I...I am shocked. This was such a triumph. I have loved Gray's YA books, and you can tell that this was the book of her heart that just yearning to get out! What an incredible reframing of such a well known myth giving Medusa--and all abused women--the agency they deserve. I cannot wait to talk about this with everyone! An absolute masterpiece!

"You are not a monster. You are only what they made you."

Get ready to ache in the best way. I, Medusa is a gorgeous origin story from one of the best voices in fantasy today. Gray's writing style evoked classic mythological story-telling in a way that was approachable, fresh, and immersive. It was impossible not to fall in love with Meddy and identify with her struggles as the sole mortal in a family of gods. From her desire to protect her loved ones while navigating the cruel whims of those who would exploit not only her naivete, but her innate strength, the moral complexities of Meddy's decisions were heart-wrenchingly believable and made all the more tragic by her maintained protective and merciful nature.

Thank you to Ayana Gray, Penguin Random House, and Netgalley for the ARC. It was an absolute pleasure to read this beautiful book!

Get this in the hands of readers who are new to mythological retellings, readers who love YA (I know this is technically adult, but it feels quite YA in places), and readers who knew Medusa was done dirty. Medusa apologists, rise up.

[NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, my NetGalley feedback is not a blurb or endorsement. If a publisher wishes to use any part of my comments for promotional purposes, please contact me or my agent via email. I would prefer not to include star ratings but NetGalley won't let me post without one, so all will be 5 stars.]

✨3.75

Oh Meddy, so naiveeeee

First, let me thank NetGalley & Random House Publishing for the ARC. (Pub Date Nov 18 2025)

Let me start by saying I was attracted to this book because of the cover, I can't even front lol. I know that this was the author's Adult debut, so give her some grace, but it did feel a bit YA at times. Also, I do not have much prior knowledge of Greek Mythology, but this was pretty easy to follow, and any mention of something I didn't know, I just hit the googs.

Meddy, aka Medusa's story, starts as a 17-year-old who is VERY sheltered. She is the only mortal in her family, so although the expectations of her is low, the protection of her is very high. Meddy was still very easy to love and root for. She's just a girl who wants to learn, explore, and see life outside of the island where she was born. Her love for seeing justice and helping others leads her into a world of trouble.

Though the writing can feel a bit YA at times, there are still mature themes/relationships through this book that I actually wish were explored more. I really wish the book was a bit longer, honestly, to flesh out some stories, more specifically the tension between Meddy's mother & Athena. I would have also loved to see more of Athena & Posiodon's relationship, and their fascination with Medusa could've been more fleshed out for me.

Overall, this was a heartbreaking tale of Medusa and how she was turned into the "monster" and myth we know today & I did enjoy it for the most part!

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of I, Medusa by Ayana Gray.

This was such a beautiful story about a girl with hope in her heart and dreams that spanned the length of the universe, and the unfortunate way that powerful people use their power for evil.

Ayana did such an amazing job of writing a young character who was realistically flawed, as she was a seventeen year old girl with little knowledge of how the world outside of her homeland looked.

I of course knew the ultimate outcome of this story, but the journey was breathtaking. I felt so many differing emotions over the course of the book—hopeful for her future, angry at those who stood in her way, happy because of the friends she made along the way.

I already know this book will stick with me for a long time and I can’t wait to read more books by Ayana in the future!

Very thankful to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! Let’s get into it:

I have always been fascinated by Greek Mythology so this was a win for me from the get. The writing itself is great- I love how vivid this story is! The descriptions of the gods, the island Medusa is from, the Sea Court, Athens, the Acropolis, the Agora, the Panathenaic Stadium and chariot races, etc are all so picturesque, I felt like I was really there. It was so easy to imagine, so immersive, and everything felt so beautiful. The authors descriptive language and scene setting is excellent, short and sweet without sacrificing on detail. The prose is also super easy to read and understand- sometimes mythology retellings get very wordy and lyrical which is something I don’t enjoy at all, but Ayana Grey is not one of those authors and I appreciated it a lot.

I also loved Medusa’s character- the scene where she decides she does not want to be like her mother, does not want to be in competition with other women or be threatened by other powerful women… it struck me light lightning. I loved it. I live for the short profound moments like that within works of fiction. That’s the kind of stuff that makes a story great and it’s the kind of thing that makes us want to be better people. Alternatively, Medusa is a little spoiled and does think that her intellect and eduction makes her better than others or above certain duties. I also like this bc it keeps her nuanced and real. She is not a perfect person, and she’s not right all the time. She is the victim of injustice but she also perpetuates injustice herself. She wants to right the wrongs she sees, but doesn’t know how to do that without committing a wrong herself. She wants to do the right thing, but continually chooses the wrong one. It makes her interesting and it makes this story compelling. It’s a classic example of “do the ends justify the means?”

I also loved the side characters- Apollonia was immediately endearing and sweet and I just wanted to hug her all the time. Theo was everything a man should be. Kallisto is the root of all evil and I hate her guts with the fire of a thousand suns and Athena and Poseidon aren’t far behind.

Now things I didn’t love about this book:

I had a big issue with Medusa’s naïveté and the general 1950s era morality standards everyone seems to have, as it felt very unrealistic and awkward. This is constantly brought up and honestly it’s just really weird. Medusa walks in on Poseidon with a nymph at the very beginning and repeatedly thinks that she has no idea what’s happening, despite seeing pretty explicitly what was going on in a fairly drawn out scene. This felt ridiculous- she’s the daughter of Titans. This is a Greek myth where everyone is the product of incestuous relationships and debauchery is a given. There’s no way she would be isolated from this (which is why I guess this strange 1950s evangelical standard of morality and shame is set up within the Pantheon so it would make sense? Even though it doesn’t). Historically, everyone knows what kind of environment the Greek Gods are said to be in all the time; they’re hedonistic pagans. That’s just a fact. The choice to make it the exact opposite while still keeping all of the infidelity and incest and assault just didn’t really make sense to me. I know this is a retelling, so there is some artistic license that allowed of course, but it felt really illogical to make Medusa (and also her sisters) this naïve. This topic is given the impression of being an embarrassing thing you don’t talk about and it just doesn’t fit. Greek Gods are the epitome of excess- I have a hard time believing a 17 year old demigod living on an island with her Titan parents among gods who have multiple wives, are married to their sister or even their daughter sometimes, own slaves, throw debauched parties etc, would have the knowledge of a ten year old about adult relationships and what goes on within them. She doesn’t even understand the concept of attraction; It’s just not realistic at all, and it’s brought up quite a few times in several different contexts (including prostitution and rape) in a way that feels really uncomfortable. Not only does it feel extremely unrealistic and just generally inaccurate to Greek Mythology and the culture of Athens at the time, it leads to a weird dichotomy of 1) Medusa is so naïve that it feels like that aspect of her character led the author to be extra descriptive in the way she outlines adult scenes/crimes and 2) the way those sexual crimes/trauma are described makes this entire story much more adult despite Medusa being made out to seem very young, sheltered, and ignorant. I don’t like anything about this character trait Medusa has been given, or the way it plays out in the plot (which ends up being very significant). It ended up going from awkward and uncomfortable to downright annoying in the way it became a central tenant to her character arc as well as the overall plot and it felt really unnecessary. Every plot point in the book could’ve been relayed exactly as it was without this weird sheltered innocent child-like girl vibe or the historical inaccuracies.

Because of this and other things, I would not consider this book YA even though I think it’s being categorized that way. IMO YA is considered appropriate for ages 14-18 and I would never give this to a 14 year old. The book opens with a scene of forced intimacy that’s pretty descriptive, leading to Medusa killing the man in revenge; obviously this theme continues as that is her entire mythology, but the story doesn’t pull any punches or describe things in a way that might make it a little more appropriate for younger audiences. (I do think if this was intended for younger audiences, the language used would be different and the trauma/darkness described in a less graphic way and less often. Brandon Sanderson in particular does this very well, particularly in his Mistborn series which does not shy away from things like prostitution, slavery or abuse, but he is also not overly descriptive in the situations arising from that. It’s much less graphic but still gets the point across just fine, which is why I feel like some of the situations in THIS book are fairly gratuitous and rocket this story into a much more adult category).

Now, the protagonist is 17 which generally is a writing rule that lets us know the age of the intended audience. But again, YA books typically are marketed to 14-18 year olds and end up in school libraries, and IMO, 17 would be the bare MINIMUM age this would be appropriate for.

This book is mature in theme throughout so I would personally categorize it as NA at the very least and here is some specific examples of why; *very minor spoilers* There is direct insinuation a visiting prince is a child predator with a descriptive *almost assault, there is an ACTUAL child predator (a priest) who impregnates a 12 year old, there’s some pretty descriptive sexual scenes throughout, and there is a lot of sexual assault, non consent and rape and even abortion. This book IS about rape culture, and the author relates that within her authors note. There are also lots of scenes of severe abuse of all kinds, both parental and spousal and of slaves; some of it might be considered to fall into a body horror category (ie missing limbs, gouged out eyes, bodies and body parts fed to animals, etc). Alcoholism leading to abuse or sex crimes or as a way to cope with abuse is a big theme as well. Not a high school library book for sure, which is why I feel like this is worth noting since it seems like this is going to be marketed as Young Adult and I just don’t feel comfortable with that at all. I’m not saying these things shouldn’t be talked about or don’t have a place in fiction or even that it was inappropriate within the context of this story- if you’re picking up a book about Medusa and you know anything about Greek Mythology at all, none of this is super surprising. I AM saying the audience reading this book should be firmly adult. These are all themes that take maturity to consider and think about and form beliefs about. Not all stories have to be morally good or only filled with wholesome things and honestly, this one isn’t. Theres really nothing wholesome about it. And I do think there’s a place for that, for the harsh realities of life displayed in a very realistic and descriptive way (because we should be honest about the atrocities committed against others, and stories, like life, are only good when they contain both highs and lows) but in my opinion, the place for THIS story is not within the YA genre.

All that said, the writing and the story itself is done spectacularly and very well paced. It’s painful and raw but it’s relatable. It champions the protection of women which I will always get behind. And storytelling wise, I loved the slow descent Medusa makes into evil. Her childhood, her family, the harm done to her by men, and the revelations she receives from her mother along the way, revealing family and generational trauma were done so well. With the exception of her weird naïveté, it all made a lot of sense and you can feel the anti-hero type villain origin story happening in a very logical and organic way as she collects more and more trauma, as more and more crimes are committed against her and other women. It’s very morally grey, dark and twisty, and while I don’t feel that is appropriate for younger audiences it IS a really good story that’s well told with so much nuance and morality to chew on. I couldn’t put it down, and that’s always a win for me! So for me, 4 stars, but viewer discretion is advised.

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray is a great historical fiction that really drew me in.

I enjoyed this rendition and focus on the infamous Medusa, especially the attention paid to her young adult life before being cursed.

The author does project a YA feel at some points during the novel, however she was younger, so that was expected. She also did a great job handling the more serious and adult themes when telling the story of the fascinating and complicated character of Medusa.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Random House for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/18/25.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-ARC of I, Medusa!
5 / 5 ⭐
A beautifully written reimagining of the myths, I, Medusa, is the latest iteration of the gorgon’s tale, focused almost exclusively on her time before Athena’s punishment. While it holds the standard tw for SA for any Medusa retellings, I felt everything was handled delicately and was well nuanced. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is what I had wanted Stoneblind to be.

I did have to dock a star though simply because the story felt incomplete. There was so much of the story that focused on her life prior to being cursed, but it felt as though a lot of that momentum fell off at that point.

I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, however, and intend to purchase a copy upon release. Thank you to all involved in allowing me the opportunity to review the ARC.

This book. THIS. BOOK.

I, Medusa is a blisteringly beautiful reclamation of one of mythology’s most maligned figures—and Ayana Gray does not hold back. It’s fierce, it’s tender, it’s sharp as a snake fang, and it fully understands that rage and power can coexist with softness and sorrow.

We meet Meddy as a girl with dreams and depth and a whole lot of heart—trying to forge a path for herself outside the shadow of her immortal sisters and petty, absentee god-parents. When Athena offers her a place as a priestess, it feels like maybe, just maybe, the world will finally see her for who she is, not just who she’s related to.

Spoiler: the gods are still trash.

When Poseidon shatters everything in the most horrifyingly familiar way, and Athena—protector of women, supposedly—chooses punishment over compassion, Meddy’s life is torn apart. Her transformation into the infamous Gorgon isn’t the end of her story, though. It’s the beginning of her becoming. And oh, does she become.

Ayana Gray doesn’t just retell Medusa’s myth—she rips it open, stitches it with rage and beauty, and gives it back to us full of fire. Meddy is complex, relatable, furious, and heartbreaking in all the best ways. This book is a gift to anyone who’s ever been blamed for their own trauma and told to smile through it.

Now. The only reason I’m not flailing even harder is the epilogue. It felt like an afterthought—like someone whispered “oh shit, we need a closing scene” and threw something in that didn’t do Meddy’s journey justice. After everything she endured and earned, she deserved an ending that matched the magnitude of her becoming. This one didn’t quite land.

Still? Five stars. Absolutely. Unequivocally.

Excuse me while I finish drying my tears.
Ahem, that was a glorious book. I, Medusa by Ayana Gray is my new favorite Greek mythology retelling. And this is coming from a huge Rick Riordan fan.
But Gray just managed to bring the story of Medusa to light while also exploring themes of sexuality, racial discrimination, and the cost of revenge.
Even better, Medusa is confirmed to be queer!
I knew it.
Anyway.
The story follows Medusa in the days before she was cursed with a head of snakes and the power to turn men into stone. She is a normal woman with normal aspirations and desires. Until she makes the fateful mistake of catching Poseidon’s eye…
What I most appreciate about this book is the fact that Gray acknowledged the many different tellings of Medusa’s story and stated that she decided to explore this specific version to shed light on the many ways people can manipulate women into believing certain things in order to prey upon them.
I also appreciate how Gray put her own spin on things. The story is true to the many versions of the myth of Medusa, but also has a freshness and diverging storylines that make it more interesting to read than many other retellings.
The characters, however, felt too similar to each other at times. I often felt that they all followed the same patterns, making them feel bland and uninteresting. Medusa was the only character that felt completely unique from the others in this book. I would have appreciated a bit more variance in the characters.
The world building was also slightly lackluster. We hardly ever travel past Medusa’s island during the first half of the book and then the second half is spent in Athens. I always appreciate when Greek stories explore more of the world, but I, Medusa just didn’t have that.
All in all, though, this was a very solid book and one that made me quite emotional.
Especially when it comes to that ending ;(

Special thanks to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

If you're into Greek Mythology, you sill definitely like this book. I always love to read stories of the Gods, and who doesn't want to know how Medusa, became the way she was.

I really, really liked this book, its interesting and well written. I really LOVE Madeline Miller's books too. They are a little more detailed, I give this book a 4 star rating. It checked most of my boxes in a good read.

I, Medusa fully immersed me and I fell in love with Meddy and her story. I love a good origin story and this one did not disappoint. This book has easy to follow world building, tests, and even a chariot race. I appreciated the beautiful relationship among sisters and friends but not as much as I despised most of the characters and their actions. My heart broke multiple times while reading this book but was also slowly healed through small retributions woven throughout the novel. This book made me feel both powerless and powerful through Meddy’s experiences and I will never forget her story.

Oh. My. Gods. This one was a stunner that rendered me entirely heartbroken. I am in shambles, a tattered version of my former self who will never be the same after reading this masterpiece. I honestly don't think anything I can say will do Ayana Gray's novel any justice, but I will do my best to try.

I, Medusa is a modern Greek retelling of the classical myth. Gray reimagines Medusa's origin story as a Greek tragedy instead of the traditional monster story most of us are familiar with. Begging the age-old question: Are monsters born or made?

As the youngest daughter of the lesser sea gods Phorcys & Ceto, Meddy has always dreamt of escaping her life on her secluded island. But as the only mortal among her older, immortal sisters, Stheno & Euryale, Meddy started to believe she would never see the world beyond the edge of the sea. However, when her sister Euryale is betrothed to a demigod who was less than honorable, Meddy's decisions lead her down a path to her fateful encounter with the goddess, Athena, that sends her barreling toward her ultimate fate.

I LOVED absolutely everything about this novel: from start to finish, narrative to characters. I am fundamentally a different person. I'll admit, Meddy isn't the most likable character. She makes some VERY questionable decisions. But fundamentally, she is HUMAN.

While I didn't agree with a few decisions she made, I resonated deeply with her feelings of rage & betrayal, lust & love, bravery & hubris, wanting to fit in while also standing out from the crowd, and the exploration of power imbalance and its effect on victims. Gray somehow managed to pack all of that and SO MUCH MORE in about 300 pages or so. I couldn't help but feel deeply for Meddy and all the circumstances that led up to her and her sisters' unfortunate (and despicable) transformation into the legendary Gorgons, which she did not deserve.

Gray's prose is also perfection. I was entirely captivated from the moment I started reading. It almost felt as if I were standing on the front steps of the Acropolis itself, staring down at the lively city of Athens, breathing in the salty breeze coming from the sea. I also loved how Gray was also able to highlight the melting pot of people and cultures that not only Athens but the Greek empire itself had encompassed during the height of its power. There were some historical inconsistencies I noticed, but the writing and story made me quickly forget about my grievances. Besides, this is a fictional retelling and is not intended to be entirely accurate.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy Greek mythology, classical retellings, modern Greek tragedies, friends-to-lovers, Sapphic romance, the bonds of sisterhood, the tragic heroine, self-discovery, and power. Or for readers who miss the vibes of Circe and the ending of Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. However, there are some trigger warnings, so if you don't enjoy reading books with violence or domestic violence, then feel free to sit this one out!

5⭐️ without question. Thank you to Ayana Gray, Random House, and NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’d like to preface this review by saying Medusa is by far my favorite character of Greek Mythology. I will forever read anything I can get my hands on in regards to a retelling of her story.

With that being said, I, Medusa doesn’t compare to any other works I’ve read… it far surpasses those.

I love that we got to see every aspect of her life, starting with who she was before she was cursed, all the way to her death.

We got to watch her truly find herself through every leg of her journey, and how much she loved the others in her life. So much so that she sacrificed her happiness for so many of them.

I cannot wait to read more from this author. I hope she continues to write of her take on Greek mythology!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for a copy of one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to read.

I finished this book in a single day. It was a quick, engaging read that definitely packed a punch. I loved that it started right off capturing my attention and making me want to continue reading more. Ayana Gray’s writing pulled me right into the heart of the characters. I felt like I truly knew them, which is a big deal for me as a reader. The emotional depth was there. I laughed, I cried, I gasped. There was suspense, betrayal, and moments that genuinely shocked me. It gave me all the feels!

That said, I did find myself wanting more when it came to the world-building. I couldn’t quite get a clear picture of the setting outside of Athens, especially the island. I would have loved more vivid descriptions to help me visualize and connect with the environment. And most of all, Medusa. While I appreciated how the story explored her character, I never felt like I got to truly see her full potential before everything unfolded. The ending came too soon for me. I wasn’t ready for it to be over. I wanted more from her, more time with her, more space for her story to breathe and build.

Still, this was a strong, well-written story with emotional weight and memorable moments. It’s absolutely worth the read, especially if you’re drawn to retellings or stories with a fierce emotional core.

Thank you Netgalley for this e-arc.



I, Medusa was a powerful voice for our often misunderstood Greek myth. When you think about Medusa, you do not think teenage girl developing and exploring what it means to be thrust into adulthood. Gray was able to provide reflection on diversity throughout the Greek Isle while reflecting on what are freedom, power, and understanding.



Meddy (I do dislike this name) is 17 years old. She lives on an island with her sisters and wants to be free to explore outside of what she knows. Getting that chance through Athena, she trains to become a priestess. However Meddy soon finds out what the world truly has to offer.



I feel that it was a good portrayal of the naivety of Medusa, however I wished there was more power or resolve to becoming a strong female in the end. It was hard to gravitate towards the Posiden/Medusa relationship especially with her being mortal and underage. While dealing with some troubling subject matter (SA) I felt like everything was spelled out. It gave a step by step feeling which did not help convey reactions of characters and not letting the reader draw any conclusions on there own.



I did enjoy the inclusion of her sisters and family, but wish it dived a bit deeper into exploring the bonds. There were a lot of nuanced side characters and it almost felt like 2 plots in one book that did not come together at the end.



Overall, I felt that this was a refreshing storyline that could do a lot for the right audience.

Greek mythology fans: Run don't walk to add this book to your TBRs, releasing November 18th!

SPOILER-FREE SYNOPSIS:
I can't say much without spoiling the story (although Medusa's story is easily Google-able lol), so I'll keep this short! Medusa is infamously known as a monster in Greek mythology who has snakes for hair and whose gaze can turn a person into stone. This book tells her compelling and heartbreaking origin story.

🚨 TRIGGER WARNING 🚨 Medusa's origin story includes sexual assault.

This book was so good that I finished this in just over 3 days (finished at 2 am)! Before reading this, all I knew about Medusa was what she looked like, her power to turn people into stone, and that SA survivors sometimes get her tattooed as a symbol of female empowerment, strength, and resilience.

Wow, her origin story absolutely SHATTERED me. Did Medusa make mistakes and was she misguided at times? Absolutely, but she was also only 17 years old with limited knowledge of the world beyond her island. Did she deserve her fate? Absolutely not. Did I hope that somehow Ayana would alter all of Greek mythology to make my heart break less by the end? Yes lmao but her storytelling was so beautiful and empowering that the heartbreak was worth it and I really enjoyed the format of how this story was broken down.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Random House for this ARC!

Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: historical fantasy
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, PTSD, grief, abuse of power, slut shaming

⭐️
The moment I saw that this was a retelling of Medusa’s villain origin story I was hooked.
I love Greek mythology so I tend to gravitate towards any interesting retelling I see. And this book did not disappoint.

I was hooked from page one it kept me engaged throughout the entire story and I felt like the pacing was really good.

I found the characters interesting, and the ending really satisfying. Highly recommend.
And once it releases, I will be picking up a copy for my shelf.

When I tell you I ATE this book up. I absolutely loved it. This is such a new take on the Medusa story and I am whole heartedly obsessed.

I will be endlessly recommending this book and I can’t wait to see how many others love this book and see the success of it as well!

The writing was excellent and I truly felt so immersed in the world. Also within the first few pages you are instantly hooked and just every page you want more and more! I simply couldn’t put the book down and enjoyed the entire read.

A heart wrenching story but finding the strong bond in sisterhood and independence.

Growing up I thought Medusa was a villain, but she is truly a misunderstood heroine here.