I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

I, Medusa is a wonderful book based on the Greek mythology of Medusa. While staying true to the myth of a woman with snakes for locks and the ability to turn men to stone with a look, Gray has given the reader a Medusa with depth and emotions.

We first meet Meddy, young Medusa, when she is a child. Her growth and life as the youngest sister and only mortal in a family of secondary gods and goddesses is captivating. Her connection with her older sisters is sweet and realistic to sisterly relationships. The lives of the gods, especially Athena and Poseidon are depicted with human emotions, power, greed, and anger. We have insight to the Temple of Athena within the Acropolis in Athens and the lives of the young acolytes in training to be priestesses to Athena. The descriptions of the Greek island, where Meddy was born and grew up, and Athens are vivid. We feel the heat, the humidity and can see the sparkling sea and the piercing blue sky. The story of Meddy and her sisters, her loves, her extended family of the Olympian gods feels real.

This book captured me as much as Circe by Madeline Miller, only easier to follow as there weren’t so many Greek gods to try to follow. I highly recommend I, Medusa if you enjoy reading and imagining Greek mythology.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for a free copy of this book! All thoughts are my own!

This is the second Medusa retelling book I have read in the last year and I am here for it! It's time for Medusa's story to be more in the forefront of the Greek Myths!

This story focuses on the part of Medusa's life BEFORE she becomes the Gorgon that was feared. It gives us character depth that brings forth emotions and connections to the girl she was before her abuser took her innocence. I loved getting to know the woman. The woman born mortal in a family of gods. The woman who always knew her life would be short, even if not in the way it ended up being.

This book is tragic, emotional and shows the abuse of power that is prevalent among those who view themselves as better than the rest, as above the rest. Athena's part in the original myth is on a spectrum of being vicious and petty to empowering Medusa to never being taken advantage of again, in this story its more of the former. However, this book does give us moments of true love. Love between sisters and friends, even between lovers as Medusa finds someone who sees beyond the monster.

This book felt like a new journey that I haven't read before. The author does a wonderful job of giving depth to the story as she trained to be a Priestess to Athena. Trials and challenges to make her prove her worth to be a servant of Athena.

At this point, I really don't know what else to say. This is my first book by this author but if her other works are anything like this one, it will not be my last!

This was a beautifully written retelling of Medusa’s story. The author did an amazing job with the setting of this book but most of all the character depth and growth.

I felt very deeply for Medusa. It was enthralling to read about her from the start with her youth and innocence & growing into herself and shedding her ignorance to the evils of the world…of men. I think many women would resonate with this classic yet tragic tale.

I had so much rage at time for Medusa, and I expected her to lash out more, but she typically handled herself with such grace and shared her own grief or understood others. Her compassion is what truly set her apart from everyone else in this story. I wish I had such grace. But it was also quite thrilling & validating to see her enact revenge.

Most stories that I am familiar with depict Medusa as a monster. This one shares a beautiful origin story that really humanizes her and shows her as a misunderstood tragedy.

If you enjoy Greek mythology and retelling, I cannot recommend this more.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House for an eARC. I will post this review to my instagram page: instagram.com/boundhobbies closer to or on release date.

“I will never be helpless again. I will never be powerless again.”

I loved that this book didn't portray Medusa as a monster but instead gave us a glimpse of a young girl with dreams.
We are able to relate to her and her anger.
We share life experiences,
We saw her growth and that empowers.

This book is captivating, and we all have something to learn from Medusa; take your power back.

MEDUSA DESERVED BETTER!!!!! I’m not a huge fan of Greek mythology but I’ve always been obsessed with Medusa and her story and how she was WRONGED. This was a beautiful retelling and perfectly encapsulates the feeling of female rage. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the arc!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy. Below is my honest review.
As a lover of Greek mythology retellings I was really excited to read about the famed Medusa - the Gorgon with snakes instead of hair.
It’s a refreshing retelling highlighting strong female characters both minor and major. I loved the bond Meddy had with her sisters. Everything between them down to the arguments and acts of service felt genuine.
While reading this story was both captivating and fast-paced I did feel that the writing style still felt more young adult than adult. However, I understand with the topics discussed within the story the genre pushes more to an adult rating.
I definitely would look up trigger warnings prior to reading.
Overall, I would definitively recommend this book to anyone looking to read a great Greek mythology retelling.

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray is an exhilarating and empowering twist on a classic myth. Gray masterfully blends the lush beauty of Greek mythology with the complexities of Medusa’s emotional evolution, making this retelling feel both fresh and utterly compelling. The story doesn’t just depict Medusa as a victim of fate; it transforms her into an active, multifaceted character whose journey is defined by defiance, heartbreak, and ultimately, power. Gray’s portrayal of Medusa, or Meddy, as she is called, shifts the narrative from tragedy to triumph, showing how betrayal by Poseidon and the gods’ relentless cruelty becomes the catalyst for her metamorphosis. The prose is rich and full of heart, seamlessly balancing the darker elements of Medusa’s transformation with her emotional depth and resilience. The raw, visceral emotions shine through as Meddy grapples with love, vengeance, and the complexities of being a woman caught in the crosshairs of gods’ whims. By the end, I, Medusa redefines Medusa not as a mere victim or villain, but as a heroine in control of her own destiny; a woman who takes her narrative back from the gods and writes her own myth. It’s a story of healing, rage, and empowerment.

Feminine rage who? This is a fantastic example of just that. Finally, a dark "good for her" retelling of Medusa(who's mythology has always fascinated me) I absolutely adore how this book was a Black retelling too. We need more voices like this in fiction!! You will feel the rage alongside Meddie, her emotions are so powerful it sucks you into the story. Please give this a read! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!!

Quick Synopsis: Medusa (Meddy) has always wanted to explore the world beyond her family’s small island. When she gets the chance, Meddy jumps at the opportunity to become one of Athena’s priestesses. This book explores what led Medusa to become the monster she is known for.

Review: I really enjoyed this retelling. The world building and the writing style was fully immersive and easy to follow. Medusa is painted as such a complex character. While she is very naive in the beginning, she only has intentions to help her family and friends, even if this sometimes ends up backfiring. Sometimes her naivety felt a little unrealistic but I enjoyed the complexity of her character. The book explores some heavy topics: abuse, racism, power imbalance, and rape culture to name a few. The book is marketed as YA but I would be hesitant to let a 12 year old read this. While the topics are important, I don’t have kids and can’t really say what the appropriate age is to introduce these topics l, but 12 feels young. Overall, if you are into Greek mythology retellings, I’d recommend this book.


Review has been posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Instagram in 2-3 weeks.

I’m really starting to get into the Lore and Mayhem of Ancient Greek mythology. And I love seeing a story about Medusa. This was a great book that I did not anticipate loving as much as I did. I like having a new side of Medusa and how she is powerful and will not let someone stop her.

I was most excited to read this retelling of Medusa’s story and I’m so glad I did!! I think this version of her story did her the Justice she deserved and that ending and final detail… you just have to read it.

I really enjoyed I, Medusa! I’m not super familiar with Greek mythology and usually find books based on it kind of confusing, but this one was really easy to follow. It didn’t feel like I needed to know a bunch of background info to get into it, which I appreciated.

I loved how Medusa stayed true to herself throughout the story—she was strong, bold, and didn’t let anyone change who she was. The relationship between the sisters was one of my favorite parts too. It felt real and added a lot of emotion to the story.

Some parts of the book were definitely more interesting than others, but overall it was a solid read and I’m glad I picked it up. If you’re into character-driven stories or just want something myth-based that isn’t confusing, this one’s worth checking out.

4.75⭐️ rounded up!

This was such an awesome read. As soon as this book hit my shelf I inhaled it like a cigarette after a long day at work! Not only was the book a brutally tragic story, but this was fascinating to read! It felt so real! I felt like I was right there. The writing made everything so easy to imagine and the characters were so cool! I didn't know much about Medusa before reading this, but I loved this story so much I did a bunch of research after. Biggest thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC! It was awesome!

I am shocked at how much was packed into a fairly short read, I couldn’t put this down! I loved the sections/parts it was split into and how it all came together at the end to show why it was sorted that way. This story was heartbreaking and empowering, which again was impressive in less than 300 pages! I liked how certain topics were not ignored but also not harped on and used to strengthen the plot without overshadowing it.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Ayana Gray for allowing me to read I, Medusa as an E-ARC.
This was a great retelling story of Medusa and her sisters. I've read other books about Medusa but this one is my favorite. This is a story of before and after Medusa was seen as a "monster". I'm familiar with what happens in Medusas tellings but the heartbreak and rage for some characters got me good in this book. I definitely recommend reading it.

I love origin stories and Medusa is long deserving of main character focus. This book read more as a YA level novel to me, I think the author confronted a multitude of real world issues, but in a manner that is more suited to a younger audience. Ayana Gray also did a beautiful job bringing to life the relationship between Medusa and her sisters. I wish more time had been devoted to Medusa’s demise, the ending felt a little rushed.


Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book.

First of all thank you Netgalley, Ayana Grace and Random House for an ARC of I, Medusa.

*minor spoiler alert*

Ugh where to start on my review… I wanted to love this book so much! I love greek mythology and was looking forward to reading this but unfortunately it was lackluster for me.

I can appreciate the new spin on an old tale we have all heard of, but over 80% of the book was waiting for Medusa to come into her own. I didn’t see any major character growth from anyone and in fact all the characters were pretty awful. I can appreciate the use of a hot topic/modern topic, but they felt overused and out of place in this specific book.

I was really hoping to see Medusa become a vigilante or see some revenge on the Gods too but unfortunately most of the people they killed were just innocents + a big emphasis on all men being evil.

This was a phenomenal book! I loved every second of it! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a deep and atmospheric read. I felt like I was there in Athens with Medusa. This book was fresh and one of only two 5-star reads for me this year. Thank you Netgalley and thank you Ayana Gray for giving me the chance to find this amazing story. I will buy the physical copy in November! If you love a story that is well thought out and if you love a story centered in greek mythology, especially the gorgons, then this book is perfect for you. It's can't recommend this book enough!

Wow, I was very intrigued with this book. It stayed very close to one of the retelling in Greek mythology with added elaborations and fantastical elements. It is a striking portrayal of the tale of Medusa and how she went from girl to monster. The set up and writing style is very stylistic and detailed sometimes just a bit redundant in places but overall an elegantly written work. As a mythology fanatic I can definitely appreciate the author's attention to detail in staying true to the version she chose to base her works on and then tastefully expand on the tale and really make to feel all the emotions with Medusa. Its is written as a coming of age story, depicting the power imbalance of women in much of history, and the horrors that can make anyone reconsider the direction that their moral compass should point. The story does talk about difficult topics and you should definitely read the triggers page. But overall I recommend this book.

I, Medusa offers a unique take on the classic Greek myth by focusing on Medusa's point of view, challenging the vilified depictions that often overlook her tragic origin story.

Book Yays:
- Medusa POV: It was great to see Medusa's backstory in her own point of view, portraying her as a much more complex, vulnerable, and resilient character.
- Thoughtful approach to intense themes: The book explores very dense themes such as trauma, power, abuse, identity, and mortality in a respectful, nuanced way.
- Writing style: Gray's prose is elegant and pairs very well with the mythological world.

Book Nays:
- Pace: The middle of the book felt a bit flat, most likely due to the amount of introspection done by Medusa as opposed to action. This led to the book feeling longer than it actually is.

Overall though, this was a very well-done book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Randomhouse for the Advance Reading Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review!!