Stone Blind
4/5
The Big Questions:
What genre is this in? Greek mythology, fantasy retelling
Are there any swoon-worthy characters? Nope.
Is it spicy? Not at all.
Is it violent or gory? Monsters are slayed, but not graphic.
Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? If you are a fan of Natalie Haynes previous work or feminist Greek mythology retelling, borrow it!
“Imagine being a god, she thought, and still needing to tell everyone how impressive you were.”
Review: Coming fresh off the release of Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (which I loved, by the way), I picked up Stone Blind wanting a different perspective on the tale. Natalia Haynes proves once again to be the master of telling a story through a rich array of lenses. We not only see the story through the eyes of Perseus and Medusa, but their family members, various gods, other mythical creatures, and even some animals. Each chapter has a surprisingly different narrator to keep the reader on their toes. Having to constantly shift the perspective lent to a much richer world that was thoroughly enjoyable to explore.
The theme of power blinding those who wield it is an interesting one. The portrayal of mortals as the playthings of the gods to be thrown away once their charm wears off was heartbreaking and infuriating, but also a familiar critique of how the world’s elite treat the masses that they rely on for generating wealth. While this is not the ra-ra strong feminist take I felt it was marketed as, I enjoyed it nonetheless.