4.5 rounded up

This book is stunning. It's beautiful, it deals with a lot of heavy topics, and it keeps the reader captivated.

I really loved seeing how the narrative unfolded. Even though this book is in verse, the story feels robust and impactful with layers slowly peeling away to reveal what is happening.

Alicia is struggling after being sexually assaulted by a popular teacher at her school. She starts to grapple even more as it seems she might not be the only one.

This novel had an interesting structure as it was written in verse instead of prose. I didn’t mind this, but I felt like it took me longer to get into because of this!

This book is haunting. Olivia A. Cole's stunning verse is the perfect vessel for Alicia's story. Though there are more and more young adult novels that discuss sexual assault and abuse, Dear Medusa examines an effect of such trauma that I've never seen explored in YA. One response to sexual trauma is hypersexuality, and the fact that Alicia's increased desire for sex has less to do with what makes her feel good and more to do with what gives her a sense of control is a really key part of her story, and the stories of so many survivors of sexual abuse. I appreciated how Cole gave Alicia so much more than her trauma while still handling it with the severity and grace it deserved. The surrounding characters of this book were as interesting as Alicia, if not more so, and I loved that our main character got a positive friendship story line as well as a healthy romantic relationship. Though I understand why, I would have liked more of Alicia's relationship with her mother and David. I think teens are going to connect with Alicia's story in a variety of ways and I hope that this book is able to spark some tough and much needed conversations.

This book made me *feel* in a way that I haven't felt in a long time. Alicia's story shares many similar threads as my own, and it resonates so much. I think this book would be so helpful for other girls who have gone through it too, for them to see their strength to go on reflected in the pages. Love the bi and ace rep.

The wolves are out there, but so are we.

This read was heavier than I anticipated, but not in a bad way. It was empowering to have someone young talk about their, trigger warning, sexual abuse situation. While not an easy topic to read about, knowing that you are not alone while reading was comforting. I also think the set up in verse was super interesting and made it easy to follow along with. Overall, recommend for an emotional read.

This was an interesting read. I feel like it had a good storyline, and it’s a storyline that needed to be told. My biggest issue is something about the voice didn’t click with me, and certain things didn’t wrap up in a way I feel it should’ve been. I do think it’s a story that needs to be written and read, just not for me.

Wow. This is the first novel in verse story that I've ever read. It took me some time to get used to but once I did... it was easy to read and poignant and beautiful. Alicia reminded me so much of myself in my teens (wild that the protagonist also shares my name). I felt for her the entire step of the way. Her story deeply resonated with me.

The trigger warnings in this are serious. TW: slut shaming, sexual assault, abuse from a man in power, racism, slurs, family issues (sibling and parental), biphobia, lesbophobia, grooming

I think the best part of this novel was how real Alicia felt while reading. Her pain flowed through the page. And once she made new friends in Deja and Geneva... the found family was so beautiful. They loved her easily and she began to open herself back up after spending so long closed up. The beginning of the novel was not easy to read as you follow along with Alicia on her painful journey. This novel paints a cruel picture of reality. How some men look at young women, purposefully ignore their age, and pursue them. Many women can resonate with that as we get more attention at 15 and 16 from older men that we do for the majority of the rest of our lives. That's painted in bright vivid color through the entirety of this novel. And when Alicia finally says something... acknowledges this outloud, it was very moving as it took her the entire novel to get there.

<i>I murmur some of what my mom told me:
it can all turn a human into a volcano.
I want you t know I'm here.
I can stand in your lava.</i>

My greatest issue with this novel was the ending. I just wanted a bit more closure. That's why it's 4 stars instead of 5 for me. But otherwise, if you can handle the trigger warnings, it's a quick read and a beautiful story. This story is powerful and inspiring but painful. So keep that in mind before reading.

Thanks to Random House Children's and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

DEAR MEDUSA in many ways feels like Laurie Halse Anderson's SPEAK's daughter in terms of literary lineage. This is an important story and told in such a way that the trauma is accessible. There are many readers out there who will (unfortunately) need this book. That being said, DEAR MEDUSA gets a four instead of five stars because I don't think verse was the right form for this story, and I wish the story had been epistolary so there would have been more connections to Medusa. This felt like a missed opportunity.

Setting: USA (2 Hours from Cincinnati; state uncertain)
Rep: queer MC; asexual Black side character

I just didn't gel with this one. I usually love novels in verse but I found this one overly long and clunky and unfortunately the ARC formatting let it down.

Dear Medusa is a young adult contemporary novel told in verse by Olivia A. Cole. In this novel, we follow 16 year old Alicia as she tries to navigate life after trauma. This book cover a lot of hard hitting topics like sexual assault, homophobia, biphobia, abuse of power, racism, and a slew of other things that are often pushed under the rug when it comes to teens.

As a 32 year old woman reading this, I didn’t really connect with all the characters but the whole time I was reading it, I was just thinking how much it would have effected me had I picked this up in high school. I read my fair share of books about teens dealing with abuse when I was in that age range but I think this book is different because it isn’t graphic about anything. The writing is absolutely stunning and since it is written in verse, the author is able to say more with less in an effective way.

This is something that I would pick up to have on my shelves for my daughter when she get to this age range. I think it is important for young people to be able to read about these topics to know that they are not alone if they are going through stuff like the characters in this book.

This is a beautiful novel in verse about sexual assault and feminism. I particularly enjoyed the female friendships and the way, in the end, the women lifted each other up in one way or the other. It also deals with topics like systemic racism, and the main character does track running. Really enjoyed this book.

This was a difficult story to read. Olivia A. Cole’s writing was absolutely stunning and was so authentic. If you read the book's description, you will know some of the content. Many important issues are discussed throughout this novel, including sexual abuse, racism, homophobia, divorce, and friendship.

The main character Alicia is a sixteen-year-old dealing with being sexually assaulted by one of the most popular teachers at her school. Shortly after, her best friend deserts her because of how she has changed personally. She is also growing further away from her family, acting out at school, causing her to get ISAP (in-school suspension), and feeling lonely.

Alicia is known around her school for having sex with many different guys and is being called so many other names because of this. What they do not know is why she started acting this way. She also details the many different men, who she calls wolves, and how they have treated her.

This is a very thought-provoking novel that is both heartbreaking and impactful. <i>Dear Medusa</i> is written in verse and is in Alicia’s voice. We get an authentic look into her story and thoughts as everything is happening. One of the most intriguing parts of the story is the allusion to Medusa throughout. As the story continues, Alicia learns more about Medusa and adds more to this inclusion to the story. By the end of the novel, Alicia has gained more friends.

I’m glad that it ended with a hopeful message.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*

Dear Medusa is a novel written in verse, following the main character, Alicia, in the aftermath of sexual abuse. Throughout the novel, Alicia is finding herself, what it means to be queer, what it means to be a girl, what it means to deal with trauma, while going through life like any teenager. In the midst of her parents divorce, her brother finding new friends, and her fast food job, she writes about everything - from the stain on her pants to the classroom that haunts her to her ex-best friend. We really get to see the journey of Alicia through her junior year of high school as she learns that she is resilient.

I truly enjoyed this book, especially after realizing the age of Alicia, but I recognize it is unique. Fans of Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak" who may be looking for a more modern story, featuring conversations of consent, sexuality, racism, and more, would enjoy this book.

I recommend checking content warnings before reading and practicing self-care while reading, but ultimately think this story should be shared!

5/5 stars! Rupi Kaur meets "The Way I Used to Be." This phenomenal story of Alicia's journey through processing the horrible trauma she experienced and what opening herself up to someone new would look like. As an SA survivor, this book broke me in the best way possible. I heard my own voice echoed in Alicia's and the drifting, lyrical energy to the story matches the disconnected experience so many survivors have while coming to grips with what happened to them, where the fault really lies (the attacker), and who the 'new' them is on the other side of tragedy. An achingly beautiful story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

My rating: 4/5 stars
TW: sexual assault, racism, violence

DEAR MEDUSA is a heart-wrenching, tearjerking novel in verse about a girl dealing with the aftermath of her sexual assault. Alicia, our MC, learns how to cope with what happened to her, recognizes her sexuality and sexual orientation, and finds sorority in different places.

While I did engage with the story and felt strong emotions with it, there were times I felt like the language was too specific and too flowery, often overexplaining concepts that were easily explained with the first metaphor. However, that was a feature I could look past. The rest of the story and the writing style was a heartbreaking yet hopeful experience. If you can, read this when it comes out. It's something that needs to be read by a lot of people. It won't be for everyone, but for those who will read it, it's worth it.

As soon as I finished this book I told all of my friends they had to read it. Dear Medusa is a hard hitting, beautifully written story about a high school aged girl who is sexually assaulted by a teacher, and from that has lost all of her friends and connection to her family. The story compares her to Medusa, who when attacked by a "man" in a position of power, was turned into the victim.

Alicia is struggling, but the story offers her the opportunity to grow. By the end she is not saved or "whole", but she is growing from her pain, has made new friends, and is becoming more of who she wants to be. She's still angry and she's still hurting but there is hope.

Most of the book focuses on women/girls and how they are taken advantage of by men. Many of our girls in the book had their childhood stolen, because of their bodies. Alicia becomes friends with this black girl, Deja, who helps her understand more about whiteness and it's power. Deja talks about how black girls are expected to grow up faster than anyone, and how using white as a modifier to words like trash implies black is trash by default.
Deja also comes out as asexual in the story, I'll discuss this more at the end.

Alicia's eyes are also opened when she starts to talk more with Geneva who is Pakistani-American, a lesbian, and the main love interest. Geneva is so kind and helpful in the story of Alicia learning to trust others again. Throughout the book you see so many women protecting each other and through growth and understanding, Alicia starts to heal.

This was my first book in verse that I had ever read, and it inspired me to check out some more. The writing flows so well, while also being impactful. I felt so many things while reading this book, and cried heavily at the ending.

Beyond an amazing story, there is such great representation. Our main character is bi/pan and struggling with the fact that she has never been with a girl. There is also amazing acesexual representation. I was highlighting so many quotes that so perfectly summed up what coming out as ace is like:

"The thing that bugs me about virginity is that everyone seems to think being a virgin means you're saving sex -- for God, for prom, for the right person at the right time. But I'm not saving it. Why don't people see that sex is not part of my reality?"
or
"It would be so freaking great if people stopped talking about liberation like it begins and ends with the decision of when and where and how someone says yes to sex, like no is always temporary or a placeholder."

Thanks to Random House Children's and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

wow. just wow. this book was amazing and so powerful. being written in verse makes it even more powerful than if it were told in a traditional novel format. I was able to read tiny bits every day to truly get everything I could from this book. It’s super accessible and easy to read despite the format. it feels like you’re reading the main characters own poems as she lives through the story. because she feels like a real person! every character in this book does. I’m writing this review immediately after finishing this book and am on the verge of tears in public. I don’t even know how to describe the feelings that I have gotten from reading this book. Only that you need to read this too. Do be aware that it’s extremely heavy and you should be in the right mindset. No matter who you are or what you’ve gone through, I really think that there is something in here that anybody could see themselves in or relate to. Just go read this immediately after it’s published!

thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dear Medusa was a brilliant story in verse about pain, righteous destruction, and growth. It is hard to write a story this raw about the hurt of sexual assault and still make it this beautiful. The poetic verse offers readers the words to describe their experiences, giving voice to feelings in a visceral way. This should be read in schools, discussed in classes, and memorized. It also gives voice to the unique pain of growing up a woman, the pain of being seen too aggressively by men. Of being pursued like prey. While granting voice to the powerlessness that comes from womanhood, it also gives voice to the unique type of anger that empowers after trauma.
I absolutely cannot say enough about this book!

3.5 rounded up || If you enjoyed The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, I think you will enjoy this YA novel written in verse that unapologetically tackles many topics such as sexual assault, coping mechanisms, race, status, and girlhood.

Very big trigger warning for sexual assault/abuse.

A little background info...

I am sure you have heard of Medusa and you can picture her head covered in snakes. You probably know she could turn people into stone with just one look. And you might even know of her demise—the hero, Perseus, defeated Medusa once and for all with a slice of his sword. Her head was still used as a weapon after being removed from her body.
If you are not a greek mythology obsessed individual, then perhaps you don't know that there are different versions to Medusa's origin story. The most popular is the one Ovid wrote—he gave Medusa a backstory that sparked many a retelling of her story. Medusa wasn't always a monster. She was a young woman who was raped. Her transformation into the gorgon we all picture was her punishment.

The Plot

Having known this of Medusa, I knew what I could expect from this novel from the title alone.
And, in a nutshell, that's what this book is about: Alicia, a sixteen year old girl that has been sexually abused by older men. Of course, there is so much more to our narrator and the story she tells. Alicia slowly begins to unravel her past, revealing why she is picked on at school and how she has come to cope with her trauma. There is not only pain from abuse, but deep hurt from an ex best friend and all those that call her names. There are issues at home with her parents and brother. There are questions Alicia cannot answer about herself, and she rather remain quiet than give anyone else the chance to not believe her. But kindness seems to find her and seep in through the cracks anyway, reminding Alicia that she isn't truly alone.

What I enjoyed...

- The complexity of how Alicia views herself

- Her arc

- The many examples of girlhood; the good and the bad

- The overall exploration of very heavy subject matter

Why I didn't love it 100%...

- The writing was sometimes lovely, but other times kinda clunky

- Certain points were made in a way that seemed very black and white, and it wasn't consistent with the voice of our mc; this can feel like it's just the author telling me what I should think instead of telling a story through the narrator

- I maybe have just read very similar books with the same topics, so it all starts to feel oversaturated in my brain

Overall, I think the target audience will enjoy this one. I read similar books when I was in high school and they heavily impacted me.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's—Labyrinth Road for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a novel written in verse about a girl named Alicia who has endured a serious trauma and how she processes it. I loved the premise of the book, but didn't feel a deep connection to it like I was hoping. The references to Medusa didn't start until about halfway into the book, and it felt like there were so many differing metaphors that it became overwhelming and a bit chaotic. There were moments where the text was too wordy and it detracted from the novel in verse flow. Overall, I think this was a great discussion on the female body as well as on assault, but the writing style wasn't for me.