Stone Blind: Medusa's Story

 "Who are you to decide who is a monster?"

What it's about:
A retelling of the Medusa myth from a more female-centred perspective via multiple POVs of gods, mortals and demigods involved.

“I'm wondering if you still think of her as a monster. I suppose it depends on what you think that word means. Monsters are, what? Ugly? Terrifying? Gorgons are both these things, certainly, although Medusa wasn't always. Can a monster be beautiful if it is still terrifying? Perhaps it depends on how you experience fear and judge beauty.”

My thoughts:

• Not quite what I expected as it has a wider focus than just Medusa's story. Not a bad thing, just I was expecting more Medusa and less everyone else.
• As expected, female perspectives are given more time and prominence than in more traditional tellings.
• Shows how Medusa and other mortals are victims of the squabbles and disputes between the gods.
• I enjoyed the characterisation of the wide and varied cast. The author did a great job of giving them distinct personalities in very few words.

“Vengeful and cruel, always blaming women for what men do to them. She has always been like this. You know she has.”