Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes is a retelling of Medusa. The author uses a variety of perspectives including Perseus, Poseidon, Athene, and of course Medusa.
This book was phenomenal. Natalie Haynes is my favorite mythology writer. I love how she adapts the characters and tells stories in a new and surprising way. Her writing is simply magnificent.

This was AMAZING. while I do wish it was more solely focused on Medusa, I might have a new favorite character in mythology.

I love reading Lore Olympus, but this was a refreshing *real* take on the mythology!

Cover is amazing. Writing is amazing. Book is amazing!!

A very fun, though I feel somewhat mismarketed, mythological-historical fiction book. In the vein of Circe and Ithaca, the biggest trouble with this book is the immediate cover appeal it produces. Great for sales. Not as solid for understanding. Needed a bit more gorgons, but I loved what there was. Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity with this title.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading my advanced reader’s copy of Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. I was engrossed in it from the beginning. It’s reminiscent of the books Circe and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.

It’s the story of Medusa, the mortal daughter of two sea gods. She is the sister of two immortals. Collectively the three are called Gorgons; however, since Medusa is mortal, she has little power, and her sisters are quite protective of her. She’s also quite beautiful. Eventually when they are distracted, Medusa is raped by the great sea God Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Angered at the desecration of her temple, Athena punishes Medusa, the victim, by turning her beautiful hair into a writhing mass of live snakes and her eyes into deadly weapons; ever after anyone who looks into those eyes immediately turns to stone.

It’s also the story of Perseus, the hapless mortal son of the great God Zeus, and his inept quest to find Medusa and bring back her head to a malevolent king to prevent him marrying Perseus’s mother. Perseus is helped in his pursuit by his father indirectly through repeated interventions by Athena and Hermes.

The book is both cleverly and well written and utilizes short, alternating paragraphs to keep the story interesting and fresh. I look forward to reading more books by Ms. Hayes, and I would like to thank her, her publisher HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing me an advanced reader’s copy so that I could give my unbiased opinion of the book before its release to the general public.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook (also dipping into the book now and then) read by Natalie Haynes, the author. I know that she has written several feminist retellings of classical mythology, but this is the first I've read (heard).

Admittedly, it has been decades since I've read any mythology, so it was very helpful that this story, with chapters broken down by the perspective of various gods, mortals, gorgons, and even a crow!, told the stories of other figures important to Medusa's story. For example, I might not have understood her story without understanding why Perseus wanted to kill her, which necessitated reviewing why he had grown up isolated with Danae. It was also important to understand the backstory of Andromeda and Cassiopeia, the ugly vengefulness of Poseidon, the contempt of Athena. And I was much more emotionally invested listening to the Stheno and Euryale tell tales of raising their sister.

Thanks to Netgalley for the electronic ARC in both audio and ebook.

Stone Bride is published by an imprint of HarperCollins and as such I will be withholding my review at this time in support of the HarperCollins Union strike. I look forward to reviewing this title once HarperCollins has worked with the union and agreed to a fair contract.

This book is a refreshing new take on Greek Mythology of a woman who is often made to be the villain. I truly love the humanity and heart the author put into this.

I loved this book. Hearing the author read her own story was even more amazing.. Loved this retelling of the Medusa myth.

Thank you Harper Collins and Net Galley. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for honest review.

I love a feminist slant on male dominated classic literature almost without fail. While I wish that this story had more Medusa in it, I also can see that Stone Blind isn't only referring to Medusa, it's about how pride, revenge, petty grievances and power make monsters of us all. The irony is that the only "monster" in the story is a gentle child who is the victim of a horrible crime.

Natalie Haynes is witty to the point of provoking outright laughter from me as I read this book. While it isn't as much about Medusa as the cover would lead one to believe it is a very interesting take on what makes us human and what makes us monsters. I particularly enjoyed her depiction of the Gorgons as thoughtful, gentle caretakers for their younger, mortal sister, while often beloved mythical figures such as Athena were the more monstrous figures in the story. This clever flip of perception is repeated across the multiple storylines and I found myself sympathizing with "villians" and rooting against "heroes" on more than one occasion.

While not as satisfying as Madeline Miller's Circe, I recommend this for readers who enjoy the modernization of centuries old mythology.

They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster.

The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.

When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge—on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon’s actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair and her gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude.

Until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

In Stone Blind, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes turns our understanding of this legendary myth on its head, bringing empathy and nuance to one of the earliest stories in which a woman—injured by a powerful man—is blamed, punished, and monstered for the assault. Delving into the origins of this mythic tale, Haynes revitalizes and reconstructs Medusa’s story with her passion and fierce wit, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to us today.

If you thought you knew the story of Medusa and you assumed it ended with her "vanquishing" by Perseus, "Stone Blind" challenges you to think again. Told from many perspectives, Natalie Haynes' newest retelling is a riveting read from start to finish, if a little disorienting at times due to its many narrative voices. From Medusa's Gorgon sisters to the snakes cursed to her head by Athene, to Athene herself, to Zeus and Hephaestus, to Perseus' mother and beyond, each player in "Stone Blind" tells parts of Medusa's story you didn't think could even be told, and every take is beautifully characterized. The true stars of this retelling are Haynes' characters, ever sparkling and individual and immediately feeling "known" by the reader.

I expected this to be more of a Medusa story but she is one of many characters in this novel. That said, as a fan of mythology retelling, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I especially loved reading about Medusa’s childhood with her sisters.

Stone Blind was absolutely fantastical! Haynes wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

A retelling of the story of Medusa not a Medusa book. It's very well done and had me crying at work, but Medusa always has me crying.
Like so many other retellings, this does feature many characters so if you solely want to hear the story from just Medusa this is not for you.

I will say me and all my friends hate Perseus and Poseidon, Athene is on thin ice.

Stone Blind is a retelling of the Medusa myth following multiple points of view. It highlights the results of what happens when woman are punished for the actions of men. Haynes challenges the narrative while staying to true to the myth allowing the reader to view characters, such as Perseus, in a new less favorable light. It also doesn't shy away from highlighting all the chaos the gods create with their actions.

In this book, the Olympic Gods are Crazy! Stone Blind is a wild romp across the Mediterranean as the reader learns of Medusa’s plight, Perseus’s journey, and the Olympic Gods who just seem to enjoy causing chaos. We’ve read myths and legends that are deep and sorrowful, yet this retelling has wit and quite a few humorous moments which contrast with the seriousness of Medusa's assault and then misplaced revenge. Medusa is so passionate about humans, she is willing to sacrifice herself to a god to prevent a mortal from suffering. I almost wish there was more character building for Medusa and less regarding the Olympic Gods and their petty wars and arguments. As I read the book and reflected on what I thought I knew about Medusa and preferred the character Haynes creates for us, the reader, than the one I previously held.

I was very hesitant going into reading this book because it's potentially very loaded. I also have a strong attachment to Medusa and her mythology. That being said, I was blown away. Natalie Haynes really told a story that resonated with me. It definitely echoed some of the same thoughts that I have had. It was beautifully written and fantastically engaging. I lover her narrative homage to traditional Greek story telling methods, while still making this story wildly personal. I am not normally a fan of 2nd person narration, but it felt so perfect for this story.

I was worried that this was going to be a more modern Medusa focused tale, but I loved how Haynes illustrates the global impact of characters thoughts and actions with Medusa as a pivot point.

I didn't think I was going to like this and then of course I absolutely loved it.

A retelling of the Medusa myth from multiple perspectives, Stone Blind looks at what happens when men take advantage and women are punished for their actions. Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters, mortal and beautiful and kind, but when she catches the eye of Poseidon, Athene punishes her instead. Danae is the daughter of a king, foretold to bear a son who would kill her father and imprisoned for a future she cannot control. Andromeda, daughter of the beautiful Cassiope is condemned to death for the foolish words of her mother. As these women's stories converge, it becomes clear that the stories we know are not really the truth at all.

I loved the multiple perspectives Stone Blind offers, shifting from Medusa to her sisters, to Danae, Andromeda, Perseus, Athene, Hera, and even the olives that made Athens famous. It provided so many different perspectives on the actions of the characters in the story and let the women of the myths finally share their version of events. Haynes uses the story of Medusa to highlight the injustices faced by women - mortal, monster, and goddess alike - and how they sought to cope with the consequences of male actions happening to and around them. Perseus is no hero and Medusa is only the monster he makes her. Anyone familiar with Greek mythology is well aware that it involves an inordinate amount of violence, especially against women, and that the heroes and gods are flawed, capricious creatures. Haynes takes that to another level, giving voice and sympathy to those who are too often ignored or vilified by Classical tradition with a dry wit that provides a lightness while also confronting the darkness of the mythological tradition.

Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Stone Blind early in exchange for an honest review.

Another fantastic Greek mythology retelling by Natalie Haynes. Haynes has the ability to connect the reader with the book’s characters, making you cheer for them or against them. I was a little confused about all of the different characters’ point of views at first, but it added so much to the story and how different events and individuals are connected. The only critique I have (if you even want to call it that) is that I wish there was a little bit more of Medusa’s storyline in the book. Stone Blind was still a 5 star read for me, and easily in my top favorite Greek mythology retellings.

Haynes successfully balances difficult topics and a comedic tone on a knife edge, drawing attention to the absurdity of the former with the levity of the latter. She (and her characters) say, isn't it terrible that this sort of thing happens? But you don't care, do you? That Haynes is an effective comedian is well apparent and her chorus of characters are all snarky and self-righteous and enjoyable to read. A common critique I see is that Medusa is hardly in this retelling of the Medusa myth. To that I say, isn't that the point? Isn't it terrible that this sort of thing (the removal of a woman from her own narrative...) happens? Unfortunately, I do agree that Haynes came short of executing her goal and bringing her points home - with the setup of that knife edge, I would have expected her to skewer her thesis with it. This was not a well-framed narrative, and I was left unsatisfied with the ending.

Nevertheless, this is a worthy addition to the recent catalog of mythological retellings. Thank you for early access!