REVIEW: Stone Blind (Natalie Haynes)

Book: Stone Blind

Author: Natalie Haynes

Premise: The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene's temple, the goddess is enraged and takes revenge on the young woman. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude.

This was a very feminist retelling of the story of Medusa. Throughout you get a real sense of how the whims of the gods and their petty arguments can have disastrous consequences for mortals. The male gods are portrayed as sex pests on power trips. I liked how the goddesses were also made to be dangerous and horrible as well, giving more grit and power.

I liked how it wasn't just one story, but we got the stories of other female characters, which added context to the whole story. I learnt more about various bits of greek mythology, which was nice. I also loved the various perspectives we get to see, from goddesses to mortals to an olive grove!