The current trend for retelling classical Greek myths has been going on for several years now. I consider Natalie Haynes to be one of the best storytellers in this genre. I have been listening, reading, studying and enjoying these stories for the last 50 years and I never tire of them when told this superbly. An excellent rendition, almost poetic in parts. Devoured this book in a single sitting. Thank you Netgalley.

‘Why would anyone love a monster?’ asked Perseus.
‘Who are you to decide who is worthy of love?’ said Hermes. ‘And who are you to decide who is a monster?’
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I was excited about this retelling of the Medusa myth especially since popular culture has reclaimed her as a feminist icon, framing her monstrosity as active resistance (an inversion of the male gaze, her power borders on castration because of its ability to turn one impotent, etc etc I’m sure you can imagine the discourse) and highlighting her victimhood vis-à-vis Athena’s internalised misogyny. This is to say that my expectations were pretty high, and on top of that I really liked her other novel, ‘Children of Jocasta’, so I was worried it wouldn’t match up (like ‘A Thousand Ships’). Thankfully, ‘Stone Blind’ was very well done and even wickedly funny at times.

As with her previous novels, Haynes adopts multiple perspectives to fully expand on familiar myths, adding colour and dimension to the characters. We hear from Medusa, her sisters, Cassiope and subsequently her daughter, Andromeda, and Danaë. As for the goddesses, Metis, Hera, Athene, Amphitrite, the Hesperides, and even Gaia herself speak within this interwoven narrative. A surprising number of myths are included and this book is as much a story about the other women characters as it is about Medusa. In a way, everyone involved in the Perseus myth, no matter how marginal, gets their story told, which ironically pushes his destructive questing to the background.

For the main characters, their perspectives are narrated, but once in awhile the reader is spoken to directly by peripheral voices, e.g. a Nereid, the olive trees (Elaia), and Medusa’s snakes (Herpeta), which feels like an echo of the Greek chorus. Instead of jarring, these interjections and interruptions feel necessary and invite the reader to take a step back and evaluate the events. They are a constant reminder of how the official narrative is not all there is, and should not be trusted. Her narrators are frank and wry, sometimes demanding that you hear their stories too.

We are prevented from feeling too much sympathy for Perseus in this way; even though he considers himself righteous and a victim, the way he took so many lives so selfishly and mercilessly is ultimately unacceptable. Shallow and impulsive, he is quick to hurt another person even if it’s not necessary. In a way, he really is a son of Zeus. Perseus is revealed to be blustering, blundering, and bloodthirsty. He has done nothing heroic and his so-called heroism is entirely dependent on the borrowing of the powers of others.

Similarly, it is impossible to view Athena flatteringly. She is petulant, arrogant, and spoilt, often lashing out at human women because she cannot get her revenge on the gods who have offended her. However, she has a point when she makes clear her disdain for Perseus’ spinelessness and calls him out on his faulty worldview, saying, “You’re the one who thinks anything that doesn’t look like you must be a monster.”

As for Medusa, she is shown to be more than just a helpless victim. Haynes reimagines her as self-sacrificial, a martyr who will always put the welfare of complete strangers above her own. She sticks to her principles and patiently bears her cross. What I liked was how her life does not end with being beheaded as she becomes sentient and undying, eventually outlasting all who sought to (mis/ab)use her power.

Compared to the other books by this author that I’ve read, I would say that Children of Jocasta is still my favourite (the pain and pathos were just *chef’s kiss*) but Stone Blind is a close second. Definitely a worthy read in my books.

I loved this retelling of Medusa. I only knew the bare bones of the original story, but it was amazing to read detail from the point of view if the Gorgons especially about Perseus. Made me rethink how I interpret many classical myths. A week later a version of Medusa happened to be a text I was using in my primary school history lesson, and having just read this I was able to retell a very detailed version and encouraged the class to see other points of view. Beautifully written and engrossing.

Is Medusa’s story and so much more.
This beautifully captivating read.
I recommend this book to any Greek mythology's fan.

DNF at 28% (111/384)


Favourite quote:
“They will never repay your affection. Do you understand that? They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster, just like they do your sisters.”
“It doesn't matter what they think of me.”
“Then why do you want to protect them?”
“Because I can,” she said.


I tried. I really tried. And when it's good, it really is good. But the good parts — Medusa and her Gorgon sisters' portions of the story, are so very little and their POVs kept getting interrupted by other POVs. And these other POVs are from so many characters whose voices are not even that interesting, if I'm being honest. I forced myself to finish the part where the Giants went to war with the Olympus gods and even that felt boring to me. I just couldn't take any more after that.

I have also seen other reviews saying that Medusa really doesn't feature a lot throughout the entirety of this book and maybe there is something to be said about having a woman's name as the title of a book when the bulk of the story wasn't even focused on her but for now I just feel let down and a little cheated, if I'm being honest. So with that in mind, I'm just gonna cut myself loose right now.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free digital copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favourite things about Natalie Haynes' books is her ability to cast well-known stories and characters in a new light, shifting your perspective and manipulating your feelings exactly as she wants to. In Stone Blind Haynes continues to do this, making you feel as the reader that you are right at the centre of the stage on which all of this drama is playing out. Her characteristic snark shines through in her writing and experiencing her sarcasm and wit felt like going out with a trusted friend, knowing that you're in a for a good time.

Haynes always manages to do multiple POV well and though this is primarily a retelling of the myth of Medusa, I did like that we got some other stories mixed in as well as it gave me a more holistic view, more context to help Haynes' versions of these myths stick in my head. Having said that, I did find myself wanting to get back to certain POVs over others (I would have liked to hear more about Medusa rather than Perseus, for example).

Medusa is one of my favourite Greek myths so I was super keen to read this retelling by Natalie Haynes, especially after loving her book 'A Thousand Ships'.

I really liked that this wasn't just told by Medusa's POV, we get a few different perspectives.
There's so much manipulation going on throughout as you would kind of expect when it comes to the Greek Gods. I enjoyed how the story all came together from the different POV's and I did like the little changes that Natalie added to make it more shocking and devastating.

The paces was well done, I read through it in two sittings. It's a great addition to the Greek retellings that are popular at the moment, I would definitely recommend.

The story of Medusa has always been harrowing and one of the darkest stories from Greek myths. Haynes has always been a very talented writer and every novel she writes just improves and this latest novel is no different.

Every character was brilliantly written and so vivid, you can practically hear the personality coming off the page. I'd highly recommend this to any greek or myth lover, a must for the collection!

Stone blind - Natalie Haynes

Well well well, another Fabulous Greek mythology Retelling has come upon us and YES to everything about Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes.

This was actually my first dive into Haynes’s work and I will definitely be going back to read their backlist if it’s anything like Stone blind. Medusa oh we do love you, you may be seen as a slithering, evil mythological being but Haynes takes us back to the very beginning of The one and only Medusa’s story and how the Woman who turned anyone to stone truly became the way she did and why she did the things she did. Oh and I’m talking way back.

Stone blind is such a Brilliant read, like I said Medusa is seen as this awful mythological being, but it’s the actions of others that made her the way she became, while the story is unraveling the more and more you just feel so sympathetic to Medusa and the cards she had been dealt in life.
It’s always the damn Greek Gods who have to go and spoil it! I’m talking about you Mr god of the sea.

I’ve always wanted A Medusa story told, they are just so fascinating and such a prolific person anytime she gets mentioned in any form of Greek lit I just want to know so so much more about her. I’m so happy Natalie Haynes did just that.

Stone blind will be out In September. Thank you so much to Pan mac/Mantle press for the copy :)

I've been meaning to pick up a Natalie Haynes book for ages and what better way to begin than with the myth of Medusa? Admittedly, this book was not what I expected and I'm still not 100% sure of my thoughts on it but I did love the sort of bittersweet ending with Athene and Medusa.

Brilliant re-telling of the myth of Medusa - with much more depth for those of us who were mostly familiar with it from the old Clash of the Titans film. The relationship of Medusa and her Gorgon sisters is lovely, and the style of telling has some great social comments as well as being generally engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Fantastic retelling of the Perseus / Medusa story. Natalie Haynes love and understanding of the classics is already well documented, her ability to put fresh light on these well told stories is shown off to great effect here. Tying together of different strands of the story in a witty and engaging way, whilst also posing the question of just who is the monster (spoiler, it isn’t Medusa), this is an up to the minute retelling of a classic.

Thoroughly recommend seeing Natalie live talking about the classics too…

Another brilliant re-telling from the infallible pen of Natalie Haynes. I finished it in a day - as much as I wanted to savor it, I just couldn’t stop reading!

Medusa is more sinned against than sinning in this version of her story - an innocent raised by two nurturing and protective sisters, she is at the mercy of the whims of gods and men. The scenes of the three Gorgons together are some of the most poignant, and Haynes uses them to make us question our ideas of beauty and monstrousness.

Perseus is not the heroic demi-god of legend, but a whiny teenager who can barely tie his sandals without divine intervention.

The gods and goddesses of Olympus and beyond are fascinating creatures. Capricious, distrustful, and prone to petty jealousies, Athena is a particular delight, and scenes of her double act with Hermes as Perseus’ advisors are laugh-out-loud funny.

Highly recommended, I will be pushing it into the hands of every customer upon release day in September!

I love Natalie Haynes' books and I was very excited and thankful to get an arc of her latest work.
Stone Blind mainly follows the myth of Medusa, and is told in Haynes' characteristic wit and depth, which makes it a compelling read. Her knowledge of Greek myths is, as usual, impressive and very interesting. However, the parts I appreciated most were those which explored what makes a monster. They were very thought-provoking and eye-opening.
Despite the fact this is called "Medusa's story", the story actually follows many different point of views. Apart from Medusa's, the two most present characters were Athene, a Greek goddess, and Perseus, the "hero" on a quest to fetch the head of Medusa.
Personally, I would have preferred if the book was more solely focused on Medusa, because I really loved her character and her relationship with her sisters was by far my favourite aspect of the story. The parts which followed Athene were quite interesting, because they gave an unusual prospective on the Greek gods, and featured many different myths. The parts about Perseus, however, I found a little tiresome, even if some of the snarky remarks Haynes made about him were very funny.
That being said, this was a really good book, and I would definitely recommend it.

I would read anything written by Natalie Haynes. Period. So when I heard that she wrote a book on Medusa, the most talked about and mis-represented character in the Greek mythology, I was in. Her writing is captivating and heart rendering. I was completely immersed. Thank you for the e-arc, publishers.

This is Haynes' take on the Medusa myth and as ever with her writing it is shot through with a lot of humour and sarcasm. The Greek Gods don't come out of this very well and neither do the 'heroes' of legends. Giving the gorgons voice was great and really opened up a new side of the story for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.


Everyone has heard of the creature with snakes for hair, the legendary Medusa. But how did she become so feared, and is she actually the monster of the story. Stone blind follows Medusa's life as she grows up with her sisters and gets more and more entangled into the mischievous plots of the mighty Greek gods.


I have always been a big fan of Greek mythology and was immediately intrigued by Medusa's origin story. And I was not disappointed. This story has a unique way of questioning the stories we know so far. The author put everything into perspective and makes the reader doubt who is the actual villain of the story. I loved this outlook on Medusa's story and would definitely pick up one of the author's other books to satisfy my need for a great Greek mythology book.

Natalie Haynes can do no wrong, and this is yet another in a series of triumphant retellings of Greek myth.
Many enthusiasts of retellings of such classics have been asking for a Medusa story appropriate for modern sensibilities, and this is simply what Haynes manages to deliver perfectly. With her characteristic wit, lyricism and humour, she offers an insightful inquiry into the question of what makes a monster.
Haynes' Medusa (and indeed the entire pantheon) is complex, nuanced and built through layers upon layers; not one immortal is as predictable as they seem upon first look and not one action is without its consequence. In many ways, this story promises to be focused and small., only to show that in a world where mortals are mere playthings for capricious immortal beings, there is little that can exist in a vacuum. I also appreciated the way Haynes deconstructs the dynamic of Perseus and Medusa most would be familiar with - the triumphant hero standing proud as he hold's the monster's head is no more; instead, a cowardly boy preys upon a girl who tried to hold on to goodness even as the world painted her as monstrous. The follow-up to this critical point in the story made me unable to tear my gaze away. The question of "what makes a monster" shifts its meaning from its initial approach in the first half of the text.
There are many times when the story shifts focus from our two seeming protagonists (or rather, our protagonist and antagonist) in an attempt to build a better picture, and I thought this technique did wonders in weaving this complex tapestry of a story many believe to know. It also furthered that feeling of the two being pawns in games greater than their own lives, merely two footnotes in the story of the gods.
This was breath-taking.

Natalie Haynes explores the myth of Medusa from her childhood to her infamous end. Intermingling with other stories of the Olympian gods, this is a stunning and heartbreaking piece of work.

Natalie Haynes is the absolute queen of the Greek mythological retelling. I adored A Thousand Ships and Pandora's Jar, and Stone Blind is, once again, an absolute banger. A romp through interconnected Greek myths, it feels strangely joyful even though it deals with gruesome stories. But Haynes's love for Greek myths and the characters in them jumps at you from the page. I loved the banter between Athene and Hermes, Perseus's incompetence, the narration by Medusa's head, the narration by olives.. it was an absolute joy to read.