The Witch of Colchis - by Rosie Hewlett (Paperback)

About the Book

"Originally published as Medea in 2024 in the United Kingdom by Transworld, an imprint of Penguin Random House."

Book Synopsis

"A fiery and dramatic novel, starring one of mythology's most notorious women." -- Jennifer Saint, internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Atalanta

For readers of Costanza Casati and Circe comes a Medea like you've never known her before--a woman with improbable skill and the fiercest heart, held back by men who could never dream to deserve her.

A disgraced daughter. A fearsome witch.

A woman more myth than mortal.

Medea, princess of Colchis, longs for a different life. Since childhood, she has been shunned from her family, tormented by her people, and treated with shame. All because of a unique and dangerous talent: witchcraft.

But when a dashing young hero, Jason, arrives to claim the famed Golden Fleece, Medea sees her opportunity for escape. Her offer to help Jason sets in motion a journey that will test every ounce of strength, magic, and loyalty she has. A journey that will see her battle monsters, dethrone kings, and confront a love more brutal than any before.

A journey that will ultimately end in betrayal, bloodshed, and a dark power impossible to forget.

Review Quotes

"[An] astute and empathetic story of Medea...this superior retelling ranks with the best of its kind." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A truly engaging feminist story about love and hate and vengeance and magic. Medea's hardships, longing, and rage are wonderfully rendered on the page. The infamous sorceress comes to life with agency--as a complicated, strong, and terrible force to be reckoned with. The ultimate anti-heroine!" -- Chelsea Iverson, author of The Witches at the End of the World

"What's most powerful--and most heartbreaking--about Rosie Hewlett's The Witch of Colchis is its timelessness. Medea's story is 2,500 years old, but Hewlett's retelling resonates with urgency. With elegant prose and expertly crafted tension, the novel shows how years of abuse and toxicity lead to tragedy, and reminds the reader that we must offer our hand to the alone, the other, and the ostracized before it is too late." -- Lauren J. A. Bear, author of Medusa's Sisters

"A darkly brilliant re-imagining of Medea. Magical, murderous and very, very human." -- Angela "A.G." Slatter, award-winning author of The Briar Book of the Dead

"A moving story of deep love and deep betrayal, The Witch of Colchis is a gripping portrait of a woman pushed to the brink, a woman who will do anything to protect herself and those she loves--even if it destroys her. In this wonderful novel, Hewlett transforms the ghoulish villain of Medea into a complex woman fighting for her life in a world made for men and monsters." -- Megan Barnard, author of Jezebel

"A reflective, compassionate retelling of the story of Medea." -- Sarah Underwood, author of Lies We Sing to the Sea

"Dark, visceral, unrelenting, searing--it's the story of Medea we have been waiting for, and more. The female villain par excellence takes the stage to give her version of events, in a tale that is as gripping as it is powerful and uncompromising. Medea's journey from witch to queen to mother to murderer is the dark kernel of Greek myth, and Hewlett brings it to light with unflinching, raw power--demanding that we look at Medea with fresh eyes. I couldn't put it down." -- Emily Hauser, author of For the Most Beautiful

"Deliciously dark in its portrayal of obsession, manipulation and the terrible temptations of power, The Witch of Colchis is a compelling read, every bit as enthralling as its heroine." -- Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women

"Hewlett brings the story of Medea alive with poetry and verve, pointing out that our image of this monstrous woman was created by monstrous circumstances. Full of thwarted love and dark magic, this tale renders Medea sympathetic without ever sanitizing or sugarcoating her. Vivid and powerful, this is a book with teeth." -- Luna McNamara, author of Psyche and Eros

"A fiery and dramatic novel, starring one of mythology's most notorious women, this is a fascinating descent into darkness and a compelling portrayal of a toxic and tragic relationship. Rosie's Hewlett gives us flawed and intriguing characters who bring out the very worst in one another, spiralling inevitably towards a tragedy they can't seem to escape." -- Jennifer Saint, internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Atalanta

"An incredible tale of love and power as spellbinding and complex as Medea herself." -- Phoenicia Rogerson, the author of Herc

"So delightfully devastating! A deeply humanising, visceral portrayal of one of myth's most controversial figures, Rosie Hewlett's The Witch of Colchis explores the polarizing possibilities of humanity, from our capacity for pain and heartbreak to our potential for vengeance and retribution." -- Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen