I, Medusa 🐍 is a reimagining of Medusa’s origin story. Meddy is the younger, mortal sister of two older loving sisters, and the love between the sisters is undeniably touching and genuine at all stages. I just love the pure love that flows between them, even when hard things happen between them. Their relationship is one of my favorites in this novel.

There’s a bit of politics between the gods and goddesses of Zeus’s court, particularly between Athena and Poseidon that underly most of the story, until it explodes at the end. Parts of it was slow and it was hard for to keep on reading because there was quite a bit of scenes of sexuality: some were more graphic than others, some were disturbing and violent, and included rape. So trigger warning to anyone that might find that hard to read, as there were more than a few scenes. It isn’t my favorite thing to read, so that may have kept the pacing off for me, but I also understand that it is a central core of the story of how Medusa came to be. Her naivete was clearly pointed out many times, and for many of us, we can see her being manipulated and seduced along the way. I was internally yelling out “No Meddy! Red Flag, Red Flag!” every time...but she couldn’t recognize any of it because of her own innocence. That alone created the foundation of the tragedy of her story.

There was a bit less of it when Medusa is an acolyte in Athens, and that part went faster for me to read. It was engaging to see her thoughts as a person, to see her heart have true love and compassion as an acolyte and priestess serving the people, and how she dealt with her peers. I loved her friendship with Apollonia and how that grew over time.

The ending was hard, but beautiful at the same time. I think if you can get past the trigger warnings, and know that going in, it will be a central theme throughout the story, it will give you a perspective of who Medusa was and how she came to be.

Thank you NetGalley, for the eARC! Thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will be released November 18, 2025, and the first edition looks absolutely gorgeous!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own!

3.75 - This is a really fantastic retelling of the story of Medusa from Greek mythology! Gray set out to create a more diverse set of characters that would represent a more accurate reflection of the setting/time period, and I thought she did a fantastic job. She succeeds in not only developing these characters but in utilizing her writing to really have them step off the page in a way where the reader can visualize them.

Medusa is so often characterized as a monster, but this book tells the story of how she was forced to become that through her environment and personal experiences.

I was immediately wrapped into the story, but I felt that around the halfway point, it slowed way down, and I lost a bit of interest. With that said, I still thought this was really great and would recommend it!

I’m entering the world of retellings again, and this rendition is gorgeous, powerful, and it stays with you! I’ve always loved Medusa and find backstories for “villains” bring so much depth and reality to novels when done well. And this was written beautifully!

Ayana Gray managed to combine Olympic lore with feminine rage, vengeance, and sisterhood, bringing new light and understanding into this long-standing legend.

I would have loved to learn more about her parents after she leaned into the “monster,” and seen more of how she struggled in everyday life adapting. But overall, really enjoyed it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Random House, for this lovely eARC!

This retelling of Medusa is heartbreakingly beautiful and an embodiment of feminine rage. Meddy lived her young life on a secluded island with her parents and two sisters. While Athena visits her island, Meddy catches her attention and is invited to be an acolyte in Athens. After thriving in wisdom and excitement, she catches Poseidon's eye and is punished for a crime she did not commit. Thus her locks transformed into snakes.

As the reader grows with Meddy, they learn the purpose she gathered and the defeat she felt. Her character development is a journey and an inspiration. The storytelling is intriguing, and the cast of diverse characters is refreshing. Although I did not spot one, a trigger warning should be included as there is sexual harassment and assault within these pages.

I absolutely loved this retelling of Medusa's story. I, Medusa captures the mythological lore beautifully while giving the titular character a deeply human and emotional arc. What stood out most was how it portrayed her relationship with Poseidon - it was easy to see how she could fall for him, and honestly, I found myself liking him too at first. The emotional complexity made the story all the more compelling.

But what I think I loved most about this book was how effortlessly readable it was. The pacing was spot-on - engaging enough to keep me turning pages late into the night, but never bogged down by overly detailed prose. It struck the perfect balance between rich storytelling and an accessible narrative. If you're a fan of mythological retellings with heart and depth, this one is definitely worth picking up.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

TW: Sexual assault, victim blaming, religious trauma, and the urge to throw things at fictional goddesses.

I, Medusa absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. I went into this expecting another bland Greek mythology retelling (sorry, but the market is saturated), and instead got a gorgeous, rage-inducing love letter to Black womanhood.

Can we talk about how BRILLIANT it is that this book focuses on Medusa’s life before she became the monster everyone thinks they know? Because that's where the real story lives. We get to see Meddy as a young woman with dreams, fears, and the most beautiful relationship with her sisters. The way Ayana Gray depicts their reverence for their hair, their locs as extensions of their very souls, had me running my fingers through my own tangly curls with newfound appreciation.

And speaking of hair, can I just say that when Athena’s punishment finally comes (and we ALL know it’s coming), the violation feels so much more devastating because we’ve spent chapters understanding what those locs meant to Medusa? It’s not just about turning her hair into snakes. It’s about corrupting something sacred, something that connected her to her heritage, her sisters, her very sense of self. I literally had to put the book down and take a walk around the block because I was so MAD.

Athena remains the absolute WORST, and I’m living for this portrayal of her as the ultimate pick-me girl of Mount Olympus. The way she victim-blames Medusa for Poseidon’s assault while positioning herself as the “reasonable” goddess? Kudos to the Gray for not softening her edges or trying to make her “complex.” Sometimes people are just terrible, and Athena is TERRIBLE.

Now, Poseidon. Oh, Poseidon. Gray's decision to make him charming is absolutely diabolical and so, so real. Because that’s how it works, isn’t it? The worst men are often the most charismatic, the ones who make you doubt your own instincts. His scenes made my skin crawl in the best way possible because they felt authentically predatory without being gratuitous as an older man preys on a young, impressionable teenager.

The pacing had me flipping pages like my life depended on it. There’s this beautiful slow build as we watch Medusa navigate her world, fall in love for a bit, and slowly realize that the gods she’s been taught to revere are actually monsters in divine clothing. When everything finally comes crashing down, it hits like a tsunami.

I’m absolutely obsessed with how the author grounds this mythological story in very real experiences of Black womanhood. The microaggressions, the way Medusa’s beauty is both celebrated and weaponized against her, the expectation that she should be grateful for male attention regardless of how it makes her feel. It’s all there, woven seamlessly into the ancient world.

My only complaint? I wanted MORE. More time with her sisters, more of her life before the transformation, more of her internal world. But honestly, that’s probably just me being greedy because I fell so hard for this version of Medusa.

If you’re looking for a mythology retelling that actually has something to say about power, trauma, and survival, this is it. Just make sure you have tissues handy and maybe don’t plan anything important for the rest of the day because you WILL be emotionally devastated.

Today, I’m reviewing Ayana Gray’s I, Medusa, a new origin story of the famous mythological character Medusa.

When you hear the name Medusa words that might come to mind could be, snakes, stone, cursed, villain. And while most would paint her as a villain, others have created a very different picture from the one popular culture has painted of the famous Gorgon sister. Author Ayana Gray does just that, creating a female protagonist who is very much human, a characteristic Medusa has been stripped of and often times, no one recalls why.

And the why is always important to remember.

A powerful origin story, Gray reshapes they myth of Medusa, exploring the bonds of sisterhood, friendship, and the manipulation of spiteful deities and greedy men.

Make sure to grab your copy, the first edition looks stunning!

This was a spectacular and spell binding rendition of Medusa. Ayana weaves a tale of a curious child born to power hungry parents who are attention starved of the Gods. Caught between escape amd finding her own experiences to shape her destiny, Medusa evolves from novice to expert while still struggling with whether she wants to be maid or monster.
The descriptions of Acropolis and the islands resonated a lot with me, as did Meddy's awe of God's before releasing that in power lies truth. The angst and stifled Meedys journey was an absolute pleasure to read, especially for fans of Circe. Thank yous to Random House and Natgalley for the ARC! Ayana Gray has become a new must read on the auto buy authors list for Greek retellings! Brava!!

First Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC copy of this book prior to its publication in exchange for my honest review.

I want to first say that I am generally a very big fan of both Mythology and Fairytale retellings. Medusas story has always been a captivating tale, in all of the retellings I've read.

Ayana Grey chooses to highlight the power play dynamics between those in power over those without it quite well in this retelling. It's a story were all familiar with, a young girl taken advantage of by a person that's thought to be a trusted elder. Medusa is groomed, manipulated and taken advantage of in the worst way leading to her ultimate demise.

I thought that the story itself was done quite well, even allowing for several beautiful nods to black culture. Medusas almost spiritual moments with her sisters while they twist her locks were some of my favorite moments during this read. Ayana really makes you feel like you're in the room with the girlies in these moments.

I will say this is being marketed as an "Adult" novel retelling, and the writing itself as far as tone and verbiage is very YA themed with the exception of the 2 adult content scenes. The whole tone feels very young.

My only dislikes I had for this was that I thought I was going into an adult novel and not a YA novel with explicit content and that the ending and romance itself felt very rushed. I personally think we had far to much disposition in the front of the story and then only got like 30 pages of feminine rage at the end.

This did need to have a trigger warnings page as well and did not include one (this may be because it's an ARC).

TW: Rape, Domestic Violence, Grooming

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I, Medusa is a beautifully lyrical & poetic reimagining of the classical tale. Ayana Gray draws you into a richly woven tale, full of elegant prose, an immersive world, and gutting emotions - readers will find themselves deeply enthralled and rooting for Medusa despite knowing how her story ends. I was captivated from the beginning, which made for a quick read despite how harrowing it winds up. A fantastic read for both novices and aficionados of Greek mythology!

Solid. So so solid.

Medusa’s story has always held a special place in my heart, and this retelling brought her legend to life in a way that felt both fresh and historic. The author offers a powerful new perspective, expanding Medusa’s tale with such emotional depth that I felt everything—pride, heartbreak, anger, injustice, pain, betrayal. Fantastic read. Thank you!

5 stars powerful stars

I love a good modern Medusa retelling and this one hit the spot. The modern take on the myth of Medusa takes a look at the way things are and how hard it is to be believed if you're not the one holding all the power. History is written by the victors whether or not they deserve the title.

In this Medusa retelling, Meddy is seventeen when she is whisked away to Athena's temple where she is a plaything trapped between Athena (the pick-me) and Poseidon (the sleazeball). All through the book Meddy struggles to figure out who she is and what her 'purpose' is. I'm not sure she ever figures out the latter but she does realize where she 'belongs.' This is a beautifully written story of a young woman who takes hold of her power with both hands once she realizes she has it. It's a tragedy, but then Medusa's story has always been a tragedy.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for allowing me to review an e-arc of this novel!

Medusa’s tale is a classic and one that has captivated me for a really long time. This author was able to give a new perspective and expand on her story so that the reader was fully immersed and engaged. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and went through all the emotions. I felt her joy at being praised, her anguish when she lost her friend, her anger at injustice, and her deep sense of betrayal. And eventually the loss of her innocence and the veil of the realities of her world being destroyed. The Greek pantheon was depicted in a way that was both accurate to lore and highlighted just how human they were-and how petty. The way they treated the ancient deities was so very telling. I always hope for a different end for Medusa, because not only was she a person of moral character, she was betrayed in so many ways by those who should’ve had her best at heart. A solid, five star read.

I liked this book. Overall, I gave it a 4.25/5. Going in, I was expecting more of the book to be after she was cursed but am glad that was not the case. I enjoyed seeing her progression through different stages of her life. I only have a cursory knowledge of Greek mythology so I can't speak to the accuracy but the author's note helped give context to the choices the author made and they made sense to me. The feminine rage was delicious. The pacing was solid and the prose made it an easy read. Highly recommend this book!

I found myself bored in the middle. I think too much time was spent on her time in Athens and the ending felt rushed. Also a bit inconsistent. There were two mentions of her age/birthday toward the end that completely ruined it for me. -- Spoiler: it felt like her and her sisters were wreaking havoc on the beaches of their island for months or even years and her time with Apollonia felt much longer. The one mention of her birthday really messed it up for me bc it reminded you it was only a few weeks.... what? The timeline feels really off with this book. It felt really plot driven which I really think this book could have benefited with more developed scenes and relationships.


With all of that said. I couldnt put the book down. I liked how the author incorporated the convos revolving around consent and feminist themes. I thought it was very thought provoking! I enjoyed the focus on her locs and the relationship with her sisters. I love a good female rage story. This was an enjoyable retelling. The cover is stunning too!

"I, Medusa" gives a new perspective of the Greek Mythology character, Medusa's, side of the story. I came to empathize and pity her in this rendering. She experiences several layers of personal trauma. She is beautiful. I wish she had had a happy ending, but that would have been difficult considering the original story.

Did not feel like this was YA. There were some adult elements throughout. The book was lackluster and boring. I also felt like Medisa was way too whiny and I did not enjoy the way she was written. The characters were also illogical. I rolled my eyes several times.

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray is a powerful retelling that gives voice to one of mythology’s most misunderstood women. Meddy, a mortal daughter of sea gods, begins her journey as a hopeful acolyte of Athena. But after a devastating betrayal, she’s transformed—both physically and emotionally—into something feared and legendary.

This was such a great take on Medusa, and was really refreshing.

What a great retelling of the lore of Medusa. As someone unfamiliar with Medusa’s journey prior to the story I appreciated the clear sections in the book that aligned with her journey throughout the story. This book was well written, descriptive and easy to read. Gray’s tailoring and decision to make Medusa a black girl coming of age tale was poignant. A moment for black girls to be in the forefront in a world where they are constantly ignored and misunderstood. The rage, the pain, the moments of hope are easy to connect with and keep you engrossed all the way through. This book was definitely the right story at the right time for me, and I will be rereading this one for sure.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC, and the opportunity to read this book before my preorder arrives.