Reviews

The largest problem I have with this book is the sheer lack of research that was put into understanding the original myth before writing it. In the original Greek myth, Medusa is born a gorgon like her sisters. It isn’t until Ovid’s Roman retelling of the myth that Medusa is portrayed as a victim of rape. By all means, write a retelling of the Roman myth (which I personally hate because I dislike Ovid and everything he stood for), but don’t market the book as a retelling of the Greek myth when it’s not.

Overall, I found the writing of the book to be poor. Lynn tries so hard to be profound but ultimately fails. Her book reads more as badly written fan fiction than a well-developed book. It feels so drawn out, yet at the same time rushed. The writing is rudimentary at best and, in no less words, is a juvenile attempt to replicate the success of other mythological retellings. Lynn seems to lack an understanding of complex sentence structure beyond the overuse of commas, which, more often than not, are used improperly, too. The dialogue is flat—the characters have no voice and blend together rather than stand separately. The story is constantly redundant and unenjoyable to read.

Finally, it’s hard for me to consider this a retelling of a myth. Lynn adds little new to the famous story. It’s merely a 236-page regurgitation of a 600-line myth, making it neither unique nor enjoyable to read. Her exploration of Medusa’s point of view, had it been written well, would have made this story something to hold in regard. However, it leaves something to be desired, lacking substance and real study into Medusa’s character. The most Lynn adds to the story is in her exploration of Perseus, but it is hard to see that as anything but counterproductive for a book whose selling point is “Medusa’s truth.”

If this book weren’t so short, I would have dnfed it.

daisy_may's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad fast-paced

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

1.5

ladyareads's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The story of Medusa has always fascinated me. I love how this version was presented with pov from Medusa as well as Perseus and managed to portray both characters favorably turning this Greek myth into a tragedy. If you are interested in mythology retelling at all grab yourself a copy of this one!

bookishpip's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.5

This is a book that sat on my shelf for far too long before I picked it up. It’s quite a short read and I found that I finished it in 2 sittings. It’s fast paced and action packed, but Lynn also demonstrates a remarkable way with words and in this short tale we get brief glimpses into some beautiful introspection and insight. The reason I haven’t rated this more highly is because I grew so frustrated at the potential that this book had to go more in-depth with the character studies. I really wanted to read more. I didn’t want to linger on an event so briefly but to explore it more fully.
Overall, though, I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading more from this author!

More...