Medusa: The Girl Behind the Myth (Illustrated Gift Edition)

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With a rocky wall between them, the two get to know each other as they tell each other their stories; though Medusa's slowly, not revealing her true name, nor the snakes she has for hair or why he can't see her. Medusa's first-person voice is formally distant, hinting at her inner turmoil and experiences with misogynistic double standards.

because of this, medusa is reduced to just a minor player in the gods lives, rather than her being the story itself. I’m sure this format is one that would entice younger readers to read (whether mythology or other stories). Just as enraged as Poseidon, Athena turns each and every strand of Medusa’s beautiful hair into a snake.In this fascinating reimagining of the myth of Medusa, author Jessie Burton presents us with a novel feminist twist to a character and story that has, for the most part, featured as one of Perseus’s heroic exploits. But when the charmed and beautiful Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is blown open, unleashing desire, love--and betrayal. Four years on and exiled in a remote island with little company except her two immortal sisters, dog and the snakes that adorn her head, Medusa is entranced by the arrival of Perseus. I think the writing wasn’t bad either - just kind of insufferable at times - which feels crappy to say.

It has the overhanging sense of dread throughout when you know it’s not going to go as hoped, the foreboding really shone through. None who read this can relate to owning sentient hair but many can relate to being punished by society, paying for the mistakes of powerful others, being subjected to the whims of those in authority, and being viewed as one of few accepted binaries. While they undoubtedly beautify an already alluring object, the deeper Higgins leads the reader into her forest of tales, the less necessary they feel. I only knew Medusa from the painting by Caravaggio, his infamous, almost circular self-portrait as Medusa. There is a saying often attributed to Winston Churchill that states ‘history is written by the victors.I've read poetic young adult with purple prose before, it's not that I have a problem with, it's more than I just didn't feel it worked well here. Stone Blind is not only a triumph in Greek mythology retelling but a triumph of feminist literature, displaying the power of female storytelling and the richness of the female experience. So often, the woman or feminine model is a static vessel for the male evolution, and that’s something I wanted to counter in this version. i enjoyed reading about the gods one-upping each other, how they use mortals to achieve their goals, and everything in between.