Reviews with content warning for Murder - Stone Blind

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

180 reviews

carissa230's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Medusa is born as a mortal to a goddess. She lives with her sisters and they raise her. Being the only mortal is hard. She wants to live forever with her sisters and knows her life is going fast.

One day she is raped by Poseidon and his wife Athena punishes her for the rape. (Yeah makes sense). Medusa now has a head full of snakes. Her sisters are giant snakes so a few little ones on her head seem great. However, Medusa also can't make eye contact with anyone without turning them to stone.

To make her horrible life worse Perseus comes along to capture the head of her sisters. Perseus comes across as an idiot. The gorgons aren't doing anything wrong and when he meets them they're not mean, but his pride makes him still need their heads.

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readeatgamerepeat's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was a weird read - not that the book itself is weird - but its a really harrowing intense read (as you can imagine based on the title & premise TW for SA & murder - its not graphic but it does state bluntly and in clear language what is happening) but at the same time its kind of funny? Its a weird balance that I think is hard to strike that I do think that Natalie Haynes does it well but it gives the necessary gravitas (like I did tear up at one point) but at other parts in the book it had a really light hearted conversational tone at parts where its like the author was making fun of the way we know the original myth and also kinda calls you out at times "like oh you're feeling sympathy for Perseus?? really?" or the way Athena & Zeus both behave a little more like kinda clueless and spoiled brats than a the serious gods they are often portrayed as in other mythology retellings.

This book re-centers various women as the new protagonists and hero's of this story. There is a lot of commentary in this book about the way the men in these myths behave towards women and the way these women are remembered in the myths & stories themselves often presented from the point of view of these women themselves. The book really challenges you to reconsider who the monsters really are (and if you don't know I'm a sucker for that trope).

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olivia_goode's review against another edition

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adventurous informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Not sure exactly how to rate this book… at first I was pretty captivated and I do think it’s overall a good, feminist retelling of several well know myths. I think the ending fell a bit flat for me but I’m also not sure how I would have wanted it to end. Over all, I don’t love it as much as Circe or the Song of Achilles but I’d still recommend.

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hfleur's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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grnolivine's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book is a fantastic retelling of Medusa's story from multiple points of view. You really learn to fall in love with Medusa and become angry with the selfishness of humans and men. It is a somewhat slow build to the end goal of the main character. Which, I do not mind. It motivated me to finish it quicker. Overall a good book for any greek mythology lovers.

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anntharai's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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booksawyer's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes is a 2023 release that I’ve seen go under the radar. I had not heard anything about it until it was personally recommended to me, so after the life changing experience of reading it, I feel the need to talk about it as much as possible so it can get the hype it deserves!

Stone Blind is a #metoo era re-evaluation of the myth of Medusa and Perseus. On a greater level, it explores how women are often vilified in situations when they are really the victim. This book will frustrate you. It will make you want to stop reading and throw the book at the wall, yet also captivating you so much that you are unable to put the book down. This book made me cry, fume with rage, and stay up all night thinking about it at so many points throughout the tale.

I absolutely loved the way the story was told. The format of this book and Haynes’s use of point-of-view made me love the novel so much. We follow the perspective of so many different characters, venturing off into subplots that make the reader wonder “I thought this was supposed to be a book about Medusa?” However, Haynes masterfully weaves each chapter together, culminating in a satisfying ending where all the pieces come together. This element made Stone Blind so fascinating to read.

Stone Blind is fantastic for readers who, like me, are new to reading literary fiction. It is complex at times and often makes you think, but it is never confusing or overwhelming. This book is also suitable for people with all kinds of backgrounds with mythology. The timely and relevant conversations this book presents allow someone to enjoy this book even if they don’t typically love myths. Additionally, a character guide is included at the beginning of the book, which is helpful to understand who everyone is and what is going on.

Stone Blind genuinely felt like a perfect novel. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and truly unforgettable. I really can’t recommend it enough.

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amystainton's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

Content Warnings

rdmoreland0801's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Not the book for me. The first half just dragged on. The second half definitely picked up, but it still didn’t leave me feeling satisfied at the end.

This book represents the gods in their usual selfish, greedy, slimey manner. Zeus and Poseidon are just casually raping women and leaving them to deal with the consequences. Random children popping up everywhere.

Athena was spoiled and a little unhinged, but she was mildly entertaining. Perseus was an idiot the entire time, even more selfish and uncaring than the gods most times. As per usual, I can’t fucking stand Zeus.

I usually enjoy a Greek Mythology retelling, but this completely missed the mark. I thought we could get more Medusa, but instead she was just screwed over by the gods time and time again.

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augie_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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