A story that is magical yet tragic and beautiful yet disturbing in its evocative themes, and poignant messaging.

I absolutely loved everything about this, Medusa has long been written about but, rarely (if ever) do we get to see Medusa’s Perpective.International bestselling author Jessie Burton is the author of three novels, including The Miniaturist, which sold a million copies worldwide in its first year and has been adapted for television by the BBC. With each day affection grows on both sides, with Perseus declaring that he thinks he loves Medusa, Medusa realizes that she feels the same. Then again, Olivia Lomenech Gill’s illustrations are furious, empathetic and rich with Medusa’s longing and bitterness. I'm a huge fan of greek mythology and Medusa has always been one of my favourites but this beautiful retelling is unlike nothing I have read of her before.

Exiled to a far-flung island after being abused by powerful Gods, Medusa has little company other than the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. the conclusion is so forceful in its want to be a ‘feminist’ book too, as it ends with a warning about women who gain reputations like medusa. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. Apart from the often-told horrors of rape, and stories of abandonment, male dominance, and deception, we see a coming-of-age of a girl disfigured and wrongly accused by the people who should be protecting her.This book is a beautiful excavation, uncovering the girl beneath the gorgon, the power within the punished. In a short amount of time, we see Medusa change from a naive girl, to a woman who refuses to be blamed for something she didn’t do.

She first fell under the spell of the myths when an older brother bought her a copy of Kenneth McLeish’s Children of the Gods. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Therefore, this might not read as comprehensive or complex as similar retellings featuring strong female protagonists from the Greek myths. Most importantly this book looks at self acceptance, accepting and owning who you are despite very dark periods and your mistakes. Although it is a place of banishment where she must wile away each day while her immortal sisters toil in the heavens, Medusa is safe from mankind.Medusa’s happy fishing life with her sisters is replaced with an isolated existence on a deserted island. What’s more, her storytelling is elevated even further by Olivia Lomenech Gill’s luscious, emotional painted illustrations.