“I am tired of salting the wound—I am ready to salt the earth.”
🐺
Alicia Rivers is sixteen-years-old and everyday she has to walk through the doors of the high school where the “cool” teacher sexually assaulted her last year. Alicia’s trauma causes her to turn to sex as a means to cope and her classmates have already decided she’s Medusa come to life. A girl who is the monster in her own life: the slut that asked for it. In the aftermath Alicia quit running track, lost her best friend and has grown further and further apart from her parents and brother. She spends most of her days in detention at school and working her part-time fast food job at night, but when a fellow survivor starts slipping notes into Alicia’s locker, she realizes maybe she’s not as alone as she thought. With the help a new friend who might be something more, Alicia begins to take her power back.
🐺
Happy international womens day. If you saw my stories about this YA feminist novel in verse then you know it’s going to end up one of my top reads of the year, if not ever. The beauty in which @rantingowl writes is unparalleled. The metaphors woven into the story were so well-done I had to pause and write them down. Some many amazing quotes on such an important topic that our kids need. Sexual assault survivors need to know they’re not alone. Alicia is the champion they need to see. I loved every word on every page and will be recommending this to my high school readers when it releases next Tuesday.

CW: sexual assault, sexual abuse, bullying, slut shaming, family issues, violence, racism, homophobia, slurs, grooming, drugs

This is a great book that tackles mental health, sexual assualt, and the lives of teenagers. The perspective is unique and it gets to the core of what it is like to live as a teenager in todays world.

I stayed up until 1 to finish this all in one sitting and cried.

16-year-old Alicia has become an outcast at school. She's quit the track team, her old friends won't talk to her, and everyone sees her as the school slut. But Alicia was sexually assaulted by a popular teacher at school, and her life has been spiraling ever since. As she tries to keep her head down and just survive the year, she starts receiving anonymous notes in her locker that make her realize that she's not the only victim. This extraordinarily powerful novel-in-verse is a coming of age story that follows the rocky, messy road of healing from trauma.

This feels like a spiritual successor to Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. Raw and vulnerable, it's definitely character-driven. I think Olivia A. Cole perfectly captured the feeling of being sixteen, still a child but on the cusp of adulthood. Alicia's commentary on girlhood and "the wolves" who begin circling around far too early is razor-sharp and heartbreaking. Her arc was so satisfying to me - it doesn't have a conclusive, shut ending, but ends on a beautiful image of hope. I also loved the allusions to Medusa that are threaded through, the power in rewriting the myths and narratives that have been told to us.

The character diversity was great - Alicia is bi, she has a female love interest, her new friend Deja is asexual and explores that during the book, and there's also thoughtful commentary on the intersection of race and gender. Despite everything, Alicia finds some really, really good friends who model what it looks like to be there for someone in the middle of tough times.

I really, really loved this book.

CW for sexual assault and adult/minor relationship - not described in graphic detail on page, but a central part of the plot.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Dear Medusa was a firestorm of a book.

It was incredibly impactful and powerful, but was difficult at points to read because of the heavy subject matter. Novels in verse always have a heightened emotional element for me and this really hit home. The free verse felt like Alicia finally being able to take back her narrative, with very much a stream of consciousness style to it that I enjoyed. Verse for me is something I have to sit with and fully digest, with the emotional strands unravelling around me. It captures an emotional intensity unique to the form personally. Cole seems to register this and packs one hell of an emotional punch here.

Alicia as a character was someone I lost my whole heart to. She is raw, vulnerable and struggling. The entire book I was hoping someone would notice and offer her the support she desperately needed. Her anger and hurt sears every page. Unfortunately, her narrative is all too common and we have all seen or experienced similar stories. A lot of this book felt like releasing a long withheld scream. However, this is very much a story centering growth and the healing process, recognising trauma and its ramifications on your life.

I liked how by the end of the story, Alicia is not completely healed, but is learning to accept help and becoming more of who she wants to be. There is a strong element of hope and happiness woven in. It was also refreshing to see such brilliant representation for bisexuality, asexuality and characters of colour. I appreciated how much time Cole spent talking about intersectionality and how these issues affect different communities, intersecting with multiple marginalised identities.

Dear Medusa is a beautifully fractured story about coming to terms with trauma and beginning the healing process, while also confronting your own rage and using it to fuel yourself rather than becoming consumed by it.

Dear Medusa is a powerful novel in verse, containing some really beautiful and profound poems exploring trauma, sexuality, race, and girl/womanhood at large. The writing evokes vivid emotion, from rage and pain to the numbing depression that can result from trauma. I really liked the repeating elements (e.g. the wolf/rabbit metaphor, comparing real life to movies, the lists of names Alicia’s classmates have for her, etc.); to me, the repetition captured that tunnel vision-like preoccupation one can get when trying to make sense of the senseless.

I could not put this book down, but there were times I had to walk away. Dear Medusa powerfully gives voice to Alicia’s story and all of the stories we keep hidden. The power is in hearing each other.

This was a difficult, but beautiful read. Difficult because the subject matter was hard to read (TW: sexual assault, bullying, racism, homophobia), beautiful because of the poetic writing style. I do love a good story in verse.

Dear Medusa focused on Alicia, a Sixteen year old high school student dealing with the trauma of being assaulted by a teacher at her school. She compares herself to Medusa, hence the title, and how even she was victim-blamed and cursed for actions that were not her own. We follow Alicia as she trys to hide from her demons, as well as everyone else in her life. But with the introduction of a new friend and a potential love interest, she is trying to bring herself back into the light.

Dear Medusa touched on many difficult topics, but mainly focused on men and how they feel entitled to women's bodies. Alicia has witnessed it time and time again, and has been victim to it time and time again. She's not sure how, or if, she can change it. She may be able to spot a wolf, but she has no clue how to fight one. Yet, we see as her personal circle grows, so does her confidence, and what had once seemed impossible, now seems possible with a little bit help.

A beautiful read from start to finish. A YA story for any age to enjoy. I highly recommend!

"I'm not afraid of god, I am afraid of men.", but make it a book. The short verse format packs a big punch that will hit readers right in the feels. It touches on too many topics that young women, unfortunately, can relate personal experience. As uncomfortable and hard as the topic of the book is - sexual abuse - the world need more books like this.

Books like this are so important, and I really appreciate that this book exists. I did end up with somewhat mixed feelings though, mainly because I just expected a little... more in some ways. Considering the title, I expected the story of Medusa would be a larger part of the story, but it was only mentioned a couple of times.

I usually love the writing in verse novels, and at times I loved it here as well, but there were also parts I found to be less well-written and flat-out cringy. I will say I thought the writing got better from 40% onward.

My main issue though, is that not all of the relationships in the book felt fleshed out enough, and a lot of them didn't get the resolution they deserved. I absolutely loved Alicia's friendship with Deja, which plays a central role in the story. But the other relationships, like those of Alicia with her mother and her brother, really took a backseat to that. I also feel like we didn't get to know the love interest very well.

I enjoyed this book. Did not expect the format it was in but it allowed it to be a quick read for me which i loved.

Dear Medusa is an excellent look at the coping mechanisms of a teen who is molested by her teacher. The verse novel format makes it a fairly quick read but also powerful as there isn't as much detail as a traditional novel. I appreciated Cole's use of the wolf metaphor to describe predatory men as well as the look into Medusa mythology. The main character connects to Medusa in a way I wouldn't have thought to make connections. She is also discovering herself and realizing she has similarities to people who from the outside are nothing like her.

This was a fantastic book. Powerful, potent imagery speaks to the survival of Sexual Assault, and is told through the perspective of an intelligent, capable, and poetic teenaged girl. I would recommend this book to anyone. Truly one of the best books I've read so far this year. Exceptional writing and nearly perfect themes and metaphors.

The Plot:
This book is exceptionally character driven. I would define the plot as a journey of self-discovery for the main character, Alicia. We follow her through her days of high school, through interactions with her brother and mother and friends and enemies, through her transformation from entirely alone and lonely to supported and connected.

The Characters:
The characters in this book are written perfectly. Alicia is allowed an immense amount of depth without ever being made entirely out of trauma: there is more to her than that. Other characters, especially Deja and Blake, seem realistic and understandable.

The Prose/Pacing:
This book is a quick read, easy to get through, and easy to become absorbed in. The poetry is beautiful and casual enough to be believably spoken through a teenaged girl's voice.

Final Thoughts/Rating:
4.5/5 stars
5/5 recommendability
I will be purchasing a copy of this as soon as it comes out.

Dear Medusa is an eye opening novel in verse about empowering girls going though the trials and tribulations of growing up girl. The main character is 16 year old Alicia, a girl trying to navigate high school after sexual trauma by a teacher. She's what some would consider a "problem" student, in and out of in school suspension, having sex with random strangers, and no longer doing the things she did before the trauma. When Alicia finds a new friend in Deja (an asexual black girl) does she begin to question her role in school, at home, and life. There is a love interest with a new student Geneva, and a bond with a stranger leaving notes in her locker saying she's not alone in her trauma. In Dear Medusa, Alicia tries to navigate family issues, work/school balance, dealing with old friends and empowering oneself through discussions with knowledgable adults and non judgmental friends.

Dear Medusa is an excellent novel for young adults looking for books that may contain trigger warnings of sexual trauma, family issues, single parent households, ones sexuality, and any other issues teens are struggling with.

This was the most beautiful novel in verse I have ever read. As someone who was once a teenage girl struggling with the trauma of SA, this book would have been an absolute lifeline to me in my loneliness. I hope many school libraries will stock it and many kind parents will have it in their homes. It’s a powerful war cry to our collective power as women of all kinds, raging against the things that seek to break us. I loved Alicia, Deja, and Geneva so much. Each of them fighting their own battles but still finding ways to love each other and help carry the things that were too heavy.. it was perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Olivia A. Cole for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A very powerful novel in verse about trauma, assault, choice/control, and being a teenage girl in the world. I would have liked a touch more resolution, but the poetry was well-written and the characters really came through.

Dear Medusa, a novel in verse, follows a young woman dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault and the messiness of healing. Alicia's home life is chaotic, as her parents are in the middle of a divorce that has left her mother shattered, and her brother constantly hanging around with questionable friends. She has always attracted the attention of men, and she struggles with her power in those situations. She is branded by her peers, abandoned by her only friend, and feels like maybe her body is the only thing she can control. Alicia has shut everyone out, but when she starts letting people in again, she is forced to confront her anger and take back her power.

Laura Halse Anderson wrote SPEAK so that Olivia A. Cole could come into the picture and fly with DEAR MEDUSA. Raw and real, MEDUSA brings the reality of a teen dealing with trauma through dissociative sexuality to the page through gorgeous poetry. You'll want to take a highlighter to every single quote. Bring your tissues, because this book is going to take you on a roller coaster, and by the end, you'll be crying from emotional release. DEAR MEDUSA is a scream from a mountaintop - echoing across the valley, begging to be heard. Olivia A. Cole, fantastic work!

Really fantastic, heartbreaking, powerful verse. I really wish I could get behind this book, and I see why it's so highly lauded--the writing is so strong and the hypocrisy it points out in our culture is so on point. I unfortunately can’t get behind the worldview of this book but have so much love for this main character, voice, and the writing.
Olivia Cole is incredibly talented, and this is definitely one of the strongest written novels in verse I've seen.

An eloquent bildungsroman in verse dealing with the complexities of sexual assault, trauma, and alienation while still maintaining a surface image of “teen angst” as viewed by the adults in the life of Alicia. Constantly questioning her sexuality, and the “wolves” (adult men who try and solicit her for sex, i.e. abusers, pedophiles) Alicia finds strength to face the wolves with through a communion with other strong women in her life. Beautifully written and extremely well structured with complex, diverse characters, all with amazing attributes that go above and beyond.

Dear Medusa is a fiery, heart wrenching story about a teenager named Alicia who is trying to find her way back to herself after the people in her life let her down. Her father disconnects, her mother turns a blind eye, her brother buries himself in heartless friendships, and men and boys alike take advantage of her.

Produced entirely in verse, Olivia A. Cole's writing is bold and empathetic and breathtakingly beautiful. Alicia's anger burns, her sorrow drowns—she is every element incarnate. Cole does a marvelous job of capturing that overwhelming, all-encompassing state of being a teenager without belittling it, holding space for the realities our youth face: racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and sexual assault. Having characters speak openly about their experiences and work through their traumas with us, the readers, gives voice to a conversation that society likes to ignore, especially when they come from the mouths of our brightest and bravest—the teenagers.

Dear Medusa is brave, its characters are raw, and its message is clear: we live in a world populated by wolves but that doesn't mean we don't have teeth of our own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for gifting me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.