Reviews with content warning for Gore - STONE BLIND - Der Blick der Medusa: Roman

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.

Content Warnings

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

Content Warnings

iwishihadmoretimetoread's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

nimeneth's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

2.0

I know these are the Greek gods and they're petty already, but this retelling took every one of them, except Hades who was mentioned but never seen, all the way down to petulant. I didn't find it particularly funny, nor did I find it especially poignant the way some other mythology retellings have been.

Content Warnings

kshertz's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I think you have to know about and love Greek myths for this book to be a book that you would really enjoy. A lot of the time I didn’t know what was going on and I think that’s because I don’t know a lot of Greek myths and the history. It was interesting to get these different perspectives but it’s almost too many perspectives and I got lost sometimes. But I really did enjoy when it all came together in the end and you got to see what really happened from the perspective of all these different people. The ending was the best part for sure

Content Warnings

alltyedup's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

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