Stone Blind
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4.2 • 142 Ratings
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023
""Haynes is master of her trade . . . She succeeds in breathing warm life into some of our oldest stories.”—Telegraph (UK)
The national bestselling author of A Thousand Ships and Pandora's Jar returns with a fresh and stunningly perceptive take on the story of Medusa, the original monstered woman.
They will fear you and flee you and call you a monster.
The only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.
When the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge—on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon’s actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair and her gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude.
Until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .
In Stone Blind, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes turns our understanding of this legendary myth on its head, bringing empathy and nuance to one of the earliest stories in which a woman—injured by a powerful man—is blamed, punished, and monstered for the assault. Delving into the origins of this mythic tale, Haynes revitalizes and reconstructs Medusa’s story with her passion and fierce wit, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to us today.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Natalie Haynes flips the script on gods and monsters in her bold reboot of a famous Greek myth. Medusa begins life as the cherished, mortal baby sister of the immortal and monstrous Gorgons. It’s only after she’s sexually assaulted by one god and cursed by another that she becomes doomed to turn anyone who meets her eyes into stone. Haynes tackles this retelling with the knowledge of a classicist and the chops of a comedian, tempering the heavy tone of the story with plenty of sharp wit. And as a narrator, Haynes’ background in stand-up shines through. In Stone Blind, the gods behave like violent, spoiled children and a monstrous villain becomes a tragic heroine. It’s a great, fun listen.
Customer Reviews
Perfect Audiobook for Anybody
I love reading books narrated by the author because it feels like it captures attitudes and tones of characters so much better, but this audiobook has been my favorite in that regard. I will for sure be listening to more books written and narrated by her. The way she wrote this book was very captivating, fun and interesting. I’d suggest it to anybody. It wasn’t too complicated if you aren’t an advanced reader or well-versed in Greek mythology, but it had plenty in there to ensure it wasn’t boring for those who are.
Crushingly Beautiful
Natalie Haynes begins to bring justice to the countless women and girls sacrificed to the bloodthirsty patriarchal society of Ancient Greece and its casual tradition of femicide. My heart broke over and over and over in the best ways reading this.
Thoroughly Entertaining
I enjoyed listening to this book. Very witty and engaging.