A review by bryonyindecisivereader
Medusa by Rosie Hewlett

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“I was beautiful once. 
I would not recommend it. 
That might come as a surprise to you. A lot of the things I am about to tell you probably will, because there is a lot this world does not know about me. You see, my story has been retold and reimagined so many times over, sometimes even I do not recognise it.”

I was really blown away my Medusa. From the moment I opened the book, I was in love. The writing, the words, the story - all perfect. 
Medusa’s story, told as it is here, is really powerful. It’s about a woman who was abused, grieving the life that she’s lost to the one that’s been forced upon her. It’s really interesting to hear the stages of her story, travelling through betrayal to anger to sadness. We also get to see her interact in different ways - as a young girl, as a sister, as a villain, as a mother - rather than just one or a couple that her retellings usually see. 
I loved the tone of Medusa’s voice and how she narrates her story. I could have spent hundreds of pages in this story - but somehow, the ones that were included, felt like the perfect number. And honestly? I kind of like that it was shorter because it means I’ll be rereading it again this year without a doubt, and annotating it too. 
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