Review: Medusa: The Girl Behind The Myth by Jessie Burton

Published by Bloomsbury

THE retelling of ancient mythology by modern writers is a concept that takes skill. It is one of the most beautiful aspects of classic tales and art that they can be so easily connected to audiences today. The twists and emotions of humanity, the complexity of relationships and people remain constant in an ever changing world and to successfully present something old in a new way is to present the parts of it that remains relatable no matter the setting.

Jessie Burton does this with perhaps one of the most famous names of Greek mythology, Medusa, telling the story from her perspective and blurring the lines between girl and monster.

The story opens with a question, one that remains in the back of the reader’s mind on every page, as each careful and almost poetic line becomes etched in the mind the answer is clear.

“If I told you that I’d killed a man with a glance, would you wait to hear the rest?”

Medusa is only 14 when her life is changed forever when Poseidon, the god of the sea, ruins her childhood love of fishing and sailing, threatens her with floods and death and, when she cannot bear his attention anymore – attention that the cruel villagers of her community say she should be grateful for – she begs Athena for help.

She makes the promise never to seek romantic love if she could be allowed to escape Poseidon, and so Athena offers her a solution.

While her sisters are given wings and made immortal, Medusa is left with a change that strikes her with horror and confusion, her once lovely hair that had seen her often accused of vanity had now been replaced by snakes living upon her scalp.

What truly bring fear to her heart are Athena’s final words before leaving her in this new state: “Woe betide any man fool enough to look upon you now.”

The three sisters move to a deserted island, but while Euryale and Stheno fly off each day to hunt for food, secretly revelling in their new forms as Gorgons, diving in the water to catch fish, Medusa stays on the land.

And being alone each day with only their dog Argentus to keep her company becomes a chore. However, the arrival of a boy to the island brings with it new hope for Medusa. While she does not allow him to see her and gives him the false name of Merina, Perseus and Medusa speak every day, learning more and more about each other and falling in love, neither with the knowledge it is doomed.

With each conversation they grow closer to the truths that will keep them apart.

Through telling the story from the perspective of Medusa, Burton unlocks a deep humanity, telling the story not of a vague, ancient monstrous being but of a scared 18-year-old girl that could exist today.