I, Medusa - Large Print by Ayana Gray (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Ayana Gray comes a new kind of villain origin story, reimagining one of the most iconic monsters in Greek mythology as a provocative and powerful young heroine.

"Ayana Gray brings her fresh, dynamic storytelling to one of the most monstered, maligned, and misunderstood women of Greek myth, imagining all the girls that Medusa was and could have been."--Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne

Meddy has spent her whole life as a footnote in someone else's story. Out of place next to her beautiful, immortal sisters and her parents--both gods, albeit minor ones--she dreams of leaving her family's island for a life of adventure. So when she catches the eye of the goddess Athena, who invites her to train as an esteemed priestess in her temple, Meddy leaps at the chance to see the world beyond her home.

In the colorful market streets of Athens and the clandestine chambers of the temple, Meddy flourishes in her role as Athena's favored acolyte, getting her first tastes of purpose and power. But when she is noticed by another Olympian, Poseidon, the course of Meddy's promising future is suddenly and irrevocably altered.

When her locs are transformed into snakes as punishment for a crime she did not commit, Medusa must embrace a new identity--not as a victim, but as a vigilante--and with it, the chance to write her own story as mortal, martyr, and myth.

Exploding with rage, heartbreak, and love, I, Medusa portrays a young woman caught in the crosscurrents between her heart's deepest desires and the cruel, careless games the Olympian gods play.

Review Quotes

"Ayana Gray brings her fresh, dynamic storytelling to one of the most monstered, maligned, and misunderstood women of Greek myth, imagining all the girls that Medusa was and could have been."--Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne

"A vivid, searing reimagining of the infamous villain . . . By deftly peeling back the layers to reveal the young, misunderstood woman inside the legend, Ayana Gray has crafted a bold new classic as heartbreaking as it is hopeful."--Ann Liang, New York Times bestselling author of A Song to Drown Rivers

"A stunning reimagining of Greek mythology's most misunderstood villain."--K. X. Song, bestselling author of The Night Ends with Fire

"I, Medusa grips you from the first page, deftly exploring sisterhood, friendship, and the rage felt by unfairly maligned women all the way back to antiquity."--Sabaa Tahir, bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes

"Melodic and menacing, Gray's treatment of the Medusa myth is as tender as it is tragic. Few would meet Medusa's eyes, but in Gray's assured retelling, it is impossible to look away from her."--Roshani Chokshi, bestselling author of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride

"Deeply relevant to both the ancient and the modern worlds, I, Medusa packs a punch as hard as stone--yet still leaves room for the fragile joys of the mortal condition."--Samantha Shannon, bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

"Gray has granted us all a gift in this thoughtful and heartfelt retelling. But perhaps it is Medusa who has been given the greatest gift by Gray: a chance to tell her truth and be listened to--an opportunity so few Black women get. Vindication and vengeance are a heady mix."--Saara El-Arifi, bestselling author of Faebound

About the Author

Ayana Gray is a New York Times bestselling author. Her works have been translated into eleven languages across five continents. She currently lives and writes in Arkansas. I, Medusa is her adult debut.