I have typically enjoyed mythology and modern retellings on classic stories like this. However, this one read very YA to me. I couldn’t decide if this is supposed to be YA or adult, but the “About the Author” section at the end of this book states this book is the author’s adult debut. It felt very much like it was written for a younger audience, almost too simplistic with not enough depth to the story. I enjoyed learning more about Medusa and (at least this one version of) her history. But the story was meh. It was only set over the course of several months, but SO MUCH happened—it needed to be condensed to a shorter time frame, or fleshed out more to really feel the intensity of the events of the story. I would recommend this one to young readers interested in mythology. Adult readers can probably pass.

"I, Medusa" by Ayana Gray is a powerful retelling that breathes fresh life into the myth of Medusa, transforming her from a mere footnote into a fierce heroine. Meddy’s journey from feeling overshadowed by her immortal family to becoming Athena’s favored acolyte is rich with vibrant settings and emotional depth. The story takes a dark turn when Poseidon’s intervention leads to Meddy’s transformation, forcing her to reclaim her narrative not as a victim but as a warrior and myth-maker. Gray’s prose pulses with rage, heartbreak, and love, weaving a tale that explores identity, injustice, and empowerment. This novel is a compelling blend of mythology and coming-of-age, perfect for readers who crave stories where the underdog rises to reshape their destiny.

“i’ve learned that most men are cruel. some are just better at hiding it.”

omg!!!! i actually loved this one so much!! i love greek mythology and retellings and medusa is one of my fav misunderstood characters ever!!! ugh this was so so good!!

I’d recommend this if you enjoy retellings, sapphic stories, female rage, and fight-the-patriarchy themes. The present-tense writing reminded me of Natalie Haynes. While I was excited for a Medusa retelling, this one didn’t fully work for me. It leans heavily on women’s trauma and men’s wrongs, which felt a bit repetitive. I did appreciate the choice to portray Medusa and her family as Black, and the take on her relationship with Poseidon was unique, though I had mixed feelings about it. I wasn’t a fan of “Meddy” as a nickname, and the focus on her adolescence didn’t keep me engaged. Overall, some intriguing ideas, but the execution fell short for me.

Let me start with the goods. The cover is gorgeous and evocative. And a mythological retelling, yes please! Other than the head of snakes and turning men to stone, I knew nothing about Medusa so I was delighted to see she's been given a background and more understanding of what happened to her. It's not necessarily bad, but it read very much like a YA instead of the adult debut it was said to be. And Medusa was 17 yrs old during the story so I recognize she's going to be immature and make foolish mistakes which was part of her learning and growing. So again, not bad, just not what I was expecting.

I know the author was going for adult, but to me this definitely reads as YA. It was not necessarily a bad thing, but going in I thought I would be getting an adult take on Medusa's story. Writing wasn't terrible, and it was interesting to see Medusa's origins, but there was A LOT of telling and telling and telling, versus showing-which I think lends itself more to YA. I found myself getting bored. Still a good book to have in any collection, it tells the story in unique and important perspective.

Review of I, Medusa by Ayana Gray
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)
I, Medusa is a thoughtful retelling of the famous myth, centering Medusa not as a villain but as a complex, wounded, and resilient young woman. Ayana Gray brings modern themes of power, rage, and identity into the story, giving Meddy a very human voice and offering a perspective that challenges the traditional idea of her as only a “monster.”
That said, the pacing didn’t quite work for me. While the writing is lyrical and the themes are important, I often found the story moving a bit too slowly, and it didn’t completely draw me in. I never felt that urgency to pick the book back up once I set it down.
Still, I appreciate what Gray set out to do: reclaim Medusa’s voice, give depth to a figure often reduced to a symbol, and explore the injustice behind her fate. Readers who enjoy mythology retellings, especially those with a feminist lens, may find more resonance than I did. For me, it was a solid read with powerful ideas, but not one that fully gripped me.

I, Medusa is a gorgeous book—absolutely stunning. The storytelling is masterful, and there is nuance and depth in every character. Ayana Gray’s retelling of Medusa plants us immediately into their ancient world while connecting their stories to our lives today.

True to Medusa’s story, there are very difficult moments. I love mythic retellings, but I have to remind myself these stories include why women were forgotten, how the heroines were fought sexism, and how the villains were vilified.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC!

I, Medusa is the side of the myth that we have never seen. Long before the world saw her as a monster, Medusa as simply Meddy. Young, innocent, & sheltered, but also loyal, brave, & ambitious. A girl who dreamt of seeing the world, learning all she could, and being loved.

I struggle to put into words how much I loved this book. For many of us, Medusa has been a symbol of strength, empowerment, justice, survival... An image of of hope carved into flesh in the process of healing and reclaiming ourselves. To others, she is simply a monster of myth and legend. Gray took the story of a monster and returned Medusa’s humanity.

Powerful, heartbreaking, and raw, I, Medusa is more than a retelling - it’s an epic masterpiece.

We honor history by remembering. And while stories allow us to remember, influences throughout history make it impossible for things to remain fully true.
Nowadays, many of us remember Medusa due to the fame of her name as well as her role in the Percy Jackson series. You think of Medusa and what do you think? Monster. You remember her from the books we grew up reading and dismiss her as an obstacle all the way back in book one.
How much damage do we do by not asking how she became a monster? Are monsters born or made?

Meddy’s outline on the cover of this book is almost childlike. The deferential tilt to the head, the outline of her famed hair. For me, this is such a clear reminder that in her story, she is a mortal girl. She is a mortal girl born into a world of gods and immortals. She aches for approval. She aches for escape. She aches for more in a way those with immortality do not understand.
The sickening part is in the build up for me. It is following her naivety and wishing you could hold her hand. It is in the horrible truth of how women and virginity were treated, even by other women. It is in showing us the gods in all their horrible glory — power corrupts fully and immortality breeds apathy.
The only thing we see here that remains steadfast in the face of immortality is sisterhood and love between sisters. It is worth standing up to gods for, worth becoming a monster yourself for.

The book itself is well written and I like how it is separated into four parts. The innocence of Meddy is portrayed so thoroughly through her voice and thoughts. It can be seen in her not understanding of things all the way to how she reacts to issues/changes in her life. I spent so long anticipating for it to happen that when it did, I was surprised that the book was already around 75% over. Due to this, I think the book is about her path into becoming a monster, not her path as a monster. I personally would have been very interested to dive deeper into that section of Medusa’s story, but I also realize that it is rather unknown.

There’s no proper way to end these thoughts, and I think that’s because it’s a conversation that deserves to keep being told. Between books like this and Circe by Madeline Miller, I love retellings themselves, but also taking back the often villainized stories of women.
It’s always worth asking how a monster is made.

Thank you to Ayana Gray and Random House for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Greek myth retelling about the story of Medusa and I really enjoyed this version. I think Gray really captured female rage in a way that wasn’t too horrifying to read in regard to SA. Definitely check TWs before reading, but give this one a go! I recommend!

Medusa is such a powerful story and I was so excited to read this retelling. The beginning had me pretty hooked, besides the nick name of “Meddy”, that drove me insane and I skipped over it everytime is was said. This book ended up being a pretty average read for me. Sometime I did love, was how Poisidon was written. The gas lighting, the love bombing, and then the evil grin at Medusa’s trial was amazing. Exactly how I pictured this happening!

My biggest disappointment was I didn’t like how Medusa was written. She was the typical “not like other girls” main character. Some of the things, she did or some of the events in the book just seemed too modern day and out of place.

All in all this book wasn’t for me.

Medusa is a young woman meant for marriage and a life that serves her family. As the daughter of old gods, she must prove her worth by what she can do for her family. Her sisters face the same fate. When a suitor winds up dead, Medusa will face the consequences and begin her new life as an acolyte for the Olympian Goddess, Athena. Her work proves difficult but rewarding and she quickly gains favor among the priestesses. When another God takes interest in Medusa, her life as an priestess spirals. Her punishment comes in serpents on her head and the power to turn people into stone. Medusa has faced many paths but now her internal battle of right and wrong will take center stage.

I love Medusa. I think she is easily and underrated Goddess/Villain. She is a young woman battling right and wrong. This story was well written and focused on the relationships she built along the way. Her journey was difficult. Plus the ending!!! Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I always find myself loving books that give new life to Greek myths. I think there is something so beautiful about these old stories and what they can become when they are reimagined and I, Medusa is no exception. It was well done, suspenseful, and although I didn’t always love the pacing I will always be a fan of a good re-telling!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

"Rarely do we know for sure which of these nights will be the ones that will alter everything to come. But if you pay close attention, there is a sensation, a light tingle beneath the surface of your skin, that hints at destiny."

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an unbiased review!

This is Medusa as Mortal, Maiden, Mistress, and Monster. This is Medusa marked as outsider by her mortality, by her divine heritage, by her blackness, by her fierce determination to protect the vulnerable and to ensure that justice will always prevail.

We're all familiar with the tale of Medusa, a monstrous and murderous creature who indiscriminately kills men until she was slain by a particular Greek "hero" who can remain nameless. But there are as many disputes over her origins as there are snakes growing from her scalp. This story follows Ovid's version--Meddy as a beautiful and devoted mortal priestess devoted to Athena, transformed after being wronged by the Gods several times over.

Meddy is a mortal in a castle of immortals, despite her divine heritage. She is an intelligent, inquisitive scholar in a world of women destined for obedience and procreation. She is black, adorned with meticulously styled locs in a temple whose inhabitants can be less than warm to metis, or outsiders. This is a young woman who is fiercely aware of injustice and power imbalances, willing to hold a mirror up against the world in the same way that a certain "hero" relies on a mirror to kill the famed Gorgon.

The story of Medusa has had many retellings in recent years as she's evolved from monstrous creature to a symbol of strength and resilience for people who have suffered fates all too similar to her own. This is a charming, empathetic, and entirely believable addition to the canon of her story.

Meddy, her two sisters and parents live on an island paradise. Minor gods, Meddy’s parents court the Olympian God’s favor. When Meddy catches the eye of Athena, she is chosen to train and serve as a priestess. However, Poseidon has also noticed Meddy, and is determined to seduce her. As punishment, Meddy is turned into a Gorgon, a creature whose hair is made of snakes and turns any who gaze into her eyes into stone.

This was a well written and engaging novel. I found myself reading late into the night. I did think that the book ended abruptly. The time before her punishment was detailed and paced just right. The rest of the novel felt rushed and lacked detail. Despite this criticism, I look forward to reading more from this author. 4 out of 5 stars.

Team Medusa forever and always!!! This was such a good imagining that I found myself rooting for Meddy and completely forgot how her story would end. I devoured it.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Ayana Gray for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for my honest review.

Greek Mythology has always intrigued me, especially Medusa. This retelling is CHEF'S KISS 🤌🤌
Ayana Gray made a touchdown with this one. From start to finish I was hooked. The plot flowed like honey.

If y'all like Greek Mythology but with a twist, then I highly recommend y'all add this to y'alls TBR, and also go pick it up on November 18, 2025. Y'all won't regret it🤣🙃🤪🤓

Unfortunately this was not a book for me. I was really excited to read a retelling of Medusa’s story because I feel like she doesn’t really get much attention in Greek mythology retellings. I also appreciated that the author attempted to create a more accurate representation of the Grecian population.

Now, what I wasn’t fond of. I honestly didn’t like any of the characters. The writing was good but the plot felt very stilted and did not flow well. I also wished there was more of a warning about the graphic sexual violence. And it wasn’t even just that aspect, it was also the grooming that was taken place.

There were definitely good things about this book mixed with the bad. I can’t personally recommend it, but I do believe there is an audience for a book like this.

Absolutely stunning! Cover to cover, I was enthralled with this story. Full transparency, I typically love a Greek mythology retelling but this one absolutely stands out. Gray weaves such an immersive story that you feel like you are with Medusa, Meddy as her family calls her, wherever she may be. You are able to see her as she is, just a child of two gods. That comes with strife as well as privilege. Known for her ambition, we follow Meddy through a life that ultimately leads her to be the monster where you may have heard of her previously.

I truly enjoyed every part of this story- the character development, the setting, the plotline. As with most retellings, I do feel the beginning of the story is always the hardest to draw me in as a reader- because the land and story is already so rooted in history, it is sometimes hard to just pick a place to start and plop the reader in. I, Medusa really does seem to do this flawlessly, however, and from the first chapter you can sense the unrest in what should be a perfect life. It provides enough background to understand what you need to know (Gods vs Olympians), while not sounding like a history textbook. Reading this on Kindle, I was always shocked when I would see how far in I am, because I would fully lose myself in the story and assume I'm still in the beginning when I'm nearly halfway through! Truly a joy to read, one of my tops of the year. Will absolutely be reading Gray's next!