Bookseller Reviews
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Brutal, devastating, addictive.
This is Medusa’s story. And so much more.
Medusa is the only mortal among a family of gods. Growing up with her protective sisters, she soon realises that ... READ MORE
Classic myth with a wry twist
A classical retelling of the Medusa/Perseus myth with some Olympian shenanigans amongst the gods.
Natalie Haynes is well known for her fictional A Thousan... READ MORE
Made me angry in the best way
A fabulously written retelling of the story of Medusa, framing Poseidon and Perseus as the villains of her story. The entire time I was fuming but I just c... READ MORE
Her most fun book yet
A really enjoyable retelling full of gods being petty and childish.
emotional and devastating
4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
After being disappointed by the la... READ MORE
A must-read for Greek mythology lovers!
I've loved everything Haynes has ever written and this is no exception! A beautiful retelling of Medusa's story interwoven with stories adjacent to hers. G... READ MORE
I was totally enraptured
I loved, loved, loved this and Haynes will be a go-to author for me from now on.
I adored the humour and the character building. Haynes writing is fun, ... READ MORE
A great addition to the retold myths!
Excellent!
A different perspective on the myth of the Gorgon Medusa and how she became one of the most feared of the Greek myths.
I love that the horri... READ MORE
Stone the Crows!
Few women in myth have been vilified so completely as Medusa. Luckily, broadcaster and comedian Natalie Haynes has applied her unique blend of wit and clas... READ MORE
Book of the Year 2022
There’s always the worry that when you’ve waited for something with such eagerness, that when it arrives you’ll be disappointed as it could never live up t... READ MORE
Amazing introduction into Greek mythology!
I think this is one of the first more accurate Greek retellings I've really enjoyed and been able to get through. I found it slightly confusing at first as... READ MORE
Synopsis
'So to mortal men, we are monsters. Because of our teeth, our flight, our strength. They fear us, so they call us monsters.'
Medusa is the only mortal in a family of gods. Growing up with her sisters, she quickly realizes that she is the only one who gets older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.
When, in Athene's temple, desire pushes Poseidon to commit the unforgivable, Medusa's mortal life is changed forever. Athene, furious at the sacrilege committed, directs her revenge on Medusa. The punishment is that she is turned into a Gorgon: sharp teeth, snakes for hair, and a gaze that will turn any living creature to stone. Appalled by her own reflection, Medusa can no longer look upon anything she loves without destroying it. She condemns herself to a life of solitude in the shadows to limit her murderous range.
That is, until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon...
This is the story of how a young woman became a monster. And how she was never really a monster at all.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781529061475
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 241 x 164 x 38 mm
- Weight: 607g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allPoor Medusa!
I have struggled with how best to rate Stone Blind. On one hand I will happily follow Natalie's siren's call no matter the mythological topic. She can do n... READ MORE
Righting the wrongs against Medusa
I loved a Thousand Ships and Children of Jocasta so was really keen to find out how Medusa’s story would be told. I think I particularly relish Natalie Hay... READ MORE
Fantastic - loved it!
I loved reading this, a Greek myth re-telling not only written from a female perspective, but one that is refreshingly vitriolic in the description of the ... READ MORE
Underwhelming
For a story about Medusa this is certainly lacking in chapters from her perspective. The character ends up feeling rather underwritten and one dimensional;... READ MORE
Fascinating, heartbreaking retelling of Medusa’s story that causes you to rethink the monster/hero dynamic
I have been enthralled by ancient civilisations, history and myths/legends since I was a child. When I was younger I was obsessed with Roman, Greek and Egy... READ MORE
Grab ‘Stone Blind’ as soon as you can…brilliant retelling of a story we might have thought we knew.
From the cinematic sweep of the opening to the invitation to share the terror and flight of a character, this book states its intentions clearly. The read... READ MORE
Good read
The more I read of the Greek myths the more I enjoy them and the more I want to read. This is another interesting retelling of the story of Medusa told fr... READ MORE
Natalie does it again
An absolute gem of a book. Beautiful, Heartbreaking. Funny. Witty. Rage-inducing. Natalie Haynes does it all in this brilliant reimagining of the Medu... READ MORE
Medusa rehabilitated with Haynes signature edge
I really enjoy Natalie Haynes writing and in Stone Blind her normally wry humour carries a real edge - and no wonder, any tale involving the Gods wreaking ... READ MORE
A "monster" of a book
I have always been in love with Greek and Roman legends. I was always fascinated by Medusa ever since Raymond Harryhausen and his legendary films like Clas... READ MORE
The incredible retelling I never knew I needed
Summary: A retelling of the story of Perseus and Medusa. A story we think we all know but have we ever really considered who the monsters are…
Thoughts: Lo... READ MORE
Magnificent retelling of the myth of Medusa and Perseus
'So to mortal men, we are monsters. Because of our flight, our strength. They fear us, so they call us monsters.’
My thanks to Pan Macmillan Mantle for a... READ MORE
"Can a monster be beautiful if it is still terrifying? Perhaps it depends on how you experience fear and judge beauty.”
“Why would anyone love a monster?” asked Perseus.
“Who are you to decide who is worthy of love?
Firstly, I will start by saying my absolute favourite myth... READ MORE
Beautifully written masterpiece
A beautifully written book that I just could not put down. I would highly recommend it
A mythological masterpiece
I have waited months to read this and what an absolute joy this book is. Natalie Haynes is the absolute queen of Greek myth. Her writing is intelligent, we... READ MORE
Highly recommend
Stone Blind forces us to stare into Medusa’s eyes and confront the stories that we have been told through a different lens, at points making us wish to be ... READ MORE
A great retelling
Medusa is up there with my favourite Greek influence. Her story is absolutely fascinating and her character is one that is deeply misunderstood and misrepr... READ MORE
Rewrite of Medusa’s story lacks emotion
*I received a free preview copy of this book from NetGalley*
The recent surge in authors rewriting the Greek myths has provided another such novel in Nata... READ MORE
Medusa
When someone says Medusa i think of the Roman version in which a beautiful human girl runs to the temple for protection only to be defiled by another God. ... READ MORE
Phenomenal
Natalie Haynes has done it again! I couldn't put this down, it completely captured me from the start. Already feeling impatient for her next book!
Women's Prize for Fiction Longlisted
Well as soon as this was listed for the Women's Prize for fiction longlist I just knew I had to read it.
Natalie has an excellent reputation for re imagine... READ MORE
Medusa where are you
A book about Medusa that focuses more on Athene than anybody else...
I still enjoyed this a lot and had a good time reading this, and it was super enjoy... READ MORE
The retelling of Medusa we needed
Natalie Haynes has real talent for bringing forth the women in Ancient Greek myths and telling their stories with a lot more thought and emotion than other... READ MORE
Who decides who and what a monster is?
Stone Blind took me about 20 pages to get really get invested but once I got past that, I was completely hooked and read the remainder in one sitting.
St... READ MORE
Not just 'Medusa's Story'...
Medusa is my favourite mythological character and I have been horribly disappointed by other attempts at rewriting her story. This is, so far, the stronges... READ MORE
Rehabilitation of a classical monster
I loved Stone Blind, Natalie Haynes’ story of Medusa, rehabilitating her image and transforming her from evil monster to wronged woman, I really enjoyed t... READ MORE
An imaginative and epic retelling
‘Why would anyone love a monster?’ asked Perseus.
‘Who are you to decide who is worthy of love?’ said Hermes. ‘And who are you to decide who is a monster?’... READ MORE
Beautifully tragic
Stone Blind is one of my 2022 highly anticipated books and I was ecstatic when I was kindly given a proof copy.
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This is Medusas story, though it wasn’... READ MORE
Verified Purchase
Superb!
Natalie Haynes is the best thing that’s happened to Greek Mythology and the Classics lately! I love all her books but with this one she’s outdone herself! ... READ MORE
Tragic, powerful, witty and captivating
A truely refreshing feminist retelling of the classic myth.
This book explored themes of abuse, healing, sister hood and revenge. It makes a powerful imp... READ MORE
Amazingly well written
Not my usual genre but absolutely love this book. A retelling of the story of medusa. Couldn't put it down. Well paced and easy to follow. I will be readin... READ MORE
Scintillating telling of an age old story
Abandoned on a distant shore by her demi-god parents, Medusa is raised by her sisters, the Gorgons. Medusa is a normal girl until she becomes a source of ... READ MORE
Medusa tells all!
Thank you so much Pan MacMillan and NetGalley fir the arc of Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
I’ve read a coup... READ MORE
Great insight into the gods
Headlines:
Quippy narrative voice
Medusa linked the stories
Loved the godly insight
Stoneblind delivered so much more than my expectations. I was expectin... READ MORE
Natalie Hanyes. Medusa
I loved this book Natalie Haynes is obviously clever, well informed and funny. You read the book and are informed and entertained.
Great read
Fantastically written, and great to have all the different view points of the characters. I'm fast becoming a fan of this author
Different from other retellings
I enjoyed this! Completely unexpected and different from other retellings I've read. I liked the multiple perspectives and how they all weaved into and imp... READ MORE
Medusa's tale retold
This was my first foray into Hayne’s fiction writing and I really enjoyed it! Stone Blind is a reimagining of Medusa’s story, but gives all the context tha... READ MORE
A fierce feminist retelling
“They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster, just like they do your sisters.”
Fierce, feminist, moving and addictive, Stone Blind is a power... READ MORE
An Immortal Myth - But A Story With A Very Human Heart
It is a beautifully written version of the myth that is both known and not known. Whilst not a retelling in the normal sense - Medusa and Perseus retain th... READ MORE