A review by _myliteraryobsession
Athena's Child, by Hannah M. Lynn
3.0
Overall Rating: 3.5 STARS *** + 1/2.
Read as... E-Book.
Brief Synopsis...
Everywhere she goes, Medusa turns heads. A young girl on the cusp of womanhood, Medusa is breathtakingly beautiful, yet her father fearing that she will be mistreated by men, sends her to Athena's temple where she is to be protected by its sanctity.
When Medusa catches the eye of the god Poseidon, she is unable to deter him or escape his advances and Athena flies into a fit of rage when they are discovered. Medusa is cursed by the Gods, her beauty dissolved into the snake-haired monster well-known in Greek mythology. Every man that dares to gaze upon her is thus turned to stone.
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, victim shaming.
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My Thoughts...
I knew very little of Medusa's origins and the ancient myth prior to reading Hannah Lynn's retelling. I was vaguely aware that Medusa had become a symbol of the #MeToo Movement, and this novel has clarified why Medusa's story is so pertinent in today's world.
Told from Medusa's perspective, Athena's Child is the tragic story of a young woman succumbing to the age-old misconception that she was simply "asking for it". Punished by Athena for having been molested by Poseidon, her only 'crime' was being born beautiful. This story is a true Greek tragedy, where somehow Medusa becomes the monster, a woman to be feared not pitied.
This was not an easy book to read as it was emotionally charged and rather depressing. Deep down you hope for a happy outcome or at least some redemption, but if you know the myth well, Medusa's story is fraught with tragedy. Without ruining the story, Hannah Lynn's take on Perseus was also refreshing and moving. There is much that can be learnt from Medusa's story and this is an important book for young people to read. Perceptions of events from those on the outside looking in are not always the truth.
Read as... E-Book.
Brief Synopsis...
Everywhere she goes, Medusa turns heads. A young girl on the cusp of womanhood, Medusa is breathtakingly beautiful, yet her father fearing that she will be mistreated by men, sends her to Athena's temple where she is to be protected by its sanctity.
When Medusa catches the eye of the god Poseidon, she is unable to deter him or escape his advances and Athena flies into a fit of rage when they are discovered. Medusa is cursed by the Gods, her beauty dissolved into the snake-haired monster well-known in Greek mythology. Every man that dares to gaze upon her is thus turned to stone.
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, victim shaming.
-------------------------------
My Thoughts...
I knew very little of Medusa's origins and the ancient myth prior to reading Hannah Lynn's retelling. I was vaguely aware that Medusa had become a symbol of the #MeToo Movement, and this novel has clarified why Medusa's story is so pertinent in today's world.
Told from Medusa's perspective, Athena's Child is the tragic story of a young woman succumbing to the age-old misconception that she was simply "asking for it". Punished by Athena for having been molested by Poseidon, her only 'crime' was being born beautiful. This story is a true Greek tragedy, where somehow Medusa becomes the monster, a woman to be feared not pitied.
This was not an easy book to read as it was emotionally charged and rather depressing. Deep down you hope for a happy outcome or at least some redemption, but if you know the myth well, Medusa's story is fraught with tragedy. Without ruining the story, Hannah Lynn's take on Perseus was also refreshing and moving. There is much that can be learnt from Medusa's story and this is an important book for young people to read. Perceptions of events from those on the outside looking in are not always the truth.