The first book in Hannah's 'Grecian Women' trilogy, 'Athena's Child', explores the classic Greek myth of Medusa; violated, punished and forsaken by the Gods, and fated to be slayed by the prodigal hero.
The first part of the book gives a glimpse into Medusa's early life and as a priestess at the temple of Athena, before her life is essentially destroyed by the whims of the Gods. This back story shows a woman utilising her position as priestess to stand up and speak for the unheard and ignored voices of women in a patriarchal world. Strong and outspoken, yet still empathetic and gentle, Hannah fleshes out Medusa into someone that is worth emotionally investing in, which makes it all the more heartbreaking with the suffering that she goes through when she is essentially used and then thrown away by the Gods, turned into a gorgon, alongside her younger sisters Euryale and Stheno, with her once luscious hair now turned into snakes and a gaze that can turn a person into stone.
Flash forward a couple of millennia and the second half of the book charts the early life of Perseus. Most of his back story is glossed over for the most part, feeling a bit more rushed than that of Medusa, as the narrative pushes his story towards his destiny. We still get the story beats of his legend though; from his birth and the prophecy that he will one day come back to kill his grandfather, King Acrisius of Argo, who out of fear when he realises his daughter, Danae has somehow given birth to a son, despite being locked up in isolation in a tower, locks them both in a chest and casts them out to sea hoping to kill them, to Perseus' quest to slay the gorgon Medusa in an effort to save his mother from marrying the despised King Polydectes. While his development isn't as in depth or emotional as Medusa's, due to his faster paced narrative, there was still enough in Perseus' character to latch onto, and get behind him in his legendary quest.
I really enjoyed this retelling of the classic myth, and seeing the story from both sides of the protagonists. The prose was fast paced, yet still solid and had a lyrical quality to it that kept me hooked all the way through. Although I knew her fate, I still found myself empathising with Medusa; going through so much tragedy and suffering through no fault of own, I wished that she would have a happy ending for a change!
I've been on a mythological retelling kick as of late with my some of my recent reads, with some excellent reimaginings and retellings of Greek, Norse and Scottish myths and folktales. 'Athena's Child' is a great addition to that list. It's compelling, yet tragic, with Hannah weaving in emotional beats into the classic story, making sure that this version of the tale stays with you after you finish reading! Recommended.
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