Stone Blind
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4.3 • 61 Ratings
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
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
So happy I discovered this book!
Was looking for a solid read for some long drives and while working out and this book did not disappoint. The fresh perspective challenging the historically male-dominated narrative was extraordinary. We so rarely think of established “monsters” and “villains” as something or someone with complexity.
This completely challenged the notion of what it means to be a hero, and the ending was a masterpiece in itself. Cannot recommend enough ❤️
Greek mythology is beautiful and silly
I loved this book and how it made me feel for Medusa. I have been wanting to get a tattoo of her face and even more now as she is a hero and protector in this story. Just as I have seen her in my heart. Thank you for this book.
The Author's voice.
I loved this book as I love all well written books about Greek Mythology. But Natalie's telling of the story is wonderful. Never had Athena been described as such a spoiled brat in any of the other books I'd read ,and so heartless unto her big crush on Odysseus.