2 Book Lovers Reviews
I really think that Greek Mythology makes great material for fiction. Let’s be honest, these really are tales that have stood the test of time. More often than not, the original sources don’t even agree on the story; this leaves plenty of room for a fiction author to really “make it their own.”
I was pretty stoked to read Medea’s story, or at least a modern retelling of it. I’ve always found that Medea really got the short end of the stick. Jason has to be the least “heroic” hero of all mythology; he really didn’t do jack squat on his own. He had three labours to obtain the Golden Fleece and he couldn’t have accomplished any of them without Medea; anything else the Argonauts did, well, don’t forget Heracles was there and he seems to be the hero trump card that gets them out of any trouble.
For me, the story of Medea is one of vengeance, taken for granted and thrown aside when a better offer comes along, Medea commits the ultimate crime, killing her own children (sorry if this is a spoiler for you, but it’s a really old story). I wanted to get more of the betrayal, the “justification” of Medea’s actions.
I found that Quin gave Medea a get-out-of-jail-free card. It just wasn’t what I wanted, I wanted Medea backed into a corner with no other options. I wanted to understand the sacrifice she made, and I wanted it to be a real sacrifice. Medea was a betrayed woman without options, that is the story I wanted to read. But the story wasn’t mine to tell. Quin embraced the story and did it her way.
*3.5 Stars