In The Shadow of Perseus, Heywood revisits the story of the hero Perseus through the women in his life: his mother, Danae; the Gorgon he slayed, Medusa; and his wife, Andromeda. Heywood wrote this book in realistic fashion- no gods or goddesses affect the characters’ lives, only their own decisions, or in most cases, the decisions of the men around them. Perseus, not even conceived at the story’s beginning, is portrayed as far from heroic and the women in his life must bear the burden of his ego.

I loved this book. After a few chapters I was deeply invested in each of the women. I love that Heywood chose not to include fantastical elements, instead creating a story that is realistic to the time period. I think her sophomore novel is an improvement on Daughters of Sparta, which, being about the women of the Trojan War, was already covered really well by the likes of Natalie Haynes and Pat Barker. It was not a memorable read for me. Here, we get a story that readers who enjoy Greek retellings will still know, but maybe not as well as the Trojan War. I think I will be thinking about this book for a while. It certainly made me want to go back and re-explore the myths and see where the story changes when the winner gets to tell it versus those less lucky.

I would have like to know more about Medusa and I found myself rooting for Andromeda most of all. She was a fantastically painted character, full of intelligence and strength. I definitely recommend this to all lovers of Greek mythology, it’s an excellent addition to the woman-centered retellings we’ve been getting lately. I look forward to further novels by Claire Heywood.

Unflinching and realistic, Heywood skillfully tells the story of Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda. Instead of props for old myths and side notes to Perseus’ adventures, these women are fully realized individuals who all grapple in their own ways with a world that does not listen to or value them. Myths have always survived by changing with time and teller, and Heywood continues in that tradition to give us a version of the Perseus myth as it really could have happened, as told by the voices that have been silenced for too long. This book is a must read for anyone who enjoyed A Thousand Ships or Ariadne.

The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood incredible read,

Heywood is a brilliant writer. This retelling is simply brilliant and well written.
I really enjoyed this book. Her writing from the very start had me drawn in and turning the pages quickly.
The way she creates experiences of women was engrossing.
It is so fluid and beautiful that you feel like you know the characters.
It drew me in slowly and I couldn’t put it down. I ended up loving this story more then I thought I would.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Dutton,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

I really enjoyed this retelling of the Greek myth of women surrounding Perseus.Totally engaging really drew me in.#netgalley #dutton

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC!

At first, I thought it was a little boring but to be fair, that's how I am with any retelling of Greek mythology. I did enjoy the reclaiming narrative, learning about the forgotten women around Perseus. It really makes you rethink what you know about the "heroes" from stories.

Ahhhhh I totally loved this. A great re-claiming of the myth for women, something I am totally loving in the retelling genre. Fans of The Wolf Den or Ariadne will eat this up like southern butter cake!

The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood is an excellent historical fiction that tells the lives of the “forgotten women” surrounding the infamous Perseus, and that by giving them a voice, we may learn more about this man than originally thought.

This is an excellent HF with Greek Mythology presented from the woman’s’ point of view. We see the classic tale of Perseus presented from the lives, experiences, and stories of three of the women that have been classically associated with him, but yet been cast aside as “secondary characters “ without so much as a glance or a voice. In this book we have the stories brought forth of Danae his mother, Medusa the misjudged, and Andromeda his wife. Each woman gets their moment, their voice, their time to stand up for themselves and have their lives be presented.

We find through these avenues, that the stories that have been forged and told to us, may not be as forthright and honest as we had previously been led to believe.

A fascinating retelling from what is becoming one of my favorite authors. I loved The Daughters of Sparta, and I loved this book as well. Well Done!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Dutton Books/ Penguin Group for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/21/23.