A review by parkerwkelly1
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I've read a few of these modern retellings of Greek myths/epics at this point and while this one was not bad, it definitely felt like one of the weaker ones of the genre to me. I appreciated the feminist perspectives in the retelling, but it felt very heavy-handed and like the morals were being told directly to the reader rather than incorporated into the story. Perspective bounces around EXTREMELY frequently and some feel much more meaningful than others, and the frequent perspective shifts do a disservice in my opinion as it leaves you with a much shallower appreciation for many of the players rather than a deeper appreciation for 2-3.

Despite the issues, it is still overall engaging and a quick read that does manage to add a bit of nuance to the overall story of Medusa. While it is maybe not the most earth-shattering or perspective changing take on the story, it does succeed at fleshing out the other side of the story. If you're a big fan of Greek mythology, I think this would be a great choice; for others, it's readable but not absolutely necessary.