Among the women of Greek mythology, the witch Medea may be the most despised. Known for the brutal act of killing her own children to exact vengeance on her deceitful husband, the Argonauts leader Jason, Medea has carved out a singularly infamous niche in our histories.
But what if that isn’t the full story?
The daughter of a sea nymph and the granddaughter of a Titan, Medea is a paradox. She is at once rendered compelling by virtue of the divinity that flows through her bloodline and made powerless by the fact of her being a woman. As a child, she intuitively submerges herself in witchcraft and sorcery, but soon finds it may not be a match for the prophecies that hang over her entire family like a shroud.
As Medea comes into her own as a woman and a witch, she also faces the arrival of the hero Jason, preordained by the gods to be not only her husband, but also her lifeline to escape her isolated existence. Medea travels the treacherous seas with the Argonauts, battles demons she had never conceived of, and falls in love with the man who may ultimately be her downfall.
In this propulsive, beautifully written debut, readers will finally hear Medea’s side of the story through a fresh and feminist lens.
I have completely jumped on this bandwagon of recent Greek Mythology retellings, and Medea is now one of my absolute favorites! I went into this novel with very little knowledge of Medea but can see Quin took a unique perspective. The ability to have a character commit such horrendous acts and still be empathized with is impressive. Medea is such a captivating character, I could have enjoyed this story with her as the protagonist or antagonist.
Anyone into retellings or mythology should put this at the top of their lists!
Thank you, Atria Books and Goodreads, for a copy of this book.
Dates read: Dec 30, 2023 - Dec 31, 2023