Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bloomsbury for the chance to read #Medusa in exchange for an honest review. I never expected little old me to be approved for an ARC from such a famous author.

I had not previously read anything by Jessie Burton, so I do not have a frame of comparison for this work against her others. I'm aware that this will not be in the same style as her novels for adults. The writing was very lyrical in this, but she took a few liberties, particularly in the dialogue, which sounded fresh and authentic.

"Medusa" obviously sits in a class all of its own when it comes to style and setting and can't really be compared to other YA of this time. I'm aware that people now consider "retellings" a wholly separate genre, and it isn't something I am drawn to by default, but I do think that this book is important reading and that it will resonate with women and girls of all ages and from all cultures.

I'm wondering which age group would be most impacted by reading this book, because it's being marketed as YA but I think it would actually find its best audience within 10-14 year olds. I am even potentially anticipating that, with its easy relatability and quotability and beautiful illustrations by Olivia Lomenech Gill, Jessie Burton's Medusa may become this generation's "The Little Prince".

As a side note, I think the book requires some pre-existing knowledge of Greek mythology. It's not like backstory and context are not given - plenty is shared as Medusa tells her story to Perseus - but I do think that knowing in advance that Perseus is sent to kill Medusa adds a layer to the narrative and makes it that much more heartbreaking how excited she is to meet him when he will eventually betray her.

Knowing the original Medusa myth also allows the reader to see where it is that Burton strayed from it and allows reflection on why those are the elements where she chose to change the narrative.
This was very much an allegory for victim blaming and rape culture, and will be a very validating read for girls everywhere and definitely encourage discussions around body shaming and personal agency.

Headlines:
Feminist retelling
Underlying relevance for today
Illustrations that will blow your mind with their beauty

My first thought on finishing is that I need this in a hard copy, so I would say that if possible, savour this in the flesh rather than ebook. The illustrations are utterly eye-catching, inspired and beautiful.

This retelling was YA but it’s not without dark and difficult themes. I have placed some trigger warnings at the bottom of this review. While this was a Medusa tale with some familiarity, it really portrayed her perspective, what life was like for her. I particularly thought for the first time what life would be like with snakes on your head, the loss of her hair and how that affected her with the same hopes and desires as any young woman. Her narrative alongside Perseus’ was bittersweet and yet still something to delight in.

There were so many moments in this historical retelling that will resonate with women in the now, be they young and older. Here’s a flavour of what hit me: power and powerlessness, victim shaming, body image, empowerment and finding your identity. Medusa sure had a lot to tell us.

"People think your beauty is their possession. As if it’s there for their pleasure, as if they’ve got something invested in it. They think you owe them for their admiration."

I think it’s obvious I adored this book and that it would be a lovely gift for yourself or others.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for the early review copy.

TW: rape, sexual assault, victim shaming, stalking, body image

I liked this retelling of the Medusa story and thought the combination of Jessie Burton's words & Olivia Lomenech Gill's images were a perfect match as they complimented each other beautifully. The art was stunning and it was a wonderful addition to see when reading this. Jessie Burton told Medusa's story with compassion and intrigue and it was nice to see the story told in a way that felt contemporary and more in line with modern academic dicussions.

Jessie Burton has done it again! The feminist re-inagining of Medusa gives a whole new perspective on the myth we al think we know - one of my favourites of 2021!

This is a lovely book filled with beautiful illustrations and a re-telling of Medusa’s character. It’s a feminist re-telling where Medusa is not the villain. She’s just a girl that was punished for no reason other than men desired her, but she did not want to be desired.

I loved everything about this!
Despite Medusa being a huge figure in Greek Mythology, I feel like I knew very little about her? I loved this insight into the story of Medusa, Jessie Burton’s writing is so immersive.
The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! I’m definitely going to have to get a copy of this when it’s out so I can admire them whenever I want!

I have read a lot of this book but as I can only view it on my phone I’m really not getting the best experience. The book is beautiful and the illustrations are to die for but so tiny on my phone. It has however convinced me that I need to buy the book so that I can fully experience it.
A great retelling.

Unfortunately I couldn’t read the book due to the format but i do think i will enjoy it once i get the finished copy

What a beautiful retelling, centring Medusa. I didn't know the mythology behind her myth, only the story everyone knows about how she's a monster with a head of snakes that turn people to stone and she gets her head cut off. This, instead, was such a lyrical way to give her her own voice and let her reclaim her own story. I would have loved to read this when I was younger but I really appreciated it as an adult. It touched on sexual assault, victim-blaming, harassment, and so many things that feel still timely today. The illustrations were absolutely stunning too and brought this tale to life. I would buy myself a copy in a heartbeat.

Medusa has escaped to a far away Island to flee the whims of the Gods after her last encounter with Athena ended in disaster. Soon a boy comes to the island lost from his mission and Perseus and Medusa begin to tell one another their story.

I'm a huge fan of Greek mythology and have been enjoying the latest retellings, especially the ones focused from the women's POV. So I'm glad I can add this to the pile I enjoyed, I flew through this pretty quickly, its not a long book but it didn't need to be.

I enjoyed the writing style, Medusa is a story we all know so I was keen to see what this retelling would bring. I liked Medusa as a character and I really liked that we got her POV before she had the head of snakes and then afterwards. So often Medusa is shown as the monster, but not how she became that way and what she went through before the Gods turned on her. There are some really beautiful quotes in this one, and parts I'm sure many women will relate too.

I did have a couple of issues with the conversations between Medusa and Perseus, it felt a little young and for me didn't have the same tone as the rest of the book. It's also spread out across a few days which I thought was a little unnecessary, so while those days were spent in conversation not a lot else was really happening.

I'm undecided on the ending, it's different to what I expected and while I don't think that's a bad thing because this is a retelling I'm still not sure how I feel about the differences.

The illustrations are really beautiful and do a great job bringing the story to life. I can't wait to see the published copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for an E-arc copy of this book.

It is so frustrating, I requested this book but it is not available on the Kindle so I haven't read it. Thank you publishers for the opportunity though.

Beautiful and lyrical. A truly haunting retelling of a well-known myth.
In the age of #metoo and consent, Medusa's tale garners far more sympathy than ever before and Burton's wonderfully atmospheric prose tugs at your heart strings.
Her admission of what happened to her and her insight into how people think you're beauty is there possession was just heartbreaking.
A relatively short story but no less powerful for it's simplicity.

This is an absolutely stunning book. Beautiful illustrations and poetic storytelling, I loved everything about this book!

I apologise but the downloaded version isn't compatible with my Kobo e-reader.

I would still love to review this novel on my blog and Instagram.

Please feel free to email me a MOBI or EPUB copy.

My email address is: justbringbooks@gmail.com

Thank you very much.

Kind regards,

Jessica

Now THIS is the side of the story I have always wanted to hear about! Medusa’s OWN story from her OWN mouth. In mythology, she is always portrayed as ugly, dangerous and unpredictable - lethal. In this story, we see a young girl, afraid and alone, forced to live away from others in case she hurts them - or they harm her. Her only companions, a dog and her sisters, the Gorgons, who fly out to hunt during the day, returning to their sister at night with food.

One day, a boy lands his boat on the island - it’s Perseus.

We see the side of Medusa that the original myth writers would never have imagined: a young girl who is taken advantage of, vulnerable, used by men for their own pleasure, and then blamed for something that she has no control over.

In the original stories, she gets her just desserts. Medusa is ugly and not to be trusted. It gives an insight into how men regarded women at this time. Be subservient. Be a virgin. Don’t get raped, and if you do, it’s your own fault - you brought it on yourself (I can feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about this). Women don’t come out of myth and legend terribly well.

I absolutely loved this. Medusa isn’t a meek, mild victim, but neither is she evil. She knows, or has some idea anyway, her glance can cause a lot of damage - so she hides herself away.

And in this story, not a single head is lost.

The illustrations are gorgeous as well.

I wonder if Jessie Burton will write more Greek myths in this way? Because I’m all in!
Many thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for my copy of this gorgeous book through NetGalley.

Medusa by Jessie Burton,illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill
I give this book 4 stars

Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is disrupted,unleashing desire, love and betrayal…

Told to you by a young Medusa, we learn the story of a lonely girl (not a monster) unfairly cursed by a god...l especially loved that she didn’t fully understand the implications of her curse and the personal relationship she had with her snakes.This beautiful and sad story of her developing a relationship with a boy is interspersed with colourful and expressive illustrations that add so much more to the reading experience.
With thanks to Netgalley,Jessie Burton and Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for my chance to read and review this book

Thank you so much Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for the e-arc of Medusa by Jessie Burton and Olivia Lomenech Gill in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This book is a visual and mental delight! Seeing, feeling and living Medusa’s life through her own eyes and thoughts brings a whole new perspective to the maiden, monster, myth that is Medusa.

The beautiful narration and stunning illustrations truly bring this story to life, and whilst targeted at the YA market, it is universal and will be embraced by all who read it.

To say that this book draws out feelings and memories from the reader is an understatement, it draws forth the sensations of falling in love, that first time you talk through the night with that special person, the loss and desolation of lost love, lost innocence, but also and most importantly that feeling of self, of acceptance of who you are.

If you love myth, mythology, female perspective or just damn good books, then I highly recommend you pick this one up, - if only for the illustrative artistry, never mind the beautiful prose and totally encompassing story.

A mesmerising and enchanting story! The life of Medusa through her eyes accompanied by delightful illustrations makes this book a absolute delight and I could not wait to go back to it every chance I got. The story is beautifully narrated and also brings new meaning to what a myth really is. I absolutely loved this book and have been gushing about it to everyone I know. I would not consider this book as exclusively aimed at YA, it is too good to be boxed into just one audience or category.

Sorry. Unable to access this book. Will not download onto my Kindle. Would love to read it, if this problem can be remedied.

Original re-telling of the story of a Greek mythological character, fascinating.

This reworking of the myth of Medusa, the Gorgon, puts a very different slant to her story and centres around the arrival of Perseus on the island where she lives in self-imposed exile. Having been abused by Poseidon and Athena, she discovers another side to her life as she embraces possible romance. It’s a short novel, written in literary style, effective and original. It’s enjoyable and beautifully illustrated with painted colourful pages. I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review