Reviews with content warning for Death - Stone Blind

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

109 reviews

meant2breading's review against another edition

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. 💕

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bookreviewbyana's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Este livro é arrebatador e cruel... Fiquei com o coração destroçado pela Medusa!! Tenham atenção aos TW 😥

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emilye's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

2.75

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sfryman96's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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celeste329's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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? N/A

3.0

I was expecting for a little bit more from this book. Mainly, for it to be primarily from Medusa's perspective. But instead, we get a lot of plot lines that do not all converge and actually very little screen time from the titular character herself.

The whole book read as Medusa - as seen by others, and not all relevant in nature. I think I learnt more about Athene than Medusa in this whole book and I was left rather dissatisfied because of it.

There is this line towards Perseus: "And who are you to decide who is a monster?" - and it would have been SO great to have come from Medusa instead of Hermes, to have her challenge Perseus and his quest because really, at the end of the day, they are both two people who by all means should've had nothing to do with each other (and probably would have had nothing to do with each other were it not for some king's bruised ego).

There are a few good moments in the book - Medusa and her sisters' love for each other is something that was articulated very well. Athene's competitiveness was also well-highlighted. Perseus being characterised as an impulsive teen was also done quite well.

I would have expected some more rage from Medusa herself, but there is barely any from her (given that her chapters are also so rare). I got more rage from Hera and Athene, and even Euryale and Stenho.

Prose-wise, it was okay. Some very funny moments here and there and the descriptions were very well done - I could always picture the environment in my mind's eye. The Chapter structure was a little odd than what I am used to (being more accustomed to longer ones), so the action felt a bit all over the place sometimes. Also, there were a few chapters here and there that seemed to be 4th-wall-breaker types - as much as I appreciated the messages in the book, these chapters did not help with my immersion, taking me straight out of the book.

Overall, it was an ok book. I had high hopes for the titulary character and interactions with the themes presented in the blurb, but sadly, this wasn't quite delivered on.

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sierraashley's review

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adventurous funny fast-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? N/A

5.0

Very well done. Love the satire. I was giggling as I'd read, especially when they were making fun of Perseus. Medusa is one of my favorite characters ever and didn't deserve what happened to her and I'm glad someone finally told her story.

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shay_starlessxsea's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

Borrowed from my local library.
What a gem of a book! A wonderful weaving together of Athene, Medusa/the Gorgons, Danae & Perseus' stories into a Medusa retelling unlike anything I've read previously. I really enjoyed it (although I wasn't a big fan of the sections addressing the reader directly) and will definitely read more from Natalie Haynes.

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