The Shadow of Perseus

A study on the fragile male ego from the perspective of the women that need to do the emotional labor for it. Very good, very different!

Of all of the Greek mythology retellings, The Shadow of Perseus has been my favorite. I am inexplicably drawn to these stories even though they make me realize how little I actually know of their origins. 

The book follows Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda all relating to and interacting with Perseus in one way or another. Through their stories, a different picture of the epic hero is painted. Was his story truly one of heroism, or was it merely ego? Each of the women are presented in a different time of his life, starting with his mother Danae and with Medusa and Andromeda following in ways that haven't been seen before from what I can gather. 

I liked that each of the women had their own section of the book rather than it completely jumping around. It made it a smooth read and there wasn't any confusion. As has been the case with all of the other mythological retellings I've read, I'm realizing this is best appreciated with an extensive knowledge of the characters and their connections. The writing was engaging which kept me interested despite this. I found myself wanting to learn more about their backstories rather than waiting for the book to end. I was definitely still lost, but that is on me and not the story itself. 

A huge thanks to Dutton for reaching out and offering me a free ARC of this book through NetGalley to read and review!