A review by hissingpotatoes
The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett

5.0

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"When I was a child, I turned my brother into a pig." From this first line on, I was captivated by Medea's voice, brilliantly brought to life by audiobook narrator Kristin Atherton.

Medea is one of my favorite mythological figures, and Hewlett does her justice. It's heartbreaking to experience all the points where a different choice could lead to a happier outcome and to watch Medea go down the wrong path every time. Hewlett weaves the narrative in such a way that even though the reader sees the trainwreck about to happen, they understand why Medea makes the choices she does. It's a nuanced, careful balance that Hewlett executes flawlessly.

I love how Hewlett reflects Medea's biting way of speaking from the original Greek sources in her Medea. The dialogue and Medea's inner narrative are often on fire.

This Medea is a fully realized character that pays homage to her place in ancient Greek literature but also speaks to a modern audience. The book is a compelling combination of magic, action, relationships, introspection, and character growth (albeit in an atypical direction). Highly recommend.

You might like this if you like: Circe by Madeline Miller, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid