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secre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I'd say about 25% of this novel actually has Medusa as a semi-main character and even then, there's a lot of attention on her sisters. The rest of the novel is made up of petty Godly squabbles and fights and Perseus's quest across the land to bring back the head of a Gorgon. It... wasn't what I signed up for. It also frankly didn't interest me that much. I was genuinely interested in the childhood and life of Medusa, I was kind of interested in some of the God side plots although they really needed to be minimised... I just did not care about Perseus. Come on. The story of the boy who beheads the sleeping monster was not the important one here, particularly when he's shallow, selfish and cruel to boot.
What I wanted and what I got here were two very different things. Medusa was essentially relegated to a bit player in her own damn story and that's a crying shame, particularly when I know how well the author can portray the unsung voices. This could have been excellent, it should have been excellent; Haynes certainly has the writing talent and spark to pull it off. But instead of allowing Medusa to stand on the stage alone, she is overshadowed by Gods and men and petty arguments. And I really, really struggled to engage with it because of that.
Don't get me wrong. I'll read the author again. I adored A Thousand Ships. But this... this was a disappointment and it was nowhere near interesting enough to hold my attention.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my free review copy of this title.
Graphic: Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
nak34's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual harassment, Torture, Death, and Sexual assault
Moderate: War, Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death
cnannery19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Classism, Rape, Murder, Grief, War, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Suicide
stellahadz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Aside from the final chapter, I wouldn't call this book a retelling so much as a reframing; the character of Medusa is given space to be a fully fleshed-out character as opposed to simply a monster. Haynes turns the idea of a "hero" on its head through the character of Perseus, who is portrayed as impulsive, bratty, and incompetent instead of brave and adventurous. The tone of the story is elegant and wise but not overly serious - as much as I enjoyed Madeline Miller's books, I found that they lacked levity. I appreciated that there was some humor in Stone Blind. It helps the book feel more modern, reinforcing the idea that its themes and topics are still relevant. I liked the multiple POVs and getting to see how the different aspects of the story tied together through different characters.
Overall a super enjoyable read. I'm often skeptical of Greek mythology retellings, but this one definitely exceeded my expectations and I'm very interested in reading more of Haynes's work.
Moderate: Murder, Rape, Violence, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Animal death and Infidelity
acasiamae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
kendoll_renea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Moderate: Gore, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Rape, Physical abuse, Body horror, and Infidelity
atamano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Confinement, Blood, War, Rape, and Grief
Minor: Animal death
charlielizabethm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Murder, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
katewhite77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I tend to avoid myth retellings like the plague simply because I don't know the original material all that well over and above what we are all taught in primary school. I just let myself get swept away by the story.
I read this because it was on a prize list last year, and I have always loved Natalie Hains as a comic and have wanted to try one of her books for a while.
Grim, though the tale is, Natalie's humour sings throughout the book, and because of this, I really recommend the audiobook as she performs it herself, which, of course adds another layer to the humour.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book half as much as I did, and I really want to explore more retellings and source material now. Who knew!
Graphic: Murder, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
fireinherveinzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Athena is trash
Men are trash .
This wasn’t an original Medusa story like I thought or really her story which was frustrating just a recanting.
I want a story from her POV now.
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment