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Medusa

The Girl Behind the Myth (Illustrated Gift Edition)
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( 23,331 ratings, 3,557 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Medusa reimagines the ancient Greek myth through a dazzling, feminist lens. Medusa, exiled to a remote island and cursed with serpents for hair, leads a solitary life until the arrival of Perseus disrupts everything. This evocative retelling explores themes of desire, love, betrayal, and the untold story behind the legendary gorgon. Enhanced by stunning, full-colour illustrations by Olivia Lomenech Gill, it brings a powerful new voice to Medusa’s story, illuminating her humanity and strength.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This extraordinary retelling is perfect for readers who enjoy feminist narratives, mythological reinterpretations, and richly illustrated books. It will appeal particularly to fans of Circe and The Silence of the Girls, as well as teenage and adult readers seeking stories of empowerment and self-discovery.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

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'Easily my read of the year. Sheer perfection from start to finish' - Catherine Doyle

'A beautiful and profound retelling' - Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE and THE SONG OF ACHILLES

'Utterly transporting ... This dynamic feminist retelling is illustrated with stunning, polychromatic power' - Guardian Books of the Year

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A dazzling, feminist retelling of Greek myth from the internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist, stunningly illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill.

Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love and betrayal…

Filled with glorious full-colour illustrations by award-winning Olivia Lomenech Gill, this astonishing retelling of Greek myth is perfect for readers of Circe and The Silence of the Girls. Illuminating the girl behind the legend, it brings alive Medusa for a new generation.

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'... a must read for women of all ages' - Red Magazine

'... stole my heart from its first fierce lines' - Mary Watson

'A beautiful and compassionate retelling that gives the serpent-headed monster of myth a powerful and haunting humanity' - Jennifer Saint

'... an impressive addition to the shelves of feminist retellings, balancing rage with beautiful storytelling' - Irish Times

'It’s an ideal gift for teenage girls finding their voice and their power' - Stylist 'Gift ideas for the book lovers in your life'

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Medusa has been hailed as a 'beautiful and profound retelling' that balances pain and trauma with joy and hope, praised by acclaimed authors such as Madeline Miller and Catherine Doyle. Reviewers celebrate Jessie Burton's lyrical writing and the striking illustrations, describing the book as a fierce, tender, and heart-filled reclamation of Medusa’s story. It is described as 'sheer perfection from start to finish' and a 'work of art' with relevance to contemporary themes.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526637796

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 October 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury YA

Illustration: Colour illustration

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

Audience: Children, Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 166.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 640g

Pages: 224

About the Author

Jessie Burton studied at the University of Oxford and then went on to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is the author of three novels for adults, The Miniaturist (2014), The Muse (2016) and The Confession (2019), and is both a Sunday Times no. 1 bestseller and a New York Times bestseller. The Miniaturist sold a million copies worldwide in its first year and has also been adapted for television by the BBC. Jessie is now published in forty languages. Her first children’s story, The Restless Girls, was published by Bloomsbury in 2018.
Olivia Lomenech Gill has a first-class degree in Theatre from the University of Hull and an MA in Printmaking from Camberwell College of Arts, and has built her career as a professional fine artist. Olivia’s first professional illustration commission, Where My Wellies Take Me, written by Michael and Clare Morpurgo, was shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal and won the English Association Picture Book Award. She is also the illustrator of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling. Olivia lives and works in Northern France with her husband, a paper conservator.

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