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Cruel Venom Wine (Gorgon sisters #1).
A witchy Medusa retelling.
Greek gods only want submission from their magical followers. In Athen’s Plateau during the 1860s, there are plenty of worshipers who do just that.
But eighteen-year-old witch Meredith Gorgon would rather hypnotize her adorable baby diamondback rattlesnakes through harnessed crimson energy, taken from a parallel world. So when haughty fish-breath Trout—who is Poseidon himself—attacks her, she fights back using energy balls. But rather than the town coming to her aid, she's deemed "hysterical" and a traitor to the magical community.
As punishment for denying a god, the sheriff and Trout post a reward for her capture. They'd send her straight to the gallows. Meredith, won't give in without a fight. She and her rattlesnakes escape. In hiding, she enacts a poorly executed protection spell, and now anyone who dares to look directly into her eyes turns to stone.
Now, she must either fix her unruly powers and fight back against bounty hunters who care about greed over truth, or accidentally murder an innocent town with a single stare. Her army of rattlesnakes can’t save her now.
Trigger warnings: This novel contains an on-page execution by hanging, robbery, sexual assault, profanity, violence, and illegal activities. The author recommends mature readers ages 15 and up.
Greek gods only want submission from their magical followers. In Athen’s Plateau during the 1860s, there are plenty of worshipers who do just that.
But eighteen-year-old witch Meredith Gorgon would rather hypnotize her adorable baby diamondback rattlesnakes through harnessed crimson energy, taken from a parallel world. So when haughty fish-breath Trout—who is Poseidon himself—attacks her, she fights back using energy balls. But rather than the town coming to her aid, she's deemed "hysterical" and a traitor to the magical community.
As punishment for denying a god, the sheriff and Trout post a reward for her capture. They'd send her straight to the gallows. Meredith, won't give in without a fight. She and her rattlesnakes escape. In hiding, she enacts a poorly executed protection spell, and now anyone who dares to look directly into her eyes turns to stone.
Now, she must either fix her unruly powers and fight back against bounty hunters who care about greed over truth, or accidentally murder an innocent town with a single stare. Her army of rattlesnakes can’t save her now.
Trigger warnings: This novel contains an on-page execution by hanging, robbery, sexual assault, profanity, violence, and illegal activities. The author recommends mature readers ages 15 and up.
270 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2022
2 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 20, 2022
4.5 stars
Cruel Venom Wine is a tragic, yet beautiful story from one of my favourite sub-genres, feminist Greek mythology retellings. While I didn't always love this author's tone and writing style, I absolutely adored this story's themes and overall thesis. I don't know if I will pick up more of this author's works, but I'm incredibly glad I came across this one. I highly recommend this book to any fantasy, feminist lit, or Greek mythology lovers, just be mindful to look at the trigger warnings beforehand, as this book does deal with the topic of sexual assault.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cruel Venom Wine is a tragic, yet beautiful story from one of my favourite sub-genres, feminist Greek mythology retellings. While I didn't always love this author's tone and writing style, I absolutely adored this story's themes and overall thesis. I don't know if I will pick up more of this author's works, but I'm incredibly glad I came across this one. I highly recommend this book to any fantasy, feminist lit, or Greek mythology lovers, just be mindful to look at the trigger warnings beforehand, as this book does deal with the topic of sexual assault.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to BookSirens, the author and the editor for this opportunity.
The cover is so good and the title both got my attention in one second. This is one retelling of Meduse and I'm so ready to talk about it. The story is set in the 1860s and we get to know the main character, Meredith, and her Diamondback rattlesnakes which I loved when I imagined them. The way magic is worldbuilt here left me speechless, honestly. I would love a film of this book.
The cover is so good and the title both got my attention in one second. This is one retelling of Meduse and I'm so ready to talk about it. The story is set in the 1860s and we get to know the main character, Meredith, and her Diamondback rattlesnakes which I loved when I imagined them. The way magic is worldbuilt here left me speechless, honestly. I would love a film of this book.
July 28, 2022
A western witches Medusa retelling? Hell yes! 3.75 rounded up. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Meredith is a young witch living in Nevada during the 1800's. Some of the Greek deities have come down to earth personified in a place that feels separate from all others. When Trout Posiedon sets his sights on Mer, what lengths will she go to in order to remain her own? And what will it cost? Her family? Herself?
Who doesn't love a unique origin story?! This did not disappoint, and had some new elements that both helped and hurt it in my opinion. The rattlesnakes being controlled by Mer was neat, but upon transforming I did miss that they didn't become a part of her physically. Her curse of turning people who met her gaze to stone was shown in a harmful light to Mer herself, rather than just a weapon she wielded. The western elements were woven into the story really well and breathed a fresh air into the tape with bounty hunters and the like. I really enjoyed this novel and the work the author put into creating a whole new scape in which to tell her tale. You can tell that the author is still honing her craft, and I can't wait to see what she does next. She has the makings to be one of the next big voices in literature.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4. I hope there is a second novel for this series, I know I'll be keeping a close eye on this author for what's to come. Recommended for readers 15+ due to adult themes. Trigger warnings: assault, sexual assault, and other adult themes.
Meredith is a young witch living in Nevada during the 1800's. Some of the Greek deities have come down to earth personified in a place that feels separate from all others. When Trout Posiedon sets his sights on Mer, what lengths will she go to in order to remain her own? And what will it cost? Her family? Herself?
Who doesn't love a unique origin story?! This did not disappoint, and had some new elements that both helped and hurt it in my opinion. The rattlesnakes being controlled by Mer was neat, but upon transforming I did miss that they didn't become a part of her physically. Her curse of turning people who met her gaze to stone was shown in a harmful light to Mer herself, rather than just a weapon she wielded. The western elements were woven into the story really well and breathed a fresh air into the tape with bounty hunters and the like. I really enjoyed this novel and the work the author put into creating a whole new scape in which to tell her tale. You can tell that the author is still honing her craft, and I can't wait to see what she does next. She has the makings to be one of the next big voices in literature.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4. I hope there is a second novel for this series, I know I'll be keeping a close eye on this author for what's to come. Recommended for readers 15+ due to adult themes. Trigger warnings: assault, sexual assault, and other adult themes.
September 28, 2022
i was provided an arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for a honest review. thank you to the publisher, the author and netgalley. all thoughts are my own.
ah, i'm not going to lie, i was expecting to enjoy this one a lot more than i ended up doing, but it's not that i disliked it completely either. maybe i just went into this with way too high expectations.
the idea of where this new interpretation was set was interesting, and i personally really liked the twist on perseus' character - how he was introduced and his development. i personally really liked it. the relationship between him and meredith (medusa) was a bit less believable, but overall i thought it was fine.
i think my only real issues with this one was that at one point every character was unlikeable to me which was... eh, i didn't enjoy it. including meredith who was the one person i thought was impossible for me to dislike, so, yeah. that and the ending was kind of open, which is just not my personal preference (we know how it's gonna end, but there's so much that doesn't get solved which you can argue is accurate to the myth but... i don't know, something about the ending felt too abrupt for my taste. might simply be a preference thing)
regardless, this might be a me issue simply because i didn't have any other major problems. the relationship between the sisters was good, and i enjoyed seeing their development (for the most part. i had some issues with one of them towards the end and how it was handled which also influenced my rating, but that's spoilers), so overall while i didn't like it, i didn't hate this book either, it just was a small sum of things not working for me personally.
ah, i'm not going to lie, i was expecting to enjoy this one a lot more than i ended up doing, but it's not that i disliked it completely either. maybe i just went into this with way too high expectations.
the idea of where this new interpretation was set was interesting, and i personally really liked the twist on perseus' character - how he was introduced and his development. i personally really liked it. the relationship between him and meredith (medusa) was a bit less believable, but overall i thought it was fine.
i think my only real issues with this one was that at one point every character was unlikeable to me which was... eh, i didn't enjoy it. including meredith who was the one person i thought was impossible for me to dislike, so, yeah. that and the ending was kind of open, which is just not my personal preference (we know how it's gonna end, but there's so much that doesn't get solved which you can argue is accurate to the myth but... i don't know, something about the ending felt too abrupt for my taste. might simply be a preference thing)
regardless, this might be a me issue simply because i didn't have any other major problems. the relationship between the sisters was good, and i enjoyed seeing their development (for the most part. i had some issues with one of them towards the end and how it was handled which also influenced my rating, but that's spoilers), so overall while i didn't like it, i didn't hate this book either, it just was a small sum of things not working for me personally.
August 28, 2022
Thank you net galley for providing me with a free copy of Cruel Venom Wine in exchange for a honest review.
Although the premise as well as the idea of the book were extremely intriguing the execution felt flat. I have a lot of issues with the writing as well as the fast pace of the book that leaves absolutely no room for the reader to get to know the character's enough to care about them, along with the complete lack of world building which is confusing. The relationships as well as the character development also felt really unstable. Overall not a book Id recommend, as I've decided against continuing the series.
Although the premise as well as the idea of the book were extremely intriguing the execution felt flat. I have a lot of issues with the writing as well as the fast pace of the book that leaves absolutely no room for the reader to get to know the character's enough to care about them, along with the complete lack of world building which is confusing. The relationships as well as the character development also felt really unstable. Overall not a book Id recommend, as I've decided against continuing the series.
August 1, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very refreshing to read. I have read my fair share of different Greek Mythology retellings and this one did not disappoint. The concept of this book is so simple yet the author is incredibly effective at telling the story. This book is a Medusa retelling set in the 1800s so probably very different to what people have read and I applaud the creativity.
I also noticed minimal mistakes with editing which is good! I did expect there to be more mistakes since it is an ARC but I was pleasantly surprised.
I also deeply deeply appreciate the trigger warnings listed at the beginning of the book. Although I was not and do not have many triggers, I like them being there so other readers know what they are getting into. Thank you for doing that and I hope more authors take note and do the same.
This book was very refreshing to read. I have read my fair share of different Greek Mythology retellings and this one did not disappoint. The concept of this book is so simple yet the author is incredibly effective at telling the story. This book is a Medusa retelling set in the 1800s so probably very different to what people have read and I applaud the creativity.
I also noticed minimal mistakes with editing which is good! I did expect there to be more mistakes since it is an ARC but I was pleasantly surprised.
I also deeply deeply appreciate the trigger warnings listed at the beginning of the book. Although I was not and do not have many triggers, I like them being there so other readers know what they are getting into. Thank you for doing that and I hope more authors take note and do the same.
July 21, 2022
I'm so excited to share this. :) Thanks to all who read and review!
September 4, 2022
In 1860s Athena's Plateau, the human representative of Poseidon is the mayor and the human representative of Athena is the sheriff. Both are used to getting their own way and look down on humans and witches alike. When eighteen-year-old Meredith Gorgon refuses to let Poseidon attack her without a fight, she marks herself as a target. Escaping the town and a hanging, Meredith soon discovers that her magic backfired so that she turns people to stone once she makes eye contact. Caring for her rattlesnakes won't help her now.
The book has trigger warnings for the hanging and assault in the beginning, and there are robberies at gunpoint as well. It's a wild west story with magic, following the myth where Medusa was the mortal follower of Athena that was punished for having the audacity of being attacked within her temple. Athena is hardly a goddess willing to look out for truth, and essentially conspires with her fellow god to give him what he wants whenever he wants. The people are left suffering at their whims, which they don't care about at all.
As much as Meredith is haunted by the attack, she knows full well that the punishment for defying a god in any way is death. She escapes the town with her sisters, who are disabled. Her ability to manipulate rattlesnakes comes in handy at times, even though it terrifies one sister and annoys the other. She also winds up working with the bounty hunter Percy to make money, keeping an eye out to see if she was followed to the neighboring town. Meredith doesn't do that great a job at hiding herself, leading to an inevitable showdown.
Meredith's characterization fluctuated throughout the novel. She's proud but unwilling to practice or flaunt her magic, as much as she does try to use it. When she discovers the curse of turning others to stone, she's horrified by the accidental killing. Then out of nowhere, she decides this makes her powerful, and that she can be like a god herself. While trauma can make people have flashbacks or vacillate wildly, this felt like too much of a change. Her sisters are dependent on her but also older, so they wind up depending on her as much as they're annoyed by her changes; while they try to act as the voice of reason and provide some foreshadowing, it doesn't quite reach Meredith. The tragedy that unfolds at the end of the story feels a bit rushed, and the gods are caricature villains with no depth or reason for acting in the way they do other than they can. They come across as toddlers with powers, so I wondered why the Gorgon sisters would even stay in town at all if it felt so oppressive and unsafe.
Having a witchy Medusa story is definitely a new take on the mythology, and this is the beginning of a new series. It's targeted at older teens and up that can handle sensitive topics.
The book has trigger warnings for the hanging and assault in the beginning, and there are robberies at gunpoint as well. It's a wild west story with magic, following the myth where Medusa was the mortal follower of Athena that was punished for having the audacity of being attacked within her temple. Athena is hardly a goddess willing to look out for truth, and essentially conspires with her fellow god to give him what he wants whenever he wants. The people are left suffering at their whims, which they don't care about at all.
As much as Meredith is haunted by the attack, she knows full well that the punishment for defying a god in any way is death. She escapes the town with her sisters, who are disabled. Her ability to manipulate rattlesnakes comes in handy at times, even though it terrifies one sister and annoys the other. She also winds up working with the bounty hunter Percy to make money, keeping an eye out to see if she was followed to the neighboring town. Meredith doesn't do that great a job at hiding herself, leading to an inevitable showdown.
Meredith's characterization fluctuated throughout the novel. She's proud but unwilling to practice or flaunt her magic, as much as she does try to use it. When she discovers the curse of turning others to stone, she's horrified by the accidental killing. Then out of nowhere, she decides this makes her powerful, and that she can be like a god herself. While trauma can make people have flashbacks or vacillate wildly, this felt like too much of a change. Her sisters are dependent on her but also older, so they wind up depending on her as much as they're annoyed by her changes; while they try to act as the voice of reason and provide some foreshadowing, it doesn't quite reach Meredith. The tragedy that unfolds at the end of the story feels a bit rushed, and the gods are caricature villains with no depth or reason for acting in the way they do other than they can. They come across as toddlers with powers, so I wondered why the Gorgon sisters would even stay in town at all if it felt so oppressive and unsafe.
Having a witchy Medusa story is definitely a new take on the mythology, and this is the beginning of a new series. It's targeted at older teens and up that can handle sensitive topics.
October 3, 2022
eARC given by BookSiren in return for an honest review, given freely.
Definitely a new take down the what is now incredibly well-trodden path of Greek Myth retellings. I do have to say that I took a chance on this one -- I'm not usually the one to gravitate towards anything even vaguely old western, but I had hoped that the Greek Myth bit would overshadow my general dislike of all things old west. I was incorrect.
First things first, please do heed the trigger warnings! And thank you to the author for putting them up. They are much, much needed, and it's always nice to see a book that comes with them proper.
Now, for the actual story. What a story. We all know (basically) the premise of Medusa's assault at the hands of Poseidon and Athena's wrath. And the old-west setting only went to magnify just how terrible and disgusting the entire situation was. However, as intrigued as I was by how the rest of the story would pan out, I could not help but be put off by the lack of dimension given to Lilly and Bonnie.
I found myself annoyed at their constant bickering and the clear jealousy of the older sisters, the way they put all the pressure on Meredith to support their family. Yes, disability is limiting, but it also doesn't have to become THE one defining trait of a person's entire life. The whole time, all Meredith did was think of her sisters as their disabilities -- how Lilly is blind and Bonnie is lame and that meant that it was up to Meredith and Meredith alone.
I get that the setting also constricts the role of women, but I don't know what the purpose of having Bonnie nag at Meredith for practicing magic all the time was. I don't know why it was necessary to highlight how uncomfortable Lilly was around Meredith's snakes the 9th time, and for Meredith to insist that she raised them as babies. We know. We've been knew.
Overall, the pacing could have used work -- there were moments were things went incredibly fast, and then things would suddenly slow, and I'd be left wondering when the next plot point would hit.
What this book does succeed at doing though, is provide yet another reminder that the Greek Gods were much more made of their flaws than their strengths. And that they abused their divinity more than they ever tried to use it for good. That the gods do not care for the suffering of mere mortals, and that they'd never admit to having made a mistake.
I do think I'd recommend this book to those who really enjoy old western settings, and I think that had I been more into that entire genre, I would've enjoyed it much, much more.
Definitely a new take down the what is now incredibly well-trodden path of Greek Myth retellings. I do have to say that I took a chance on this one -- I'm not usually the one to gravitate towards anything even vaguely old western, but I had hoped that the Greek Myth bit would overshadow my general dislike of all things old west. I was incorrect.
First things first, please do heed the trigger warnings! And thank you to the author for putting them up. They are much, much needed, and it's always nice to see a book that comes with them proper.
Now, for the actual story. What a story. We all know (basically) the premise of Medusa's assault at the hands of Poseidon and Athena's wrath. And the old-west setting only went to magnify just how terrible and disgusting the entire situation was. However, as intrigued as I was by how the rest of the story would pan out, I could not help but be put off by the lack of dimension given to Lilly and Bonnie.
I found myself annoyed at their constant bickering and the clear jealousy of the older sisters, the way they put all the pressure on Meredith to support their family. Yes, disability is limiting, but it also doesn't have to become THE one defining trait of a person's entire life. The whole time, all Meredith did was think of her sisters as their disabilities -- how Lilly is blind and Bonnie is lame and that meant that it was up to Meredith and Meredith alone.
I get that the setting also constricts the role of women, but I don't know what the purpose of having Bonnie nag at Meredith for practicing magic all the time was. I don't know why it was necessary to highlight how uncomfortable Lilly was around Meredith's snakes the 9th time, and for Meredith to insist that she raised them as babies. We know. We've been knew.
Overall, the pacing could have used work -- there were moments were things went incredibly fast, and then things would suddenly slow, and I'd be left wondering when the next plot point would hit.
What this book does succeed at doing though, is provide yet another reminder that the Greek Gods were much more made of their flaws than their strengths. And that they abused their divinity more than they ever tried to use it for good. That the gods do not care for the suffering of mere mortals, and that they'd never admit to having made a mistake.
I do think I'd recommend this book to those who really enjoy old western settings, and I think that had I been more into that entire genre, I would've enjoyed it much, much more.
July 24, 2022
I received this book as an ARC from Book Sirens and really enjoyed it! In exchange is my review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve been in a very Greek myth retelling phase and this definitely filled this need. This Perseus and Medusa retelling with a Western twist follows Meredith Gorgon and her sisters as Meredith navigates the aftermath of angering a god. I was not 100% familiar with the original myth, but this retelling was a fun way to reintroduce the elements I did know and fill in some of the blanks I had.
The play on the West and Greek names was a fun twist and I really liked the idea of Meredith (Medusa) having an actual family that was just as witchy and powerful in their own ways. Seeing their dynamic together and their bond to stay together regardless of what happens was really heartwarming. Also the way Percy was involved in the story was a really fun way to show a different side of the myth.
While I really enjoyed the book, there were a couple of things that threw me off while I was reading. One was just kind of being thrown into the idea that the gods were a part of society as a sheriff and mayor, but not really why they didn’t go by their godly names. This may have been something I missed in my reading, but a slightly better explanation regarding that would have helped to keep me emerged in the book a little better. They other was why Meredith was drawn to rattlesnakes. I understand how the rattlesnakes were important in the story line and maybe they were used because this was a Western retelling of the myth, but a bit more of an explanation would have been nice. The last thing I wish had been fleshed out was why witches were treated as they were and why her sister’s powers were what the were.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and am so excited to see where the series may go. I’m not a huge fan of Westerns, but this mix with the Greek myth was so good!
I’ve been in a very Greek myth retelling phase and this definitely filled this need. This Perseus and Medusa retelling with a Western twist follows Meredith Gorgon and her sisters as Meredith navigates the aftermath of angering a god. I was not 100% familiar with the original myth, but this retelling was a fun way to reintroduce the elements I did know and fill in some of the blanks I had.
The play on the West and Greek names was a fun twist and I really liked the idea of Meredith (Medusa) having an actual family that was just as witchy and powerful in their own ways. Seeing their dynamic together and their bond to stay together regardless of what happens was really heartwarming. Also the way Percy was involved in the story was a really fun way to show a different side of the myth.
While I really enjoyed the book, there were a couple of things that threw me off while I was reading. One was just kind of being thrown into the idea that the gods were a part of society as a sheriff and mayor, but not really why they didn’t go by their godly names. This may have been something I missed in my reading, but a slightly better explanation regarding that would have helped to keep me emerged in the book a little better. They other was why Meredith was drawn to rattlesnakes. I understand how the rattlesnakes were important in the story line and maybe they were used because this was a Western retelling of the myth, but a bit more of an explanation would have been nice. The last thing I wish had been fleshed out was why witches were treated as they were and why her sister’s powers were what the were.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and am so excited to see where the series may go. I’m not a huge fan of Westerns, but this mix with the Greek myth was so good!
August 10, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Allyssa Brinker, I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Cruel Venom Wine. This book is a witchy Medusa retelling, set in 1860s Utah. I know, I know. That sounds like the weirdest combination of words, but the story was overall very enjoyable. At times I did struggle with wording that felt overly "thesaurus-ed," and it definitely needs another round or two of edits because there were quite a few typos, but the bones of the story held it up.
Allyssa was wonderful enough to include Trigger Warnings at the beginning of the book, which I always commend. Please be sure to check those before reading, as there are some heavy hitters, including sexual assault as a main driving factor to the story.
Cruel Venom Wine follows Meredith, a crimson witch with an affinity to snakes. She talks to them and they do as she pleases. After a brutal sexual assault (I don't want to add the word attempt here, because the rape is not completed, but she is still, in my book, totally sexually assaulted), Meredith and her sisters flee the wrath of Poseidon and Athena, meeting Percy (IYKYK) along the way.
This book does an excellent job of reminding readers that Poseidon freaking sucks. Zeus, too, although Zeus isn't present as an active character in the story. (I'm not saying Hades is always a stand up guy, but don't listen to Disney channel on this one. If I had to choose one of those three to saddle myself too, it would 100000000000% be Hades. The least of the 3 evils and all that. I will die on this hill. See what I did there?!)
All in all, if you're into Greek mythology, I would recommend this book. I would categorize it as definitely a YA fantasy retelling.
Allyssa was wonderful enough to include Trigger Warnings at the beginning of the book, which I always commend. Please be sure to check those before reading, as there are some heavy hitters, including sexual assault as a main driving factor to the story.
Cruel Venom Wine follows Meredith, a crimson witch with an affinity to snakes. She talks to them and they do as she pleases. After a brutal sexual assault (I don't want to add the word attempt here, because the rape is not completed, but she is still, in my book, totally sexually assaulted), Meredith and her sisters flee the wrath of Poseidon and Athena, meeting Percy (IYKYK) along the way.
This book does an excellent job of reminding readers that Poseidon freaking sucks. Zeus, too, although Zeus isn't present as an active character in the story. (I'm not saying Hades is always a stand up guy, but don't listen to Disney channel on this one. If I had to choose one of those three to saddle myself too, it would 100000000000% be Hades. The least of the 3 evils and all that. I will die on this hill. See what I did there?!)
All in all, if you're into Greek mythology, I would recommend this book. I would categorize it as definitely a YA fantasy retelling.
August 6, 2022
This book is a Medusa retelling set in 1860s Nevada. The story follows a witch named Meredith Gorgon who takes care of her two sisters and her pet snakes. One day Poseidon (in this story his name is Trout) attacks her and she fights back against him ruining Athena's temple (in this story Athena is named Attie). After the attack Trout tells Attie that Meredith is a criminal who destroyed her temple, defying a god. Soon a bounty is put on her head and she must flee with her two sisters. To save herself and her sisters she must work on keeping them safe and focusing on her powers.
I knew the story of Medusa very well and it was interesting to see the author's adaptation of the story. The reason I gave the story 4/5 is because everything seemed a little slow in the beginning, about the first 30% of the book. I also wish I could have learned a little bit more about her sisters and their stories. Lastly, I wish there could have been an epilogue about how Meredith's life was progressing after the end of the book.
This novel contains some trigger warning and the author lists them in the beginning of the book Triggers including execution by hanging, robbery, sexual assault, profanity, violence, and illegal activities.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I knew the story of Medusa very well and it was interesting to see the author's adaptation of the story. The reason I gave the story 4/5 is because everything seemed a little slow in the beginning, about the first 30% of the book. I also wish I could have learned a little bit more about her sisters and their stories. Lastly, I wish there could have been an epilogue about how Meredith's life was progressing after the end of the book.
This novel contains some trigger warning and the author lists them in the beginning of the book Triggers including execution by hanging, robbery, sexual assault, profanity, violence, and illegal activities.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
September 18, 2022Wow! What an absolutely marvelous witchy retelling of Medusa!
Brinker has created a rich and intriguing historical fantasy retelling Greek mythology, centering on Meredith Gorgon aka Medusa as the main lead. A feminist and distinctive flair!
The author really touched on sibling relationships and reading how Meredith and her sisters flourished was really uplifting. Meredith is such a powerful MC lead and her story is retold to give her a new perspective and voice. There are so many elements incorporated to bring such a refreshing new take on the Medusa story as well as other known Greek mythological stories, giving them a whole different and captivating take.
I think with some more polishing, the author really has potential with this story to progress and reach a wider audience.
This is an indie book and I am utterly hooked with it! I cannot wait to continue with the series! Trigger warnings are included at the start of this novel for readers advise. Think mature Percy Jackson, historical fiction, and Wild West vibes together.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Brinker has created a rich and intriguing historical fantasy retelling Greek mythology, centering on Meredith Gorgon aka Medusa as the main lead. A feminist and distinctive flair!
The author really touched on sibling relationships and reading how Meredith and her sisters flourished was really uplifting. Meredith is such a powerful MC lead and her story is retold to give her a new perspective and voice. There are so many elements incorporated to bring such a refreshing new take on the Medusa story as well as other known Greek mythological stories, giving them a whole different and captivating take.
I think with some more polishing, the author really has potential with this story to progress and reach a wider audience.
This is an indie book and I am utterly hooked with it! I cannot wait to continue with the series! Trigger warnings are included at the start of this novel for readers advise. Think mature Percy Jackson, historical fiction, and Wild West vibes together.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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July 13, 2022
Semi-spoiler contained in review:
The basic plot is still there. We have a woman blessed with magic, coming into her own in the mid 18th century. I have never been a huge fan of period dramas, but this one worked out so well. The writing lacked the stunted style I associate with books based in this time period and the worldbuilding was so amazing. The gods aspect in a more modern time was refreshing. For those who know the original lore, you will undoubtedly except the trigger warning. For those unfamiliar, our FMC is assaulted and flees. Que the dramatic adventure of survival as she fights to regain what life she can in the aftermath of insulting a god. The reimagining of Medusa cursing herself is a twist I can 100% get behind.
A few trigger warnings for sure. There's the obvious assault, some crime, execution, isolation/shunning of community, and loss of a pet. But nothing that I wouldn't have expected going into a retelling of this lore.
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
The basic plot is still there. We have a woman blessed with magic, coming into her own in the mid 18th century. I have never been a huge fan of period dramas, but this one worked out so well. The writing lacked the stunted style I associate with books based in this time period and the worldbuilding was so amazing. The gods aspect in a more modern time was refreshing. For those who know the original lore, you will undoubtedly except the trigger warning. For those unfamiliar, our FMC is assaulted and flees. Que the dramatic adventure of survival as she fights to regain what life she can in the aftermath of insulting a god. The reimagining of Medusa cursing herself is a twist I can 100% get behind.
A few trigger warnings for sure. There's the obvious assault, some crime, execution, isolation/shunning of community, and loss of a pet. But nothing that I wouldn't have expected going into a retelling of this lore.
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
July 21, 2022
I LOVED THIS BOOK. ESPECIALLY I LOVE HISTORICAL FICTION, MYTHOLOGY AND WITCHES ALSO A POWERFUL FMC, TOO!
Our story sets in 18th century. Our FMC is Meredith. She is a witch. She blessed with magic and she is soo powerful.
Someday, Poseidon attacks Meredith and Meredith cast a spell to Poseidon. Then everything goes bad and from that time on, Meredith have an power, when she look to someone, she can turn them into a stone. Now this story comes you close, right. Because it’s an Medusa retelling.
I always loved Medusa. She is one of my favourite mythological person (I’m not sure 100% that Medusa is a Goddess, so i’m gonna call her a mythological person) and when medusa and her myths mix with magic, it’s the perfect fantasy to me!! I literally can’t tell explain that how much i love Meredith. LOVE HER!
Thanks for the Advanced Reader Copy, and thanks to the author, editor and NetGalley 🫶🏻
Our story sets in 18th century. Our FMC is Meredith. She is a witch. She blessed with magic and she is soo powerful.
Someday, Poseidon attacks Meredith and Meredith cast a spell to Poseidon. Then everything goes bad and from that time on, Meredith have an power, when she look to someone, she can turn them into a stone. Now this story comes you close, right. Because it’s an Medusa retelling.
I always loved Medusa. She is one of my favourite mythological person (I’m not sure 100% that Medusa is a Goddess, so i’m gonna call her a mythological person) and when medusa and her myths mix with magic, it’s the perfect fantasy to me!! I literally can’t tell explain that how much i love Meredith. LOVE HER!
Thanks for the Advanced Reader Copy, and thanks to the author, editor and NetGalley 🫶🏻
July 25, 2022
I am voluntarily leaving this review thanks to books.are.in for providing me with an advance copy of this book. I was supposed drawn to reading this lovely witchy retelling of the Medusa Mythos by the cover and just the idea of the premise. I loved the beautiful setting in the 1800s with our main character and her rattlesnakes. the way the magic is built through the world is stunning. Appreciated the trigger warnings in the front as the events described the assault upon females. This book handles the damage created by Society victim blaming and shaming.
Which I love this take on the Medusa Mythos as one of vengeance and seeking to ensure the Predators are punished for their actions. I think the writing and the story are of the calibre of other adored Greek mythology retailers and should be added swiftly to everyone's wants read pile.
Which I love this take on the Medusa Mythos as one of vengeance and seeking to ensure the Predators are punished for their actions. I think the writing and the story are of the calibre of other adored Greek mythology retailers and should be added swiftly to everyone's wants read pile.
July 25, 2022
The Bad:
The idea behind this book was amazing, that's what immediately caught my attention. There were very few errors in this book-a plus. One thing the author could have done was to make the characters more relatable. It could possibly just be my preference, but I find it difficult to relate to weak traits when there isn't a lot of detail or standing as to why the character acts that way. The story was still well-written and interesting, just struggled at times to be fully engrossed in the story.
The Good:
I love anything involving magick, witches, and especially Medusa. When I found this book I immediately got excited, and it didn't disappoint. I may not have been able to truly relate to the character, but I still loved every moment of this story. I loved that each woman came into her own, and you could see the build-up to why Medusa came to be the way she was.
The idea behind this book was amazing, that's what immediately caught my attention. There were very few errors in this book-a plus. One thing the author could have done was to make the characters more relatable. It could possibly just be my preference, but I find it difficult to relate to weak traits when there isn't a lot of detail or standing as to why the character acts that way. The story was still well-written and interesting, just struggled at times to be fully engrossed in the story.
The Good:
I love anything involving magick, witches, and especially Medusa. When I found this book I immediately got excited, and it didn't disappoint. I may not have been able to truly relate to the character, but I still loved every moment of this story. I loved that each woman came into her own, and you could see the build-up to why Medusa came to be the way she was.
July 4, 2022
A retelling of the mythological Medusa. The story is set in the 1860s, we meet Meredith Gorgon, who is magical, eighteen and loves her Diamondback rattlesnakes. Poseidon attacks Meredith and she fights back by using her magic. No one comes to help her and she is later shunned by her community. She is on the run with her snakes because denying a God is a punishable offense. She is later captured, but later escapes and is on the run again. While in hiding she conjures a spell and everything goes wrong with the spell. She can now look at people and turn them into stone. This a fascinating reimagining story of Medusa.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 2, 2022
Definitely have some mixed feelings about this one!
The book begins with an interesting concept: an ancient Greek Medusa retelling meets an American western. Unfortunately, I struggled to hang on to the meat of this novel. The characters seemed a bit underdeveloped, and some plot points strayed further away from the original story than I would have liked.
Ultimately, I think this book is a better read for a YA reader who would overlook some of the plot's inconsistencies and downfalls.
Definitely a huge shout out to the author for adding a list of TW to the description!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book begins with an interesting concept: an ancient Greek Medusa retelling meets an American western. Unfortunately, I struggled to hang on to the meat of this novel. The characters seemed a bit underdeveloped, and some plot points strayed further away from the original story than I would have liked.
Ultimately, I think this book is a better read for a YA reader who would overlook some of the plot's inconsistencies and downfalls.
Definitely a huge shout out to the author for adding a list of TW to the description!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2022
An interesting retelling of Medusa that I'm sure YA readers will love.
Medusa has always been a popular myth and it was fun to read a more witchy aspect to the story. The plot was fast-paced and the Southern aspects were beautifully done and created a sense of atmosphere within Brinker's world building.
Personally I didn't feel that connected to Meredith or her sisters and this made me struggle to get fully involved with the story - the writing felt very "tell" rather than "show. Nonetheless, it was energetic and a fresh start to what I imagine will be a great series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Medusa has always been a popular myth and it was fun to read a more witchy aspect to the story. The plot was fast-paced and the Southern aspects were beautifully done and created a sense of atmosphere within Brinker's world building.
Personally I didn't feel that connected to Meredith or her sisters and this made me struggle to get fully involved with the story - the writing felt very "tell" rather than "show. Nonetheless, it was energetic and a fresh start to what I imagine will be a great series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
July 29, 2022
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher.
So I'm not really sure how I want to rate this book. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. Like yes it takes the Medusa myth and turns it kind of into a western fantasy story, and I think it does an okay job staying close to the source material. But I think where I struggled to truly enjoy the story is the lack of movement and action in the plot. There's a lot of coming to terms with Meredith's powers, but I think the implementation could have been a little better. Also I think seeing Percy's downfall could have happened a little sooner in the story. I don't know, it was alright, but not my favorite.
So I'm not really sure how I want to rate this book. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. Like yes it takes the Medusa myth and turns it kind of into a western fantasy story, and I think it does an okay job staying close to the source material. But I think where I struggled to truly enjoy the story is the lack of movement and action in the plot. There's a lot of coming to terms with Meredith's powers, but I think the implementation could have been a little better. Also I think seeing Percy's downfall could have happened a little sooner in the story. I don't know, it was alright, but not my favorite.
October 6, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was first lured into this story based on the premise of a myth that I was fascinated by when I was a kid. It took a different swing on it and wow. I'm beyond glad I read this.
Its ancient Greece mixed with a magical western. I loved the whole concept of it. The characters are extremely well defined, the descriptions in this novel are beautiful. There were sentences strung together that were not only breathtakingly unusual but shaped the whole experience. Sinking you into the story.
I cannot recommend this book more highly.
I was first lured into this story based on the premise of a myth that I was fascinated by when I was a kid. It took a different swing on it and wow. I'm beyond glad I read this.
Its ancient Greece mixed with a magical western. I loved the whole concept of it. The characters are extremely well defined, the descriptions in this novel are beautiful. There were sentences strung together that were not only breathtakingly unusual but shaped the whole experience. Sinking you into the story.
I cannot recommend this book more highly.
December 5, 2023
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book - a witchy Medusa re-telling. However, I wasn't blown away. I finished the book, but I think people who aren't familiar with the mythology will be a little confused and lost. Medusa gets a really bad rap in history and I was hoping that this book would put her in more of the space she needs to be, but it really doesn't. I feel like the magic system needed to be more developed and thought out. At times it just felt like an afterthought. Like, okay, boom! Here's some spells, but that's all. Although I really enjoyed the possibility of Medusa cursing herself, she still wasn't as sympathetic of a character as I felt she should be.
August 2, 2022
I feel that this book is an attempt to bring justice to women in Greek myth. Perseus and Medusa were a myth that is firmly associated with my childhood for me, one of the first ones I have ever read. An d the author really made a good, but scary retelling out of it - and this story IS scary, and difficult, and sometimes suffocating to read - as suffocating as being a victim of injustice. It is not for everyone. And it is not happy. But I think it is an excellent book to launch a discussion.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 16, 2022
I tried with this one, I really did but it was DNF for me at about 25 percent of the way in.
The book has an interesting concept: Greek Medusa retelling in an American western setting. Sadly, I just could not stay focused on this story. The characters were very underdeveloped and the pace was achingly slow.
I did appreciate that the author listed the TWs at the start of the book. I love to see that so that is what made me give it the extra star.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book has an interesting concept: Greek Medusa retelling in an American western setting. Sadly, I just could not stay focused on this story. The characters were very underdeveloped and the pace was achingly slow.
I did appreciate that the author listed the TWs at the start of the book. I love to see that so that is what made me give it the extra star.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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August 25, 2022I really liked this retelling! I´ve read many before that didn´t do the characters justice but this one wasn´t that at all. I was entertained while reading it and I throughly enjoyed seeing the Gorgon sisters´ relatioship development until the very end. I was not expecting that last twist but it made total sense in order to get that ending. I can´t wait for the follow up! My thanks to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 26, 2022
A superbly well-done retelling of the curse of Medusa. Ms. Brinker's descriptive writing style gives you the feeling of walking alongside Meridith in the scorching Arizona dessert, creating a clear picture in the mind's eye of her trials and triumphs during her journey. The cover art and title drew me in, and the relatable characters, fast-paced story, great plot kept me hooked until the very last sentence. I cannot wait to see where this story goes next.
August 22, 2022
Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.
I normally really enjoy mythological retellings but this one just wasn't hitting it for me. I felt like I was missing something while I was reading it. It had some interesting parts and some decent characters, just not what I was wanting.
I normally really enjoy mythological retellings but this one just wasn't hitting it for me. I felt like I was missing something while I was reading it. It had some interesting parts and some decent characters, just not what I was wanting.
August 24, 2022
This. Was. Incredible.
A retelling of Medusa, taking place in an Old West/Desert setting? Freaking loved it. I loved the magic system and all of the characters, I loved the genuine care all three sisters had for each other and I adored how the author brought in so many various elements from all of the different versions of the Medusa myth.
A retelling of Medusa, taking place in an Old West/Desert setting? Freaking loved it. I loved the magic system and all of the characters, I loved the genuine care all three sisters had for each other and I adored how the author brought in so many various elements from all of the different versions of the Medusa myth.
November 11, 2022
This cover is gorgeous!! But unfortunately this book had some issues with pacing and was a weird mash up of fantasy with the Wild West and it just didn't work out all that well for me. I think for this one it's a take it or leave it. I have to say that this cover just doesn't tell you what this book is about at all.
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