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A review by clrwht
Medea by Rosie Hewlett
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this was… wow. I am full to the brim with conflicting emotions I’m not sure I could name even if I tried.
I can’t say what I expected going into Medea, as I didn’t have much knowledge about her prior to picking this up. What I found was a captivating story about a young woman who makes a lot of bad decisions for love without having ever been taught what love truly is.
Medea is a journey about power and revenge, hatred, manipulation, betrayal and heartbreak. This book made me feel things so strongly that I hated what I was reading, but I just couldn’t put it down. I have so much compassion for Medea as a character, but I’m also furious at her actions and the way she is treated by everyone in her life.
My initial reaction was that this is a four star book. There were parts I loved and parts I hated. But the more I reflect, the more I realise how utterly captivated I was throughout the entire story.
This book is chaotic and heart wrenchingly sad, almost to the point where I wasn’t sure I would keep reading as I just couldn’t see a happy ending. But that’s the point I guess, some stories need to be told regardless of the ending. No matter the emotion, whether it’s joy, anger, disgust or confusion, Hewlett’s writing produced some BIG feelings in me. And for that alone, this deserves a five star rating.
I can’t say what I expected going into Medea, as I didn’t have much knowledge about her prior to picking this up. What I found was a captivating story about a young woman who makes a lot of bad decisions for love without having ever been taught what love truly is.
Medea is a journey about power and revenge, hatred, manipulation, betrayal and heartbreak. This book made me feel things so strongly that I hated what I was reading, but I just couldn’t put it down. I have so much compassion for Medea as a character, but I’m also furious at her actions and the way she is treated by everyone in her life.
My initial reaction was that this is a four star book. There were parts I loved and parts I hated. But the more I reflect, the more I realise how utterly captivated I was throughout the entire story.
This book is chaotic and heart wrenchingly sad, almost to the point where I wasn’t sure I would keep reading as I just couldn’t see a happy ending. But that’s the point I guess, some stories need to be told regardless of the ending. No matter the emotion, whether it’s joy, anger, disgust or confusion, Hewlett’s writing produced some BIG feelings in me. And for that alone, this deserves a five star rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death