Ayana Gray's "I, Medusa" is a stunning and gut-wrenching reimagining of the classic myth that truly breathes new life into one of mythology's most infamous figures. As a lifelong mythology enthusiast, I'm always eager for feminist retellings, and this one immediately vaulted to the top of my list for its originality and depth.

This book powerfully illustrates that monsters aren't born, but created. Gray delves into a rich, heartbreaking backstory for Medusa, transforming her from a villain into a complex character filled with strength, fury, and immense pain. It's impossible to see her as purely evil after experiencing this narrative.

The author masterfully portrays the Olympian gods in their true, capricious, and often cruel light, using mortals as playthings. This aspect of the story is particularly impactful, showcasing betrayal and the arduous journey of reclaiming one's identity.

While the prose is vivid and immersive, painting a clear picture of ancient Greece, a significant caveat must be noted: this book tackles extremely mature themes with unflinching detail. Despite the protagonist's youth (17) and some narrative choices that lean into her naiveté regarding sexual matters, the content includes explicit depictions of sexual assault, child abuse, and body horror. This is not a Young Adult novel and should be approached by a mature audience.

However, if you're prepared for the dark and morally complex themes, "I, Medusa" is an incredibly well-paced and compelling read. It champions the protection of women and explores the slow, logical descent of Medusa into an anti-hero through accumulated trauma and generational curses. The intricate character development and the nuanced portrayal of human and divine relationships make this a truly unforgettable story.

I was completely engrossed and couldn't put it down. Highly recommend for adult readers who appreciate a dark, thought-provoking mythological retelling, especially fans of authors like Madeline Miller or Jennifer Saint.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy.

✨📚 ARC Book Review

I, Medusa By Ayana Gray
Releases: 11/18/2025
4⭐️2.5🌶️

Thank you so much for the earc Netgalley and Random House Publishing.

I'm a huge fan of Greek mythology and I absolutely loved this take on Medusa. Her story is one that will always live on no matter what version you read.
This book had me hooked from the first page. I loved the writing and it really gives you a different perspective on Medusa’s lore. I loved how she’s was portrayed in this book and I definitely recommend it.

⟐Medusa reimagined
⟐Villain origin story
⟐Morally ambiguous protagonist
⟐Greek mythology
⟐Vigilante justice
⟐Female rage
⟐Female empowerment
⟐Gods portrayed as flawed beings
⟐Standalone fantasy novel

#imedusa #randomhousepublishing #Ayanagray #arcreview #bookreview #bookreviewer #books #reading #kindle #ebook #bookstagram #booktok #netgalley #advancedreadercopy

Thank you for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

I, Medusa is a mythology retelling/origin story. I absolutely love a Greek Mythology retelling and Medusa has always fascinated me so I was so excited to dive into this one!

Ayana is a great storyteller and I felt fully immersed with the characters & the atmosphere. I think she handled the topics of misogyny, manipulation & gender roles really well - almost too well at times as I was white knuckling my kindle in rage 😅

Medusa is commonly portrayed as a villain and too often a villain is just a product of how society treated them and their humanity gets overlooked by their villainy. I think Ayana did a great job at humanizing Medusa and making the reader care for her and sympathize with her.

I will say - I did want more rage, I felt that my feelings of rage while reading weren’t being matched with what was on paper. I kept turning the pages waiting for Medusa to snap and it just never got to where I wanted it. That’s maybe just a me thing lol - I wanted more male suffering 😂

I think the author is previously known for her YA books and while this is technically an adult debut, I still think it reads very YA - which is not bad I just think there was a bit of depth missing for me personally. I would still absolutely recommend, it’s a good intro to the Greek mythology genre and a very important & impactful story.

Rating: 3.75★

“I will never be helpless again. I will never be powerless again.”
Ayana Gray’s I, Medusa is a Medusa retelling full of feminine rage and touches on a whole host of other societal issues relevant to today’s society- racism, classism, grooming, rape culture). It’s a bit heavy, but a great read that will have your blood boiling and having you rooting for Medusa.
The bond between Medusa and her sisters is touching, they love and care deeply for one another, her sisters teaching her how to care for her locs and protecting one another from their parents wrath. Medusa’s locs are a beautiful representation of power, pride, her bond with her sisters, they care they put in one another, and her removal of her personhood when she’s turned (because this is still Medusa, after all.)
Her bond with Apollonia, a fellow acolyte of Athena, grows from friendship and protection of one another.
This read will have you angry, sad, frustrated, and joyful
I loathed most of the gods in this story (I mean, have you read about the gods? Ugh), but will admit that I liked Hermes, even though his appearance was brief

You’ve read the myths written by those who hated her. You’ve seen the art that shows here as a monster. But you’ve never heard the real story until now.

I, Medusa is a wonderful book that I’m already preordering! We’ve all heard the stories about Medusa being a horrible monster, but never her origin story in her own words.

This book shows the girl, adolescent, a headstrong young woman, and the “monster” in vivid detail. Gray is an apt storyteller who makes you keep turning the pages. She paints a vivid portrait of the human Medusa was made the monster others made her.

I have no notes for this one!

I have mixed feelings about this book!
I think it started off really really strong, i binged the first like 60% in one day and i couldn't wait to see where the book went. I’m not sure why but the end of the book lost my attention and i felt like i had to slog through it. A positive is that this book is very easy to read and you can understand the world pretty well. I would read more by Ayana Gray, especially if she writes an adult novel!

I looked up the Medusa greek mythology backstory after reading the book (admittedly i dont know much about it) and I will say that this book followed the mythology pretty closely. If you love greek mythology then you would love this!

Thank you to netgally for this ARC.

Obsessed amazed and empowered described this read to its core. The author did an unbelievable job with research and giving Medusa a modern retelling but yet so believable of how the story of Medusa actually happened. I give the author so many kudos for ‘going there’ and not shying away if how women then and now are treated and used for men and how they wish the story to be told. I was pleasantly surprised on how much I loved this book. 6 stars if it was an option. Female empowered and revenge to its core in the most respectful way.

A must read for now and future women to take hold of their purpose and faith in themselves.

I absolutely loved this reimagining of the story of Medusa. It was beautifully written and every character brought to life perfectly. However, it was just as tragic as it was beautiful. My heart was broken by the end. If you are familiar with the myth of Medusa, then you understand. I don’t want to give any spoilers though (for those who are unfamiliar)! Basically, I devoured this book and you need to add it to your TBR list immediately.

This was an intriguing take on the Medusa myth, and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was especially interesting how the story followed Medusa’s journey; from being a 17-year-old on her island with her sisters, to serving in Athena’s temple, to the event that led to her curse, and even what happened afterward. The “after” part did feel slightly rushed, but I don’t think it took anything away from the story overall.

Poseidon was your typical narcissistic loser, and it sucked to see her fall for his tricks, though she was young and inexperienced, so it made sense. The gods were portrayed just as awful as they always have been, and it’s always compelling to read about their messy interactions.

I liked her romance with Apollonia toward the end, but I was bummed that it ended so abruptly. I also really enjoyed how she perceived the city of Athens. The ending of Medusa’s story was tragic, as expected, but I wasn’t prepared for it to unfold quite like that. I also really appreciated the theme of sisterhood and how that thread was wrapped up at the end.

Solid 4 stars!

I was lucking enough to receive an ARC and here are my little thoughts.
I quite enjoyed this book. This is my first from this author and it was so captivating. The whole time you’re going with Meddy through her challenges in life, being mortal, being an outcast in Athens, her naivety of life outside of her island all while waiting to see how Athena will (wrongfully) punish her. The side characters in this story were also done so well! I appreciate that Perseus name was kept out of the story, that Medusa is the entire focus point.
I’d recommend this.

THIS WAS POWERFUL, and oddly enough, my very first Medusa retelling. It will not be my last. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. I am currently working through my ARC backlog and will be posting full reviews momentarily for books that have been completed!

The kind of retelling that makes you forget there were other tellings to begin with. Ayana Gray fans KNOW this is going to be good, and I'm envious of the newbies to her work who will have a backlog to read after finishing this one! (Who am I kidding? I'm totally going to go back in for a Beasts of Prey reread after this. LOLS)

WOW!! Ayana Gray, thank you so much for writing this beautiful story. 4.5 stars!

In Greek mythology, Medusa is always written as the monstrous villain. Here she is just Meddy - a 17 year old girl living a complicated life with emotionally unavailable parents, and two doting older sisters. Until one day, a stranger visits her island and the entire course of her life changes, quickly catapulting her into serving the goddess Athena. The rest is a tragically sad, yet poignant, account of how those with power take advantage of those without.

Meddy as a character here is wonderful! She is curious, smart, engaging, and she really resonated with me.

While it's not a major part of the story, I thought the way Gray calls out privilege, microaggressions, and bullying using Meddy's locs to start the commentary was relatable and well done.

There are depictions of SA in this story (both subtle and not), so just know that going into it. But...the overall message of how we treat victims afterwards as a society? Holds nothing back and needed to be said.

There is so much I loved about this book and I think my only complaint is that I wanted more! I, Medusa is due to come out in November and I highly recommend it!

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

A great retelling of the maiden, mistress, monster, and legend Medusa. This was a quick yet tragic and emotional read. I knew vaguely about Medusa’s story. A large theme is abuse of power which leads to Medusa’s mantra of “I will never be helpless again. I will never be powerless again.” There were many topics that are very relevant today and I loved how Ayana Gray addressed them.

I enjoyed Gray’s take on the tragedy of Medusa. Thank you so much to @NetGalley and @RandomHouse for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I support Women's rights and Women's wrongs. I, Medusa was a retelling of a Medusa Myth that surprised me in the best ways. A departure in some ways from the traditional myth to keep it very fun to read, but also true enough to the story for those that want to know the gist. It was very easy to follow while still having some beautiful language and quotes. I also loved the sisterhood and friendships built and the amount of the focus on non-romantic love. Overall really fun!
Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for an Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This adult debut was nothing short of magnificent! The world was so lush and real I felt I could reach out and grab it and the stakes kept me on my toes.

I, Medusa is a STUNNING retelling of the story of Medusa.

As someone who is a greek mythology nerd, I love reading retellings and how different people tell these stories. Ayana Gray does an amazing job with fleshing out the history of Meddy. You're rooting for her the entire story, while feeling the dread of what's going to happen to her.
This is much more than a retelling, this is the true story for so many who are manipulated by those around them and the consequences of those actions.

Meddy is the youngest daughter of two old gods. She grew up idolizing her two immortal older sisters, not knowing what her future looked like, and having an anger in her that she couldn't explain. With a strong sense of right and wrong, while holding onto a child like wonder of what lies beyond her island, Meddy catches the eye of Poseidon when he comes to visit the island. From there, Meddy catches the eye of Athena and is accepted to become one of her acolytes, moving into preistesshood, and ultimately her and her sisters change from girls to 'monsters.'

I feel like this is the type of story that will stick with a lot of people who read it, it definitely will for me. I felt all the emotions for Meddy. She's such a strong and consistent character throughout the whole book, even when she is being pushed down and doubted. Watching the pursuit of her by Poseidon is almost heartbreaking to read. What you think will be a romance turns into something more sinister, but also shows sometimes it's not just women vs men, but women vs women.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the love between the three sisters. Stheno and Eurale are the best sisters to Meddy. They help guide her as much as they can, especially post-Posedion. Even when her ideas may not align with theirs, they welcome her with open arms.

Overall this book was so GOOD. Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group, Netgalley and Ayana Gray for an eARC. All thoughts are my own!

3.5

everyone knows the myth of medusa; girl turned monster. in this retelling, medusa is so pitiful, yet so infuriating. reading this was like riding a train hurtling straight towards a brick wall. like, you know how it ends. you know that it won't be pretty, that it'll hurt, but you keep riding anyways.

medusa makes the worse decisions. i can't really hate her because i can understand why she makes mos of them (sneaking out, slapping the boy, killing her sister's betrothed) even if i don't agree with her actions. but god, the second-hand embarrassment killed me. this may be controversial, but medusa's actions throughout the story are so reckless that they feel selfish. she is so righteous in all of her bold actions and even though she feels guilt, she does not properly learn from her past actions.

apollonia deserved a better life -- they could've lived together! forever! they were so happy! how could you ruin your lover's happiness like that? i understand, but then i don't. all of the girls in this story go through so much pain and victim blaming it literally hurt to read. couldn't you give her just that one thing?

i really liked how the author did not shy away from making the gods cruel. poseidon was never a friend; athena never a mentor. but medusa, young and sweet, is made to believe it. and that makes their 'betrayal'/true colors being shown all the more crushing.

i also loved how all of the 'gorgons' have locs before they are transformed. in my opinion, the saddest part was her beautiful hair turning into snakes, knowing how much medusa cherished her hair.

Each of my locs is as thick as my smallest finger, and they nearly reach my shoulders. I am not ever going to be as beautiful as my sisters, but my hair is something that, I know without a doubt, people truly admire. My locs are my pride, perhaps my dearest physical possession.


thanks to netgalley for the arc!

I was very excited to read a new take on the Medusa myth, particularly one that explores female rage and racial tensions/micro-aggressions by a talented author. This one, however, didn’t quite hit the mark for me. This is marketed as an Adult book, but it read young YA to me—not necessarily a bad thing, but when paired with the explicit sexual violence and discussions of power imbalance and abuse, it just doesn’t do the story justice. Meddy is difficult to like and difficult to root for, and it’s almost entirely because of her naivety. I think there’s a world in which she could be a smart badass young woman and still have been the hero of this story.

In conclusion, I’m a massive fan of the unique perspective on Greek retellings. Loved the diversity and the fresh perspective, but the clumsy narrative and inconsistent (yet somehow also heavy-handed) themes weren’t for me. It felt like the author was trying to say something important, but we never quite got there.

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

The plot of this book was really good while it was moving. I did struggle with the middle—it felt a bit slow to me—but overall, it was worth the read. I’d definitely recommend it to readers who haven’t heard Medusa’s story before. It offers a fresh and thoughtful take that’s great for anyone curious about her myth.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy.