I really enjoy female-centric Greek myth retellings and this was no exception. Looking at the affects one man has on the woman he comes into contact with, often with tragic results at times left me filled with righteous indignation and anger at the injustices they are dealt. The author’s version of Medusa’s story in particular touched me so much that I have started reading more about her.

At times I felt that the writing was aimed at a slightly younger, more YA audience despite some of the subject matter being more mature, but this did make the writing more accessible I think.

The narration was good and made for an enjoyable listening experience.

I listened to 'The Shadow of Perseus' by Claire Heywood and although i enjoyed the book overall, I always find four part, multiple charcater stories a bit confusing. I liked, however, that Heywood uses a more personable approach to retell the myth rather than focusing on the God's of the Ancient myths. In this modernised retelling Perseus is a mortal without the aid of flying sandals or help from the God's. Typically, Perseus is presented as the hero who rushed in and saved everyone from the Gorgons. In this retelling, however, Perseus is a monster and has no redeeming features at all. Told in four parts from the eyes of those around him, including his wife whom he abducted and his mother who's partner he slays, Perseus is made to be a monster in this novel. Would be interested to read Claire Heywood's other novel after this one.

An interesting take on the myth of Perseus...
I have to say that he is no dreamboat. Most of the time, I just wanted to make him pay for his utterly childish behavior.

Clearly, he never figured out what it took to be a man.

The story is told from three of the women in Perseus' life - and each of them tells a rather horrible account of their life with him. It just goes to show how far women will go for their son, husband, or love interest...
A bit scary, actually... now that I think about it!

A great read - recommended to all who enjoy Greek mythology retellings.

If you're looking for a book about Greek mythology that undermines the stories you already know. this is it.; Heywood questions every element of Perseus' story-- from how he was perceived to how the "magic" of his accomplishments really happened-- while giving a voice to the women who circled him during his life. This is touching in its empathy and horrifying in the portrayal of how powerful men take advantage of or destroy the women around them.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this female voice retelling of the myth of Perseus, the author used real world places and methods, removing the fantastical elements of the myth so this reads more as historical fiction than a myth and I can understand why that may not work for some people but it really worked for me!

I think if you enjoy The Wolf Den trilogy by Elodie Harper you will love this!

A feminist retelling of the story of Perseus, this book follows Perseus and the three most prominent women in his story, weaving in and out of all of their stories. Although Perseus is at the forefront of the book, it's mainly the story of the women, which I found a really interesting and engaging take. We follow Danae at first, then Medusa, then Andromeda, with Perseus as the secondary character almost.
The story is different from the traditional myth but it didn't bother me, and I found myself leaning into the story more because of some of these changes. There are sensitive topics touched upon on this book, and I found that the author managed them very well, while still adding to the story whilst developing the characters through their troubles. A great read for anyone looking to delve more into Greek mythology.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free ALC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Shadow of Perseus follows Perseus’s story, but through the eyes of three women who played massive roles in his life. The first is Danae, his mother, who would do anything to protect her son. The second is Medusa, who falls victim to him, and the final is Andromeda, the woman who unwillingly becomes his wife.

Seeing how Perseus evolves from a kind and caring boy to a man who wants to prove himself to an absolute monster was as fascinating as it was heartbreaking. Because we see this through the perspectives of the women in his life, it’s even more intense. We get to feel their conflicting emotions, see their hope grow and fade, and see how much pain they go through. The story flows across multiple years and locations, and I loved every second of it.

I think the author did a great job of making the story accessible to anyone, even those who might not be very familiar with mythology. The book touches on a lot of very sensitive subjects, and while the author doesn’t shy away from them, I do think that these topics were approached with the care that they deserve. The narrator was also amazing, and listening to this was a very pleasant experience.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is already interested in Greek mythology and perhaps wants to hear the story of Perseus from a different perspective, as well as anyone who might not know much about mythology and is looking for a place to start.

This book poses an eccentric view of a mythical hero by equally significant women in his life. We are used to the idea of Mythology and the stories handed down to us from a Patriarchal society from the B.C. without questioning. The author of this book Clarie Heywood has shattered the glass ceiling of any notion that we may have of who and what Perseus is? She has given voices to the misunderstood women in this story and in the process highlighted what misogyny may very well have transpired. She has also wonderfully managed to keep the story down to earth. The Narrator Olivia Darnley has done a brilliant job in bringing Claire’s words to life. I thoroughly enjoyed every single word of this book. Goosebumps.

I enjoy Greek myth retellings better in an audio book format, so I was happy to listen to The Shadow of Perseus narrated by Olivia Darnley. Her performance adds at least one star to my rating.

Novels that are based on Greek myths are never boring: there are lots of comings and goings, battles and adventures, kings and prophecies, heroes, gods and goddesses. Yet I often felt that the story is dragging, maybe because Perseus is portrayed as an arrogant pr*ck and a bully. He is in the title, but the main characters (and the positive ones) are the three dominant women in his life. They are the ones sharing their story with us.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an Advance Review Copy.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘The Shadow of Perseus’ by Claire Heywood. The audiobook is narrated by Olivia Darnley.

This is a feminist retelling of the story of Perseus, the legendary founder of Mycenae, told from the perspectives of the three women who featured in his life: Danae, his mother, Medusa, the Gorgon, and Andromeda, his wife.

In recent years there have been many retellings of Greek mythology presenting them from the viewpoints of the women in the tales. Indeed, this is the fourth retelling of the Perseus myth or rather the fourth that presents Medusa as more than a monster with the power to turn those that gaze upon her to stone.

This was an okay read with Perseus emerging as a spoiled and entitled man-boy leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. So, definitely no hero though Andromeda and Danae certainly do all they can to calm his murderous impulses and encourage him to be the king they envision. As for Medusa ….

It was obvious from the opening chapters that Claire Heywood’s approach was going to be to strip out all traces of mythology and the fantastical from the story and opt instead for realism. My heart sank a little.

As she writes in her Author’s Note: “I wanted to reimagine this myth within a historically authentic setting, without the intervention of gods or supernatural forces, and so create a story driven primarily by human decision.”

While I appreciate her wanting to take a different approach and also to be accurate in terms of her settings based on her research and understanding of the Bronze Age Mediterranean world, I am not keen on the stripping away of the mythical aspects.

While I would welcome a combination of both approaches I understand that not all writers are comfortable with or indeed able to depict the sacred and numinous alongside a historical perspective.

For those readers not bothered by this absence or who are seeking a reimagining based on a more realistic approach, then I am certain that ‘The Shadow of Perseus’ will be well received.

With respect to the audiobook, Olivia Darnley is an established actor with stage and screen experience. She has a lovely, melodious voice and was a pleasure to listen to.

Overall, while ‘The Shadow of Perseus’ was not my cup of tea in terms of the removal of the elements that make mythology mythic, I recognise what Claire Heywood was seeking to do even if it fell rather flat for me. Give me golden rain, demigods, Athena’s reluctant patronage, and the kraken rising every time.

Wow just wow. This was so beautifully written, an amazing retelling of the Perseus myth by adding humanity and giving a voice to the women who were just pawns to Perseus and especially Medusa who was demonized and turned into a hideous monster and later a tool to aid Perseus on his journey. I loved how Heywood took away most of the magic and created this hard-hitting reality with some very dark themes. Each woman had a unique story and personality and I loved that they were given life to create this incredibly interesting story. I also loved how it was kept as historically accurate as possible, I felt this added to the beauty of the story and also the setting. I really highly recommend I just thought it was amazing and I will definitely be checking out the rest of Claire Heywood's books.

I have been absolutely loving all the feminist retellings recently, and this is no exception. Much like Pat Barker's The Silence of The Girls, this adds a much needed humanity and voice to the woman who were forgotten and demonized in the original mythologies. By taking away a lot of the magic behind the myths, you get a much more hard hitting story.

I will definitely be picking up the author's previous work and look forward to what she brings out next.

Well that was excellent. I've really enjoyed some of the recent wave of myths retold and inevitably different authors are working on the same tales.
Claire Heywood brings something fresh to Perseus. If you can push through the first chapter without giving into the haven't we been here before you will be rewarded.

Loved the way the importance of words was highlighted, their choice changes events in the past and the future.

A very clever novel, very thoughtful. Lots to take away.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton Audio, and the author, for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow of Perseus follows the story of, you guessed it, Perseus! but through eyes of the three women around who his myth is formed of, his mother Danae, prophesized to bear him (read cursed), Medusa who he valiantly killed (read murdered) and Andromeda who he rescued (read kidnapped and raped).

Growth is when you begin to see how all mythology irrespective of era as narrated by men have villainized woman while wronging them and refusing to see them as equals or even humans - the way that even the story of Gods begins with rape, murder and power over female bodies! which is why I absolutely enjoyed this book. The story of a 'hero' told by three self aware, courageous, intelligent and wronged women. Women have forever been the background actors with either them being the villains or the reasons for all the trouble or the damsel in distress. So retellings like these that portray the female characters as the hero's blow a fresh breeze into the myths. Its shows us how Patriarchy rightly began with cis men telling the stories.

The prose is very lyrical and beautiful. The narration at times felt very clipped, but as the story proceeded grew on me. I felt all the outrage and pain that these woman went through.

TW: Sexual Assault (partly on page), Death, Murder, Blood, Gore, Parental neglect

I would recommend this book to mythology fans and lovers of books like Electra, Lore and Ariadne.

The Shadow of Perseus retells the story of Perseus through the eyes of the women in his life. The beginning and end of the story is told from the point of view of his mother, Danaë, with sections from Medusa and Andromeda’s perspectives in the middle.

There are now quite a few retellings focused on the women of mythology and The Shadow of Perseus is a strong addition. What I liked about this offering was the absence of the gods and goddesses. Instead, it focuses on the human elements of the story, this means the characters must take responsibility for their actions. It also emphasises how the truth can become twisted and rewritten over time for the sake of a good story, often to the benefit of the man while diminishing the role of women.

The plot itself is a familiar one, and apart from the omission of gods/goddesses it’s a pretty straight retelling. It would make a good entry point for people not familiar with the myth. I appreciated that it was also quite fast paced with changes in perspective, this kept me engaged despite knowing what would happen next!

The audiobook really added another dimension to the story, allowing you to be fully emerged in Ancient Greek! The narrator was really easy to listen to and did a wonderful job.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The greek myth of Perseus, told from the points of view of the women in his life: His mother Danae, Medusa, and Ariadne. I was a little sorry that the supernatural elements were removed - Perseus’s father isn’t Zeus, for example, but someone who sneaks into Danae‘s room where she’s held captive. Perseus himself is immature and petulant rather than a hero, which centres the women’s experience even more. It’s an interesting perspective, though, and a compelling, if episodic retelling. The audiobook reader does a great job.

This book was not what I was expecting, which was a sweeping epic of the deeds of the demigod Perseus, instead I was faced with an ancient story, rather different to the original, with a hauntingly modern feel. In this book Perseus is an immature, self absorbed man who believes the world owes him everything because he is ‘special’.
This story is told from the perspectives of three women who play significant roles in the powerful myth of mighty Perseus: the mother who birthed the hero, the gorgon he slew and the loving wife he saved from a terrible monster. But Heywood imagines a new tale, keeping the bare bones of the myth and removing the magic, she gives us the story of how an entitled man with a bruised ego going out into the world treating the women he meets as objects for his taking.
I can see how there could be perceived weakness shown by the three woman centred in this story but I feel that this is almost deliberate, in greek myths and their retellings we are used to daring escapes and witty loopholes but that isn’t what this story is. These women are scared and naïve, removed from the world of myth, we can’t expect them to save themselves by pulling off astonishing acts.
This is not a story about heroic women. It is a story about the victims of bad men.

Thank you Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a very interesting take on the story of Perseus. The way this was written the way a historical novel would, without the mythology aspect. I was satisfied by the plot of this novel and the form of the characters, however I felt that there could’ve been more to the ending. I also would have liked the plot to have slightly more energy to it, at times it was too simply written for me personally. Danae’s strength through Perseus’ story was what made the book for me, and her humility. The way her story was entwined with Andromeda was well done. Additionally, Medusa’s story made me feel such empathy with her, and the terrible things she faced, especially from the hands of Perseus.

Perseus has never been my favorite hero but seeing him in this book has been very traumatic. The story has been completely reimagined even if the main events remain the same, as it happens in The song of Achilles. I must admit that I really loved this new light on the story, one that tries to be more realistic than the myth. Indeed Medusa is just a girl that lives outside society and is seen as a monster by men who can’t conceive women being independent; Andromeda is a girl that doesn’t need to be saved and is taken away from her family and lover; Danae is a lonely girl that ends up with a son from the only boy that defies her father and males her feel less lonely. All these women have something original to say, I especially loved Andromeda’s story, who is able to take the best from a terrible situation. Perseus is really awful, he thinks he is a great hero, but he always remains a boy that wants to impress other. He is definitely not the center of the story but just the switch the makes those women tell us their story.

The narration is so good it moved and made me cry at certain points, definitely recommended.

Thank you so much for letting listen to this audiobook. I am just a sucker for myth retellings and if they are from a female perspective all the better.