It might be a little early to post this review but I devoured this book and needed to talk about it with y’all!

Genre:
Greek mythology retelling

Fav Quote:
I highlighted like half of this book so I’m thinking of doing a little quote series to celebrate its publication day 👀 keep your eyes peeled on November 18.

What I Loved:
* With PJO roots and an obsession with Greek myths since childhood, I knew this was going to be right up my alley. Well, I’m here to tell you that Ayana Gray delivered with a devastating and gripping retelling that is glaringly relavent to what we’re experiencing in these times.
* She brilliantly highlighted the role and duties of women in a world where misogyny rules, while delving into the meaning of power and how it can be wielded as a tool for both justice and oppression.
* I loved the way relationships were explored in this book, particularly those with Medusa’s family. Ayana also did not shy away from delving into the more complex, negative, even manipulative nature of Medusa’s relationships, especially those with Athena and Poseidon. I appreciated the way she handled them within the story - she did them justice.
* Ayana beautifully captured the diversity of Ancient Greece - in relationships, love and identity.
* The portrayal of female rage!!!
* Please check the trigger warnings before reading this book ❤️

For Fans of:
* Madeline Miller
* Donna Tartt
* Natasha Pulley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eArc! I, Medusa releases on 18 November 2025.

I, Medusa is a great, feminist retelling of one of the most popular Greek myths.
I loved Ayana Gray's writing, it was immersive yet simple, making you fly through the chapters while also painting a colorful picture of the world and Meddy's thoughts. The plot moved somewhat slowly at the beginning, with little significant happening for a large portion of the book -- but things pick up in the second half. I loved the themes of girlhood and sisterhood, and thought Meddy's relationship with her sisters was the highlight of the book.
I did struggle with Meddy's character however. Having lived a sheltered life and only now taking her first steps into the world, she is often naive and way too trusting. As a reader, it can be frustrating to read and at odds with the idea of Medusa we have painted ourselves. It obviously makes sense for the story, and I understand why Ayan Gray wrote her this way, but it did interfere with my enjoyment of the story at times. Overall a really engaging, moving book, that tells the heartbreaking story of a girl turned maiden turned monster, how she got there, and what she leaves behind.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I am actually obsessed with this. I think Medusa is such and interesting character/monster/woman. I would have liked it be longer to be honest. I was well paced and everything but I guess i just didn’t want it to end. I love seeing like the day little moments so i loved the ending and i liked how faithful to the myth it was and included the entirety of her story. I also really liked the side characters. I love myth retellings and this was a solid retelling that i will definitely be rereading. Medusa is such a unique character and misunderstood she is a victim so it’s hard to blame her for the actions she takes. Especially given how others treat her and other victim like her. Overall i could live in this story I wish we got to see more of the world and side characters story but this is Medusa’s story. So Medusa’s story is what we get. But Ayana Gray has made it to my automatic buy authors i guess i am off to go read her young adult series.

I, Medusa is a beautiful retelling of the tragic story of Medusa and the moment I started reading, I was hooked with her story. I've loved Greek mythology since I was young and this story is one of the best I've read recently and this year!

Ayana Gray told the tragic story of Medusa from her point of view and it was easy to feel what she felt throughout the book. Medusa went through so many emotions and it felt as if we were in her shoes. This definitely showed how different it was back then for a woman like Meddy. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys retellings of mythology stories.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eArc of this book.

“You are not a monster. You are only what they made you.”

Let me start by saying, I’m usually not a big Greek Mythology retelling reader. With that being said, I really enjoyed I, Medusa. It’s a beautiful depiction of Medusa’s story, detailing her coming of age leading up to the infamous curse from Athena. It packs an emotional punch as we see the injustices that come from victim blaming and abuses of power.

What I really love about this retelling was that despite the hand that gets dealt to Medusa, she embraces who she is and realizes she’s not a monster, she’s simply what they made her.

4.5/5 stars

Worth the read for a fresh retelling of Medusa, one that may pick interest for those unaware of the mythology behind Meddy and then serve homage to those that are more read on the topic.
I won’t lie, it’s a 3.75 rounded to 4. At times I felt like the book felt adult then at others I could feel the YA elements in it. Thank ersonally, that confused me a bit. I felt like staying in one lane could’ve made the story feel more cohesive tone wise. I enjoyed this eARC and will most def still recommend people read this book, but hope to see more work from the author perhaps in the adult category, I think they’d be amazing with a little more freedom to the story

Thank you to NetGalley and Ayana Gray for the opportunity to read an advance copy of I, Medusa. As a lover of mythological retellings, this book was wonderful.

Ayana Gray brings Medusa to life with nuance, emotion, and power. What I loved most was how I, Medusa flips the script on the well-known myth, giving Medusa a voice and story rooted in survival, rage, and resilience. Far from a monster, she is complex and heartbreakingly human.

The gods, often painted as untouchable beings in mythology, are shown here as deeply flawed—petty, cruel, and full of ego. I appreciated how the book doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of Greek myth, instead using them to deepen the emotional weight of Medusa’s journey. Her transformation is both literal and symbolic.

If you're drawn to stories that reclaim misunderstood women from myth, this is one to put on your list.

This book is for the women who need to sit with their rage—for better or for worse. The myth of Medusa allows us to indulge in our rage, but this narrative also challenges it, humanizes it, and creates a whole woman from an often truncated myth, asking us “what makes a monster” and “who gets to decide?” Lyrical, aptly diverse, and emotionally confronting, I, Medusa is a triumph in the world Greek myth adaptations.

I, Medusa delivers a powerful and emotionally charged retelling of the infamous Gorgon’s life, guiding readers through the four stages of her transformation: maiden, mistress, monster, and legend. As Medusa’s story unfolds, readers are taken on a gripping emotional rollercoaster, with each phase revealing a deeper, more human side of Medusa; one shaped by betrayal, resilience, and reclamation. Gray turns myth into manifesto, giving Medusa her voice, her rage, and ultimately, her power. A bold and unforgettable reimagining!

I think this book had a lot of really good potiental. My biggest issue from almost the beginning is the fact that it’s being marketed YA, and yet has very adult theming, and some pretty explicit scenes. I would be very hesitant to share this with young high schoolers or even middle schoolers especially given that’s when you typically learn about Medusa and her history. I think enjoy the sisters relationships and the friendships that Meddy had around her.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for an ARC.

I really wanted to love I, Medusa. The concept—a reimagining of the myth of Medusa from her own perspective—was incredibly compelling, and I came in with high expectations. Unfortunately, while there were strong elements throughout, the overall execution left me underwhelmed.

One of the biggest challenges I had was with Medusa’s character. While I understand that Gray wanted to portray her as young and vulnerable, Meddy’s naivete bordered on frustrating. Her complete trust in Perseus, despite obvious red flags, felt painfully unrealistic. Time and again, she ignored warning signs, which made her eventual downfall feel more inevitable than tragic. Instead of rooting for her, I often found myself groaning at her decisions.

The moments with her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, were among my favorites—their bond added emotional weight and complexity that I wish had been explored more deeply.

The pacing also felt uneven. The first half builds slowly, and just as things start to pick up, the climax rushes in and the end of the book is way too rushed.

In the end, I, Medusa is a book with great potential and some standout moments, but it didn’t quite deliver the impact I was hoping for. Meddy’s characterization felt too simplified for such a nuanced and tragic figure from mythology.

The early chapters of this book are rough, with some wrong word choices, confusing word choices, and stilted, awkward sentences that rely heavily on style rather than on conveying the story. And style of choice is similes, as far as the eye can see. Nothing is simply a look, a bowl, a tear, a leaf … it’s always some poetic, overwrought simile. However, the writing does smooth out. The book is written in a way that, to me, feels very YA, but the story itself is dull and the overall message is … not very good.

Medusa’s assault is shown on screen and isn’t written to be either horrifying or titillating but instead, confusing, something she didn’t agree to, but also something she didn’t fight against. Poseidon groomed her, seduced her and used her and — as it’s pointed out baldly in this book by Meddy’s own sisters — he is an adult, a grown man ages old while Meddy is a 17 year old. The gods treat what happened between them as Meddy’s fault because she didn’t say no and didn’t fight back but instead let it happen. Meddy’s sisters support her, but in the end … there is no justice for it.

There is no sense of justice in this book at all, no sense of any conversation going anywhere or having any point. Meddy watches things happen, occasionally has feelings about them, but the few times she tries to take action — punishing a bully for stealing from a poor child, speaking in defense of a friend who was raped, trying to save her sister from an abusive marriage — it’s Meddy who is made to feel as though she’s wrong. not in the sense of: Society tells you it’s wrong but in reality they’re the ones who are wrong; instead it’s Bad Meddy, don’t try doing anything and you won’t need to be punished for it.

Even when she’s finally a gorgon, in the last few chapters, with all of her monstrous power, with being the Medusa of legend … Meddy is nothing but an obedient follower, again. She is powerless, even in her own story. Led by her sisters, by her lover, with everything she does tainted and made wrong. Even when trying to save some luckless men from being turned to statues, her sisters come up and turn them anyway. So why try, why fight against the status quo? Why was so much time spent in Athens, so many lingering scenes? They didn’t build up Meddy’s character, other than to remind her again and again that she’s wrong, wrong, wrong about everything.

The book could have been something, if the author hadn’t always tried to punish her for fighting back. Her rage and burn and need for vengeance could have been interesting, if she weren’t always slapped down and made to feel bad for it. I honestly don’t know what the author was trying to say, here. And I don’t think it’s successful as a story.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book. If you are a fan of greek mythology you will enjoy this book. Finding out about how she's not truly a monster. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was unputdownable.

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

I love retellings, especially Greek mythology. Medusa’s story is tragic and heartbreaking, and I don’t think it’s one I will ever tire of reading.

This retelling was beautiful. I think the author did a fantastic job breathing in a new life to a story that is so well known. I loved the diversity in the characters and how each felt very fleshed out and real. I felt Medusa was a strong lead character, and I loved her growth throughout the story.

*slight spoiler warning*

If there’s one thing I could critique, I do think the story could’ve benefited more from seeing more of her relationship with her sisters. We are told over and over by Medusa that she favors her sisters, but it isn’t something we really see. Before she leaves for Athens, it seemed to me that she had a stronger relationship with the servant Theo more than her sisters. I also felt that some of their interactions throughout the book felt stilted and awkward. I think if there were a few chapters that took place before the story really began, that could help build out their relationships more.

*end of slight spoiler warning*

All in all, this was a great read. I loved the time I was able to spend with Medusa and the characters Ayana Gray brought to life. I’m looking forward to November when I can buy a physical copy to add to my collection.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Random House & Ayana Gray for allowing me to read this arc of I, Medusa. I really enjoyed this retelling of Medusa and thought the author did a good job of making the character of Medusa relatable to diverse populations. The only thing keeping this from a 5 star read for me was the ending as it felt a bit rushed, and at times the writing felt a little too YA. The pacing throughout the story was great until the last section and then it felt like the writer was trying to check off boxes to complete Medusa's story. My favorite part of the entire story was how we got see Medusa in another light other than the monster she is usually portrayed to be. In this story she is young, naïve, vulnerable and still learning to come into her power. With that said, I feel her character growth could've been executed a little better. Again, it felt a little too rushed.

In typical Ayana Gray fashion, this book is written with such beautiful intention and care. It delivers on all it promises as a story about Medusa. Even though you know how her tale ultimately ends, Meddy is a perfectly flawed character who comes alive on the page and has you rooting for her with each turn of the page. Once you pick this one up, you'll not want to put it down.

The story begins with Medusa, known to those who love her as Meddy, and her sisters as their parents search for husbands worthy of a branch on their family tree. After garnering the attention of the ruthless goddess Athena instead, Medusa is drawn from her island only to be pulled into another world seeking to use her heart to further its own cause. As an acolyte vying for a permanent position as priestess in Athena's temple, Meddy is not afraid to stand up for a wronged woman. Along the way, she makes enough friends and enemies to keep her busy, catching the eye of another duplicitous god—Poseidon.

Mortal Medusa finds herself a pawn in the Gods' cruel game just as she'd been one in her parents.

I've read my fair share of retellings, but this one will stay with me forever. It's breathtaking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for access to an eARC of this book!

I love it that Medusa has become so much more popular over the last decade or so. I Medusa takes a different look at her life than another recent novel, Medusa. If you enjoy unbridled feminine rage, I Medusa is the right choice for you.

Both books are inherently feminist, but they express it in very different ways. I Medusa explores rape-culture, along with a woman’s right to change her mind at any point. Medusa explored the brutality of rape, instead. Both make important points.

My only tiny complaint is that this book would have been even better if it didn’t have an epilogue. I absolutely loved the initial ending, when Perseus wasn’t mentioned. He came into the epilogue, though, and I felt disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

However, the story itself fell a little flat for me. I like that their was a backstory for Medusa but then it just didn't really seem to build at all.

The writing also seemed a little immature. Things were overly explained. There was one point where a man wants to bargain and explains that he wants her sisters and her to kill for him then in the next paragraph is says something like, "Medusa knew what he meant by this..." as if he had said it in a vague way? Another comment described it as reading like an afterschool special at times and I would agree with that.

It also did NOT make any sense that Medusa was so clueless at the ripe age of 17 when her entire life had revolved around finding a marriage match. She stayed clueless way too long as well. She never really became a powerful figure which is what I was expecting and wanting in a Medusa story.

3.5 Star read!

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group for a copy of the earc for this book, I greatly appreciate it!

I enjoyed the book greatly and loved the world building the author added to her story. It really gave an in depth look into how she viewed Athens and I appreciated that! While the world building was healthy without being overdone I feel like the story could have been more. I feel like at times the story dragged on and I wanted to put it down or skip chapters because there wasn't enough action in it. It was interesting having Medusa's life building over time, I was just hoping for more anger through out it. It was harsh how the gods treated her but at the same time the slow build to her anger was probably what the author was going for.

I'm still glad I got a chance to read it and if you are interested in gods and Greek mythology its definitely a good read!

I enjoyed this book! It was beautiful, moving, and tragic. The story captured and beautifully told a story of female rage and vengeance.