Herstory

Ancient Greek myths have been told and retold for centuries; reshaped and rewritten in ways that may seem impractical, or more practical, depending on your point of view. Rick Riordan shook up the literary world with his series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Margaret Atwood gave Penelope a voice in The Penelopiad. Add to this list of retellings, Medusa by Rosie Hewlett, the story of how Medusa came to be a monster whose infamy lasted for thousands of years.

But who was really the monster in this one?

Abandoned by her mother, Medusa was raised in the Temple of Athena by a lonely priestess, and as she grew older, she dedicated her life to the goddess of war and wisdom. As a young woman, news of her beauty spread far and wide, even to the ears of the gods. Enter Poseidon, god of the sea, embarrassed when the people chose Athena over himself, and set on getting revenge.

Medusa is an interesting take on an infamous tale, and was so interesting that I read it in one sitting. The story was so beautifully written, with one surprising twist, it is definitely a 5 star novel. I am looking forward to reading more from Rosie Hewlett!

If you have any thoughts, questions or review requests, please comment below, email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

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