Medusa | Rosie Hewlett

Favourite Quote: "You can't look like that and not expect attention. She is asking for it, surely? She must secretly want it, mustn't she? Because all women do, right?"

Star rating: 5/5          Spice level: 0/10        Cover Art rating: 10/10  

Synopsis;

Within the depths of the Underworld the formidable snake-haired Gorgon has finally had enough. Tired of being eternally and unjustly brandished a villain, Medusa has found the courage to face her tragic past and speak out. Determined to expose the centuries of lies surrounding her name, Medusa gives unparalleled insight into her cursed life, from her earliest memories and abandonment at birth, right through to her tragic and untimely death at the hands of the hero Perseus. Through telling her story, Medusa finally reveals the lost truth behind antiquity's most infamous monster.

Review;

 I actually loved Medusa from Greek Mythology, the fact she could turn men to stone by looking at them i thought was brilliant! But it is great to see an author create an entire novel dedicated to her, when so many overlook the villain and just re-use the same well known Greek mythological characters due to their popularity amongst us book nerds. I now view Medusa in such a different light. I wonder how many more villains deserve a voice of their own. The villain in many stories never get a voice, they are introduced the reader at that particular point in time; how did they get there? Why are they like that? If you do some digging into their past, there is almost always something that has been  triggered to make them the way they are. 

This gorgeous Greek mythology retelling of the Gorgon Medusa is such a refreshing take on the ‘monster’ who turns men to stone. I adored reading this as there isn’t (well not that I have come across) a book out there that portrays Medusa the way Hewlett does; misunderstood with a story to tell. Medusa's fictional autobiography relays a powerful message to the reader about sexism and the suffering that victims of sexual abuse / any abuse go through. I love the fact that the two main topics of the story are that no monster is born, they are made, and that beauty is a curse. I believe both of these to be true as there is so much evidence throughout history and even in the present day. 

A few points that i picked up;

• The story is complex and very readable
• The writing flows really nicely
• Touches on trigger warning notions such as rape and victim blaming (no graphic description of any kind, just touches on the subject)
• Relatable content 

Have you read Medusa? let me know your thoughts in the comments!