I just love Jessie Burton. I don't usually like YA but she just nailed this retelling, as I knew she would. Gill's illustrations were fantastic and Burton's spin on this classic myth was refreshing and chillingly relevant. I highly recommend it! Thank you for this ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Medusa is such a maligned charatcer in Greek mythology that it was only a matter of time before the current slew of feminist retellings got round to her story. However, Burton has done something special here by choosing to place the narrative in an alternate timeline and combine Medusa's story with that of Perseus (or really, Perseus's mother). The illustrations by Gill are gorgeous and really add to the feeling and mood of the text. This would be a perfect Christmas present for any book-loving teenager, though parents may wish to read it first as it does deal with some very adult issues.

This is a lovely retelling of Medusa's story, with her perspective giving a fresh twist on this. It is accompanied by stunning illustrations and is a must have book for any Greek Mythology fans

A stunning retelling of the story of Medusa, this book makes the reader rethink everything they thought they knew about this famous villain. We actually get to hear her side of the story, incorporating rape culture and victim blaming. Alongside the absolutely stunning visuals, this is an amazing book.

Exiled, with her sisters, to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charming boy called Perseus arrives on the island, lost as he sails the seas on a quest to save his mother, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love and betrayal…

The stunning illustrations throughout the book, by Olivia Lomenech Gill really being the island world of Medusa alive.

Jessie Burton has retold this myth superbly, bring it bang up to date with the feminist slant it very much needed. It is told from the view point of Medusa and because of this, the themes come across much more emotionally and with impact.

As Medusa and Perseus gradually tell each other their reasons for being on this far-flung island, we can see that perception of themselves and others is a very personal thing. Perseus holds Poseidon in high regard, Medusa hates him with a vengeance. Similarly, their views on Athena differ too.

There are strong themes of self worth, perception of how you are viewed by others and how this affects your behaviours and attitudes, how the opinions (real or perceived) of others impact on you and ultimately change you.

There are strong themes of consent and respect. Medusa’s feelings of how Poseidon should have behaved towards her (as opposed to abusing his power) and how she was not to blame are deeply felt. Her sisters’ allyship is strong but not all other women are her ally. Athena’s use of privilege and power are selectively abusive.

The promises we make…do we actually know what we are promising at the time? Open ended promises are not always good ones.

Throughout the retelling, Medusa’s view of herself, others in her life and her awareness of how the rest of the world perceives her opens up opportunities for conversations to be had. Important conversations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the eARC review copy.

This book is stunning - the words and the illustrations both together and alone are beautiful. Her writing style is so unique and brings such a different view to the. character and the story - the retelling of the story from Medusa's side is so clever. It was a little difficult to read due to the format but I'm sure a finished copy would be gorgeous!

A clever idea but I couldn’t get into it at all. I really struggled with the concept.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to try it.

This is a great book sumptuously illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill. It provides Jessie Burton’s take on the Medusa myth and the retelling is original, beautifully written and powerful.

Medusa, a teenage girl, is stranded on an island with her sisters, Euryale and Stheno, after falling foul of Athena because she is jealous of Poseidon’s lust for the young girl. It is Athena who has given her a head of snakes and turned all three sisters into Gorgons.

The story deals with the arrival of Perseus, also a young man, their dogs, and their flirtations – without seeing one another because Medusa knows what that will mean. She has intense feelings for Perseus and these are reciprocated until he discovers that he is destined to kill her. Then, he becomes a man on a mission and it is one that doesn’t work out so well for him.

That’s the story but what this book is really about is being a woman. Medusa never asked or encouraged Poseidon and, of course, Athena punishes the woman rather than challenging the man. Medusa is a victim of the patriarchy.

Like all women she copes. She gets on with it and falls for Perseus because she hopes he is different but, sadly, he reverts to type, tries to kill her and ends up turned to stone.

In the end, the three sisters set sail in his boat. Medusa has not found love but she has learned something about herself and her capacity to be resolute and strong as a woman in a world dominated by men. She will survive!

This book should be slipped quietly under the Christmas tree for every teenage girl you know!

I found this to be a very effective and enjoyable feminist retelling of the Medusa myth. Told from the young Medusa's POV, you get a compassionate story of a young woman who wants what anyone wants; love, respect, someone to see the real her and accept her on her own terms. The writing is both beautiful and powerful, it makes you really think about the innocent girl who was so brutally abused then cursed by powers so much stronger than her and what that is like for any girl. In subtly subverting the original myth, Burton's reimagining gives voice to others like Medusa and gives us a new heroine rather than a monster. add the wonderful illustrations and you have a beautiful book all round.

“Because, unlike a statue, you cannot break up a myth or wedge it on top of a cliff. A myth find it’s way to remember itself. It makes a new shape, rising out of a shallow grave it is glory.”

TW: Rape

I find Medusa’s tale fascinating and I always leap at the opportunity to see how women are retelling her story after so long with the story written by men.
Jessie Burton has captured a sad tale and made it hopeful. No, Medusa’s not not broken by her trauma, but she’s in the best place she can be to recover: she’s with her sisters, she’s happy, and she’s considering a future in love.
I enjoyed her character, how she’s captured as a young, vulnerable girl. I liked how she told her story - and I liked that she was the one telling it.
I also liked learning more about Perseus’ history, as I’ve only ever known him as Medusa’s slayer onwards. I did realise her and his mother had some god-trauma too.
Medusa was written in a beautiful, haunting way. I flew through it, but also found myself captured by passages, rereading and highlighting things that particularly stood out. The artwork was beautiful too. I can’t wait to see it printed in the finished book.

" 'She was a woman who'd done nothing wrong except exist.' "

This is a brilliant take on the myth of Medusa, truly bringing a feminist twist into the story and showing a new side to what others may know of the myth.

I was truly enraptured by the story and illustrations littered throughout the book. I felt the pain that Medusa went through during her storytelling and as the story progressed I was so amazed at how they retold her tale.

This story brings a new sense of power and recognition to the women of the Greek myth and how they were forced to face the Gods/Goddesses and live life through their additional suffering. In many Greek myths and epics, it is a men's world and women just live in it. This story is one of few that I have read that bring the voice of the women to light. It calls out and warns people of their suffering due to Godly/men's intentions and how those same people tried to use their power to make it seem like the women's fault.

I could not recommend this book enough! Definitely one to read for all lovers of Greek myths and bringing power back to the women of these tales.

It is clear to see the heart that has been invested into researching and retelling this passion project of a book.

Medusa herself is a lyrical storyteller, knowingly drawn to the romanticism of Perseus’ intelligence but deeply self-aware and honest with the reader in her first person narrative of their cautious union. This in turn is a book for intelligent readers with an appreciation for beauty, for the richly poetic and classical style of elegant literary fiction.

Jessie Burton’s masterpiece is invitingly coupled with Olivia Lomenech Gill’s sumptuous designs that dive into the mysticism and wonder of the sea with stunning prints and margin illustrations throughout. We are huge fans of Olivia’s glorious sketchbook anthology, Where the Wellies Take Me, so further to seeing the designs on screen, I can’t wait to see the hardback edition of Medusa in print - what a treasure trove it will be!

Jessie Burton has written a powerful and beautiful retelling of the story of Medusa, a young girl abused by gods, cursed and accused of being a monster. Olivia Lomenech Gill has produced such stunning and emotive illustrations that add depth to the story.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a Greek mythology nerd who does also struggle with the gender dynamics within the various stories, I am always here for a feminist retelling of one of the classic myths. Medusa, in particular, I have always viewed as a tragic rather than monstrous figure so I'm very happy that she's given her dues in this book. The prose is lyrical, but also very easy to read and accessible for readers not familiar with Greek mythology. The illustrations are also beautiful, and I'm sure even more so in a hard copy, the small screen I read my ARC on probably does not do them justice!

(Many thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Absolutely fabulous retelling of the Medusa story, beautifully written. The illustrations are marvelous too , they really help the story along.

Beautifully illustrated retelling of the live of Medusa and her meeting with Perseus. Burton brings a softness to the legend of Medusa with her serpent hair acting as an extension of her psyche as she battles with the very human emotions of longing, love and loss.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bloomsbury for the chance to read #Medusa in exchange for an honest review. I never expected little old me to be approved for an ARC from such a famous author.

I had not previously read anything by Jessie Burton, so I do not have a frame of comparison for this work against her others. I'm aware that this will not be in the same style as her novels for adults. The writing was very lyrical in this, but she took a few liberties, particularly in the dialogue, which sounded fresh and authentic.

"Medusa" obviously sits in a class all of its own when it comes to style and setting and can't really be compared to other YA of this time. I'm aware that people now consider "retellings" a wholly separate genre, and it isn't something I am drawn to by default, but I do think that this book is important reading and that it will resonate with women and girls of all ages and from all cultures.

I'm wondering which age group would be most impacted by reading this book, because it's being marketed as YA but I think it would actually find its best audience within 10-14 year olds. I am even potentially anticipating that, with its easy relatability and quotability and beautiful illustrations by Olivia Lomenech Gill, Jessie Burton's Medusa may become this generation's "The Little Prince".

As a side note, I think the book requires some pre-existing knowledge of Greek mythology. It's not like backstory and context are not given - plenty is shared as Medusa tells her story to Perseus - but I do think that knowing in advance that Perseus is sent to kill Medusa adds a layer to the narrative and makes it that much more heartbreaking how excited she is to meet him when he will eventually betray her.

Knowing the original Medusa myth also allows the reader to see where it is that Burton strayed from it and allows reflection on why those are the elements where she chose to change the narrative.
This was very much an allegory for victim blaming and rape culture, and will be a very validating read for girls everywhere and definitely encourage discussions around body shaming and personal agency.

Headlines:
Feminist retelling
Underlying relevance for today
Illustrations that will blow your mind with their beauty

My first thought on finishing is that I need this in a hard copy, so I would say that if possible, savour this in the flesh rather than ebook. The illustrations are utterly eye-catching, inspired and beautiful.

This retelling was YA but it’s not without dark and difficult themes. I have placed some trigger warnings at the bottom of this review. While this was a Medusa tale with some familiarity, it really portrayed her perspective, what life was like for her. I particularly thought for the first time what life would be like with snakes on your head, the loss of her hair and how that affected her with the same hopes and desires as any young woman. Her narrative alongside Perseus’ was bittersweet and yet still something to delight in.

There were so many moments in this historical retelling that will resonate with women in the now, be they young and older. Here’s a flavour of what hit me: power and powerlessness, victim shaming, body image, empowerment and finding your identity. Medusa sure had a lot to tell us.

"People think your beauty is their possession. As if it’s there for their pleasure, as if they’ve got something invested in it. They think you owe them for their admiration."

I think it’s obvious I adored this book and that it would be a lovely gift for yourself or others.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for the early review copy.

TW: rape, sexual assault, victim shaming, stalking, body image

I liked this retelling of the Medusa story and thought the combination of Jessie Burton's words & Olivia Lomenech Gill's images were a perfect match as they complimented each other beautifully. The art was stunning and it was a wonderful addition to see when reading this. Jessie Burton told Medusa's story with compassion and intrigue and it was nice to see the story told in a way that felt contemporary and more in line with modern academic dicussions.

Jessie Burton has done it again! The feminist re-inagining of Medusa gives a whole new perspective on the myth we al think we know - one of my favourites of 2021!