A big THANK YOU to NetGalley, Random House & Ayana Gray for this pristine ARC.

I love a GREAT story that talks about Greek Gods and their atrocious ways. I have recently found a love for Greek Mythology, so while I had heard of Medusa before, this is the first time I read of her. And My Heart! Ugh!! This book had me going on an emotional rollercoaster. Once I got to about 80% of the book, my jaw opened in disbelief. I don’t think I have ever felt so much hatred for someone as much as I did with this book. This story was so captivating from the very beginning all the way until the very end, and at times I needed to slow down to process everything that was happening.
In the end, as heartbroken as I am, I love how Medusa was portrayed in this retell. The way that Ayana wrote the book made me feel like I understood her actions, and I felt a connection with her in different levels. How I wish things had ended up better for her.

Ayana, thank you for this impeccable piece of art. I cannot wait to add this beauty of a book to my shelf. I look forward to reading more books by you.

I, Medusa takes a story we all think we know and flips it on its head. Ayana Gray asks us to think about what power really costs and whether it’s worth the peace we lose.

I liked how this book makes you question who we call a monster and why. Medusa isn’t just myth here. She’s a mirror to our own choices and flaws.

A thoughtful and creative retelling that’s easy to read but leaves you thinking long after.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an e-arc for review, and I was quite excited to dive in. Ayana Gray’s writing style is clear yet flowing, so it hooked me from the start. Her retelling showed empathy for the character overall, while also showing that she is a flawed person who deserved better. While I didn’t always agree with her actions, for the most part I could see the reasoning behind it (except for what she did to Apollonia, that just felt wrong.)
Even knowing what happens in mythology, I was still invested in the story enough to want to find out what’s next. (The hopeful tone of the final chapter poised the stake, and the epilogue drove it into my heart.)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the publication date so I can talk about it with other people.

As a huge lover of all things greek mythology, I knew right off the bat that I would love this book. I, Medusa is a new retelling of the classic Medusa myth. The story gives Medusa a voice, showing her as a
woman with feelings and emotions, rather than a monster. The story was super engaging, pulled me into her world quickly and never felt slow. With themes of power, identity, and transformation being explored in a way that feels so bittersweet and magical. If you enjoy mythology retelling as with a twist, this is a must-read.

I, Medusa, is a tale that starts off strong. Meddy is a wonderful female protagonist whose natural innocence and curiosity about the world draw the reader in. In particular, the opening scene (a flashforward) is especially captivating. Her journey of understanding her immortal sisters better to being chosen as one of Athena's priestesses was a very interesting story. I only wish that there had been more emotional depth to her character. She seems very young, which makes sense-- she is seventeen, but I think there could have still been more moments of reflection.

This book reads as YA, except it contains adult themes. The actual sentence structure and flow of the narrative, however, does feel young adult. The last twenty percent of the book, when Medusa is cursed, I found myself not caring as much about. Suddenly, all three of her sisters are changed as well, and the whole thing felt a bit rushed. When her friend Theo is killed, I found myself having no emotional response at all. Because his character was not fleshed out. He was just a nice guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The concept of this book was great. I just think some of the characters fell a bit flat for me.

Thank you net galley and random house publishing for the advanced copy.
This book is a retelling of the life of Medusa, and while it had its moments, I found it to be incredibly slow paced with a lot of fluff in between the overall plot. It had a very modern tone, which I’m personally not a fan of when it comes to mythological retellings.
That said, the writing was easy to follow, and I appreciated the development of Medusa’s character. There’s definitely a fresh perspective here, and some readers may enjoy the contemporary approach.
For me, though, something just didn’t quite click. I couldn’t fully connect with the story or its tone, but I do think readers who enjoy modern twists on mythology might find more to appreciate here

This made me super interested in digging deeper into more mythology - thoroughly and deeply emotional and just utterly respectful of the intricacies that aren't always offered "villains". Highly recommended to dig in with this!

This is my current read, and I must say, this is a six-star read.

Not only is the writing style elegant and well-structured, but the entire plot is intriguing. Gray's take on Medusa's story is unique and fresh, bringing the true story to light.

I am close to halfway done with this read, but I wanted to go ahead and write a little something here because it's that good! I'm definitely preordering

FULL REVIEW WILL BE UPDATED WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

Medusa Unleashed

Ayana Gray’s I, Medusa rips the mask off one of Greek mythology’s most misunderstood women and hands her the narrative she’s long been denied. Instead of a villain, Medusa emerges as a layered, fiercely human protagonist, a mortal surrounded by gods, scrambling to find her place in a world that keeps pushing her to the margins. When fate throws her into Athena’s orbit, Medusa’s journey spirals into heartbreak, betrayal, and the kind of transformation that feels both inevitable and shocking. Rather than racing to her infamous end, Gray lingers on the intimate moments and impossible choices that shape Medusa’s legend, making the story feel deeply personal and unexpectedly epic.

Gray doesn’t flinch from the darker elements of Medusa’s myth, violence, power plays, trauma, but she gives her heroine room to feel everything: rage, vulnerability, hope, and even love. The supporting cast of gods and mortals is drawn with care, staying true to their mythic roots while avoiding the feeling of being cardboard cutouts. Gray’s writing is lush and cinematic, conjuring the ancient world in vivid detail and pulling readers straight into Medusa’s headspace.

The book’s greatest strengths are its emotional punch and the way it reframes Medusa’s rage as something necessary, even righteous. It’s a feminist retelling that doesn’t blink, tackling themes like consent and agency with nuance and empathy. There are a few slow patches in the middle, but the payoff is more than worth it. I, Medusa, am a standout, fresh, bold, and heartbreakingly relevant, a must-read for anyone tired of seeing powerful women written off as monsters.

With this novel, Ayana Gray doesn’t just retell a myth; she reclaims it, giving Medusa the dignity, power, and complexity she’s always deserved.

The striking cover and powerful reframing of Medusa as a Black girl immediately caught my attention - what an impactful framing to retell a familiar tale. As I read, I highlighted several poignant lines about growing pains, womanhood, grief, and the nature of violence. I also greatly appreciated the author's note; Gray's pursuit is a gift that I think many readers will benefit from, and this book breathes new life into an unfortunately ever-relevant conversation. I do think that the book should contain a content warning at the beginning: if this is a reader's introduction to the myth, they might not be prepared for the sexual violence within.

On that note as well, the main reason the book wasn't as successful for me as I'd hoped was that I felt I was reading YA rather than Adult. This book might be New Adult (which would be a good audience), but the story delivers many ideas plainly and doesn't expand upon the messy intricacies I wish it had. I particularly wanted more digestion of women's animosity against other women, grappling with changes in your and others' personhood, and more subtlety from the main predator (whose dialogue holds no mystery for readers who have dated men). I appreciated the lens of Medusa's innocence to the world (youth compounded by isolation, although she was already familiar with terrible violence) but as a reader, the crafting of the terrible inevitability she headed toward was somewhat trying.

Several key moments also hinged on the protagonist disregarding the gravity and consequences of previous scenes (such as receiving an ultimatum or being surveilled). It seemed convenient that she was only observed some times, but not others; the gaze and reach of the gods were not clearly established. The story doesn't take place over a tremendous amount of time, but it has neither the energy of a story with a short timeline nor the thoroughness of one that spans seasons. The straightforward presentation of these elements would be good reinforcement for a younger audience as it's clearly presented 'bad things to recognize' 'you have power' and 'it is not your fault.' Overall, I appreciated this book and am looking forward to it being received in the world.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for the arc and the opportunity to provide my feedback!

5 star read
I was hooked from the dedication to the
epilogue. The writing is beautiful and the pacing is excellent. I would highly recommend this book if you like Greek mythology. The author really goes in depth with Medusa's journey from her being stuck on an island, only wishing to leave to the "monster" we all know.

I received this book as an ARC. I really enjoyed it. I know there are many variations of Medusa’s story. I really enjoyed this one though. The way the author wrote really made you feel the emotions of Medusa throughout the whole book. I really liked reading from Medusa’s perspective.

One of the best retellings I’ve ever read. I’m a sucker for mythological retellings and this was right up my alley.
Also, I absolutely loved the cover of this book. It’s gorgeous.

I absolutely LOVED this take on Medusa, Seeing a backstory rather than just a villain in someone’s story. This is probably one of my favourite origin stories. I felt so connected to Meddy, and was rooting for her throughout her tests and the rest of her journey.

I, Medusa transforms a familiar myth into something deeply visceral and emotionally powerful by giving voice to Medusa before she becomes a monster in legend. The relationships in this book, from her bond with her sisters to the care for her locs to her interactions with Athena’s acolytes, are rendered with tenderness and complexity that make her youth, hopes, and betrayals feel vivid. The themes of power, consent, rage, and identity are woven through the narrative in a way that stings and lingers, especially when Gray leans into injustice and Medusa’s growing awareness of how the gods misuse power. The pacing and atmosphere pull you in early, and the final act delivers the most emotionally wrenching moments, making the transformation feel earned. Readers seeking myth reimagined with feminist strength and raw emotion will find this retelling unforgettable.

Read this if you are interested in:
A retelling of Medusa if she was Black with gorgeous locs
Female rage, rage against injustice, rage against grief
Complexities of sisterhood
A nuanced comment on power dynamics in rape and abuse

This story had big shoes to fill with Stone Blind being one of my all time favourite books. As well, I have been feeling quite oversaturated with Medusa retellings lately. So I went in very sceptical. But this book has its place and I appreciated it. I, Medusa and Stone Blind each focus on different themes, and different moments of the Medusa myth. This book focuses on Medusa’s time becoming a priestess, and the trials associated with it, and her relationship with Poseidon takes central stage.

Without giving too much away, the spin on Poseidon’s role in this creates a really strong theme. How he is introduced and the fact that the story is told from the 1st person from Medusa’s POV makes it even more tragic. Just please read the CW first.

Writing Style:
At first, I found the writing style a bit too simple and young for me, but I liked how it grew in maturity as the book went on and Medusa aged. It worked for the protagonist’s voice given that she is 17 at the start. Overall the writing was easy to read, but there were some very good lines in this, especially towards the end.

I also loved how much of a role the ocean played in this, I could feel the water and smell the salt air. And I LOVED the chapter divisions that all started with the letter M.

Themes:
Oof, the themes are really heavy in this one, and you have to be ready for something difficult to read. Gray doesn’t sugarcoat Medusa’s myth here. It is hard and truthful. The themes of rage (female rage, sisterly rage, rage against injustice) here are very strong, and I liked what they were saying. This story is a great way to also talk about race and discrimination, although it’s not one of the most central themes. I thought that making Medusa and her sisters Black was really smart.

This book’s most central theme is about rape and power dynamics, and the comments that Gray makes about rape and rape culture here is in the subtleties of turning expectations of the myth against us very smartly.

Lastly, I REALLY liked the touch of “the hero’s” name being excluded from the pages as Medusa’s name was from his.

Cover and Design:
I’m not that crazy about the cover (US or UK). The version with the sprayed edges is super cool, but it feels too modern to me and I think I would have preferred something in the 2D art style of any other retellings right now.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the tale of Medusa and was very excited to read a new retelling. Please make sure you are familiar with the myth of Medusa, as part of her back story involves SA (trigger warning.) This part was dealt with, with care, which I appreciate. This is a debut adult novel and feels like it is meant for a younger audience - like the Malificent back story from Disney. Overall I enjoyed it, and would recommend for your spooky season reads.

I have not had a 4.5 star read in so long BUT this did it for me!!!!! I could not put this down. I loved everything about this book. The characters, the lessons and the entire story were so capturing. Greek mythology is one of my favorite genres and this book did NOT disappoint. GO READ IT!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

5 Star Review posted to GoodReads and StoryGraph.

"Amazing Adult debut from Ayana Gray!

Medusa feels as close as ever, more girl than myth. She never was the monster legends foretold but instead a girl trying to do right in a corrupt world. Meddy is a vigilante, not a victim.
The portrayal or the gods was also well done, showing their flaws and humanities misplaced faith. Their immortality is their downfall.

TW: Of course anyone slightly familiar with Meddy's story knows that SA is prevalent in the book. I appreciate the author's tact and consideration, although it had to be done it was not more than it needed to be.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own."

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray is a mythological retellings. This is the best Medusa retelling I’ve read. Fans of villain origin stories will love this story. The writing was excellent, world building was fantastic, and character development superb. Perfect for your spooky season TBR.
Thank you to NetGallery and Random House for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.