The Shadow of Perseus is an eye-opening and heartbreaking retelling of Perseus as told by the women who knew him. In traditional tales, Perseus is the beloved son, the rescuer, the hero to save everyone from a monster. The Shadow of Perseus re-examines this narrative and instead tells the story of a destructive villain. 

I loved this retelling!! I thought it was SO well-done! Perseus’ mother, wife, and Medusa all get a chance to share their experience with Perseus. While at times difficult to read, I thought that this version of Perseus seemed a lot more realistic than the paragon he is in other retellings. For me, the most heart-breaking section to read was from Medusa. Medusa’s strength, her history, and her steadfast intention to take care of the Gorgons was so deeply felt. Seeing her point of view really casts a new light on how Medusa’s story is told. I hope to see more books that tell her story! 

The sections from Danae, Perseus’ mother, and Andromeda were also striking. The re-imagining of Andromeda’s story is horrifying and unimaginable. Andromeda loses everything to Perseus and yet is reliant on him to have any form of power or protection. As his mother, Danae is the person who has known Perseus the longest and she has always tried to raise her son to be a far better man than who he turns out to be. Perseus himself is such an aggravating and nefarious character. While he demeans and punishes the women in his life, he slips by on the privilege of being a man in ancient times and believes himself to be descended from Zeus. 

The Shadow of Perseus is a well-written and striking retelling of Perseus- but more than that, it brings into light three women who are cast aside in traditional retellings. This is the story of Danae, Andromeda, and Medusa. It is a heartfelt and unputdownable tale. I would recommend this for fans of Madeline Miller! 

Thank you to Claire Heywood, Dutton, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.