I love a feminist retelling of Greek mythology and since picking up Heywood’s debut last year, I’ve been so excited for this follow up. Told through the lens of three different women (Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda), the story of Greek hero Perseus is re-imagined and enlightening.
I love this book's take on how history can be retold by the victors and the narrative can be spun to make someone a hero. It’s a little too on the nose for current society, but that’s exactly why it works. Victors have been retelling their stories for thousands of years, and making themselves the heroes.

I love that this has no God intervention or the magic that comes with mythology. It’s just human behavior that has persisted for eons, and will likely continue to persist.
Make sure to pick it up wherever books are sold TOMORROW!
Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Group for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

A masterfully crafted tale, Heywood triumphantly reclaims the stories of three of Greek Mythology's most deserving women. With brilliant, confident writing, The Shadow of Perseus has illuminated the stories of ladies too often relegated to the role of villain or damsel in distress, and has instead given them the recognition they deserve.

Out now! [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a gifted copy!]

Rating: 5/5 stars

Told from the perspective of three women—Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda—THE SHADOW OF PERSEUS is a feminist reimagining of the myth of the Greek “hero” who founded Mycenae.

I usually enjoy a retelling, so I had high hopes for this book, and when I tell you it still BLEW. ME. AWAY. I was a bit nervous that the structure (each part focusing on a different protagonist) might make the novel feel disconnected, but instead the different characters wove their stories together PERFECTLY and I was so deeply drawn to all three of them and the tales they had to tell. And it’s not just the protagonists that are well-written…the villains in this book are perfectly rendered and deeply, magnificently hatable in parts as well (I may have wanted to google “does Perseus die a violent death???” a few times—sorry, not sorry).

Heywood does so much here with regard to commentary on stories/myth, the voices of women, and how history is remembered and passed on, but the best part is that she manages to pack all of this into a book that is also extremely entertaining, fast-paced, and simply fun to read (though also emotional and heartbreaking in more than a few parts). I have a feeling she’s just become an auto-buy author of mine, and I need to go get my hands on DAUGHTERS OF SPARTA asap.

If you enjoy retellings, PLEASE go read this one.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Greek mythology; feminist retellings; vibrant characters

CW: Sexual assault/rape; confinement/kidnapping; emotional abuse; murder/blood/violence; suicidal thoughts

A wel-written story, for anyone who is a fan of Greek mythology. Claire Heywood has a clear voice and it makes for an engaging tale, from start to finish. This is the sort of mythology that I want more of -- Perseus is always regarded as a hero, but the women in his life would definitely feel differently. I wouldn't call it a "feminist twist" so much as I would call it a much more accurate retelling of how that story went down!

I took a break from Greek mythology retellings in the past year or so to focus on other myths, and in that time it seems a million and one Madeline Miller copycats have emerged. Hate to say it, but so far I haven't read any such books that have the same craft or emotional care of Miller's writing :(

The idea of taking out the supernatural and magical elements from the Perseus/Medusa myth is an interesting one, but I don't think it really works here. It made some of these women's decisions incredibly baffling. And the writing (I think in particular the 3rd person POV and the short chapters) make each character so distant that I had a hard time caring about any of them.

Claire Heywood's THE SHADOW OF PERSEUS restored dusty myths and long-forgotten legends to vibrant, living color through the lens of the women who loved Perseus and were secondary characters to his myths. I particularly enjoyed the vivid settings, the description of daily life, and the different cultures experienced through his mother's point of view on through the many women he encountered, including a mesmerizing, fantastic retelling of Medusa's tale. A memorable, resonating retelling. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

The Shadow of Perseus tells the story of the Greek hero Pereus, but through the lens of the various significant women in his life - Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda. However, with the narrative being controlled by these three women and not Perseus himself, the reader sees a different side of the story than what the general audience is used to.

I really appreciated that even though there are multiple perspectives, each one was singular enough that they didn’t sound the same. I liked that we get to see multiple views that aren’t there to just move the plot along, but to breathe and give a voice all of its own. Each one was given the weight and nuance necessary to come off as developed characters with their own agencies, even if we already know (as is usually the case where mythology/folklore retellings are concerned) the general plot.

I thought it was interesting to see the story play out with more of an emphasis on human choice and without the usual divine interference that occurs so often in Greco-Roman mythology, especially because Perseus’s story - at least concerning his interactions with Medusa - relies heavily on that divine interference. And maybe because of that - but also maybe not - I found myself absolutely detesting Perseus as a character throughout most of the story. Perseus comes off as an entitled and pathetic boy, obsessed with this idea of his birthright and a victim of his hyper-masculine society, and yet I can’t sympathize with or feel pity for him. Without that divine direction, we see a boy - not yet a man - struggling to prove himself and doing so through unnecessary violence time and time again. Even towards the end, he can’t be persuaded to think about leaving the situation until it’s brought up that if he kills a family member, the world won’t regard him as a hero anymore (which is a dodgy title at best).

However, this lack of divine aid and the fantasical also sheds a light on the importance of who is telling the story and who has that control over the main narrative. Throughout the story, we see characters choosing to interpret, frame, and manipulate the truth time and time again to serve whatever needs they have. Danae does this when she chooses to lie to Perseus about his conception instead of telling him the truth because she believes it’s protecting him from ridicule. Perseus does this also later on when recounting his interactions with Medusa and Andromeda (even though the women in question and the reader by proxy see the truth which is a different story). Prophecies are also interpreted in different ways to fit the wants of people throughout the story. These themes of narrative control and the importance of stories themselves seem to be Heywood’s main point throughout the story and she enforces it clearly and consistently (which is why it’s getting a 4 instead of a 3 from me tbh)

Heywood puts it very well in her author’s note: “The power of myth is that it can be reworked, reexamined, and recontextualized”. I take this to mean that modern writers are performing no differently than ancient storytellers by putting their own spin and emphases on these mythological stories because for many if not most of these myths, it’s nearly impossible to successfully trace to a singular origin point due to the nature of oral tradition and storytelling.

Honestly, if you’re into Greco-Roman mythology and like the more modern feminist retellings, you’d have no problems picking up and enjoying this book. The plot is pretty straightforward - it follows the plot of the original myths well enough - and the writing style is thoughtful and pretty yet still easy to read.

Thank you to Penguin Group Publishing, Dutton Books, and NetGalley for an e-arc copy in return for an honest review. The Shadow of Perseus comes out 02/21/2023.

This book has been marketed as a "female-centered" retelling of the mythical Perseus, one that strips his story of gods, destiny, and the supernatural and returns agency and reclaimed voices to the women so often situated as mere vehicles of his fame. Another way to see this story, though, is that these women have such limited agency once they fall under this titular shadow--outsized as it is in this novel--that they cannot exercise any of it for themselves, only for preventing the devastation and violence he wreaks.

It is a bleak novel. If you strip Perseus of his fate and divine lineage--if he's just an angry young man who lashes out violently against weaker individuals, murdering and raping without apparent consequences--then it becomes the story of today's incels set in ancient Greece and Libya. As he's written, he evokes no sympathy or justification for his destruction and in fact comes across a bit like a remorseless psychopath.

Meanwhile, his mother Danae and his unwilling wife Andromeda seem to be yoked to him for their lifetimes to prevent him from lashing out and murdering people; what kind of freedom or agency can they ever really have? And this tracks with their decisions leading us to Perseus's unhinged behavior, where they sacrifice themselves physically and emotionally for the sake of appeasing others or protecting their families.

The only truly feminist space in this book is the Gorgon sisterhood out in the forest, a female collective that supports one another, lives independently, and welcomes and heals women who are victims of abuse. It's a telling contrast to both Danae and Andromeda's lives, both of which seems wholly governed by men (even before Perseus). It's also the shortest section in the book: almost as soon as we meet the Gorgons and get a glimpse of who they are or could be, Perseus shows up and shortly thereafter murders Medusa for denying him sex. After that, Medusa is merely a noxious, rotting head in bag--treated as toxic fumes clinging to Perseus when he himself is the poison.

I find myself longing for a book entirely focused on the Gorgons after getting a glimpse here of what could have been, so I am looking to Natalie Haynes's recently released Stone Blind as a possible alternative.

I like Heywood's clear, engaging writing style. It made this a quick, well-paced read. I just wish it did not couch the bleak fates of women under the cloak of empowering them through a retelling of their story.

Full disclosure: I was given a free eARC copy of this book by Dutton Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For many years, there have been plenty of retellings of famous stories, whether they are classic novels, fairy tales, myths, etc. The most well-known ones offer a new perspective and insight on the themes present in the original material. The most common of these is the feminist view because let’s face it, a lot of the tales that we know of were written by men and celebrate men (for the most part). Today’s book "The Shadow of Perseus" by Claire Heywood falls into this perspective as it displays the views of the women sidelined in the famous Greek myth. It’s not always effective, but it offers lots of insight on female agency as well as the power of stories and how people concoct theirs, even if they are false.

"The Shadow of Perseus" is about the three women in the story of Perseus. Danae is his mother who was cast out of her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling her unborn child was going to cause the death of her father, the king of Argos. Stranded in a remote fishing village, she strives to make a new life for herself and her son. Medusa is a member of the Gorgons – a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods. She has cut off all contact from the outside world until she meets an injured stranger named Perseus in the forest. Andromeda is a member of a nomadic tribe. When her mother brags about Andromeda’s beauty, a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy their way of life, so she volunteers herself as a sacrifice to appease the gods and end the storm. However, Perseus interferes and puts her on a new path. As Perseus becomes more obsessed with the fulfillment of his destiny, his heroic journey casts violence and destruction in the three women’s lives. They have to reclaim their voices for a better future even as Perseus tries to silence them.

Before reading this book, I knew little about the Perseus myth. The only real thing I was familiar with was that he was the one who decapitated Medusa, yet I only found that out when I was doing research. As a result, a lot of my perspective on the book stems from not knowing the story that well.

With that being said, I found that the most divisive aspect of this novel is the removal of the fantastical elements of the myth. In other words, there’s no winged sandals nor a reflective shield that would allow Perseus to see Medusa without turning him to stone. Also, Zeus is not Perseus’s father (that we know of). On one hand, I see why Heywood did this. In her “A Note on Setting” section, she wanted to make the story as historically accurate as possible. This is apparent in the locations used and the different languages that the characters speak in. Also, Andromeda is a dark-skinned woman, so thank you Claire Heywood for not whitewashing her! I see this as subverting some of the more well-known aspects of the myth as well. For example, I wasn’t expecting Medusa’s head full of snakes to actually be a gold crown containing those reptiles and representing her worth despite what had happened to her. In addition, stripping the supernatural elements further reveals the darker aspects of the story, mainly the anger that Perseus feels for being deprived of his needs and destiny even against the will of others. Heywood omits how Perseus used Medusa’s head to turn Atlas into stone after the latter refused the former hospitality. Come on! Atlas had a ton of weight on his shoulders. Can you really blame him for refusing Perseus?

On the other hand, myths, legends, and fairy tales always have fantasy elements. Many of the retellings like "Darling Girl" by Liz Michalski and "The Match Girl" by Rebecca F. Kennedy (the latter from the Once Upon a Winter anthology) retain those aspects because they are familiar with audiences who had grown up knowing the original tales. Removing those almost makes the earlier story unrecognizable. Can you have a Peter Pan retelling without at least mentioning flying or pixie dust? Likewise, I can see why people are irked by the removal of Perseus’s winged sandals, mirror-like shield, Medusa’s ability to turn men into stone if they see her face-to-face, and Zeus not being his father. Heywood could’ve kept the supernatural elements while still aiming for historical accuracy.

The way the plot articulates the feminist aspects have some reviewers divided as well. Some love how the book gives Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda agency in their stories, yet others still found them to be weak due to all the abuse Perseus inflicts on them. It doesn’t help that a grown-up Perseus has almost no redeeming qualities, so this makes the book a little harder to get through. Female strength and feminism in of itself look differently depending on who one asks. It could be female characters fighting others with swords, using wit to overcome the naysayers, reading, and/or being human. Nevertheless, all of them involve them taking charge of their destinies in some form.

In The Shadow of Perseus, the three main characters suffer and struggle, but because it’s their stories, readers get to see what they are thinking as they try to figure out what they are going to do. And sometimes, they make some really stupid decisions. For instance, Danae allows a peasant from a nearby village whom she has known for a short amount of time to come into her prison cell and make love to her after part of the roof falls down. He was her only source of company, and she enjoyed it. Secondly, Medusa permits Perseus to stay in her cave because she feels she could trust him despite the warnings that her Gorgon sisters give and being sexually abused in the past. She didn’t know what Perseus was going to react when she eventually told him to leave. Everybody makes dumb choices even if others completely understand where they are coming from. Other times, the female protagonists decide to do things that modern audiences might not gel with. While stuck in the ship as Perseus’s wife, Andromeda figures that if she can feed his ego, he won’t hurt her as much. This fawning is not exactly the most ideal way of handling an abusive relationship, but it is a survival tactic. Moreover, Danae and Andromeda bond over their pain and discover a way to get Perseus to listen to them, especially when they’re on their way back to Argos. Readers might enjoy it more if they have a broader view of what feminism is.

There are two main strengths that the novel has. It’s a quick read for the most part. It contains short chapters that readers can get through in a small amount of time. Most importantly, it offers some great insight into stories. Besides female agency, the other main theme is the power of stories, specifically how they make or break someone. When he turns 18, Perseus is sent to spend a year working on a ship. He’s not taken seriously at first, so he asserts that he can claim the snake-filled head of Medusa. Even though it’s not really that, Perseus still persuades and brags to others afterward that it was and shows it off to demonstrate his own manly power. In addition, he proclaims that he rescued Andromeda from the storm while she was chained up although he actually stole her while she was sacrificing herself to save her people. Nevertheless, he still tells other people that he freed her regardless. This and the musical Hamilton contain some of the most nuanced views on how stories are told.

Overall, "The Shadow of Perseus" by Claire Heywood may not be the most unique feminist retelling of a classic tale, but it provides some worthy insight on the power of stories. The removal of the supernatural elements has and will continue to divide readers, especially if they know the myth of Perseus by heart. At the same time, it shows how stories get made and who gets to tell them, no matter how distorted they can get. Although I wouldn’t recommend this for readers who love the Perseus myth and retellings of Greek mythology in general, I would suggest it for those who like feminist versions of famous tales, those who are getting into Greek mythology, and those who like insightful commentary on storytelling. The book is out tomorrow, February 21, so get it at your local library or bookstore!

Book 2 of 2023: The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood
Rating: 4.5 stars
Age Range: Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction, Myth Retelling
First Read or Reread: First Read

As a lover of myth retellings written through a female lens, I was excited to receive an eBook ARC from Netgalley about the myth of Perseus through the perspectives of his mother, his victim, and his wife, but with a twist.

TW: Violence, Death, Blood/Gore, SA, Murder, Period Sexism, Imprisonment, Kidnapping

Danae is the princess of Argos who has been foretold to have a son that would spell doom unto Danae’s father, which results in her imprisonment and eventual banishment from her home. When she gives birth to a son named Perseus and tells him a lie that his father is Zeus, what will happen when he finds out the truth?

Medusa is a priestess, not a monster, who protects women who seek a better life away from the cruel world. What will happen when a boy comes and pursues her?

Andromeda is a woman from far away who is happily betrothed and seeks a life close to her family in her homeland. What will happen when a man sees her from afar and wants her as his wife, no matter the cost?

It was until partway through the story that I realized that no gods nor beasts would appear in this retelling, and I became intrigued. When the magic of the myths is stripped away and all that is left is the time, place, and people, Perseus and the story of his “quest” become much darker. Heywood was wise to have the story of Perseus told by the women in his life to analyze the man from the myth. I was also fascinated by the fact that Perseus was not born evil, but rather he was shaped by the toxic expectations of men and their roles in this society. While this does not excuse his deplorable actions, I appreciated that the reader could observe how much society had a role to play in what he became. It is a story of tragedy and heartbreak, but also of strength and hope. The historical research done to bring this story to life is remarkable, and I commend the author. After reading this book, I will never look at the Perseus myth the same way.

If you enjoy dark myth retellings from the female perspective, then I recommend this book. Please be mindful of the trigger warnings that I listed above. I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me this eARC.

As a person who’s been dipping their toes into Greek mythology retellings (and Greek mythology in general), The Shadow of Perseus was a captivating story. This book tells the story of Perseus’s life through the eyes of three women – Danae, his mother; Medusa, the Gorgon; and Andromeda, his wife.

I loved the perspective of each woman, and the strength they claimed in their lives – before and/or after Perseus’s arrival. It was definitely a treat to not read another hero’s story, but rather get a view into the villain within.

I read this book in two settings. The story was well-paced, and the descriptions of the various settings were well done. Of course, check your content warnings before jumping into this book.

Reading The Shadow of Perseus definitely led me to want to read the author’s first novel, Daughters of Sparta, as well as dig into more stories surrounding Medusa.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Shadow of Perseus is a retelling of the Greek Myth in the perspective of the three main women in Perseus' life. First, his mother who was cast away for bearing a child the oracle predicted would be the downfall of her father's kingdom. Second POV is from Medusa, his greatest victory. And thirdly, his wife Andromeda. Individually, the three parts felt unfinished and rushed. Overall, the book has a lot of potential and I really enjoyed following Perseus through feminine eyes. I hate his character but please be mindful that this is my first retelling of Perseus' story in Greek mythology. Heywood definitely set him up to be a terrible character and *spoiler alert* he did eventually redeem himself but it wasn't big enough for me to give him a second chance. I was able to see how he became the way he was from his upbringing and it was very realistic. I love Claire Heywood and will continue to automatically pick up her books.

I absolutely loved this book. I personally really enjoy greek mythology retellings from the point of view of the women that the heroes affect.

Particularly, I want to focus on the story of Medusa in this. When it comes to Medusa in most mythology, we hear about her as the Gorgon. She is essentially boiled down to being a monster without anyone looking too closely at what got her there. I've heard two sides to this myth, one is that she was turned into a Gorgon to protect her from men, and one is that she was turned as a punishment. Personally, I like the first option a lot more and that's what this story focuses on.

We also have our character Danae, who tried her best to keep her son from turning into a monster even though his destiny is to be the ruin of her father. I love Danae, she is a survivor and does her best to make do in every situation she is in.

We also have the story of Andromeda and I truly love this retelling. In the original myth, you get the story Perseus tells in here as well, that he saw a sea monster, saved her, and married her. I love the way this story turns that on its head and really shows the other side of things that isn't completely masked by what the heroes say.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I think it was a fun story. I am personally very into greek mythology retellings, so this was a fun read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this Greek myth retelling. This book was wonderful and I throughly enjoyed it.

The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood is a reimagining of the epic story of Greek hero Perseus through the three women whose lives entwined most closely with his own: Medusa, Andromeda and Danae. But there are no gods or monsters here. There are no heroes either.

Heywood treats these characters as historical figures in historical times and places, and so this book reads like historical fiction. It’s an interesting take that I enjoyed but because of that, it felt even more dark and heartbreaking without the mythological elements. Although the story is women-centered, it is not inspiring or satisfying from a feminist perspective. It is simply women doing their best with the circumstances foisted upon them and I began to dread Perseus’ presence as it brought nothing but terror and pain.

Overall an interesting, well-written and enjoyable read but definitely on the darker side of the mythological retellings we are seeing. If you love realistic historical fiction set in ancient times, pick this one up.

Trigger warning for rape and violence.

The Shadow of Perseus releases on February, 21st.

Thank you to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the ARC.

The writing was easy to follow and I liked that the story was told from the POV of the women in Perseus' life. I recommend if you like greek mythology retelling.
Thank you so much NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy of this novel.

I'd read the plot and was excited to see how this all played out. How could Perseus (based on his stories with Danae and Andromeda) be portrayed as "bad"? We all know Medusa wouldn't have anything good to say.

This story is reimagined without the use of supernatural intervention of gods. That asterisk really makes for a cool spin to these stories and was a first for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and will be looking forward to what the author writes next.

Eh, this just wasn't for me. There was nothing wrong with the book, I just couldn't get into it. I'm sure others will throughly enjoy this re-telling though!

Pub date: 2/21/23
Genre: mythological retelling
Quick summary: Perseus is well known as a Greek hero - but for his mother Danae, his victim Medusa, and his wife Andromeda, he was more of a monster than a man.

I love mythological retellings, so I was excited to hear the story of Perseus reinvented. I enjoyed the book overall - it was a good listen on audio with narrator Olivia Darnley. However, as other reviewers have noted, this book left me wanting. I felt like Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda weren't fleshed out enough to make this a true retelling, and I didn't feel connected to them. I wanted more from their characters - more action, more motivation, more feelings.

The book is structured in four sections - one for each woman + two for Danae, but they feel more like short stories than interconnected narratives. I didn't dislike the book, but my bar for mythological retellings is high now that so many have been released.

Thank you to Dutton Books for providing an e-ARC and PRHAudio for providing a complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. Feminist centered retellings of greek myths has been a popular genre recently and one that I've been enjoying a lot. That being said, with so many similar stories out there right now. I felt that this book was missing some of the emotional connections that I have found so compelling in the genre. Overall, this story was a brilliantly easy to read and accessible tale of the women Perseus came in contact with. I particularly liked the retelling of the story of Medusa and the focus on the idea of how stories only tell the side of the victor. A great read but not my favorite: 3.5 stars