Yes, another mythology retelling. I just can’t help myself, especially when it is about one of the most intriguing characters in mythology. Medusa by Rosie Hewlett tells Medusa’s story on her terms. Medusa is the mortal daughter of a marine goddess. She is left to serve as a priestess in Athena’s temple. In all that time, Athena never answers a single prayer. She grows into a beautiful young woman and catches the eye of the god Poseidon himself. Except he doesn’t take no for an answer. Laying on the floor brutalized, Athena finally appears and is offended by Medusa’s conduct in her temple and turns her into a Gorgan. At first, Medusa pities herself but then realizes the power she wields…

TRIGGER WARNINGS: This book discusses the rape of Medusa and how she was treated as a victim afterward. Throughout history, Medusa is seen as a monster who was vanquished by the hero Perseus. It is not becoming a more prevalent opinion that she isn’t a monster, but a survivor. This book is relatively short, I would almost consider it a novella. But the story is pretty straightforward. I was not a fan of this version of Perseus. I wanted Medusa to fight to the end.

The pace is nonstop leaving little room for development, but I suppose that is because the author is relying heavily on the reader’s knowledge of mythology. There is one thing that bugged me and that is the dialogue. It is very stilted and bland. It was as if I was back in the 5th-grade class I subbed in last week. However, I loved all the feminist themes and how the author shines a light that Medusa was a survivor, not a monster that we were all led to believe. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars and definitely plan to check out more of this author’s books!