Who decides who and what a monster is? Stone Blind took me about 20 pages to get really get invested but once I got past that, I was completely hooked and read the remainder in one sitting.

Stone Blind follows the story of Medusa, from being a baby abandoned to her sisters all the way to the end we all (think) we know. Other gods and goddesses make appearances throughout the story and help to weave a broader narrative and set the tone of what is to follow.

Themes of sisterhood, family and obligation are beautifully crafted in this novel as well as a very strong feminist lens on what happened and how we should look more critically at the stories we have been told (and why we have been told only those stories).

If you're at all interested in mythology and have been looking for a novel that can sweep you away but also make you question your history/classics lessons then this one is for you.

My obsession with retellings of Greek mythology continues! I loved Haynes's A Thousand Ships, and have listened to her podcast more than I care to admit, so when I found out she was doing Medusa's story, I was so excited!

Despite the 'Medusa's story' on the cover, she doesn't get much of a say, which is a shame. I like the multiple POVs, I like how the inevitable murder of Medusa is framed in a much bigger context, but ultimately I feel like Medusa becomes a bit of a side character in her own story.

I would have loved a vengeful Medusa, but instead it is a broken Medusa this story portrays, but it feels right for this story. Her nature is one of compassion instead of vengeance.

Other bits I liked:
- Hera. I never used to like her, but in the many retellings I've read this year, she always has a dry, sarcastic wit, and most of my highlights in this book is Hera.
- The commentary on what makes a monster, and who decides who is a monster. Beautifully written.
- Athene. Or rather, seeing Athene portrayed as the misogynistic goddess she is. She does not come out of this story well.
- Taking Perseus's status as a hero, and making him a petulant teenager who can't do anything right by himself. I love to hate him.

I wasn't as captivated by this book as I had hoped, but I was also dealing with a reading slump, so that might have had something to say.

I do love Haynes's writing, it is witty when it needs to be, and sincere and somber when the story calls for it. Will definitely continue to read and listen to what she writes!

Thank you @netgalley for the eARC! The book is out september 2022.

DNF @ 30%

I was desperate to get my hands on a Medusa story, but despite the title, blurb and cover image this is the story of all the Greek gods.

Haynes tells but does not show. The writing is simple and no character is focused on long enough to make me care for them.

I have this very deep-seated urge to read every mythological retelling I can get my hands on, especially the ones taking a closer and more modern look at the women of ancient tales that are often forgotten. Medusa is a prime example of one such woman - all I knew about her when growing up and learning about Greek mythology is that she was a monster, slain by the great hero Perseus. That she is so much more than that, and that her story is a lot more tragic and cruel than one might think at first glance, is something I found out much later when I delved deeper into the myths and their various interpretations. Obviously, I was very excited to read Haynes' take on Medusa, and I've enjoyed the author's previous retellings a lot.

"Stone Blind" is, though, not entirely focused on Medusa at all. Even more so, it's Athene's story with her perspective being the dominant one especially in the first half of the book. There are a lot of povs, and while they are all connected to Medusa in some ways, they rarely focus entirely on her. That does lead to Medusa, as a character, not being as rich and deep as she could have been portrayed, but it fits with the overall way the story is told. This is not a character study, it focuses more on all the circumstances that lead to Medusa's death and shines a light on a very different, much more critically viewed version of Perseus. I really quite loved it. I do admit I was at first a little disappointed at the lack of Medusa because the description of the book very much makes it out to be, well, a book about Medusa, and I would have loved more focus on her. But for what it is - a loose retelling of Perseus' "hero" tale focusing on the women in his story - it's very good.

The writing is gorgeous and the story is masterfully crafted, at no point was I bored or confused by the multitude of characters. The pacing is perfect, the ending absolutely spectacular. This really is a great book - just don't go into it expecting a story solely focused on Medusa.

4.5 stars

After being disappointed by the last Greek mythology retelling I read, I was nervous going into this one, but it reaffirmed my love for Greek mythology stories! It told the origin story of Medusa in such a unique way, forcing the reader to question who the true villain is of that myth. It doesn't focus exclusively on Medusa, which I was a little confused about at first, but by the end I saw that it could not have been done any other way, because all of these myths and stories hinge upon the outcomes of other myths and stories. It was emotional and devastating, but there was also a lot of humour with the perspective of the narrator, whose identity you don't find out until right near the end, which I thought was a great storytelling choice.

This was my first Natalie Haynes book, but it certainly won't be my last!

Stone Blind is a beautifully written, multilayered story. Medusa’s, yes, but Hera, Athene, Euryale, Sthenno, Danaë, Andromeda, Nereids and even snakes and olive groves all have their say, too.

Medusa is the only mortal in her family and lacks the strength, size, tusks, and immortality of her Gorgon sisters, Euryale and Sthenno, who grow protective of her. When Poseidon commits an unforgivable crime against Medusa in Athene’s temple, it is Medusa who pays the price and is cursed by a vengeful Athene to have snakes grow from her head and a lethal gaze that turns whatever living thing she sees to stone.

Later, the callous and selfish Perseus is tasked with killing a Gorgon and returning with its head - all to save his mother the inconvenience of marrying a king. Who is really the monster of this story? A young girl, harmed unjustly twice, or the man who plots to murder her, thinking nothing of her life and driven by the desire to use her body as a trophy?

We all know how the myth ends, but Haynes reframes the patriarchal narratives of Greek mythology. The traditional hero of the story - Perseus - is thoughtless, inept and bloodthirsty, only succeeding through the machinations of Zeus, Athene and Hermes. Athene, goddess of wisdom, is cold and ultimately lonely, while Poseidon and Zeus are the definition of toxic masculinity.

I loved Haynes’ writing, use of multiple points of view and the fact she makes her reader reflect on their ideas of good and evil. History is written by the victors but in Stone Blind Haynes invites us to consider whether the victors are actually heroes after all.

Stone Blind is out on September 15th. Thank you to Netgalley and Mantle for the e-arc.

Stone Blind is one of my 2022 highly anticipated books and I was ecstatic when I was kindly given a proof copy. Thank you @mantlepressbooks
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This is suppose to be Medusas story but it wasn’t fully focused on Medusa, she sadly takes back stage, but in my review I want the Gorgons to take centre stage because they were the heart and soul of this book. I felt most compelled when reading about Medusa and her sisters. I absolutely loved the bond between the them. Stheno and Euryale are written so beautifully, despite being known as monstrous creatures, this author transformed them into endearing and intriguing characters that absolutely needed more page time, I don’t know why they weren’t uniquely explored more. I loved Medusa with and without her heart, seeing her grow protectively under her sisters nurturing wings melted my heart and the devastating aftermath of Medusa being cruelly targeted and then cursed was heartbreaking.
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For me the rest of the characters didn’t feel compelling enough, Athena has a big part in this book and I would have liked her character to have been more mesmerising. The Gods are infuriating bickering fools that often get bored and inflict horrible acts. We were told often how bored they were which bored me!! The hero is just as foolish and annoying as the Gods, which was motivated for this feminism twist in these traditional Greek myths.
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There’s so many narratives and POV’s to get your head around, I literally felt as though i had a full head of snakes all hissing at me constantly while trying to read. Not problematic but messy. It’s so easily confusing, how jumpy the perspectives and narratives are, eventually it all does intertwine, with a bitter sweet ending.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book at 20%. I was so excited to read it and it was one of my most anticipated releases for this year. However, I’m really struggling to read it. I like the writing, but there’s way too many characters and it’s very confusing. I also thought it was Medusa’s story, but it focuses on a lot of different characters. I read all of part one and feel like hardly any of it was actually about Medusa. It might all join together and become relevant to the story of Medusa, however I can’t keep reading as unfortunately this book just isn’t for me. I’m rating this DNF 2 stars because the writing is good, it’s just way too confusing for me.

From the cinematic sweep of the opening to the invitation to share the terror and flight of a character, this book states its intentions clearly. The reader will need empathy and be prepared to share a span of emotions. There will be grief and pain.
However, that is the point where the skill and humour of the author kicks in, using the technique of multiple POVs the story of a ‘hero’ winning his prizes becomes one of cost. What has to be paid as the price of these enduring myths to the participants, willing or otherwise?
Drawing upon a lifetime’s devotion, Haynes the classicist offers us a mirror to view the many strands of Greek Myth with an emphasis on highlighting the wealth of female characters so often marginalised or overlooked. The writer draws upon her knowledge to revive stories that have been forgotten or altered in years of telling, providing at times such description to encourage the reader to visualise the scene, the heat of Helios on the skin, the laughter of the Hesperides in the ear. Her style is engaging, this book is a fitting return to fiction after ‘A Thousand Ships’ and must cement the author’s growing reputation.
There seems one important thing to remember about the Gods, that whilst power and immortality might sound alluring, they have never and will never find love or truly receive it. That is humanity’s special unique gift.
I have been on a difficult journey here, laughed, cried but I shall be happy to do it all over again. I didn’t want the book to end, it’s a keeper, definitely.
“He didn’t need to be brave to kill her while she slept.”

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I was, I am the daughter of a sea god, and even though I was fated to die, I was hardly an ordinary mortal, was I? I had wings, for a start. Do you have wings? No, I didn’t think so. Here’s something else I have: the ability to retain my memories, my faculties, even after death. I really wasn’t like other girls.”

Wonderful! Initially I was disappointed that the story didn’t focus on Medusa exclusively but by the end, I couldn’t see how it could have been done without the cast of characters- the Greek Gods and Demi-gods. The story is told with such humour- I loved all the different points of view from the snakes on Medusa’s head to the head itself. And I loved that Medusa was solely the victim and Perseus was a complete twit!

Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Summary: A retelling of the story of Perseus and Medusa. A story we think we all know but have we ever really considered who the monsters are…
Thoughts: Loved this from the moment I picked it up. I mean, I’m a fan of Greek mythology and of retellings but this one hit all the right notes and really made me think. I feel like I know the story back to front but suddenly considering Medusa as a character rather than an evil for someone to destroy has made me reevaluate everything I thought about it. An instant classic and a story I will reread again and again. It’s written so well and so engagingly even with all the interweaving stories and complicated names. I thought all the different points of views and voices throughout gave it such depth and humanity.
Recommend this whole-heartedly!!

Stone Blind is the story of the Gorgon Medusa, loved by her sisters but wronged by the Gods and branded a monster by the mortals. There are several POVs in this book, but Haynes manages to keep them distinct enough that it isn't hard to follow. The mythology is weaved through masterful storytelling to give a familiar story a new edge. Plus, that cover is stunning!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 23%

I was really excited for this one, I enjoy mythology but I have barely read about Medusa!

I might be in the minority here as many poeple have enjoyed it or loved it. Unfortunately, not all books are for all readers.

This book focuses on too many people and little about Medusa. Having so many POV doesn't make the story easier or interesting, on the contrary. It is a mess. Once you are into someone's story, it suddenly changes to another character and you lose track.

There are a few trigger warnings so please do your research accordingly.

Thank you for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!

My all-time favourite genre of books to read is mythology, and so I just had to read this one too! There are many iterations of Medusa’s myth, and this was a great one. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in Greek mythology!

A stunning and evocative read, a perfect addition to the recent trend of retellings. A new favourite for sure

Natalie Haynes has done it again.
She is one of the defining Greek mythology retellers for me. The way she fleshes out the entire context around a story, fully forming the characters, histories and legacies of each strand until they come together in spectacular fashion is beautiful to witness. She also always takes the story into unexpected territory, placing her distinctive twist on it.
Medusa is a myth that has fascinated me throughout my life, from the initial story I heard as a child, to discovering the various versions of her backstory. She is such an important symbol in today’s society and Haynes delves into this in intriguing and nuanced fashion. Here, she is a symbol of the monstrosity perceived in women’s emotions and a reflection of the horrors of patriarchal violence and rape culture. She is all too human in her vulnerability and in the way she becomes a pawn or plaything in the hands of the gods. Haynes also weaves this incredibly compelling narrative that fleshes out the entire backstory surrounding Medusa. We get insights into every connecting character and a real sense of the history that has come before this. It is an intricate and incredibly detailed web that brings this ancient world fully to life.

However, it is important to note that this is not entirely the story you think you know. There is a sharp sense of pathos and different explorations of women holding power. These women are all deeply flawed in one way or another, yet Haynes still evokes a shred of empathy for the reader. In particular, I am thinking of the ending scene and how beautifully emotional it was for me. It was entirely unexpected and yet fit perfectly into this tapestry woven for us by Haynes.

Stone Blind is another deeply fierce reimagining of the stories we think we know from an author that is carving her own path and pulling up the voices of forgotten women from these narratives.

Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

I really loved this feminist retelling of the myth of Medusa - giving her a voice, a personality and letting us see her as a living creature rather than a scary monster that a brave young man must destroy to show his greatness.
This left me so sad at her fate and so mad at Perseus - the writing was so well done and Natalie Haynes is now officially one of my auto-buy authors.

I found this book quite difficult to get into. There are lots of stories being told, by various storytellers, each with their own style and tone, so jumping between the different POVs sometimes felt broken and frustrating, and just as I found myself settling into one person's POV, we were thrown into the next and I was constantly wondering where and how all of it connects. By the end, I came to enjoy the connecting story but felt that I would have enjoyed it more had it flowed differently.

Natalie has incredible knowledge of greek mythology, and I think meeting over a cup of coffee could be absolutely captivating. However, at times there were just so many POVs that dragged on, and it made me want to skim over because really, I just wanted to focus on Medusa which is what I felt the synopsis promised. That being said, some chapters were so interesting and unique and challenged the misconception that Medusa was just a monster.

A classical retelling of the Medusa/Perseus myth with some Olympian shenanigans amongst the gods.

Natalie Haynes is well known for her fictional A Thousand Ships and non fiction Pandora's Jar and knows her sources from a scholarly point of view.

What differentiates this novel from others in the genre is its humorous, wry tone most notably in narrator asides. Perseus is portrayed as cowardly , useless and thoughtless. He seems at loss about how to achieve his quest without divine intervention. He plays on the fact that Zeus is his father but seems to lack any compassion or understanding.

Medusa and her Gorgon sisters are treated more sympathetically in their love for each other and their animals/way of life.

One of the questions raised is what is a monster? This theme is referred to many times and links with themes of identity. What makes us human? Medusa and Perseus are both semi divine , but which one shows better human qualities of empathy, understanding, self awareness etc?

All the other "cast" also attract the narrator's sarcastic gaze from philandering Zeus himself to naive Andromeda who is taken in by Perseus' charm.

A really entertaining and humorous account of the myth which nevertheless explores deeper themes.

Like A THOUSAND SHIPS, STONE BLIND is made up of lots of different interweaving stories. They are told by different characters in different voices, some in first, some in third, some addressing the reader directly, some in past tense, some in present. It makes it seem like you're getting many sides of a story, particularly the many women involved.

It's a style that didn't quite work for me personally. It felt a little too jumbled as it takes a while for the various stories to actually intersect, feeling like tangents for a long while until it's revealed that this is the mother of Perseus, for example. It made me wonder why I was reading about these characters - not to mention all the side plots with the gods squabbling over Athens etc.

The book has contempt for pretty much everyone in the book - human and gods. Only the "monstrous" gorgons get away with a good write up, loving each other and being a family who just want to live their lives in peace. But they're the playthings of the gods, like the humans, so are going to get dealt a bad hand.

The male and female gods get equally bad write ups. Zeus is bored so rapes women for fun (the book uses that word specifically, and I'm glad it wasn't being glossed over as consensual.) Athene is petulant and spoilt and it feels like she invents reasons to hate Poseidon. Hera is spiteful and punishes Zeus' victims rather than her husband - and seems to glory in holding grudges. Poseidon is another serial rapist and greedy (the scene where he assault Medusa show just how callous he is.)

The book is also very contemptuous of Perseus. He's a pretty pathetic, useless young man who needs his hand held throughout. And then he develops a taste for blood once it becomes easy to kill without really having to do anything.

In all, this is a book that explores the various lives ruined by the gods in Greek mythology and how pitiful or hateful almost everyone in the mythology is.