Book Review: Medusa by Jessie Burton

‘Medusa’ is a novella by Jessie Burton that was published by Bloomsbury in 2021. It follows the story of mythological figure, Medusa, and offers a take on her encounter with Perseus, one of the demigod sons of Zeus.

The book delves into a unique but not unheard of, contemporary interpretation of Medusa’s story, before she was transformed into a gorgon. Therefore, it may prove triggering as it contains references to sexual assault.

The story focuses on Medusa’s life, and how things changed upon Poseidon defiling her in Athena’s temple. It offers a unique take on how she responded to her trauma and her transformation. She was a child when she was raped, beautiful, yes, but a child, a girl. And Athena’s wrath goes further than giving Medusa a head of vipers, she also curses her older sisters for them allowing this to happen. All three are transformed into gorgons, while they take on different forms. It is also established that her sisters achieve immortality in their transformation, while that remained uncertain for Medusa herself.

After she and her sisters were cursed, they fled into exile, and years later, encounters someone new. A boy. A young man. Perseus. She ends up developing romantic feelings for Perseus when she encounters him on her remote island, the first young man that seemingly saw her, not as a beautiful prize to be won, or a monster, but as a woman, as a person. And she appreciates it. There’s affection in it. Which makes the fact he is seeking the monstrous gorgon in order to behead her even more tragic.

It was a modern, feminist, and at points empowering story of firsts, reclaiming your sense of self, and healing from deep-rooted traumas. Although the book is short, and rather dialogue heavy, I would recommend it as a quick but heavy read. The story is one that many know but few necessarily see for what it is. I am glad that Medusa’s story is now being interpreted as being as tragic as it truly is.