It's worth the read just because Medea is iconic and Rosie Hewlett a great author. I listened to the audio version which was narrated well except for the parts where Kristin Atherton got a little bit melodramatic for my taste. However she had a good clear voice and enunciated well.

🌿Tropes & Themes 🌿
* Witchcraft
* Feminine Rage
* Morally gray
* Revenge
* Betrayal

Favorite Quotes:
“Though, if I have learned one thing in my life, it is that nobody will hand you your happiness. For happiness is not a gift to be given freely but a prize to be claimed.”

“I also know how they will tell his story. It is the same for any woman who defies their place in this world. Jason will be the hero, and you? They’ll either make you his adoring lovesick damsel or they’ll make you the villain. Those are the only roles they feel comfortable with us occupying.”

✦ Overall ✦
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey the author artfully wove for Medea. Although I was only vaguely familiar with the story of Medea in Greek mythology. The author really expands the world and characters and breathes new life into this story. There’s something rather compelling about Medea that will have you sympathizing for her character who has been through so much and possibly understanding why she might make terrible decisions and commit such violence. The world building was artfully woven into the story and seamlessly blended.
I greatly enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook. She had the perfect voice that just resonated so well with the character and story.
I highly recommend for any fans of Greek mythology retellings!

✦ Characters ✦
Medea was a complicated, complex and interesting character from the start. She only continued to evolve as her journey begins away from home and is faced with challenges, decision, and difficulties.
I loved Atlanta. Part of me selfishly hopes that the author, Rosie Hewlett, does a retelling for her next. I have complete confidence that she’d do a stunning job with that as well.

Many thanks to netgalley for the audio arc of this!

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for this ARC Audio Copy!

I am not very familiar with the story of Medea but I really enjoyed getting to know her in this story. Such a tragic story was told in such a beautiful way and this is now one of my favorite mythology books I have read so far. Rosie will forever be an auto buy author for me.

Media is a natural sorcerous who is trained by Circe who is one of my favorite characters from the Greek Mythos and I loved seeing her influence on Media's story. She experiences so much trauma and hate through her life it is not surprising that things end the way that they do. A true villain origin story and I loved every minute of it.

I stand for women’s rights AND women’s wrongs!
This was a beautiful retelling of Medea's story. We follow her from childhood through her dark ending. It is a very detailed story that reveals what molded her into the woman she is.

I was not very familiar with Medea’s story as a whole. I didn’t even know about Jason and the Argonauts and how Medea played into that story. Most of what I knew was through Circe’s story. So, I was very excited to learn about another witch in Greek Mythology.

I read and listened to this book. I enjoyed it, but the narrator made it exceptional.
The narrator kept a great pace throughout the book.
I enjoyed the narration at the beginning of the book. Her voice fit the character, and I felt like she knew how to keep the listener interested throughout the story.
What caught my attention was when we met Hecate. The narrators voice change for each of Hecate’s heads was quite a feat.

What I enjoyed:
We follow Medea from a young age until her ending.
The way the relationship between Medea & Jason is told. It makes it relatable to a wide range of women.
The narrator had a range of voices throughout the story. She kept a great pace throughout the novel.

This book brought out so many emotions in me. I empathized with Medea throughout much of her story. She made many choices that people wouldn’t agree with, but this book provided a lot of the backstory and reasoning behind them.

If you enjoy Greek Mythology retellings, I highly recommend this book!
I highly recommend listening to this book if you enjoy audiobooks. The narrator is PERFECT throughout the entire book.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book.

I absolutely loved it.

I don't know what it is about 2024, but there have been some AMAZING myth retellings released this year. Retellings have been all the rage over the past decade or so, but typically, they are only so-so or downright bad.

This year has been the exception that proves the rule. I've read some bad and some average retellings this year, but by and large, the ones I've read have been very, very good.

Of all of them (so far), though, this one has been the best.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a retelling of Medea. Her story is pretty straightforward, and there's really no way to make her a hero or even a sympathetic character to many people. (Not me; I've always felt sympathy and empathy for her.)

But Rosie Hewlett did it. She made Medea more than a sympathetic character. She turned her into someone to actively root for... even after she does something that most people would find unforgivable.

This book was excellent from page 1 until the end. I had exactly ZERO complaints with it. And the narration was spot-on. I reached a point years ago where my library was beyond full. Ever since, I've been listening to audio books and not buying physical books anymore because I just don't have the space.

This one, though, I will have to buy. I want to re-read it. I want to share it. I want to gift it to others.

Grade A, top-class, phenomenal book.

I think Hadestown puts it best “it’s a sad song, it’s a sad tale, but we sing it anyways… to know how it ends and still begin to sing again, as if it might turn out this time.”

This was expertly done and the audiobook was a perfect reading experience. It takes a special author to take a tale this old, keep all of the original pieces, and still make it feel brand new. A true villain origin story.

Okay I’m going to go now and pretend that when Atalanta offered to take Madea away from Jason she went and they lived happily ever after together.

4.5 stars.

I could not be happier that Greek mythology has become a popular topic for modern fiction, and the authors are doing their homework! I found this book fascinating in which gods and goddesses were included in this story and omitted from the classic stories. It had this edgy way of highlighting Medea's choices and actions as her own, unaided, and the repercussions were also hers alone. The character arcs were great, and watching Medea go from a desperate but naive young woman to a cold and confident demi-goddess was fantastic. There were points when Medea wasn't allowed to use her magic and she lived a life of submission and pain, subject to the patriarchy just like mortal women, and my yearning for her to break out of the bindings was so intense that I had to take a break and come back later. I particularly loved the dragon element, how she used her father's most loyal protector and his return. Things veered slightly from the classic stories at the end, but holy cow, I loved this version so much better. The full circle was a thing of beauty.

4.25 ⭐
thank you netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this audiobook copy of the witch of colchis (also marketed as "medea"). this is my first from the author and definitely won't be my last! (i honestly think her Greek mythology books deserve the hype that jennifer saint's get.l because i've enjoyed Hewlett's writing much better.)
if you love Circe, this book is gonna be such a treat! i wish the author took more liberties just so we could see medea in all her glory to the end, but that's Greek mythology for you.

The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett starts off promising. The beginning is dark and mysterious, and it strongly reminded me of the tone in books like The Witch's Heart. The atmosphere immediately drew me in, and I was excited to see how the story of Medea, the famous sorceress from Greek mythology, would unfold. I also liked the lyrical writing style, which was beautiful.
Also I really liked the narrator. She did an amazing job.

Unfortunately, the story didn’t feel overly original to me. It seemed like just another book based on Greek mythology, one among many. I wasn’t familiar with Medea's story in detail (aside from Circe by Madeline Miller), but by the end, I felt like I could have just read her story on Wikipedia and had the same emotional impact.

Despite the strong start, the book lost momentum for me as it progressed, and the emotional and dramatic moments I was expecting never fully materialized for me. However, I can see how this book would appeal to many readers. Perhaps it’s just me, and I approached the book with the wrong expectations.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance of listening to the audiobook.

The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett
Length: 464 pages
Genre: Greek myth retelling
Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the AAC of The Witch of Colchis. The opinions given are solely my own.

Synopsis:
This is the Greek mythology retelling of the life of Medea, referred to as the Witch of Colchis. Medea is the least favored child of her parents (King & Queen). She is different from her brother and younger sister as she was bestowed the gift of magic from the goddess Hecate. This infuriates her father and causes her childhood to be a torturous existence.

Medea finally sees an escape from her family and homeland when Jason arrives with the Argonauts, seeking to win the golden fleece. Medea falls in love, sending her life on a path that leads to betrayal, murder, magic, and heartache.

Opinion:
This was SUCH a wonderful retelling of Medea's story. It really was heart-breaking how she was basically gaslit by almost everyone in her life. However, she was such a strong, female character and I loved seeing some of the familiar tales from her perspective. The narrator was excellent for this book! Her voice timbre for each character was so believable and really enhanced how I was visualizing the action! I typically love mythology retellings and this one ranked right up there with Circe for me! Highly recommend!

This was a very powerful read. It is about strength, power and being a woman. Of course, in Greek Mythology you can't just be a woman, you need to be the victim or the villain.

I'd not heard of Medea (I've been reading a lot of Greek myth lately) but I have heard of her Aunt Circe who was banished. She is the one who teaches Medea her magic. And, of course, most people have heard of Medea's husband, Jason, with his Argonauts and his Golden Fleece. This story paints him as a narcissist and it's so frustrating the way he twists his words and blames Medea.

Medea is dark and powerful and does horrible things. But with this story, you can see why she does what she does. No excuses, just her reasoning and it's hard not to love her whilst hating her too. A fantastic read but a tad drawn out in parts. I'd definitely like to read more from this author.

A shout out to the narrator, Kristin Atherton. She was amazing. The book flowed beautifully and she did male, female, and some accents really well. Her narration made the book better for me.

3.5/4

This book is also marketed under Medea. I'm not sure why there are two titles but I've checked and it's the same book.

I listened to the audio version which was narrated well except for the parts where Kristin Atherton got a little bit melodramatic for my taste. However she had a good clear voice and enunciated well.

I know the tale of Medea well enough to be aware of the salient facts but in this novel they are fleshed out - sometimes a little too fleshed out. I suppose this is also personal taste but there was a bit too much lingering on Jason's physical attributes along with the frequent seduction scenes. I could have lived without all but the first.

However the story stuck to the myth - Medea is a sorceress, taught by Aunty Circe. Her dad is a nasty piece of work and her brother is no better. Medea is aware of her power from an early age, having turned her brother into a pig before she is even trained. To get away from the horrible dad she throws her lot in with handsome (but deeply narcissistic) Jason, who'd sell his own grandma to be crowned king of anywhere.

As the story continues Medea uses her power to help her husband but, of course, he's a thankless swine and doesn't appreciate her.

I'll warn you now there are several scenes describing Medea's handiwork that aren't for the fainthearted and the book obviously includes fratricide, infanticide, regicide plus physical and mental abuse to name a few. Let's face it though, the Greeks (and especially their gods) weren't known for their cuddliness.

On the whole it is well told but, as I said, very dramatic in parts and there quite a lot of repetition and procrastination which lengthens the story unnecessarily. Otherwise it's good.

I did want Medea to be a little more vindictive than she is ever portrayed and I'm permanently mystified why such a powerful sorceress didn't take more revenge than she did but if you're sticking to the original myth this is what you get.

Thankyou to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.

Hewlett's The Witch of Colchis reimagines Medea's myth with stunning prose and emotional depth. This retelling vividly portrays Medea's complexity—powerful, traumatized, and terrifying—by revealing her troubled upbringing in Colchis. Readers' hearts break as they witness Medea's mistreatment, while Hewlett masterfully exposes her shadow sides, compelling unexpected empathy. The gradual unfolding of Medea's character, alongside strong supporting figures like Atalanta, creates a rich, immersive narrative.

This five-star triumph captivates both mythology enthusiasts and newcomers. For audiobook lovers, Kristin Atherton's narration complements Hewlett's lyrical prose with melodic delivery. The Witch of Colchis stands as an essential read for those who appreciate mythology reimagined with nuance and exquisite craftsmanship.

I loveeeed Medea's story. She has been mentioned in other storylines but you of course never get a thorough detailed story of her life. This book really took us through a painfully beautiful story of a woman who has been repeatedly wronged by those in her life. She has been dealt cards where it doesn't matter which one she chooses, it will always lead to a darker road for her. I really felt for Medea in this story and felt she was very misunderstood. She grows up within an abusive and rough childhood, and has to scheme and fight to find her way out. Where she the believes she has made it on the other-side just to be wronged by the one she has placed all her trust and love in. To then have to fight again and still be lost. Although all of this trouble, I do feel like she grew as a character. We start the story with this scared child and end up with a strong witch/queen. I feel like in the end she finds some peace and resolution. The author did just such a beautiful job with giving us so many sides of her and multiple conflicting/vulnerable moments in her journey. Does she have guilt? regret? I'm not sure. But i do have a sense that she does in a way. She is just such an interesting character!!! This story will stick with me. The audiobook was wonderful.

Medea. If you know her name, you will have a reaction when you hear it. She committed unforgivable acts but why? Was she simply evil? That seems too easy. Misunderstood? No, that's also a cop-out. She's a difficult character to write about with nuance, so how do you solve a problem like Medea? LOL

Rosie Hewlett writes a very interesting portrait of Medea. She's been wronged, hurt, ignored, used, shunned, and shamed- and this is all before she commits her most horrible acts. But Hewlett doesn't excuse Medea for her actions- plenty of people survive abuse and don't turn to murder, so why does she?

This is an excellent, nuanced portrait not just of a woman wronged, but wrong herself. She is someone who resists the darkness within her, until she can resist no more. She has reasons for her actions, but it's up to the reader to decide whether or not she is justified in her extreme measures, or if what she did had absolutely no excuse. Or maybe somewhere in between?

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A feminist retelling of Medea—loved every minute of this. Great 1st person characterization of the main character (Medea) discovering her own magic and embracing her shadow self. The perfect witchy read for fall. The narrator of the audiobook was excellent!

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"When I was a child, I turned my brother into a pig." From this first line on, I was captivated by Medea's voice, brilliantly brought to life by audiobook narrator Kristin Atherton.

Medea is one of my favorite mythological figures, and Hewlett does her justice. It's heartbreaking to experience all the points where a different choice could lead to a happier outcome and to watch Medea go down the wrong path every time. Hewlett weaves the narrative in such a way that even though the reader sees the trainwreck about to happen, they understand why Medea makes the choices she does. It's a nuanced, careful balance that Hewlett executes flawlessly.

I love how Hewlett reflects Medea's biting way of speaking from the original Greek sources in her Medea. The dialogue and Medea's inner narrative are often on fire.

This Medea is a fully realized character that pays homage to her place in ancient Greek literature but also speaks to a modern audience. The book is a compelling combination of magic, action, relationships, introspection, and character growth (albeit in an atypical direction). Highly recommend.

You might like this if you like: Circe by Madeline Miller, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Beautiful narration for this audiobook, the voice acting is really amazing and the actress truly did justice to Medea.
I haven't heard a lot of audiobooks so that was a new experience for me. Because it's a 1st person narration book, it worked particularly well, as it was really like Medea was telling you what happened in her life.
It was fun that way.

The prose was a little too embellished in some places for me to really enjoy, but mythological retellings are often that way. Highly recommend it if you're a fan of the genre.

Hewlett does it again with another gripping Greek mythology retelling.

Medea’s tale was one I was unfamiliar with before reading this book. It was quite the rollercoaster! Her character is believably crafted and I found myself really sympathising with her situation.

Medea is known as the Witch of Colchis. She is shunned by her problematic family quite early on, but she finds solace in the arms of Jason (yeah, the one with the Argonauts). Her journey is one that will stay with me for a long time. One of the best Greek retellings I’ve read.

Thanks to NetGalley, RBmedia and Recorded Books for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

4.25 stars

This book is so good. It's a mesmerising portrait of a complicated character. This feminist retelling of Medea's story is an exploration on female rage, domestic abuse, and family trauma. Medea's story is a sorrowful one. A mortal witch born as the princess of Colchis. Medea's powers made her an outcast, a victim of her father's and brother's rage and ultimately a weapon used time and time again by the one man she loved. Medea does terribly things throughout her life, this book does not shy away on the terrible choices she makes on the name of love, but it also shows the complicated life of a woman who has known nothing but fear, pain, and manipulation.

This book is written masterfully. In the first few pages, we already know who Medea is, the power she has, and the actions she's capable of from a very young age. At 8, she turns her brother into a pig. She shows no remorse of it, why should she, her brother Absyrtus is a bully. That's when Circe, Medea's aunt, comes to turn him back to a boy on the one condition of teaching Medea the basics of magic. That's where Medea's journey as a powerful sorceress begins.

Medea's life as a teenager is lonely. Her only hope at a new life occurs when the Argonauts arrive to Colchis, with Jason as the leader, looking for the Golden Fleece. In Jason, Medea sees a hero. A golden light of hope in the darkness of her life. Jason, the only person who doesn't fear her powers. The one man who can save her away from Colchis and the tyranny of her father. In return, Jason sees her as the magical solution and weapon necessary to return to his home with the Golden Fleece and to claim his rightul place as the King of Iolcos.

Their relationship is the sole force of Medea's choices and actions. It's a doomed relationship. It's painful to see how she's often being used, manipulated and gaslit to hurt and murder others for Jason's gain. At the same time, Medea's darkness has been with her since she was a child. She has become a ruthless woman, one who does not seek nor accept forgiveness or redemption.

This book is a tragedy. It's the life of a woman with a terrifying kind of power, belittled, neglected and feared by it, while being constantly used as a weapon by the men who should've protected her. It's hard to read sometimes, yet it's so compelling.
The audiobook adds so much to the story. Kristin Atherton, the narrator, is wonderful at bringing Medea to life. Her rage, her heartbreak, her darkness. She's so good at making her a rounded character. A victim, but also a killer, a weapon.

I really loved the choice of pov at the end of this book. It was a nice surprise, one needed in Medea's story. This character haunts her from the beginning, so it was nice to see Medea from their eyes.

I am so interested now in Rosie Hewlett's future works. I really enjoyed the story, the pacing and the characterization. And like I said, the audiobook was superb.