From a young age, Medea’s powers have ostracised her. Even her own family hate her magic and spurn her for it. When the opportunity arises for her to use her powers and finally prove their worth to her father, she takes it. Yet it is still the magic he respects, not her. Cue Jason, the first person to look on her without fear or hatred and the first to offer an escape from the suffocating walls of Colchis palace…

This book hooked me from the very first sentence: “When I was a child, I turned my brother into a pig”. This simple statement opens up so many questions and the answers to these questions create an immediately engaging and sympathetic character. A young girl with power, but no idea how to use it for her own benefit, and surround by those who either hate or fear her. Medea is shown to be both clever and naïve, her sheltered upbringing making it difficult for her to read other people’s intentions with any real clarity. However the most enticing aspect of her character is the way she puts her whole self into everything she does, whether that be love, hate, magic, survival, or revenge.

In order to cram decades of Medea’s life into one book, Rosie Hewlett focusses on her character’s defining moments. A particularly big leap of ten years means that we miss out on witnessing Medea’s growth from a child to an adult, a daughter to a wife, and a girl to a mother. Although these would have been some great moments to read, the sudden jump works to emphasise the extent of the changes in her life. We go from hints about her future straight into seeing the full and lasting impact of her mistakes come to life. The detail and emotion in the second half of this book make it easy for the reader to build their own devastating images to fill the gaps of Medea’s life.

What I like most about this book is the ending. There is no concrete conclusion, either good or bad; just a recognition that life has happened. Medea is presented as a vastly different woman from the girl at the beginning of the book and the reader is able to recognise both her mistakes and the outside influences that led her to them. This left me with mixed feelings and a sense of connection to Medea as though I had shared her trials with her as I read them. Overall the complexity and depth to Medea’s character makes for an absorbing read and an unbeatable feeling of satisfaction.

** spoiler alert ** 3.5 rounded up
I was so hopeful for this as I loved Rosie Hewlett’s version of Medusa. And although this was still a solid retelling and wonderfully written I wish that the book would have actually focused on Medea. It felt like she was a side character being manipulated by Jason at every turn until she breaks, which is usually how it goes so this didn’t bring anything new to the table. Medea is a badass, and by some accounts she didn’t even murder her kids, I wish someone would tell that version.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of Medea.

The author draws the reader into Medea’s story from her childhood in Colchis, setting the scene for a young girl, seeking the love she hadn’t experienced, to follow a path leading to her being reviled as a witch and a murderer. This early trauma is seen to be a contributory factor to what unfolds and the decisions Medea makes through the course of her life.

Written from Medea’s perspective, this is another in the current trend of reworking Greek mythology to bring the women to life. As it unfolds, we see how her quest to seek love and belonging is stripped from her, as she is blinded to the advice given by women who care for her (and truly love her) to become used by Jason in his quest for greatness. Medea acts from her misplaced love, only to find herself blamed by the very ones she aimed to help, leading her to descend into further acts of violence from her torment.

While I found the book engagingly written, my only criticism was that the last chapter is written in the voice of her sister, Chalciope, a device that jolted me from the previous narrative. Perhaps the author felt that to write this in Medea’s voice may have appeared too sentimental a device? However, it was enough to steal that final star from me.

Medea is the villainess we love to hate, and I was excited to see what Rosie Hewlett would do with her.

This book is fast-paced, a quick read, and definitely engaging. Where Medea starts as the person who's being hurt and manipulated for her powers, she grows into someone who hurts and manipulates other people as well.
I thought this was well done, because as a reader, you start out by empathising for her, which becomes increasingly difficult throughout the book because of her growing monstrosity.

The last chapter is from the perspective of Medea's sister, which was a choice that wasn't really successful in my opinion - either I had wanted to see her perspective earlier in the books, or I wanted to remain within Medea's POV.
But apart from this, a great read!

From the very beginning, Medea is a captivating and compelling novel that follows the protagonist's journey from a confined princess to a formidable sorceress. Many stories featuring Medea focus on her voyage with the Argonauts or her flight from Corinth but Hewlett takes the time to set up her origins in Colchis. With each chapter, the reader watches her transform and grow. Hewlett's Medea is not merely a plot device to tell Jason's story: she is a complex character in her own right, with her own voice, her own desires, and her own mistakes.

While the reader might have some idea of what the future holds for Medea, one of the joys of mythology is that you can never quite be certain which traditions the author will draw from and what additions they will make of their own. As far as I can tell, this origin of the Colchian Dragon is Hewlett's own invention and it blends seamlessly with the narrative and Medea's relationship to Circe. Throughout the book, Medea meets several other well-known characters that are perhaps better known from other myths, such as Atalanta, Orpheus, and Circe.

When magic comes into play, Hewlett strikes an intriguing balance between innate ability, the inherent power in nature, and darker forces from the Underworld. Medea's magic does not feel overused, each demonstration of her growing power an exciting spectacle.

Any readers of mythological retellings struggling to find a rival to Madeline Miller should look no further than Rosie Hewlett.

There's been a lot of retellings of the classic Greek tales recently and this is a great addition to the genre. It doesn't really add a modern agenda to the tale, but rather just recentres the story to Medea's timeline rather than the men.
It was a gripping read and really fleshed out a story that I only new from one of the Ancient Greek plays

Beautiful retelling of Medea’s story. I loved this take on it and found Jason’s downfall refreshing!

I am a big fan of mythology and have read both and good retellings in recent years - this is a very very good retelling.

Medea is the daughter of the King of Colchis. She is mistreated by him and by her brother repeatedly, largely due to her ability to use magic. Taking after her aunt Circe, Medea has the gift for natural magic and has been dabbling with spells all her life. Her aunt turns up one day to help her learn about her powers, but as they are getting close, Circe is banished from Colchis by her brother the King and Medea is abandoned not understanding why Circe has left.

Medea longs to leave Colchis and plans to find her aunt to continue her studies. However, the King has other plans - specially when he comes into possession of the Golden Fleece. Medea sees this as her opportunity to escape Colchis but her father is two steps ahead of her and manages to prevent her escape. It isn't long before Jason and the Argonauts turn up in pursuit of the fleece. Medea is immediately smitten by Jason's beauty and flattery and vows to help him to achieve his greatest wish in exchange for taking her with him when he leaves. However, fate has other plans and Medea is forced into a rash and dramatic act that will shape her future forever.

This is a beautifully told version of the story. We are privy to Medea's inner turmoil and the things that drive her to the decisions that she makes - sometimes for the greater good, sometimes for selfishness. I loved reading this and have learnt so much about Medea and her powers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well this one was certainly a ride, and I mean that in the best way possible! Medea has always been one of my all-time favorite mythological figures, so the fact that we're getting not just one but two feminist retellings of her story within a two month period has been constantly putting a smile on my face. I had gotten a chance to read Eilish Quin's immensely enjoyable take on the character shortly before reading this one, so I was admittedly worried about feeling fatigued from reading back-to-back interpretations. Thankfully, I was completely and utterly wrong, because I tore through this book in a matter of days.

Rosie Hewlett's down-to-earth and matter-of-fact style of writing provides a perfect contrast to the mythological and mystical elements that dominate the story, making the narrative feel refreshingly real and honest. Add that to the spectacular character work, particularly for the titular sorceress, and you have an utterly enthralling package! Dark, moody, at times heartbreaking, and utterly phenomenal, this book is an absolute must read for any fans of Circe or Ariadne!

Rosie Hewlett's "Medea" captivated me with its darkly beautiful retelling of a classic Greek myth. Medea's character unfolds through first-person narrative, allowing me to delve deep into the psyche of mythology's most notorious heroine. Hewlett's rendition is haunting, positioning Medea as a product of her circumstances — abused, manipulated, and ultimately, heartbroken.

What struck me most was the modern twist on Medea's motives and actions. While she wields formidable magical powers, her vulnerabilities are laid bare, sometimes overshadowing her strengths, which left me with mixed feelings about her portrayal as both a victim and a figure of immense power.

This novel challenged me, not only to reexamine Medea's story but also the complexities of the characters in it. Hewlett's writing, both lyrical and potent, has rekindled my love for Greek mythology with a contemporary lens. Despite my reservations about some aspects of Medea's characterization, I was thoroughly engrossed in her tragic and emotional journey. This is a story that lingers, a tale of power, betrayal, and the indomitable spirit of a woman caught in the throes of fate.

I loved Medusa so I was quite excited to see a chunkier offering from this author. Medea was one of the Greek stories that i was less aware of, so I really loved getting to read this book. Traumatic and heartbreaking, it is written with such a tender touch. The love story felt like it had a modern edge and was the primary focus of the book. Medea, an ancient, is still relatable to us in how she is manipulated by men. It was quite draining to read but in the best way. Loved this!!

Medea is a princess of Colchis, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, a sorceress and a witch, trained by her aunt Circe to control her gift. She uses this magic to aid Jason in his quest for the Golden Fleece and marries him, after which they settle in Corinth. The marriage ends in tragedy when he abandons her to marry the King’s daughter, Creusa, and Medea and her sons are threatened with banishment. Medea murders Creusa and her own sons, before leaving for Athens where she marries King Aegeus.

I have to admit I’m not especially familiar with Greek mythology so much of the story was new to me and I did enjoy learning more about it. There’s a real trend about now for these kind of stories and I’ve tried before to read some of them but never really become too engaged so it was nice to read one that caught me up. However, I’m not sure how much of that is to do with the original story and how much the retelling.

This version is a more feminist retelling, talking of an abusive father and a distant mother whose neglect push her towards Jason as a means of escape. She seems to be overwhelmingly in love with him which explains why she moves towards the dark magic that Circe has warned her against and which leads her to extremes. Jason is egotistical, ambitious and using her throughout so not worthy of the love she shows him and leaves her heartbroken. While trying to use this to explain her actions, I felt it left her too much of a victim rather than a powerful figure and there were too many times when her actions and choices didn’t really make sense. For someone with such power behind her, an awful lot seemed to be controlled by others and that made her seem a bit weak.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

#Medea #NetGalley

I really like modern versions of ancient stories, and how they are presented to a modern reader. Medea by Rosie Hewlett is a well written version of the ancient Greek tragedy by Euripides.

If you are not familiar with the story, Medea is a princess of the kingdom of Colchis and is a powerful witch, or sorceress. She marries the hero Jason, a marriage which ends in tragedy when he marries a princess of Corinth whilst still married to Medea, and they have her and her children with Jason exiled. As punishment, she kills Jason’s new wife, and then her own children.

What I liked about this version of the story, is that Medea tells this story in the first person, so we get to hear her innermost thoughts, unlike in the Euripides version where the chorus tell us what Euripides wants us to see.

*Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of #Medea.

Book Review
Medea – Written by Rosie Hewlett
“The world tried to make me the victim, so I became its villain.”
I was looking forward to reading Medea a mythological retelling. I’ve been wanting to start my Greek mythology reading journey so when I saw Medea on Netgalley uk I was determined to start there. And I am so very glad I did!
I was unfamiliar with Medea’s story, I didn’t know about her horrific upbringing or how she was used, rejected, and condemned to a life of suffering at the hands of her ghost of a mother, abusive father and brother.
I have never wanted to scream at a character in a book as much as I have with Medea, I went from times loving her to hating her to relating to her all-in-one book.
This book was amazing in the most heartbreaking way. I was captivated every second of it. The writing was beautiful, even with Medea’s story being so dark.
I highly recommend to everyone! This is easily 5 stars for me and I can’t wait to get my own hard copy of this extraordinary story.

Thank you to netgalley uk for giving me to opportunity to read this eARC book.

Dark mythological retelling at its best.

The story of a talented young witch, Medea, who is a victim of generational abuse and power struggles. Beaten by her father and essentially abandoned by her mother, she meets the charming Jason and his argonauts and sees a way out and a potential for love that her family has never provided her with. Of course you can see Jason's manipulation and gaslighting a mile off and it's hard to watch Medea make choices you know she will come to regret, but you can also understand why she does. It was a gripping read and despite everything awful that Medea ends up doing, you can't help but still see her as the victim of her circumstances, her power used by others who lurk in the background and are the true villains of the show.

The characters were well developed and the writing evocative. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!

A dark story of young witch Medea, beaten by her father, the king, loathed by her mother, feared by her siblings. She finally escapes her home land with the help of Jason and the Argonauts, only to follow a path of betrayal, heartbreak and dark magic.
This is ultimately the story of how you can overcome so much hardship and finally find happiness. The storytelling was wonderfully descriptive, surprising and emotional, i thoroughly enjoyed it.

A brilliant Greek mythology retold. Medea is a witch, the granddaughter of Helios and the neice of Circe.

Medea has the gift from Hecate, the goddess from the underworld but will she use her power for good or will the dark underworld use her powers in a darker way?

I feel so conflicted about Medea. It is undoubtedly a fantastic book and a brilliant protagonist but you question her actions and reasonings. I felt myself screaming at her when she makes her choices and I was emotionally bound to her - whether you like her or not, you can't help but be emotionally moved by Medea's struggles, her power and the deep rooted hurt that she suffers.

Rosie Hewlett breathes life into Medea and to Greek mythology.

Greek mythology re-imaginings are a popular genre lately. This one takes the relatively well-known story of Jason, the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece and retells it through the eyes of Medea. Rather than Medea being the driver of her own story though, unfortunately I felt Medea kind of gets a little lost in the story. Ultimately this left me a little disappointed. Special thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy.

Thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC in return for a fair and honest review 🤍

Medea! Written by @rosiehewlett.author , this book is a mythological retelling of Euripides’ tragedy ‘Medea’. I’ve been slowly doing my Greek mythology grind so when I saw Medea on NetGalley I had to request

‘Medea’ follows the titular character, Medea, who struggles to deal with the abuse of her father, the mockery of her brother and the neglect of her mother all whilst trying to stifle her extraordinary magic. Enter Jason, the dashing hero, and Medea’s key to freedom. Thus begins a journey of power, love, betrayal, desperation and loss.

Wow. This book was amazing. Hewlett’s writing and the turmoil she evokes around Medea was captivating. I enjoyed every second of it. I love the perspective from which she portrayed Medea. I’ve only ever read stories where Medea is seen as the evil villain, the unnatural sorceress. I liked how we got to see why Medea made the choices she did. Her story was sad because she endured a never ending cycle of abuse. I despise Jason and watching his abuse of her was horrible. I enjoyed the argonauts, especially Atalanta, who I thought was amazing.

4.5/5⭐️

Medea will be published in the UK on 21st March 2024.

This was superb.
No other way to describe it.
This and Clytemnestra, best mythology retellings in recent years, hands down.

"Though, if I have learnt one thing in my life, it is that nobody will hand you your happiness. For happiness is not a gift to be given freely but a prize to be claimed."

I did Medea in school in classics, and was familiar with the story and interested to see how Rosie would deal with the more dramatic and heavy moments.
This book was so compellingly un-put-downable, that even knowing the horrors that were to come, I charged head first so recklessly fast towards it...
And Rosie, Bravo. Those final few chapters were...harrowing! Oh such deliciously sweet agonising words...
Actually, all the words in this book were great. Rosie's prose was honestly excellent. The story was conveyed so clearly and emotionally, and we could see so deeply into the characters mindsets and the customs and feel of the time, she had obviously done her homework on this!

The way she handled Medea herself was superb. The build from young girl to the villainness as we know her from legends and Euripides is such a well constructed and organic journey.
“The world tried to make me the victim, so I became its villain.”
Seeing her evolve from a naive and rather foolish girl was so well handled and all the result of one person...Jason.
Oh man will Rosie make you HATE this guy. Seeing him on the page was honestly like nails across a chalkboard by the end! I just wanted to rip out the pages with him and shake sense into Medea (luckily I was reading on a kindle).
“Sometimes, his love fills me so deeply and completely I think I may burst. Far more often, I am left with nothing but a coldness that rattles through me, stealing across the empty plains where his love had grown rich and wild mere days before. There seems to be a skill to this treatment, an art form, like a jailer toying with his prisoner.”

Honestly, cannot fault this book. 5 stars easily and I will be nagging people to preorder it pretty much on repeat until it comes out...