TESSA TALKS BOOKS

What’s it about (in a nutshell):

Medusa’s Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear is a story about Medusa’s life before she was cursed and killed, told in the style of a Greek tragedy.

My Reading Experience:

Bear states in the author’s note, “Every woman has a voice that matters, a story worth telling.” And she does just that with Medusa and her sisters. She tells a riveting and tragic tale of three sisters born to Phorcys (God of the sea’s hidden dangers)and Ceto (Goddess of sea monsters) during the Golden Age of the Titans. Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa were born triplets, though Medusa came out looking like a human and mortal. In contrast, her sisters were born immortal and had attributes of sea monsters, particularly their eye color.

This is a journey story – a journey for the sisters to learn about the world of man and a journey of self-discovery for each of them. I loved watching them explore the world and all that humans and Gods are and how they interact. It is very descriptive of the world of mythology. Gods and Goddesses do not come out looking very good, as they regularly use humans to their own ends. They treated humans as lesser creatures they could use and abuse at will, presenting a tragic tale that the Greek playwrights could have only wished they had told. And Medusa, even though she wasn’t truly human, is the saddest story of all.

I just loved this story, even though it broke my heart. I never knew Medusa’s back story, and the one pieced together in this novel is full of wonder and goodness that turns dark and challenging. It’s not one of a monster that needs slaying but one of the sister creatures cursed by a Goddess, punished by a God, and left to defend themselves on a lonely island in the middle of the sea.

The writing is beautiful – positively poetic in places, as you can see from my quote under “Characters.” It flowed so ethereally that I was instantly drawn into this world and could revel in its wonder and beauty. I can’t say enough good things about the writing, and I loved that it is in the style of a Greek tragedy (play). That was the perfect format for this story.

Characters:

I don’t think I could even begin to describe Medusa better than Stheno does in the Prologue: “Medusa rarely angered. She was ebullient, the paradigm of magnanimity. Liquid sunrise poured into her soul, and she woke each morning full of hope. Even after all her suffering, if she were given the opportunity, I do not think she would have fought back.”

“I am the vengeful sister. Me, Stheno. The hateful pariah who murdered more men than either of the other two Gorgons combined.” However, she (Stheno) is also harsh in her own description. Stheno was her sisters’ protector, always trying to balance letting them do their own thing and ensuring no harm came to them. I wouldn’t describe her as vengeful – just protective, as a mom would me or the oldest sister in this case.

Euryale is the middle sister and wants, more than anything, to marry a God and live on Olympus. She studies love between a man and a woman to learn what it is and how to please a man so she can transfer that knowledge to appeal to the God of her choosing.

Narration & Pacing:

The story is told in third-person and first-person narration in alternate chapters. Stheno’s chapters are in the first person, and Euryale’s are in the third person but focused on her perspective. This sounds a bit confusing, but it all flows seamlessly and poetically. The pacing is more of a medium pace but is consistent throughout the story.

Setting:

The story takes place in Ancient Greece, a totally expected and appropriate setting for a story based on Greek mythology.

Read if you’re in the mood for:

• A Greek tragedy/Greek mythology
• A riveting tale that brings out all the emotions
• A sister-theme story

My Rating: (4.67) 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐