I almost didn't pick up this book - quite frankly, Medusa's nickname given to her by her sisters turned me off and made me roll my eyes. They call her "Meddy," and I didn't think I could get past it, but I'm glad that I was able to and read this novel. I legitimately flew through this novel in about 2-3 days, which is a record for me.
We all think we know who Medusa is right? She's the girl with hair of snakes that turns men to stone, often viciously and mercilessly. She's ultimately beheaded by Perseus. Then, in 2020 the below statue appeared in NYC.
It was seemingly in response to the Perseus statue at the Met and was picked up as a symbol of the #metoo movement, fighting against sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape culture. After all, Medusa took back her power in that sculpture by beheading the original beheader. Ayana Gray attempts to tell us how Medusa came to be a powerful symbol of that movement in this novel by telling us of who Medusa was before she became the mythological creature that we all thought we knew.
This novel takes place in Ancient Greece, where Athens is the center of culture and all things wonderful. Medusa is the mortal child of two sea gods, and has grown up very isolated on an island with her parents, and two immortal older sisters. She wants more than the island can offer - adventure, knowledge. Her parents want to marry their daughters off to the highest ranking official that will them - they're objects and pawns in a game of power brokering. They exist only to serve their parents' goals. Medusa is whisked away after a situation crops up with her sister's husband to be, to train as an acolyte in Athena's main temple in Athens. Due to the color of her skin, she is "othered" and pigeonholed by the other acolytes. Her relationship with the sea god Poseidon takes form during her time in Athens, along with the presentation of a number of red flags (HINT: Poseidon is a AHOLE). By the time we get to the last section of the novel, Medusa has reclaimed her power and accepted herself.
I LOVED this book. Gray seemed to really get the nuances of the complicated relationships women have with each other, even when trying to support each other. She also nails the blowback and punishment that women get when they speak out against the status quo and call BS on horrific, unfair and, quite frankly, shitty treatment at the hands of men and, sometimes, other women. This novel was a spot indictment of the many ways that women are mistreated and oppressed in their lives.
A definite MUST READ.
1/12 of the Library Love Challenge.
On the Popsugar Challenge, this satisfies reading a book about new beginnings AND a book about a platonic friendships between a male and female (Athena has a male best friend on her parents' island named Theo)
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