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pineconek 's review for:
Stone Blind
by Natalie Haynes
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm a simple woman: if you give me a feminist retelling of a classic story and fill it with quick wit... I will eat it up.
Stone Blind is a retelling of the myth of Perseus, whose Wikipedia page provides a technically-not-innacurate summary of this book:
In Greek mythology, Perseus (US: /ˈpɜːr.si.əs/, UK: /ˈpɜː.sjuːs/; Greek: Περσεύς, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of Heracles.[1] He beheaded the Gorgon Medusa for Polydectes and saved Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus. He was the son of Zeus and the mortal Danaë, as well as the half-brother and great-grandfather of Heracles.
But in our case, Medusa is the titular character. We follow her life, from growing up with her Gorgon sisters up to and beyond the beheading by "that asshole Perseus", and get details about the lives of other women integral to this story: Athena, Danae, Andromeda, and other women wronged by gods and men.
The stylistic choices are brilliant: some chapters are written, in good Greek form, from the perspective of Medusa's snakes and in the tone of a Greek choir. The narrative wit includes interjections from the women scorned and delightfully flips this myth and all its peripheral stories.
Highly recommended if you're looking for a tonally vengeful and entertaining retelling of Greek mythology. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is stellar. 4.5 stars on SG, rounded up to 5 on GR.
Stone Blind is a retelling of the myth of Perseus, whose Wikipedia page provides a technically-not-innacurate summary of this book:
In Greek mythology, Perseus (US: /ˈpɜːr.si.əs/, UK: /ˈpɜː.sjuːs/; Greek: Περσεύς, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of Heracles.[1] He beheaded the Gorgon Medusa for Polydectes and saved Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus. He was the son of Zeus and the mortal Danaë, as well as the half-brother and great-grandfather of Heracles.
But in our case, Medusa is the titular character. We follow her life, from growing up with her Gorgon sisters up to and beyond the beheading by "that asshole Perseus", and get details about the lives of other women integral to this story: Athena, Danae, Andromeda, and other women wronged by gods and men.
The stylistic choices are brilliant: some chapters are written, in good Greek form, from the perspective of Medusa's snakes and in the tone of a Greek choir. The narrative wit includes interjections from the women scorned and delightfully flips this myth and all its peripheral stories.
Highly recommended if you're looking for a tonally vengeful and entertaining retelling of Greek mythology. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is stellar. 4.5 stars on SG, rounded up to 5 on GR.