Title: Stone Blind

Author: Natalie Haynes

Publisher: Harper 2023

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 373

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster. 

The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.

When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge—on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon’s actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair and her gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude.

Until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

In Stone Blind, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes turns our understanding of this legendary myth on its head, bringing empathy and nuance to one of the earliest stories in which a woman—injured by a powerful man—is blamed, punished, and monstered for the assault. Delving into the origins of this mythic tale, Haynes revitalizes and reconstructs Medusa’s story with her passion and fierce wit, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to us today.

In a word, disappointing. I was expecting a fresh take on the Medusa myth complete with feminist rage. Alas, this is not really Medusa’s story. Only a small amount of the chapters actually focus on her. Instead, we get a ton of chapters from the gods and goddesses and a ton from the humans they encounter. We never ally feel like we get to know Meduas or even her sisters. I’ve heard this book described as having a wicked sense of humor, but I just don’t see it at all. I was very sad that this one didn’t work for me. Thankfully I got it from the library and didn’t actually buy it during the retreat (I was tempted).

Next up on the TBR pile: