Reviews

‘You know her name. You know her story. Just not the right one’ ⠀
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TW - Mentions of sexual assault, grooming, manipulation etc. ⠀
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I have loved Greek Mythology (all mythology for that matter) since I was young. This is one of my favourite Greek myths and as such I have an affinity with Medusa, even more so after reading this book. Something about her original myth always stood out and resonated with me on a much deeper level. Now I understand why.⠀

This book has truly left a lifelong mark, one of my favourite Greek mythology reads ever. I felt Medusa’s pain, loneliness, rage, fear as if it were my own. My heart broke for the girl she used to be before her innocence was cruelly taken from her and my heart sung with pride for the woman she became when she accepted healing and love into her life. No longer staying silent and hiding in the shadows, she found the strength and courage to free herself from the dark events of her past.

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A rollercoaster of emotions set in a short 204 pages, ‘Medusa’ is a feminist mythological retelling of the infamous origin story of Medusa, a mortal woman who was cursed by Athena to become a hideous, snake-haired gorgon that with one look could turn men to stone. A woman forced to become a villain in a narrative she never wanted to be a part of, silenced, until now. ⠀
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The story is written from Medusas perspective, detailing her story right from her abandonment at childhood to her fated destruction at the hands of Perseus. Rosie doesn’t shy away from the dark, heavy parts of Medusa’s life. The grooming, the sexual assault, the misogyny etc, which are unfortunately parallels with today’s modern society. Perseus’ character in this retelling, he himself being a product of sexual assault, is a twist I did not expect, but one I am grateful for, which has shed a new light on the origin story. ⠀
Highly recommended ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑

julesbarthe10's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Not quite what I was expected going into it. Written very much like an autobiography from Medusa while she is in the underworld and thinking back on her story. The aspect I enjoyed most though was how the author took both the main two versions of medusa's story and seamlessly combined them into one comprehensive story.