it takes is one look at her. She’s remorseful and suffers for her lot in life. Cursed by Athena after being raped Poseidon.
I was as silly as Medusa when it came to Hermes for some reason, I thought they were just friends but as their relationship bloomed I felt myself invested in it. I was concerned that something might split them apart or that they might not get together at all at first. It was just very sweet and heartwarming and it made me think of Hermes in a whole different way. Of course this book had me thinking of Medusa in a whole different way as well. I couldn’t stop reading abou them, I love them so much as a couple.
The issues in this book are addressed in an interesting way as well. Medusa is a victim. She is a victim of rape, a victim of unjust punishment, a victim of living in isolation. Even though she has had 2000 years to deal with the issues she hasn’t. It isn’t until Hermes brings her back into the light and she is forced to face those who hurt her does she finally deal with them. I thought it was interesting to infuse these kinds of things into a greek mythology story. It’s not something uncommon in greek myths to hear about it happening but it is not something usually addressed. I loved how the book was as much as Medusa taking control of her life and changing from victim to survivor.
I have much gushy love for this book so definitely check it out if you like some Romance and Greek mythology with a twist.
This is one of those books that totally took me by surprise. I wanted to read it because it sounded interesting but it totally blew me away and I fell in love with it. Some books just do that and trigger something in you that lights a fire and makes you not be able to stop reading. This was one of those books for me.
I loved Medusa, the misunderstood monster, we start off in her temple as she is arranging another one of her stoned statues. She didn’t mean to kill him but all it takes is one look at her. She’s remorseful and suffers for her lot in life. Cursed by Athena after being raped Poseidon.
I was as silly as Medusa when it came to Hermes for some reason, I thought they were just friends but as their relationship bloomed I felt myself invested in it. I was concerned that something might split them apart or that they might not get together at all at first. It was just very sweet and heartwarming and it made me think of Hermes in a whole different way. Of course this book had me thinking of Medusa in a whole different way as well. I couldn’t stop reading abou them, I love them so much as a couple.
The issues in this book are addressed in an interesting way as well. Medusa is a victim. She is a victim of rape, a victim of unjust punishment, a victim of living in isolation. Even though she has had 2000 years to deal with the issues she hasn’t. It isn’t until Hermes brings her back into the light and she is forced to face those who hurt her does she finally deal with them. I thought it was interesting to infuse these kinds of things into a greek mythology story. It’s not something uncommon in greek myths to hear about it happening but it is not something usually addressed. I loved how the book was as much as Medusa taking control of her life and changing from victim to survivor.
I have much gushy love for this book so definitely check it out if you like some Romance and Greek mythology with a twist.