Book Review – Medusa by Jessie Burton

Pages: 174
Published: 28th October 2021
Genre: Mythological Fiction
Content warnings: Allusions to rape

Exiled to a far-flung island after being abused by powerful Gods, Medusa has little company other than the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. Haunted by the memories of a life before everything was stolen from her, she has no choice but to make peace with her present: Medusa the Monster. But when the charmed and beautiful Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is blown apart, unleashing desire, love… and betrayal.

This book truly demonstrates that quality has to come before quantity. The lack of pages belies the wealth of emotional depth and stunningly bewitching writing contained within them, with nearly every line a lyrical delight that gives you pause for thought, in a retelling that is about as close to perfection as you could possible conceive.

Told in the first person, it reclaims the mythical character of Medusa and then some. Throughout the annals of history she has been described and depicted as this monstrous creature for whom any semblance of compassion – or indeed personality – has been removed by the curse cast upon her by Athena, but here her innocent and unassuming nature shines through spectacularly.

The outcome is someone who you instantly fall in love with. Each word she speaks is pure poetry as she exchanges feelings with would-be killer Perseus on either side of a boulder, concealing the snakes atop her head, all of which have names and brought to life themselves. It is so deep and powerful and reflective to spend time with Medusa and hear her voice, but more then anything else and perhaps surprisingly, she is extremely relatable.

Even Perseus is given a sympathetic portrayal for the most part. He is alone in the world for the time the story takes place and that is what sparks his instant connection with Medusa. However, when the inevitable revelation comes and the truth is out in the open for him to process, all sense of commonality deserts him. It is an effective representation of someone who seemingly falls in love with someone only to turn away when they are shown their whole selves.

That is just one of numerous examples of impeccable writing. As a retelling it delivers everything you want, telling an immersive story while also making it relevant for a modern audience. It has generally been marketed towards young adults compared to Jessie Burton’s other novels, but given its bittersweet splendour, readers of any age can be swept away by it.

Overall, everything about this story is beautiful. There are moments that are simply heartrending and Medusa, whether she is cursed or not, will cast you under her spell. The interaction between her and Perseus builds with a hint of suspense as everyone knows their rapport will not last forever, but every second you spend reading along with them is a second well spent.

Just beautiful. One of the easiest five star ratings I have ever given out.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐