The narration for this book was absolutely superb. It brought the story and characters to life and I don't think I would have liked it as much if I had read it myself, because the narrator's voice inflection really developed the story and made it.

On the book:
I was very hesitant going into reading this book because it's potentially very loaded. I also have a strong attachment to Medusa and her mythology. That being said, I was blown away. Natalie Haynes really told a story that resonated with me. It definitely echoed some of the same thoughts that I have had. It was beautifully written and fantastically engaging. I lover her narrative homage to traditional Greek story telling methods, while still making this story wildly personal. I am not normally a fan of 2nd person narration, but it felt so perfect for this story.

I was worried that this was going to be a more modern Medusa focused tale, but I loved how Haynes illustrates the global impact of characters thoughts and actions with Medusa as a pivot point.

I didn't think I was going to like this and then of course I absolutely loved it.

What makes someone a monster? Who determines this? The phenomenal retelling of the Medusa myth reminds us to be careful whose version of a story we believe. Whose voice do you not hear?
Haynes draws us in with her amazing storytelling. The writing is a balance of humor, beauty, and outrage. It makes us rethink all we were told.

Haynes takes a familiar story and spins a tale that is equal parts heartfelt and humanizing.

All the bones of the Medusa story are present here. As the only mortal in a family of gods we watch Medusa live through all the highs and lows of humanity. We watch as her life takes shape after horrifying events befall her and how she learns to live on.

I think the one source of frustration readers may take from this is the misconception that this book is squarely a story about Medusa. In reality we get about thirty percent of her POV's and then several others from Olympians, Nymphs and humans. I personally think that was brilliant as they all are informative in driving who Medusa becomes and how she conducts herself. The extra POV's creating a book with and expansive world and fully fleshed out story.

Thank You to Netgalley for the advanced audio-book.

I have loved every book from Natalie Haynes that I have picked up or listened to and this was no exception! First off, she is a fabulous narrator: clear and engaging. I actually listened to this in one sitting!
As a classicist, I loved Haynes' spin on the perspective of this myth. It is about time that Perseus lost his hero depiction. I appreciated that while we learned more from Medusa's point of view, we also got a closer look into what was happening in the many, MANY, other moving parts in this story. It really helps situate the reader or listener into the vast and wild landscape of Greek mythology, which I think will especially be helpful for those less familiar with this myth.
Haynes leaves the reader pondering definitions of who heroes and monsters truly are, motherhood, and the pettiness of the elite (seen in the novel as the gods and goddesses).

I have a weakness for mythological retellings, particularly when it comes to Greek myth. This is one of my favorite little niche subgenres, which means that I get very excited over new offerings while also being easily disappointed by them. It turns out I’ve been looking for one specific type without being able to properly verbalize what that type might be. I found it. Natalie Haynes’ Stone Blind is the perfect blend of historical and fantastic. This is a very feminist retelling, lacing the story with righteous anger and snark and sorrow in near equal measure. The structure of the story, and the varying tones and perspectives through which it is being told, is incredibly compelling. Stone Blind is a brilliant retelling and reshaping of Medusa’s story, and there’s not a single thing I would change about it.

While the story of Medusa is obviously a sad one, I was pleasantly surprised by how much humor and sarcasm Haynes wove into the story. The tone here is more akin to Claire North’s Ithaca than to the works of Madeline Miller or Jennifer Saint. Though conveying a story that is often stressful and tragic, there’s a sass and level of sarcasm to the telling of it that is delightful. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it also doesn’t belittle the more tragic elements. There were portions of the story, specifically of Perseus while on his quest, that made me actually laugh out loud. Whichever tone Haynes reached for, she conveyed perfectly. The writing was simply exquisite.

Speaking of Perseus, I love this trend of taking heroes of old and shoving them into harsher, less flattering light. Perseus in this story is portrayed as selfish, entitled, and a coward at the core, only able to accomplish works of greatness because of the tools he is given by the gods. As I’ve always thought his attack on Medusa, after she had already been raped by one god and cursed by another, was akin to kicking a puppy (though admittedly a highly deadly one), I really liked this shift in his portrayal. I also love the discourse on what makes a monster, and how wrong we as humans often get the answer. The relationship between Medusa and her Gorgon sisters was a beautiful one, the warmest and softest element of the story.

I tandem read the physical book and the audio, which was read by the author. I don’t always love author narrations, but Haynes is a brilliant narrator with a beautiful voice. The audio for this was absolutely impeccable, and in my opinion improved upon the story. Hearing Haynes’ portrayal of these perspectives was wonderful, but my very favorite element of the audio was how it allowed Haynes to showcase the particularly snarky passages. Witnessing that tone on both paper and audio sharpened the wit.

I loved everything about Stone Blind. It’s a beautifully balanced mythological retelling that manages to feel like a fresh take on a timeless tale while also choosing to not shy away from the more magical elements. This reminded me of sitting down with big books of mythology when I was a child, but if I had magically been given the “true story” by one of the figures involved. It was entrancing and entertaining while also filling me with rage and sorrow. Any time such a well-known story can told in a way that elicits such powerful emotions in the reader, the author has achieved something truly special.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author and *chefs kiss* 10/10 would recommend. I loved her voice and accent and the amount of sass, sarcasm, anger, sadness, and love that came across throughout the story.

I loved the view point of the female characters. I love that the females are not all perfect. They have flaws. Some are even kind of awful. The male heroes are not always heroes and the female monsters are not really monsters. They’re just different than the mortals. The characters are not described for the male gaze. The characters like feathers because they like them not because a male does.

I really enjoyed this book. If you like Greek mythology you really need to read this one.

Absolutely loved this twist on the classic Medusa story. I loved how well it was narrated and all the different point of views were so fun. The switching of pov’s really kept me hooked and kept things interesting. Just when I thought I knew where things were going I was surprise by another turn of events.

This is an absolutely perfect retelling of the classic story of Medusa. On par with Circe and Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller . I will now be reading every single thing Natalie Haynes has written.

I was excited for "Stone Blind," but I didn't expect to get completely sucked in and binge the entire thing in one day. The story moves so quickly, and even though I know the myths and what was going to happen, I didn't know what the at-first-unnamed narrator would feel about all of it. Haynes pulls all the Medusa myths together into one cohesive, driving story.

Anger pulses through the story and makes you question all the stories about the "heroes." Using emotion as the primary driving force in a novel can result in a mess, but Haynes has perfectly honed it here. If the narrator asked me to come to a Women's March or a protest right now, I would gladly follow her anywhere. Her righteous indignation is that relatable and powerful.

I listened to the audiobook, which is read by Natalie Haynes, and she blew me away. Her emotion and delivery is perfect for the story. It's part of what kept me completely in the book and not able to walk away.

Thank you @netgalley and @harperaudio for this advance copy.
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Once again, I’m captivated by the genius of Natalie Haynes in her retelling of the story of Medusa. This might be a rare case where I listen to the audio AND read the physical copy. I was a little confused by the audio at first due to the large cast of characters. The physical copy has a reference list at the front that would’ve been helpful. But! Haynes herself narrates the audiobook and she is beyond perfection. Her stunning performance brings such fullness and life to the characters, the satire, the tragedy, and the comedy (so much comedy).

This was my first Natalie Haynes and it definitely won't be my last!

I was surprised at just how funny it was. I was expecting the tragedy since it has Medusa's perspective and it doesn't take more than a few sentences from the Gorgons' island to know that she is a kind and caring person, trying to live a beautiful life with her sisters and the myth doesn't exactly leave a lot of room for a happy ending. (though I still had hope) But around that is a whole host of petty, sociopathic, deities who have little need to develop their intelligence and wisdom. Even Athene, who has plenty of perspective in the book, is still often very blase and thoughtless for a goddess of Wisdom... but perhaps when viewed alongside her fellow gods she's still the wisest of the bunch.

The humans aren't really any better. I'm glad there are some we don't spend much time with so I can at least hope that everyone isn't ridiculous and probably awful. I guess this could all sound negative, but it works so well. The fact that it's amusing is definitely a bonus, but this type of characterization also allows Haynes to explore power imbalances, prejudice, and a whole host of other human dynamics. It is satire at its best, wrapped in a gripping and familiar tale that is happy to drag your emotions all over the map.

I really loved this audiobook. I found it very difficult to stop once I started! It was beautifully done, and kept me hooked.

I wanted more Medusa out of this story than I got. But, overall I loved the story and sympathized (of course) with Medusa. This felt like a very great depiction of the Medusa myth.

If you enjoyed A THOUSAND SHIPS or CIRCE, you want to read Haynes’ latest Greek mythology retelling. It’s compelling and enthralling, and the old stories come to life in reimagined ways. With shifting perspectives between chapters, the plot is fast and engaging. Just for fun, a couple of “unique” POVs pop in: a crow tells one chapter—another by an olive tree. I especially loved the chapter narrated by the snakes on Medusa’s head. And finally: the head of Medusa. Not Medusa, but just her head, once Persyus has done his spineless deed.

Speaking of Perseus, Haynes goes off on a particularly heated rant about him. (“He is a vicious little thug and the sooner you grasp that, and stop thinking of him as a brave boy hero, the closer you’ll be to understanding what actually happened.”) It’s vicious, hilarious, and 100% right.

It’s a perfect demonstration of why Haynes is the BEST at this. She does her research (read PANDORA’S BOX if you want proof of that), and then she lets it get personal. I love her writing, and her narration is epic.

While Medusa is on the cover, Haynes gives us insight into many more characters, especially Medusa’s Gorgon sisters and the Goddess Athene. “And since Athene would always rather be right than happy and would rather win than be right, this worked out well for everyone.”

QOTD: Were you freaked out by the movie “Clash of Titans” (1981), or was it just me?

Thanks, NetGalley, Harper Audio, and Natalie Haynes, for the Digital Listening Copy of STONE BLIND. US Publication Date: 7 Feb 23

I was first introduced to Natalie Haynes as the next Madeleine Miller, and I see where people get the similarities, but these are two different authors writing in the same genre. I enjoyed Stone Blind, but it felt a bit too fragmented at times. Going in I thought it was going to be a Medusa story, but Medusa wasn't the focus. It is still a good read if you're interested in mythology!

I enjoyed the overall story. However, as far as the audiobook goes, I would’ve preferred a full cast. The narrator sounded very monotone to me and it was easy to get lost in which POV you were in if you zoned out. 4 stars for the book. 3 stars for the audiobook.

The Stone Blind cover features Medusa, so one would assume that the book is about Medusa. While it is a story about Medusa and the cruelty of men and gods toward her, it is also a story about many other mortals and gods whose story intertwines with hers.

I love reading stories about Greek mythology, and while many retellings offer little information about Medusa, this does give us more of a glimpse into her story. In many interpretations, the men are the heroes, the conquerors, the main event...but Haynes does an excellent job of letting the reader in on the perspective of the women in these mythology stories, and how (more often than not) women are treated with cruelty and punished for the wrongdoings of men.

The narrator was excellent, and I did enjoy bouncing between the stories of Medusa, Andromeda, Athene, and others. A physical copy would be handy for this particular title, as there is a list of characters at the beginning for the reader to keep reference.

I'm rating this title four stars, only because initial perceptions would lead the reader to believe the story is about Medusa, and because it was difficult, at times, to recall who characters were without the print reference at the beginning of the book. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of mythology, and will happily recommend this title to avid mythology readers/fans!

Athene is a pick me girl. Perseus is a fuck boy.

In all seriousness, I did really enjoy this retelling of Medusa's story. As a strong believer that Medusa was not a villain, Haynes does a wonderful job at portraying how Medusa was done wrong, while also keeping the seriousness of the story.

The full cast of characters and POVs are really well done and all feel unique.

Haynes is a wonderful narrator, though a full cast would have been amazing!

Another beautiful take on classic mythology by Natalie Haynes. The writing style is to the point, witty, and lyrical but not overly prosey, and adds some much-needed empathy for our titular character- Medusa. With multiple POVs, some drama, godly infighting, and somber tales, it's a rollercoaster of emotions.

Now, this being said, for a book that seems to be marketed as a Medusa myth retelling- there sure wasn't a lot of her in the story. The book encompasses multiple POVs of different gods and goddesses throughout, and less than about 40% was from Medusa's POV, or from her sisters the Gorgons. A large chunk of it isn't even from Medusa- just her head. Since the most traumatic point of her myth is with Poseidon in Athena's temple, it also struck me as strange that after it happened and she reunites with her sister, the trauma is really never spoken of again and pushed under the rug. It focuses more on the sadness of losing her hair than it does on how she really feels about what happened. Her sisters being there as a small bright spot in her literal darkness was nice though.

Most of the POVs in the book were about the other gods and goddesses related (vaguely) to Medusa's tale in a roundabout way, which involved a lot of bickering, especially where Athena is concerned. Perseus also got a lot of chapters and they were weirdly sympathetic to him, considering he's a selfless murderhobo.

Things I liked:
• Some fun POVs, including a rambunctious crow and Medusa's head snakes.
• Showing Medusa as a child and growing up with the Gorgons was very endearing and a cute way to mortalize her.
• Stheno and Euryale. Enough said.
• Good pacing throughout the book- I was never bored.

Things I didn't like:
• Needed more Medusa!
• Some characters that were useless to Medusa's story got a lot of page time- Like Cassiope.
•Somewhat repetitive a times
• Some of the dialogue felt a little forced

Overall, I had a great time with the book and hope to read more from the author in the future!

This was an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley- but an honest review. Thanks, NetGalley!

I truly cannot remember what I thought of Haynes’ previous novel A Thousand Ships. I know it was longlisted for the Women’s Prize. I also know that I read it amongst many other mythology retellings and that, for me, it landed somewhere in the middle between Madeline Miller’s books (LOVE!) and Pat Barker’s books (not my faves). But I was really excited to hear about this forthcoming title because I haven’t read any Medusa retellings and she is certainly a figure whose story is ripe for this trend of feminist reimaginings. I’m so glad I picked it up early because I completely devoured it and absolutely loved it. Haynes tells this complicated myth from the perspective of a wide array of gods, mortals, and inanimate objects to really give a full picture of every character and every aspect of the story. Medusa is the beloved human sister of two fierce gorgans. Poseidon is a pompous egomaniac. Athena is a pouty and spoiled favorite daughter. And Perseus is an idiot. This book made me actually laugh out loud at times. But it also doesn’t shy away from the cruelty and brutality in these myths. Most importantly, to me, there was a clear, if not simple, answer to the question of why Haynes was retelling this myth. I find that thematic core to be lacking in many of today’s myth-based novels, but Haynes is clearly using this work to offer commentary on motherhood, familial bonds, sacrifice, time, and human frailty. I ate it up.