Best book I've read in ages! I love Greek mythology, Medea being one of my all time favorite women. She was a woman possessed by the capricious goddesses. They made her do some purely horrid things, be she still prevailed. This book gives voice to a woman long called witch.
I loved this book. I highly encourage anyone who enjoys mythology to read this book. These characters are not just names on a page, they come to life under the expert writing of JJ Taylor. I anxiously await more by her.

5 star book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I've read a lot of greek mythology retellings, but had never heard much about Medea's story. So, I was really intrigued when this popped up. And I wasn't disappointed. This is a new favorite in the greek retellings genre next to Circe, Clytemnestra, and Atalanta.

I think a lot of the retellings struggle with how to keep readers invested when half the book is the characters traveling and not knowing their destination. This book definitely didn't have that problem. The author was able to introduce new characters, settings, and cultures several times without it feeling repetitive or confusing. You got to learn about the new cities as the characters did so it never felt like the author was just info dumping.

Medea was also such a multifaceted character. It was painful to see her internal strife with being a pawn of the gods and seeking her freedom. One of my main concerns going in was how the author would make me feel connected to Jason (knowing what I already knew going in). But, honestly, I liked Jason and Medea's dynamic and everything that happened felt believable.

Thank you NetGalley and JJ Taylor!

What a beautifully done retelling of Medea. I absolutely adored this book. The writing style was poetic and easy to follow.
I found some of the early-middle to drag a bit but the way the story lines concluded left me feeling very satisfied.
Jason sucks, outwitting the gods is a challenge, you must let go of those you love so they might flourish.

Thanks to NetGalley and JJ Taylor for the chance to get my hands on this early!

Medea is a princess on the Black Sea. She is a priestess to the goddess Hectate. She is a witch with mysterious powers. She is the chosen of the gods. Medea is all of these things and more, but in a world run by men, it is hard to forge a path of freedom and power. Because of this, she leaps at the chance to help Jason and the Argonauts and go on the adventure of a lifetime. But the gods have plans for her that she could never expect and sailing away from her problems may not give her the freedom she desires.

I loved the fresh, feminist lens the author used to retell an old story. Medea wasn’t portrayed as lovestruck or evil, she was shown to be a woman doing her best in a world run by gods and men, and the unfair hand she’d been dealt was clear.

I also have a special place in my heart for Kip. Their friendship was so sweet. I love how Kip didn’t let Medea get away with anything and also stood up to the gods when they inhabited Medea.

That being said, I felt like this book had a pacing issue. Some stops on their journey on the Argo were too long and detailed, while other parts I was more interested in went by too quickly. This made it hard for me to understand Medea’s relationships, like with Chaon and her and Jason’s children. It also made me get bored in the story when I felt it was going to slow.

Overall, I love the idea that the author had behind how to portray this story but found some issues with the actual execution.

3.75

Finally, I have finally read a Medea retelling. AND I LIKED IT.

For the past few years, I’ve been finding a Greek mythology retelling that isn’t Hades and Persephone. Like, they’re great and everything, but they have the tend to be overdone. Other than that, I also didn’t want to read anything from authors I have read before, so this.. it had something I want.

I was never familiar with Jason (I mean I was… but I was familiarized with Greek Mythology women more), so I wanted to see if he was a normal Greek Mythology ego guy, and uhm..yeah! He was! He was coward and selfish; thank GOD he isn’t the main character.

Medea contains a lot of twists, so it kept me intrigued! That doesn’t happen to retellings a lot, so I was shocked of how bold this book is. It was definitely a delight and I would highly recommend!

what a fun experience to read another Greek Mythology and it’s about Medea, which i never read before.

this book is about her adventure to find freedom. she’s the chosen one by the gods who can see the future although it’s not crystal clear.

this book is a slow pace and very quiet, it only gets intense when it’s near the ending. but through this pace, we can get a better closure of Medea.

i love the writing styles. it is very poetic and deep. the other side characters in this book are also crafted really well.

Quite a good book

"Medea" by JJ Taylor was a book i found quite interesting since i have the play of Medea by Euripides in my syllabus for the degree i am pursuing, I have an Idea of the play and the overall story. The entire novel was well paced and beautifully written. I felt for Medea on a different Dimension and waned her to be free at last that is. I love the way Medea thought of the other Woman in her life, on how freedom was different for everyone and how everyone was on a different boat. I loved, LOVED Alkippe and i finished the book in one night.

since i knew the story already it was easier for me to understand (i have to read a book twice to understant it). the descriptions of places and people were so beautiful and overall i enjoyed the book.

what i was taken a little aback by was the language of dialogues, now i understand if the wanted it to be modernized language for the readers to understand it with no problem but because of this "modern" or casual language, the dialogues sometimes felt drowning in comparison to the thought that was suppposed to be expressed. the people of royal families also conversed as if they lived in 21th century, i also know the way medea talks is deliberate to show her personality but that way can also be a bit "royal" and not plain out a girl from the neighbourhood.

also, thank you to the publishers and JJ Taylor to provide this book without the request.
i would also like to add, the review i have written is totally my own honest opinion.

truthfully, Aarohi S

It is a beautiful retelling depicting a strong female story that captivates you with beautiful writing. JJ Taylor does an amazing job at taking a story that has been told thousands of times and breathing new life into it. We get to see the depths of Medea and her character through her youth to old age. As a woman, I felt a sense of empathy and comradery as I read through the chapters. The story was enchanting, tense, heart-wrenching, and liberating. This is perfect for anyone who enjoys Greek retellings like Circe by Madeline Miller.
Thank you to NetGalley and JJTaylorl for this ARC.

4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

First things first, I have to highlight what thrilled me as a queer reader: less than 10% into the story and we have our first (but not last) instance of sapphic Medea! From then on, there is just so much I enjoyed about this retelling. She is a figure often highlighted for the bloody violence she commits, be it out of necessity to assist the supposed hero Jason in his quest, or due to sheer revenge, depending on the myth's source. Which is why JJ Taylor devoting a large portion of the book to the experiences she goes through while on the ship known as the Argo is such a breath of fresh air: the places she visits, the people she meets and whose lives she touches, and the yearning & lamentation she feels. Given that Medea's greatest wish has always been to be free, a previously sheltered princess such as herself broadening her worldview is something I rooted for.

The familiar beats of the myth—aiding Jason in his tasks, stealing the golden fleece, killing her brother and his dismemberment, seeing Circe, King Pelias' murder, Jason's betrayal, etc.—are still revisited. Now, however, we have insight from Medea on these series of events. We see how she laments the necessity of her atrocious deeds yet also is affronted when her role in them is downplayed or attributed to Jason instead, all because she is a woman. Internal conflict is a must for a well-rounded protagonist, and so Medea struggles with managing her hubris as well as her extremely complicated feelings for Jason.

I will say I'm pleasantly surprised by the novel's effort in developing any kind of believably positive dynamic to the Jason/Medea romance given their doomed end. While their "love" for each other is at first initiated by the meddling goddess as per the myth, the two did genuinely grow to care for the other. Jason is even quite likeable at times. I felt that this was one of many ways the novel wanted to be kind to Medea, and offer her more agency than the myth afforded her.

Speaking of agency, I also wanted to note how much I liked the minor tweaking of the way King Pelias' daughters ended up murdering him. Much more satisfying.

Lastly, what I feel is the novel's greatest strength is of how many women supported Medea, and she in turn supported them. Her relationships with most of the men in her life is often fraught because they are threatened by a woman who does not fear them. It's therefore great to see the novel embrace the concept of female solidarity, even over the instances when envy is understandably felt towards Medea and even by Medea towards others.

A wonderfully complex heroine, I'm thrilled to have gone through this journey with her.

I love this book! I love greek mythology retellings, and I think it is such a wonderfully written book that feels like a love letter to Medea. This book goes into detail about Medea's backstory and motivations, and I have loved being able to read about and really feel like I'm connecting to Medea. It felt very unique and went in to details that weren't in the original myth of Jason and the Argonauts. It makes me want to apologize for my lack of understanding or even desire to see where she was coming from when I first heard the myth! I really enjoyed changing the framing in my mind from the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, to Medea: Priestess, Princess, Witch!

I received this book as an electronic advanced reader copy - all opinions are my own.

This is a good retelling of Medeas life, with her being the hero of her own story instead of the villain. This might work well for someone interested in this character who hasn't read many Greek retellings, but as a person who has read a lot of them, this lacked the emotional depth I usually need from one to make it into my favorites.

****THIS IS A NETGALLEY ARC REVIEW****

It’s safe to say I loved this book. As a former Greek mythology nerd, I love the emotions that arise from Greek retellings, I love the drama and the tragedy and the suspense. I loved Medea. I love how well the author characterized her, and in reading this book I felt transported back to my childhood, falling in love with Greek retellings all over again.

An excellent telling of the Greek story of Medea, combining several of the different versions into a fantastic story of a mortal woman who has been made into a play thing of the gods and just wants to find her own way and gain her freedom.

As with most Greek stories, there is tragedy and hope and heartbreak and love and betrayal and heroics and magic and everything in between. This was a really excellently written story.

Summary: In the house of King Aeetes on the Black Sea shores, Medea, descendant of Helios and daughter of sea nymph Idyia, possesses power fit for epic heroes. However, her fate is dictated by the men around her until the arrival of Jason and the Argonauts. With the winds of change, the goddess's voice echoing through her, and visions of a dark future haunting her, Medea's journey is marked by sacrifices, political intrigue, gods with hidden agendas, magic, monsters, and the tumultuous quest for love and freedom.

Pros:
🌌 A stellar 5-star experience for Greek mythology enthusiasts! A faithful retelling that stays true to the myth, unfolding the layers of Medea's compelling story.

👩‍🦰 Medea, a character to root for! I was drawn into her world, feeling the depth of her struggles and the fierce determination for freedom. A protagonist worth championing.

🖋️ Beautiful prose that weaves an intricately well-written story. The story flows seamlessly, immersing readers in a world of gods, deceit, and a woman's relentless fight against her predetermined destiny.

In conclusion, "Medea" is a captivating exploration of Greek mythology, where gods and mortals collide in a world of sacrifices, politics, magic, monsters, and the undying quest for freedom. A 5-star journey that honors the myth while telling Medea's side of the story. Bravo to JJ Taylor for delivering a compelling retelling! 🏛️🌌

Disclaimer: A big thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC copy. Opinions are as steadfast as Medea's determination, and this review celebrates the allure of Greek mythology. 🏺📚

This is so well written. I personally went in with no idea who Medea is and I think she is going to have a moment this year.

There is a time line issue that confused me a bit. Along with the differing characters and gods. It was such a short book and it just devoured it but there where so many times that I had to stop and try to connect the dots to who they are and what timeline we were in.

A great story especially if you go in completely blind.

JJ Taylor’s version of the life of Medea has transformed my thinking and I loved it. They have taken the story and the facts and looked at them through a completely different lens and written something special. To find there is an alternative, a contrasting way of thinking of all those actions we think we know and understand, has been enlightening.

The world Medea lives in is wonderfully described. JJ Taylor has looked at the different places and the characters involved showing that her knowledge of this period is something very rare these days. The emotional connection between people and place is exquisite. Her research is thorough and detailed; she knows her mythology and her ancient Greece.

If you add to all this, a poetic way with words that keeps your attention from start to finish, then you understand how JJ Taylor will make you feel when you read this book.

I would like to thank JJ Taylor, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me this ARC. There is something particularly pleasurable about reading a retelling of a story that is already very dear to me, with a character that, for me, is one of the most complex and interesting in mythology. I loved the book from start to finish. I liked the retrospective reflections and I liked the references to other myths that were left throughout the book. Of course one of my favorite quotes would have to be from Circe: "It's how you walk the path that matters when it comes to who you to. The outcome may be set, but how you arrive at it… Well, that can be your taste of freedom." I liked the pacing of the book and I liked the writing. Although I feel that this retelling did not add much to the classic story, it is always pleasant to read a faithful representation of an already well-known myth.

I’m very familiar with Medeas story and I found this to be a well told retelling where we are really getting to know her and her magic in depth
The writing was beautiful whilst also being very descriptive and I love when the women in these myths are given a voice
This retelling was more literary than other books I have read which I very much liked. A very good read

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

Wow! So first off, I didn't know much about Medea when I started reading this. I decided to wait until I finished to do a little research on her. I'm glad I did because I like this version oh so much better! The myth tale of her is...really horrible. I'd seen her name pop up a few times in other books I've read, but never knew much of anything about her.
This turned out to be a really good read. It took me a 3 days to read it because there is just SO much in it. It is definitely not a light read. Anyone that likes mythology, will probably like this story. Definitely worth a read!
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC! These opinions are my own.

The enchanting story of Medea, the true hero of the story of Jason and the Argonauts. More than a villain, less than a Goddess, but a woman seeking freedom in the war to write her own destiny.