Stories of Perseus has been told by numerous voices and prose but was there every a tale told from the women in his life that shaped his course?

The Shadow of Perseus is refreshing because it is divided into four parts in the view point of Danae - his mother, Andromeda - his wife, and Medusa - the monster he slay. I enjoyed the perspective of these women very much because you felt their struggles, their strength, and their hope to lead Perseus in the right direction.

In this story Perseus is not truly some hero. He has a weak pride and much anger that has led many lies to flourish. For every great heroic endeavor, there is perhaps a true story that was covered in embellishment and this is what this novel strived to shed light in a fictionally way.

Overall a solid greek mythology story that I enjoyed immensely.
The writing flowed really well and I was shocked how much I read in a short time span.
Shadow of Perseus is a book to check out when it comes out!

This is a retelling of the myths surrounding Perseus but told from the perspective of the woman in his life. Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda. It takes an interesting spin on myth retelling by taking a more realistic approach. Much of the "magical" elements are removed. This book talks a lot about how women in many Greek stories are punished for the actions of the men around them.

I really enjoyed the first 3 parts of this book.
Part 1. Danae is Perseus' mother. She gives a great insight into how the fates inevitably shape a person's life no matter how hard you try to avoid it. You also get a great look into how he was raised—seeing him have such a great childhood and how she tried desperately to keep him "from the dark side". She wanted him to be the exception to fate even though she was totally justified in it based on how she was treated. I liked her story and how she was always so positive even though she went through some of the worst neglect and abuse.
Part 2. I was truly enthralled with the Medusa section of this book. I absolutely love her story and I think more people need to know what truly happened to her. I wish we got more on her and the Gorgon people. Her section felt really rushed to me and I didn't fully understand Perseus' intentions in what he did.
Part 3. This section was just so heartbreaking. We begin with Andromeda just about to move into the next big step in life and it is sadly stripped from her by Perseus' big ego. This man is truly a taker and has no regard for women at all. It left me wondering where he learned this because we know he is so protective of his mother and respects her so much. Andromeda is such a selfless character. It is amazing to read from her POV and see her go through all these awful things and keep looking to the future. She has the "I can fix him" mentality without it feeling gross/icky. She isn't doing it because he's "hot", she's doing it out of self-preservation and looking out for the community. She believes there is more power with words than there is with physical actions and I think it is a great message.
Part 4. This is where the book began to fall for me. It is from Danae's POV and I didn't really like it. She had a hard time looking past all the awful things he did and kept saying "but I'm his mother". The big scene at the end had a lot of emotions but it felt very small in comparison to other aspects of the book. The very last chapter was very powerful though and I think it was a great end to the book. I was a little upset that there were absolutely no consequences for Perseus and he just gets to rule a land. Did he truly learn any lessons?? Overall the ending fell flat and I found myself dragging a little to finish this book.

As a whole the story was beautiful and I feel like I learned so much about the tales of Perseus without knowing much going in. The prose was elegant and didn't feel too pretentious. I highly recommend this book for people who have enjoyed greek retelling or are even looking to get into it.

Goodreads review- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5222083531

Retelling of the Greek mythological character, Perseus. The story of Perseus is told from the perspective of the 3 women in his life, Danaea, his mother; Medusa, whom Perseus kills; and Andromeda the wife. I was not familiar with the story of Pegasus which might have been good since the book does not strictly follow the legend. The boom.is an enjoyable fast read.

"Nationally bestselling author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative and female-centered reinterpretation of the myth of the great hero Perseus, told through the voices of three women who are sidelined in the traditional version - his mother, Danae; his trophy, Medusa; and his wife, Andromeda - but whose viewpoints reveal a man who is not, in fact, a hero at all.

Danae: Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, the king of Argos, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone in a remote fishing village. It’s a harsh new world for a young woman who grew up as a coddled princess, and forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

Medusa: As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest.

Andromeda: When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe's way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda’s life is set on an entirely new path.

As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women's lives. But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future."

I have lately become a little gorgon obsessed, so this book comes at just the right time.

Enjoyable tale following many our our Greek favorites. Dánae finds herself with child and exiled before starting a new life in a new world all due to a prophecy for her father. I loved getting to know these characters beyond the classic tales and would have welcomed a book about each of them. Here, they are weaved together and we are taken on a journey spanning a generation, with themes of love, family, violence, and the search for one’s self.

There are a plethora of Greek retellings on the market, but this book shines among the masses. Perseus’s story is reshaped by the women in his life. This novel examines feminism, what it means to be a man, and community. This is an excellent read that I will feature on an episode of Books Are Magical podcast.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Book: The Shadow of Perseus

Author: Claire Heywood

Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars



I would like to thank the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with an ARC.



This is not a new story. Anyone who knows anything about Greek mythology is going to be somewhat familiar with this story. However, the way that it is presented is very different. Instead of us getting the story from Perseus, we are given the story from the point of views of three women in his life: Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda. From them, we learn that the man who has always been portrayed as a hero is not a hero. He is, in fact, the opposite.



The book opens with Danae’s banishment. She finds herself with a child. Her father believes that this child was conceived out of wedlock and refuses to believe that the baby is the result of the gods. He kicks his daughter out of her homeland, and she finds herself on the run. She is forced to build this new life for herself and her son. Danae babies Perseus to the point that he doesn’t know how to function without her. As her part goes on, he comes to see his mother as his property and that only he can make choices for her. This is not uncommon for the time. Danae tries to reason with him. Her strength and dedication for her son come across the page. This is a deep mother-son bond, one that even though has its fractures in one that is very difficult to erase. We see that even through the most difficult of times this relationship does still very much hold up. We see time and time again Danae’s quest to keep her son on the side of the good and how she wants to do right by him.



Medusa is presented in a very different light than other myths. In this one, she is on the island and is there is serve as a safe place for women. She and her sisters are offering women another chance to better their lives. Perseus has been away by his mother and future stepfather on this quest to become a man. He arrives at Medusa’s Island with the intent to cause harm. Medusa offers a safe place, because he is by himself. She gives him kindness and love. She wants him to stay and become a part of her life there-even though that is not what the island is for. She also hopes that she can make him see that she and her sisters are not evil. However, Perseus is still on his quest for becoming this great man and it doesn’t end well.



Andromeda is often times viewed as the woman who was saved by Perseus. Once again, the author gives us a completely different take on this. She is a captive and cannot escape from him. At first, she deals with his cruelty, but then starts to find her own voice. She starts to stand up from herself and try to get him to do the right thing, which is not easy.



I enjoyed the way that everyone was presented. Often times, we see only the male version of what happened, but by adding the women’s point of view, we get to see just how different things actually are. We see that this man who has been treated like a great hero really is not. It also reminds you that more often than not, there is more than one side to the story.



Overall, I highly encourage you to pick this one up when it comes out.



This book comes out on February 21, 2023.



Youtube: https://youtu.be/7q8_Xu_TIDI

An atypical and enjoyable retelling of Perseus’s story without the Greek Gods from his mother’s point of view. Other retellings have focused on Medusa and Andromeda, but none of them have looked at the story from his mother’s side - and as if the story happened.

4 ⭐️

I really enjoyed my time with this gripping and at times just sad story. It's beautifully written from three women's perspectives.

The authors notes describe it perfectly that these stories can cast a main character as a hero or villain just depends on who controls the narrative.

In this story we follow Danae the mother of Perseus, Medusa, and Andromeda. These are strong women who have the worst luck when it comes to men. Then Perseus comes along and is a villain in each of their stories. He's a boy who has never really grown up and doesn't understand what it means to be an honorable man.

I enjoyed both Danae's and Andromeda's perspectives but im quickly wanting more of Medusas story. After learning more of her origin story my heart breaks for Medusa. I want to read more stories centered around her.

I really enjoyed Claire Heywood's style of writing and I will be planning to read more from her:

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites near or at the time of publication.

I love Greek mythology, and this was a fresh take on the story of Perseus. While I loved the women-centered story and unique perspective, I have to admit, I did struggle at times to connect with the story of one of our favorite Greek heroes, which portrays Perseus in a negative light. That is just my personal opinion. I admire the author's willingness to take a chance with the ancient myths and am definitely open to reading her other stories!

Thank you to the Penguin Group for my advanced copy!

Honestly what a stellar Greek Myth retelling! I wasn’t incredibly familiar with the tale of Perseus, but I love retellings and read Heywood’s Daughters of Sparta last year and really loved it! This book didn’t disappoint at all. Very rarely are myth retellings told from the perspective of the women in the stories so it was very interesting to read about Danae, Andromeda, and Medusa from their perspectives.

Overall, the writing was pretty but also concise and the characters were well portrayed. This is a pretty short book at just over 300 pages, but there is a lot of plot that happens! I felt immersed in the locations for the most part.

I would have given 5 stars if I got a little more information on the Oasis that Andromeda was from in Libya and if the book was a bit more “fantastical.” Medusa did not have the power to turn people to stone in this book and while I think the way the gorgons were portrayed was beautiful, I did miss her power.

Thanks to Penguin Groups Dutton and Net Galley for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review!
This is actually my first time reading a novel based on Greek Mythology and I was not disappointed. I thought the author made this story so unique by telling it from the perspective of the three most influential women in Perseus’s life. The thing that has steered me away from mythological novels is my fear that I would become confused or disinterested (I don’t gravitate towards fantasy), but the author wrote this story chronologically and in a way that is easy for mythology amateurs to comprehend and enjoy.

Another incredible book by Claire heywood! If you love Greek mythology or mythology retellings you will love this. I finished it in 2 nights and stayed up later than I’d like to admit. An immersive tale that keeps you hooked even with time jumps and changing main characters. Ugh I can’t put into words how much I enjoyed this!

3/5 stars. This was a lovely entry by the author of "Daughters of Sparta." The story was well down but wish the female characters had featured more character development. Not a great or terrible story. Enjoyable but forgettable.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

What an absolute gem of a novel. I love historical mythological retellings, and this one absolutely delivered for me.
It’s the story of Perseus, as told through the eyes of three of the key women in his life - his mother, Danae, his wife, Andromeda, and Medusa. Rather than focus on any mythological elements, it paints a darker and more realistic version of the events of his life. It casts him as less of a hero and more as a troubled villain, consumed by the idea of the dark destiny awaiting him, foretold by the god Apollo.
Each of these women are horribly wronged by Perseus in a myriad of ways, yet he sees himself only as their savior. His delusions of grandeur and self importance are so incredibly frustrating to read, I was horrified and anxious to see how much more tragedy would befall these women because of him. The perseverance and strength, and at times, cunning, they exhibited in the face of his evil, was riveting.
This was a masterful work of fiction, and one I’ll be thinking about for a very long time.

If you love Greek mythology, you’ll love this female-centric retelling of the Perseus myth. Told from the perspectives of the three most influential women in Perseus’s life – Danae, Andromeda, and Medusa – this novel is a fresh and unique take on the hero story you thought you knew. Claire Heywood turns the old narrative on its head and gives agency and voice to women who were traditionally supporting characters. The prose is nothing short of gorgeous – the settings and descriptions are lush and the characterizations rich. A brilliant and totally immersive read!

Highly recommended for lovers of Greek mythology retellings. Fans of Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint are sure to enjoy this one! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me an advance copy of this book.

I am absolutely thrilled to have been able to read an advanced readers copy of this book. The story was amazing from beginning to end. I loved it so much I was glued to the pages all day and into the night! I loved the different perspectives given Danae, Andromeda, etc. I loved the descriptions of the characters and their environments. It was a wonderful book and I can’t wait to read anything else by Claire Heywood.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a retelling of the myth of Perseus from the women’s perspective. In all the versions I have read, he has been the hero. Reading about him as the villain to Medusa, Andromeda, and Danae was very interesting! I found their journey to using their voices very compelling. The characters were very well developed, but the modern tone, writing, and ideas made it hard to become immersed in the story. I would recommend this for someone who likes greek mythology without the poetic/archaic language it is usually written in.

4.5 stars

If you love the “Circe,” you will love this! This was so good and interesting! I find Greek mythology very fascinating and some books are super dry, but that is not the case with this book.

I liked how the book is broken into three different parts/POV: Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda. It really showed the evolution of Perseus.

I will definitely read Claire Heywood’s other books!

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

In The Shadow of Perseus, we get the story of Perseus as seen through the eyes of the women in his life. I really liked this format and the voice it gave to the female characters. I also liked the author’s note about her motivation in changing the perspective of the narrative around Perseus. However, the 3 women’s stories felt more like short stories until the end, and I wish it had felt more cohesive. Also, the ending was a bit of a letdown for me. Be aware this story has some gore and violence. While I prefer Heywood’s Daughters of Sparta over this one, I’m still glad I read it.