I, Medusa: A Novel

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Ayana Gray for the ARC.

I, Medusa is a powerful reimagining of the iconic Greek myth, recast through the lens of a woman of color. Ayana Gray breathes new life into the legend by centering Medusa’s humanity and origin story. Her relationships with her sisters, the intimacy of caring for each other’s locs and the sacredness of braiding as craft, and the immigrant experience are particular standouts.

Medusa has long been vilified in traditional texts, painted as a monster rather than a survivor. Gray joins the chorus of contemporary storytellers reclaiming her narrative—not as a cautionary tale, but as a portrait of resistance, rage, and resilience in the face of violation and injustice. The novel does not shy away from the trauma inherent in Medusa’s myth. It treats it with honesty and weight, especially in her fraught entanglements with Poseidon (trigger warning for those unfamiliar with the Greek myths: sexual assault) and Athena. These dynamics are navigated with nuance, revealing the layered complexities of positions of power and the expectations of women in society.

I highly recommend reading through the end notes to learn more about Black representation in mythology and in antiquity in general. She has a long list of impressive beta readers and collaborative authors. This was my first novel from her, but I look forward to reading more from Ayana Gray. I, Medusa is a searing, necessary addition to the mythological canon and a triumph of voice, perspective, and storytelling.

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review.

finished this book in 2 afternoon reads. I felt like Medusa was a spoiled, selfish, naive girl who did not take accountability for the things she caused. She would only slightly feel guilty but then its like it never happened despite having consequences for others. It was hard for me to feel bad for her in her punishment. I think she deserved it for being selfish and what she caused to others, not for what it was actually a punishment for. The book overall felt very YA to me and the ending also wasn't satisfying, but at least it was an interesting and different take on medusa

Terrible book. Gives the impression that all men are evil, because all the men in it are evil, and because this theme is explicitly stated twice in the book. There are lots of god books for young girls. Do not expose them to this one.

Such a great read! The way the author rights just draws you into the story!

“You are not a monster,” I murmur. I don’t know if the words are for the lion or for me. “You are only what they made you.” I liked this book. The setup of Medusa's character and her struggles with being a mortal while her sisters were not, her attempts to please her parents, and her pull toward justice set the stage nicely for the rage that would eventually be her undoing. However, I would have liked to dive deeper into that rage. The last part of the story, after Medusa and her sisters are transformed into monsters, felt a bit rushed and skimmed over. Perhaps this was meant simply as an origin story and another tome will come that leans harder into the darkness and the details of who Medusa really was. Fingers crossed.