MEDUSA by Jessie Burton is an illustrated novella that walks the readers through the familiar story of our titular character. In Burton's version, Medusa and her sisters have already been exiled, and the very first chapter introduces Perseus to us (If you did not know the story of Medusa in its entirety, then you are in for a treat). All Medusa sees is a boy who has come to the island where she is living with a Sword. Who is he here to kill? Should Medusa trust him? Given her circumstances, can she afford to fall in love with this boy? She befriends him nonetheless, and both backstories slowly unravel as they mull over whether they should trust this stranger.
I am not well-versed in Greek mythology, and most of the stories I know have all come from the retellings by Jennifer Saint, Stephen Fry, and Madeline Miller. I am thrilled to report that you can easily add Jessie Burton to that list because she packs a punch in the limited number of pages she gets. She makes a fundamental but necessary change in the ending, which left me wondering if it is the real version. Jessie builds characters in such a way that this alternate ending comes as the most organic next step in this isolated retelling.
Medusa is almost portrayed as a teenage girl in this version, where she second-guesses every decision she has taken. She does not believe someone could ever like her for who she is and mostly tries to pretend to be someone else. Even then, she is handled very tenderly, and all her inner turmoil tugged at my heartstrings. Perseus is also written as equally nuanced and not as a brave hero in this story. A seemingly weak man who has attracted unwanted attention and whose next steps are constantly dictated by others had my heart equally.
Olivia Lomenech Gill's beautiful illustrations are an added feather in this book's cap. They perfectly capture the emotions of the scene and enhance it tenfold. Considering how much I liked this combination, I want to read all mythological stories in this medium. I recommend Jessie Burton's MEDUSA to readers who have never read this story. People already aware of this story are also in for a treat as there are some unpredictable twists. I hope all the readers will enjoy reading this as much as I did!
From New York Times bestselling author Jessie Burton, an astonishing 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 or Circe and Ariadne, Medusa is an astonishing retelling that brings to vivid life a heroine history has set in stone.
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