Medusa

by Jessie Burton, Olivia Lomenech Gill (Illustrator)

Overview

A dazzling, lyrical YA retelling of Greek myth, from Jessie Burton, internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist and The Muse.

"A powerfully feminist, elegiac, and original twist on this old story." -Madeline Miller, bestselling author of The Song of Achilles

If I told you that I'd killed a man with a glance, would you wait to hear the rest? The why, the how, what happened next?

Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love, betrayal . . . and destiny itself.
With stunning, full-color illustrations and a first person narrative illuminating the fierce, vulnerable, determined girl behind the myth, this astonishing retelling is perfect for readers of Circe, and brings the story of Medusa to life for a new generation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547607594
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/11/2022
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	272,053
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Jessie Burton is the author of three novels for adults, The Miniaturist and The Muse-both New York Times bestsellers-and The Confession, which became an immediate Sunday Times bestseller. Jessie's first novel for children, The Restless Girls, was published by Bloomsbury in 2018.
www.jessieburton.co.uk
@jessieburton (Instagram)

Olivia Lomenech Gill is the illustrator of Where My Wellies Take Me, written by Michael and Clare Morpurgo, was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal and won the English Association Picture Book Award. She is also the illustrator of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling.
www.oliviagill.com
@olivia_lomenech_gill (Instagram)

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/06/2021

In this haunting reimagining of the myth of Medusa and Perseus, Burton (The Confession) positions the pair as teenagers swept up in the capricious gods’ machinations, struggling to defy the destinies thrust upon them. Medusa has been living with her sisters on a secluded island, ever since her transformation into a snake-tressed girl, when Perseus docks his boat on her shore. Without ever seeing each other directly, the 18-year-olds, portrayed with light brown skin, strike up a friendship, over several days sharing their respective hurts and hopes—though Medusa holds back the exact nature of her curse, afraid of how she might be perceived. But as they open their hearts to one another, the shadows of Athena and Poseidon loom, ready to turn a romance into a tragedy. Burton’s take on the traditional adversaries humanizes both characters, blurring boundaries between hero and monster. In particular, Burton is clear to blame the gods for their own actions, especially Poseidon’s sexual assault of Medusa at age 14. Medusa’s first-person voice is formally distant, hinting at her inner turmoil and experiences with misogynistic double standards. Lomenech Gill’s (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) angular, full-color illustrations add another layer of depth to the story. Ages 14–up. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Mushens Entertainment. (Jan).

Publishers Weekly

A beautiful and profound retelling. Burton's text and Lomenech Gill's art are a perfect match, offering a powerfully feminist, elegiac, and original twist on this old story. The book tackles pain and trauma without flinching, but its message is ultimately one of joy and hope.” —Madeline Miller, author of THE SONG OF ACHILLES

“Medusa is absolutely stunning and easily my read of the year – sheer perfection from start to finish, both in words and art.” —Catherine Doyle, author of THE STORM KEEPER series

“This book is a beautiful excavation, uncovering the girl beneath the gorgon, the power within the punished. Exquisitely told, Medusa stole my heart from its first fierce lines.” —Mary Watson, author of THE WREN HUT

"Jessie Burton's Medusa is a dazzling, engrossing retelling of a classic that's delivered with a profound feminist twist." - Foreword Reviews, starred review

"A fiercely feminist undercurrent fuels Medusa's unflinching voice. . . . An 18-year-old Medusa wrests control of her own story in this necessary reimagining of the Greek myth for YA readers." - Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Burton tackles an old myth with unflinching honesty to reclaim Medusa’s story as one of self-love and bravery. . . . With unforgettable imagery and a powerhouse woman at the helm of the tale, this revamped myth is one to get on your bookshelf." - School Library Journal, starred

“In this haunting reimagining of the myth of Medusa and Perseus . . . Burton's take on the traditional adversaries humanizes both characters, blurring boundaries between hero and monster. Lomenech Gill's (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) angular, full-color illustrations add another layer of depth to the story.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Throughout the book, Burton’s prose and Gill’s art work in harmony to offer two intertwined ways of learning who Medusa really is. By placing her at the center of the tale, they give an epic voice to victims whose stories often go ignored and untold. Readers who love nuanced retellings of myths will not want to miss it." - BookPage

“The Medusa myth is given new shading and depth in a feminist retelling that homes in on the heart of a young girl punished unfairly for being herself. Burton's prose [is] aquatic and mythical but not overwrought, its beauty is reflected in Gill's sublime full-page illustrations. A smart reimagining of an ancient tale that questions old tropes.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The dappled colors and sketchy lines of Gill’s illustrations anchor the story with brilliant images of coiled snakes, wheeling birds, and undulating waves, with a creamy, yellowing background reminiscent of an ancient text. . . . Hand this to teens looking for new layers of complexity in familiar figures.” —BCCB

“A riveting feminist retelling, filled with excitement, imagination, magic, and just the right touch of darkness.” —Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of CIRCE, on THE RESTLESS GIRLS

“[A] wild, wise, generous, ferocious kind of story. It's a tale to read to your children over and over, and for them to read to theirs.” —Katherine Rundell, author of THE WOLF WILDER and THE EXPLORER, on THE RESTLESS GIRLS

“[A] story of female empowerment, agency and sisterhood. . . . 'The Restless Girls' is one of the prettiest books I've seen in a long time.” —The New York Times Book Review on THE RESTLESS GIRLS

“A richly imagined feminist fairy tale, laden with allusions to contemporary concerns about autonomy, gender roles, and power dynamics, that is extended in Barrett's lush scenes of the clever sisters and their revels.” —Publishers Weekly on THE RESTLESS GIRLS

From the Publisher

★ 01/01/2022

Gr 9 Up—Remade by Athena into a mortal Gorgon, Medusa is living out her days on a deserted island with her two immortal sisters. After four years of isolation, a boat arrives at the island carrying an alluring lost sailor named Perseus. Nervous around other humans (for her hair of snakes surely will frighten him), Medusa hides herself while secretly rendezvousing with Perseus. As the two trade their life stories, Medusa begins to see their crossed paths may be no mere coincidence. Burton tackles an old myth with unflinching honesty to reclaim Medusa's story as one of self-love and bravery. While the base plot follows the traditional myth, the lyrical first-person descriptions of Medusa's life reveals the bitter cycle of being struck by the male gaze, scorned by society, and feeling an insurmountable amount of guilt for existing with no reprieve in sight. Medusa and Perseus's tentative friendship illuminates humanity's continued failures in relation to power dynamics, gender inequality, consent, and victim blaming. Ultimately, the duo's ending shifts away from the known finale to paint a hopeful message of owning one's story. Gill's illustrations are rich in detail, with earthy tones gorgeously invoking Medusa's emotions. All characters are Greek. VERDICT With unforgettable imagery and a powerhouse woman at the helm of the tale, this revamped myth is one to get on your bookshelf.—Emily Walker

School Library Journal

2021-10-26
Boy meets girl, girl loves boy—but girl’s hair was cursed and is made of living snakes.

The Medusa myth is given new shading and depth in a feminist retelling that homes in on the heart of a young girl punished unfairly for being herself. After being banished, Medusa lives with only her winged sisters for company on a hidden desert island until Perseus, a son of Zeus, arrives to bring light to her lonely days. Her first-person narration quickly builds connection with readers—even her snakes experience distinct emotions—as she begins to examine her own autonomy and her need to tell her story to a stranger. In her hunger for the sustenance of the connection she’s been denied, Medusa reconsiders the status quo and her relentlessly cruel treatment by both men and gods. Burton delves into the lingering trauma of sexual assault and toxic gender roles in a visceral call to empathy, with surprising twists on the original story. Some messages can veer toward heavy-handedness when they shift away from Medusa’s own distinct perspective, but Perseus’ description of her as a poet is also true of Burton’s prose; aquatic and mythical but not overwrought, its beauty is reflected in Gill’s sublime full-page illustrations. Rich in texture and color, they give the impression of a rediscovered ancient manuscript or mural. Medusa, her sisters, and Perseus have light-brown skin.

A smart reimagining of an ancient tale that questions old tropes. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews