Reviews

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

marad29's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is so mesmerizing. I loved it. The story based on greek mythology, the gods that seem just like us. It made me chuckle, gasp and tear up.

meant2breading's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

“I’m wondering if you still think of her as a monster. I suppose it depends on what you think that word means. Monsters are, what? Ugly? Terrifying? Gorgons are both these things, certainly, although Medusa wasn’t always. Can a monster be beautiful if it is still terrifying? Perhaps it depends on how you experience fear and judge beauty.” 

“You aren’t monsters,’ Medusa said. ‘Neither are you. Who decides what is a monster?’ ‘I don’t know,’ said Medusa. ‘Men, I suppose.’ ‘So to mortal men, we are monsters. Because of our teeth, our flight, our strength. They fear us, so they call us monsters.”

This was my first major Greek Mythology read for me in many years. I don’t have a lot of background in Greek Mythology and I didn’t feel like I was missing context, though it may have helped. I enjoyed reading the multiple POVS and the short chapters! Love short chapter books!! The story also gives a glimpse into how Medusa faces sexual violence, misogyny, sexism, and dehumanization, among other oppressive realities in depicted Greek Life (I mean, not like we’re past that in society today…). For me though, this felt like more of a glimpse. I wish we would have had more of the story focus on Medusa herself and her perspective, but I appreciated the pacing, the ending, and I love some feminine rage. 💕

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

oakotoks's review against another edition

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challenging reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rmcquade's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

megang519's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

mapya's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

spinachpuffs's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

kaiceee's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

3.0

mansireanna's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Petition to ban classical myth retellings being billed as ‘epic feminist retelling’ or ‘finally giving her a voice’. This was objectively just mediocre but as a classics graduate it was subjectively just a disservice to the endless creativity one can do to retell a myth. Medusa was barely even in this. It just felt confused, boring and not sure why it was even bothering to tell her story except to shout at the reader that PERSEUS BAD MEDUSA GOOD, which I just didn’t jive with. 

readmeaplant's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75