REVIEW: Medea by Rosie Hewlett

Medea longs for a different life. Since childhood, she has been separated from her sister, shunned by her mother, and persecuted and tormented by her brother and father. All because of a unique and dangerous talent: witchcraft.

But when a dashing young hero, Jason, arrives to claim the famed Golden Fleece that her father fiercely protects, Medea sees her opportunity for escape. Her offer to help Jason overcome the trials set by her father sets in motion a journey that will test every ounce of her strength, magic and loyalty; a journey that will see her battle monsters, dethrone kings and fall in love.

When faced with the ultimate betrayal, Medea is driven to an act of desperation so brutal it rips apart the lives of everyone involved...

"You are a monster, Medea. You have no soul, no heart.' he spits, and I wipe the residue slowly from my cheek. 'You are right, and why is that? ... Because I gave those things to you. I gave you all of me. I loved you Jason, so deeply, so painfully ... but do you know what is stronger than a lover's love? Their hate.'"

The story of Medea is one of my favourite tales from Greek mythology— and one that has ironically and painfully been misunderstood. Medea is a strong, powerful woman who was betrayed, diminished and pushed down by the men in her life who used her might to enhance their own. Her story may end in bloodshed and betrayal, but she is one of the earliest cautionary tales of a woman scorned and one I was so excited to see being retold.

This story captures Medea and reclaims her voice, much like the Medusa, and widens the lens past her final catastrophic act to shift the focus to the countless crimes against her that she weathered before she snapped.

The narration was absolutely beautiful, breathtakingly rich and descriptive with a steady flow despite its intricate storytelling. Each character carves out a unique voice through monologues and direct prose that still captures the original essence of the text but with a more readable and modern twist.

An astounding retelling of an ancient tale that still has startling relevance and appeal - if you haven’t heard the tale of Medea and her final act of revenge and retribution this is the perfect opportunity.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Medea is available from March 21st 2024 with Random House UK. I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for a review.

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