Medusa by Jessie Burton

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Genre Mythology | Retelling | Young adult | Short book | Fantasy 

First PUBLISHED 2021, Bloomsbury 

Themes Greek mythology | Romance | Feminism | Trauma | Sexual abuse | Masculinity and femininity | Jealousy 

Reading Time Approximately 2 hours, 40 minutes

Purchased From Waterstones

Plot This is a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa, which seeks to humanise the famous mythological 'monster', by providing an empathetic account of how a beautiful young woman, was mistreated and abused by the gods, and transformed into the gorgon with snakes in her hair. 

Medusa hides in a cave on a remote island, with her sisters, away from the rest of civilisation, coming to terms with her past, present and future, and her identity, when the handsome Perseus finds her, and changes everything. 

My Reflections As the story is aimed at young adults, the writing is quite simplistic, although poetic at times, and it manages to skilfully and sensitively address taboo subjects, in particular, rape and the trauma of rape. Conflicting themes of masculinity and femininity, identity and the self versus society's views and public pressure, are embedded in the story, and expressed through Medusa's poetic viewpoints as well as similes and metaphors; an obvious phallic symbol is Perseus's sword, it's significance emphasised by Medusa's responses towards it. Her snakes I also see as phallic, but they obviously have more to them, such as the dark, unaccepted and masculine parts of Medusa herself that she must learn to live with, learn to tame and stop being afraid of -  the snakes having personalities made me think of Bertha Mason representing Jane's fears, suppression and repressions in Jane Eyre, but then I am Jane Eyre obsessed, so ... I can see them being compared and contrasted in English lessons, Jane, Bertha and Medusa. 

I read this book in one sitting. I love Greek mythology, and reading the first sentence, learning that the story was told in the first person, from Medusa's point of view, intrigued me instantly. Still, at times near the beginning, I wasn't sure I was going to like it due to the romantic-young adult tones, but I found I grew more interested towards the end, as things deepened and unfolded, and concluded that it was a strong, feminist retelling which gives Medusa the voice she often lacks in the original stories. 

 

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