Lynn brings the tragic story of Medusa to life, told from her perspective. Not solely focusing on the stories of Poseidon or Perseus, Lynn brings Medusa’s relationships with her parents, Athena, and her sisters to life as central to the overall story and the critical elements of the myth of the Gorgons. Lynn, through the few moments told by Perseus, son of Zeus, even allows the “hero” of the myth to question the story he was told as he set out on the quest. Lynn’s Medusa acts her age, lives her life the only way she knows how, and, through all of this, keeps her love for her sisters as her motivation. This Medusa is not the ones present in other stories, sharing traits with the other Medusas from other retellings of the myth of the Gorgons. Lynn’s characters are the heart of the story, and she successfully brings the many familiar names and figures to life, capturing the changes in characterization and dynamics between mortals, gods, demigods, and monsters amongst the pages. Lynn’s retelling of the myth of Medusa gives her her agency back, allowing her to tell her story and her fall from divine favor on her own terms and emphasizing what really matters -- intention, truth, and family.

"Medusa grew from monsters, but she was not born of them."

Athena's Child is a mythology retelling of the story of Medusa told from the perspectives of Medusa, Danae, and Perseus. I have read various retellings of Greek myths, but this is the first novel I have encountered centred on the story of Medusa.

Athena's Child is a quick read that provides audiences with an opportunity to immerse themselves in Medusa's tale. The author's retelling incorporates pieces of the original retellings, but not in entirety. This provides an opportunity to understand Medusa's story and character in a way that goes beyond Medusa the "monster." It allows the reader to connect with the character on a level that feels relatable and more human.

Athena's Child details Medusa's life, the events that are the catalyst for her transformation into a Gorgon, and it describes how her story is interwoven with that of Perseus. It is told in such a way that gives a deeper sense of Medusa's character, providing an opportunity to feel sadness and sympathy for Medusa, for how she was treated, and the events that unfolded in her life.

Athena's Child would be the perfect read for those who enjoy mythology retellings or historical fiction.

Kind thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance reading copy of Athena's Child in exchange for my honest review.

Green mythology is one of my favorite genres to read and this did not disappoint. I loved this one and look forward to more from Hannah.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook Landmark for an E-Arc of Athena's child. This book is split into three points of view: Medusa, Danae (briefly), and Perseus. When it comes to Medusa her point of view was so well written. Medusa, so young for her age held so much wisdom -- that's what attracted Athena. The flow of her words when it came to her point of view was amazing. A breath of fresh air, giving new depths to this character that has been terribly misunderstood. Perseus was written as a man coming of age. Different than the heroes before him -- he harbored a sense of humility. Although that didn't shine through towards the end somewhat. I've never really heard about Medusa having sisters, so this story introduced me to them. They play little roles in the story, but they still hold significance. They embraced their curse -- although not for the right reasons. I have always felt Medusa's story was unfair. This story doesn't justify Athena's actions, rather -- they're questioned. Which I love, it emphasizes just how mortal lives mean to the gods. How their slight admiration or favoritism can change in a blink of an eye. If you're an emotional reader like me, you can feel the emotions Medusa goes through. With the betrayal, the grief, the loneliness, and the realization, Lynn did an excellent job with this story. I look forward to reading her future works.

***** I have received and read an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for giving my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.*****

Medusa has always held a special place in my heart, so I was really looking forward to hearing her side of the story.

The first half of the book delivers beautifully, but part two just kills the book for me.

A refreshing look at one of Greek mythology's most famous icons. I loved the humanization of Medusa in this retelling as well as the passionate commentary about how society's treatment, vilification and abuse of women.

Part 1 was definitely the most riveting for me. Unfortunately, the momentum tapered off with the introduction of Perseus. I would have preferred to hear more from his mother Danae, especially considering the book's feminist vibes.

I also found the final act + ending very underwhelming. It felt like there was so much unfulfilled promise – much like Medusa herself. Maybe I just wanted a different ending for her this time. Nevertheless, this was a solid and enjoyable read.

In a conversation with the author at the end of the book, Hannah M. Lynn says she was compelled to tell Medusa's tale in the hope that she would be remembered as more than just a monster. Well, she has definitely achieved that with Athena's Child and I look forward to more retellings from her.

Mythology retellings are one of my favorite genres too read, and I really wanted to love Athena's Child. Unfortunately, this book fell a little flat for me. While the plot was face-paced and easy to follow, the action of the story was dominant, and the characters felt a little one-dimensional. Developed characters in this genre is a must for me, and I think if it had that extra layer of depth, I would have loved this one.

Probably more like 3.5 stars
The writing was beautiful but it really didn’t add anything new to the story we already know. I love mythology retellings but a lot of them are repetitive and I wish the authors took a little more creative risk

This book is fairly short, and doesn't add much new to an already well-known story. However, the beautiful writing and the excellent characterizations of both Medusa and Perseus were so well done that I couldn't help but enjoy it anyways. And this is coming from someone who is usually a Perseus hater.
Additionally, I appreciated the way the gods were written. They truly felt as if they were separate from humans, and didn't hold the same understanding of time and morality that we do.
Again, the plot is nothing new, so for the most part do not expect anything fast-paced or shocking. But the character explorations are well worth the read

I went into this book really excited for the retelling of Medusa and getting some more background into her story. Unfortunately, it just didn't come together like I was hoping.

Special thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Greek mythology telling are in the spotlight for about a year now. I love reading Greek mythology and this book did not let me down!

This is a retelling of Medusa, whose name always brings to mind a creature with snakes coming out of her head. This is the story of Athena's child, Medusa and how she was a beautiful girl and a victim of her mother's curse. But why? Why did part 2 skip to Perseus's POV. It would've been 5 stars if the book stuck with Medusa a little more and Perseus in the last quarter of the book. In my own opinion, I took away 1 star for that, to make it a 4 star book. Still good just part 2 was a tad boring.

4.5

This is a strong story of early feminism. When people think of Medusa, they don’t think of anything other than a snake-haired monster that turns men to stone. This retelling shines a whole new light on her. Most adaptations of the story of Medusa have her as this terrifying, horrible, monster and villain. In this adaptation, it shows up why and how that came to be.

The writing was amazing, all the emotions could be felt through the words and I felt really connected to Medusa.

I enjoyed the point of view of Perseus and, before that, his mother’s too. It added to the story and legend of Medusa and her eventual death.

This book is full of emotions which I didn’t expect. It’s also a great reminder of how, even in ancient mythology, men in great power can ruin a woman’s life and the woman is the only one that suffers.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

Retellings of Greek myths from a feminist point of view are having their moment now. I’ve recently read both Elektra and Ariadne and recommend them. Now, I have enjoyed another retelling from the Greeks, the story of Medusa…and what a story it is!

Those who know anything about Medusa may well find her repulsive. However, much like Frankenstein’s monster, there was more to this woman than a reader might assume. As a beautiful woman, she was treated very poorly, as was often the case for those who lived among the gods. This was especially true for women if they caught the eye of a libidinous male with another jealous female in his life (in this case Athena).

This story is about Medusa and also Perseus. Spend time with them and other gods and Greeks. Though their tales are writ large, in many ways these characters act as mortal as the reader. This allows the reader to relate to the novel.

Recommended to those who enjoy retellings of important ancient Greek women, along with those who enjoy historical fiction.

Many thanks to Source Books/Landmark for this title. All opinions are my own.

Athena’s Child by Hannah Lynn is a retelling of the story of Medusa. This was so interesting because I love how the story humanized Medusa. Reading her villian origin story made me furious. The injustice and unfairness of it gives a gravity to all of Medusa’s actions going forward. If you love retellings and Greek mythology, Athena’s Child is for you.

(Actual: 3.25⭐) This retelling of Medusa's story was good and a fresh take on the original myth, I found the writing to be a bit too simple; it was like it was missing something, which I couldn't bring myself to ignore despite there also being some great gems of passages littered throughout. I wish the story itself was also longer, as it felt like a novella if anything. While my overall reading experience for this book was pleasant - I breezed through this read faster than I expected to, honestly - I think the writing could have been stronger and the plot of the story definitely could have been expanded upon more.

A beautiful, magical devastating retelling of Medusa. Often made out to be a monster it becomes clear that Medusa is nothing more than a woman scorned and punished by Gods who gravely wronged her.

Medusa was a beautiful human girl who was sent to Athena’s temple to be a priestess to save her from an early marriage. One day, she was visited by the god Poseidon, who raped her. When Athena discovered that, she punished Medusa by cursing her to turn anyone she looks at to stone. Perseus was born to a human mother as the son of Zeus. When his mother was sent to marry a horrible King, Perseus was given the quest to get the head of Medusa to earn his mother’s freedom. Medusa and Perseus are used as pawns for the gods, but they end up having more in common than expected.

This was a great retelling of Medusa’s story. She is often made to be the villain in stories, but she is actually a victim of the gods. In this story, she was born as a human and made into a Gorgon rather than being born one. I really liked the twist at the end. I didn’t expect it, but it was a nice way to bring the story full circle and connect Medusa and Perseus in an original way.

Athena’s Child is a beautiful retelling of Medusa’s story.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: rape, spousal abuse, death, death of parents

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book!

This was surprisingly refreshing for a retelling Greek mythology. I think on of its strengths is telling the story in a short number of pages without feeling like we are missing anything. We get to see Medusa go from a young woman, to the monster the gods make her. You really feel for Medusa and want to curse the Poseidon and Athena for what they both did to her. Perseus was also a good take on his character because of his questioning (you'll understand when you read). Too often heroes in stories just go to kill the "monster" because they were told it was a monster. The story doesn't drift far from the one everyone knows, but feels more satisfying if still tragic.