"A beautiful and profound retelling." - Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe
"Gives the serpent-headed monster of myth a powerful and haunting humanity."- Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Elektra From New York Times bestselling author Jessie Burton, a dazzling retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa, illuminating the woman behind the legend. 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. Haunted by the memories of a life before everything was stolen from her, she has no choice but to make peace with her present: she is Medusa the Monster. But when the charmed and beautiful Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is blown open, unleashing desire, love--and betrayal. For readers of Circe and Ariadne, Medusa is an astonishing reinvention that brings to vivid life a heroine history has set in stone."A beautiful and profound retelling... a powerfully feminist, elegiac, and original twist on this old story. The book tackles pain and trauma without flinching, but its message is ultimately one of joy and hope." --Madeline Miller, author of THE SONG OF ACHILLES and CIRCE
"Medusa is absolutely stunning and easily my read of the year - sheer perfection from start to finish, both in words and art." --Catherine Doyle, author of THE STORM KEEPER series "This book is a beautiful excavation, uncovering the girl beneath the gorgon, the power within the punished. Exquisitely told, Medusa stole my heart from its first fierce lines." --Mary Watson, author of THE WREN HUT "A fiercely feminist undercurrent fuels Medusa's unflinching voice. . . . Medusa wrests control of her own story in this necessary reimagining of the Greek myth." --Shelf Awareness, starred review "Burton tackles an old myth with unflinching honesty to reclaim Medusa's story as one of self-love and bravery. . . . With unforgettable imagery and a powerhouse woman at the helm of the tale, this revamped myth is one to get on your bookshelf." --School Library Journal, starred "In this haunting reimagining of the myth of Medusa and Perseus . . . Burton's take on the traditional adversaries humanizes both characters, blurring boundaries between hero and monster." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "Epic ... Readers who love nuanced retellings of myths will not want to miss it." --BookPage "The Medusa myth is given new shading and depth in a feminist retelling that homes in on the heart of a young girl punished unfairly for being herself. Burton's prose [is] aquatic and mythical but not overwrought... A smart reimagining of an ancient tale that questions old tropes." --Kirkus Reviews "Burton's feminist reboot . . . compassionately humanizes her protagonist . . . in unambiguous, occasionally poetic contemporary language as Medusa grows in self-confidence . . . this short novel of betrayal and destiny, which questions who the myth's real monsters are, grants Medusa a well-deserved, empowering finale." --Booklist