The Deep End of the Sea

by Heather Lyons

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Retellings, Young Adult, New Adult, Greek Mythology

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2014

About the author

Heather Lyons is known for writing epic, heartfelt love stories often with a fantastical twist. From Young Adult to New Adult to Adult novels—one commonality in all her books is the touching, and sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. In addition to writing, she's also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5

The girl whose beauty was once fabled became a horrifying monster.
Her legs twisted together into a reptilian beast. Her hair, so envied by women and the subject of many an ode by men, transformed into a nest of vipers.
I am the Gorgon Medusa. And my eyes can turn anything living to stone.

Percy Jackson's dad is not only guilty of being an absentee father, he is a rapist. The Gorgon Medusa knows it well; she is one of his victims.

This book is just so fucking good. So fantastically amazing. I'm practically allergic to giving 5 stars, but I can pretty much guarantee you that this ranks among one of my favorite books this year. I have scarcely read a retelling of modern-day Greek gods and goddesses that is more faithful to the original. I have scarcely encountered a character who is more sympathetic, so loveable, whose story is as heartbreaking as Medusa's.

Medusa's personality is amazing. She is so strong, yet so unsure of herself; so scared, so damaged from her past, so fearful to love, but never resistant to it. As a victim of rape, she hates herself, and she has to come to terms with the fact that she is a victim. Needless to say, I absolutely adored Medusa's character, and I'm not going to have a separate section on her character analysis or else this review will run the length of an entire book.

The Greek Gods may be deities, but they are quite human in their imperfection. Many of them are benevolent. Some of them are, gently put, petulant, sulky, fantastically moronic motherfuckers. Humans throughout the ages have suffered grievously at their hands. These poor mortals have been cursed, some justly, most unfairly, and nobody is less deserving of their punishment than Medusa.



Summary: You might have heard of Medusa. A terrifying creature with snakes upon her head. So monstrous that anyone who gazes upon her turns into stone. She was raped by Poseidon while serving as a maid to the goddess Athena. Instead of pitying Medusa, Athena scorned her, cursed her, doomed her to an eternity of misery and solitude.

So much for Athena's reputation as the Goddess of Wisdom.

Medusa's skin is lizard-like, she has a tail. Her head teems with slithering snakes. She calls her snakes "The Girls." The Girls may be snakes, but they are sweet, gentle creatures. They are oftentimes her only companion.

They are gentle creatures, individually named by me but normally referred to as a whole, since they intertwine together more often than not. More importantly, they abhor death just as avidly as I do.

Medusa is monstrous in appearance, but she is not a monster. Medusa is all too human at heart, she is kind, compassionate, she is gentle, loving. She hates being a monster.

And it sucks. It genuinely, truly, absolutely, unequivocally sucks. I hate stealing lives.
Thus, not only am I a monster, I’m a really lousy one. A lonely, classic Five Stages of Grief following, insecure, shut-in of a pathetic beast who talks to the snakes on her head and the statues on her island.

Medusa is still broken and haunted by her rape, 2000 years afterwards.

There are few who love her, looking like she does. Friendship is hard for one whose looks can kill. Even so, isolated on the Greek isle of Gorgona, Medusa leads a quiet life. She has two friends, a kindly, old, blind fisherman named Mikkos, and then there is the god Hermes.

Hermes is her best friend. The golden, kind, gentle (Vans sneaker-wearing) god is the only one who has sought her company and friendship throughout her curse. Hermes is kind, persistent. He seeks her out, he has never abandoned her.

I loathed and feared him at first, convinced he would abuse me like his relatives had, but he is a persistent thing. It took years—literally, hundreds of years—but he chipped away at my shell with acts of kindness small and large.

Hermes has a knight-in-shining armor thing going on.

He is always trying to right wrongs, save people, and make the world a better place, which is one of the things I love best about him.

And his latest mission, in fact, a mission he has been trying to accomplish ever since Medusa has been cursed---is to free her from her monstrous existence; Hermes intends to right a wrong that has been allowed to fester for too long.

“The simple fact is, my uncle raped you, and somehow my bat-shit insane sister blamed and cursed you for it happening in one of her temples. In no way did you deserve what happened to you.” He shakes his head slowly as he closes in on me. “You’ve born it better than any other person I could ever imagine. It’s time for it to end, though. I sorely regret not doing anything earlier.”

Medusa is scared, terrified at the prospect. She has suffered this punishment too long, she is too resigned to her miserable existence. Medusa does not dare to hope that she might regain a normal life. But maybe...after all these millenias, it is time to allow herself a spark of optimism.

Before—I had no say in my punishment. I’ve born it quietly.
Maybe it’s time I finally take a chance.

...and off they go to Olympus.

The Greek Pantheon is not altogether bad. They can be kind, and luckily for Medusa, they are reasonable. They realize that they're not perfect, and their sister, the goddess Athena...is kind of a bitch. How else do you explain the punishment, the shaming, the utter hatred of a girl who has been raped?

Athena is sitting next to Poseidon. Her hair is in a tight bun, her expression sour as she peers down at me. There is disdain there, and something else—something I can’t quite pinpoint. But whatever it is, I am more than aware of her revulsion, and it saddens me. I worshipped her. Served her. “How many times do I need to say it? The little whore got what she deserved.”

Luckily, Medusa has defenders. There are gods and goddesses who believe in her innocence. Like the fantastically awesome Hades, lord of the Underworld.

“Niece,” he stresses, mimicking her formality, “this isn’t the first time you’ve overstepped your bounds by punishing innocents; this one just so happens to be the last remaining victim. If you even try to spew that victim blaming crap again, I’ll take you down to the Underworld with me for a spell. Maybe then you can understand what true justice entails.”

That glorious motherfucker. LET ME LOVE YOU, HADES.

*ahem*

Medusa may be freed of her curse, but it's just the beginning. She has not been human in a long time. She has forgotten what it feels like to be freed. She has to learn to love again, to trust again, she has to undergo physical therapy...she needs to learn to be angry.

“Anger is good. I can work with anger. She doesn’t need your coddling, Nymph-girl. She needs somebody to help her kick some ass.” His lips curl so high that I swear, the corner of one side of his mouth closes in on an ear. “And I can do that.”

Enemies from her past resurfaces, and as good as her current life is in Olympus, peace doesn't come without a price. There are people who want their vengeance.

But Medusa has allies now, she has friends, she is no longer alone. She has a lover who will not give up on her.

Another kiss, a light brush across the center of my lips. “I will fight for us, Medusa. I will not give up. Please do not give up on yourself, either. Never forget that I love you. Never forget that you mean everything to me.”
Our foreheads touch. “I love you. Hold onto that. I did not wait two thousand years for your love only to lose it so easily.”

The Setting & The Writing: It is modern time, and the setting works perfectly. Medusa is isolated, but she knows about the modern world, she has technology, gifts from the outside world brought to her by her friend Hermes. He can travel the world outside, she cannot; he brings the world to her.

The gods and goddesses of Greek mythology have grown, adapted to their time. They live in Mount Olympus, and they have modern technology (Hades uses an iPad). They have grown perfectly to fit the modern era. They are not so incongruous with the time at all.

The setting is a modern-day imagining of Olympus, and it fits perfectly. Olympus is a city, beyond the reach of mortals. There is technology in it, there are modern shops and restaurants in it. It is populated by nymphs, gods and goddesses, satyrs and centaurs. Welcome to the 21st century.

The writing flows perfectly. It is evocative, it reaches emotional depths. Medusa's narrative is in first-person, and it is modern enough, although rather formal, and it never feels inconsistent or out of place. The writing is absolutely spot-on.

The Greek Pantheon: I found the portrayal of the Greek gods and goddesses very authentic to the originals. Let's get the big issue over with: the portrayal of Athena as an insane batshit. This is controversial, but I accept it. For one thing, it is true that in Greek mythology, Athena cursed poor Medusa to be monstrous, despite the fact that the girl did nothing wrong. Therefore, the portrayal of Athena as less-than-flattering in this book is completely acceptable to me. I agree with Hades' assessment of his sister.

“For somebody who is supposedly the bastion of wisdom,” Hades continues darkly, “you do a piss-poor job of exhibiting it yourself.”

As well as Hermes'.

His voice matches mine. “No. It’s like I said—she’s insane. Her being named the purveyor of wisdom is one of the greatest of cosmic jokes.”

The gods and goddesses are modernized, as fitting the time, but the main aspects of their personality remains very true. Zeus is pretty awesome. And totally chill.

He is lounging in his throne, dressed in a t-shirt, torn shorts, and flip-flops. There is no beard, no mustache—just sandy hair and weathered, tan skin.

The gods are reasonable. They squabble among themselves, like a big, boisterous Greek family.

“Cease your frivolity, cow,” Athena hisses at her sister.
“How delightful. Your daughter strives to show example of my words,” Hades says, this time to Zeus.
“Athena, shut it, will you?” Zeus snaps. An exasperated sigh escapes from his lips as he kneads his forehead. Hermes was certainly right on this account—the Assembly loves to bicker.

We meet so many of the gods and goddesses. We get to know Persephone and Hades as Medusa lives with them for awhile. Hades likes coffee, Persephone hates it. Hades and Persephone loves each other, despite what Medusa knew of them from legends.

It is obvious he and Persephone are deeply in love, which is yet another surprise. Like most everyone, I’ve read the stories of how he’d kidnapped her and held her against her will half the year in the Underworld. Only, Persephone doesn’t act like a kidnapped victim ought to act; that, or she’s an excellent actress who suffers heavily from Stockholm syndrome. She dotes on his words, as he does to hers.

There is Aphrodite and her husband, Hephaestus. Aphrodite is wonderful, gorgeous; as kind as she is beautiful.

I so loved the way the gods and goddesses are written in this book.

The Romance: There is a romance in this book, and it is completely understandable. The love in this book comes pretty fast, but it develops from friendship, from a history of knowing each other for thousands of years. I understand it, I support it, and I completely adore the couple.

And I want to give Medusa a hug for daring to love again, for finding the strength to look for love and to accept it after the traumatic events of her rape.

He murmurs sweet words of comfort, ones that do not rush me to wrap up nor belittle me for my outburst. And I know, just know, in this moment that I love him. That I am in love with him.
That I have been for a long time and too blind to see it before now.

And he, in turns, is the best of lover, the most wonderful, compassionate, loving of friends.

“You have a goodness in you others would have long let die away in such circumstances. This is what I fell in love with. Not your body—which, I won’t lie, I enjoy very much, or your beautiful hair (because you know I most certainly was fascinated with your snakes, too), or those eyes of yours I find myself so easily lost in on a regular basis. Dusa, I love you. Who you are."

This is such a wonderful book.

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Stars



This book was released in 2014, so I am a little late to the party.

That being the case, I am sure there are already some super awesome reviews out there for this so I will (attempt) to keep this short.



This book is a spin on classic Greek Mythology.
And super fucking fun.

Being that I was was an English major back in the day...I read my fair share of English Literature, American Literature, Shakespearean Literature...



...and EVERY word of Paradise-Death-By-Iambic-Pentameter-Lost (which I actually enjoyed immensely due to an AMAZEBALLS professor. So much so that it remains a favorite and I have a line from it desecrating the Val temple).

But anyTMI.

I also read A LOT of Greek Mythology.

And - as confusing as it sometimes could be with all the names and the crossovers - I really enjoyed it.

So when I randomly saw this book last week - and saw that it was a take on Medusa in an alternate book universe where THIS didn't happen...




(Sorry Brit Brit)

I thought this book might prove to be mildly amusing.

Boy, was I surprised with how much I enjoyed this.

I love how the author took mythology and put her own twists on it - twists I really liked.

This book was obviously based on Ovid's version of the Medusa story, but Lyons was able to take the "character" of Medusa - usually seen as being a murderous monster - and make her more human, more likeable.

In fact, in this book, Medusa is a really GOOD person with a really honorable heart. You are rooting for her throughout the entire book - which I thought was fun. Rooting for Medusa. Who would have thought?

Anyway, after finishing this, I immediately ran to GR to see if there were any other books in this series. Sadly, it looks like this is the only one.

I wish she had a book about Hades and Persephone too. I LOVED them in this.

Oh well, though.

In the end, I really enjoyed this book and it completely rekindled my dormant interest in mythology.

So if anyone has any rec's for me, shoot me a message! (Especially YOU, Ana!)

Other than that, as promised...

THE CUP COUNT:
-One medium, iced, no sugar added mocha latte from the Coffee Bean (have one, it will change your life)...
-With one bottle of "Tropic Thunder" pressed juice...AKA some fancy, overpriced fad juice made from Kale, Spinach, Romaine, and some other shit I would never ingest in one sitting unless some smarty pants hipster had decided to make his or her organic juice dreams become reality.
(I didn't even want to vomit, so I consider this a win.)

PS...It's a good thing we aren't doing a Sir Handyman Cup Count because that would be THREE Jack Daniels's and lemonade (of the Crystal Light variety - try it and save yourself some calories).

Before 9am.

On a Monday...LOLZ.



And NO, he's not an alcoholic either, people.
Homeslice works graveyards and just finished five 12 hour shift days IN. A. ROW.
So he be celebrating.
And is now passed out sleeping.

*For the story behind the Cup Count, see HERE.

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!

Love mythology? I recommend this book.
Hate mythology? I recommend this book.
Don’t care about mythology? I recommend this book
Need a new book to read? I recommend this book.

Anyways, this is such a fantastic standalone – possibly my favorite book for May! Although this story revolves around Greek mythology I would classify this book as both fantasy and contemporary – if you took away the mythology aspect, this story would read as any other contemporary romance and for me that was a plus  The author styled the book in a way where both mythology lovers and readers not familiar and/or don’t like mythology would be able to relate to characters and not feel lost. The important thing to remember is this is not a book where you get a lesson on the family tree of Greek gods and goddesses – at the heart of the story is an epic romance between a wronged woman and a noble, kind-hearted deity who has always been there for her.



For me, this book was both enlightening and enjoyable. Growing up, I was taught and instructed about certain ways of the gods & goddesses – deities that the old myths and textual content deemed to be “good” or “bad.” While I read this book, all the prior bias I had towards certain deities vanished. The author constructed these characters that broke down that bias – Athena isn’t the usual high & mighty wise goddess, Poseidon, though a powerful god of the seas, isn’t so well-respected, Hades isn’t a dark, gloomy god of death, etc…Does the author twist around Greek mythology? Yes, but in a way that’s completely believable and specific to the purposes of this story. It’s a fine line for readers – you’re either going to love it or think the author butchered it, but the one thing we can all agree on no matter how different our interpretations are is that Heather Lyons was able to create and mold these characters that genuinely reflected her vision for the story, not just go by what history and mythology dictated was accurate.



Medusa is like any other simple girl except for one thing – she’s extraordinarily beautiful. She catches the attention of Poseidon, god of the sea, and thinking she loves him and vice versa, she doesn’t count on him raping her. On top of which, after losing her virginity the goddess she previously served Athena curses her and turns her into the hideous Gorgon Medusa and anyone who looks her in the eye will be turned to stone.

What I love so much about Medusa is how well-rounded her character is: she’s understandably hurt and weak from suffering her punishment for 2000 years, yet she’s never once let what happened to her change her kind heart and diminish her inner strength. Because of her ability to turn the living into stone, she rejects any contact from the outside world, save a old blind man and the deity Hermes.




Hermes is a wise, outspoken, and noble deity – he is the nephew of Poseidon and Athena’s brother so I was expecting Medusa to hate him. But as time goes by, Hermes shows Medusa little by little that there are good gods in Olympus and that he’s on her side, truly believing that what his uncle and sister did to Medusa was unjust and he sets off to right this wrong.

The BEST part about this book was having the characters prove me and my previous biases wrong again and again – the author portrayed these gods and goddesses in a way you just wouldn’t expect in Greek mythology textbooks. So Hades, god of the underworld, isn’t a shady & gloomy god – who would’ve thought that? I can’t emphasize this enough – at the heart of the book is a romance story, not another adaptation of Greek mythology. The romance isn’t shallow or unbelievable; in fact I could really relate to her, despite this all taking place in Olympus. The setting is in modern times so there is wifi, shopping malls, etc…and for me that made it all the more easier to put the story and romance into perspective.

Of course, the book wasn’t perfect and I had intended to give this book 6 stars as it hit all the right buttons. However, there are a number of grammatical/editing errors, nothing too serious but noticeable enough. Another thing was – Medusa on her own was a weak character BUT I could see why for the first 50%. After all this is a woman who’s lived in isolation for 2000 years and pretty much lost sense of how the world works. But together with Hermes, they are such a strong team; in fact they shined and I don’t think anyone can resist that kind of love or power, certainly not me. So for the author to give me such a unique and different story and for portraying that kind of epic love that made me teary-eyed every so often, I can’t give this book less than 5 stars – my heart won’t allow it.

[Rachel L · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!!

This book BLEW. ME. AWAY. I know this book only came out a few months ago, but I am bewildered that this book isn’t a phenomenon online, because it really is that wonderful!

A modern day retelling of the Greek myth of Medusa, we discover that after suffering at the hands of someone she had trusted, Medusa is betrayed by the god she worshiped and cursed into being a monster. For over 2,000 years Dusa has remained isolated on an island, tortured by the guilt of accidentally killing men who came to slay her when she accidentally met their eyes.

“I am a monster. The worst kind of monster. The kind that people have told stories about for thousands of years. The kind that daredevils will seek out, even though many believe I’m nothing more than a myth.”

Dusa’s only solace is the visits from her friend Hermes, who desperately wants to right the wrongs done to Dusa by his family.

“My best friend is beautiful. I am so, so incredibly fortunate he never allowed me to push him away. I do not know what I would do without him.”

Medusa is one of my favorite female characters I’ve read in a long time. She is so strong to have lived 2,000 years suffering at the hands of Athena and Poseidon, and while she may be physically weak at times, she always gets back up and fights in the only ways she knows how to. While she often looks back at her life with some regret and sadness, she never, ever came across as whiny to me. Bravo Ms. Lyons for managing to create a lady we can all look up to, and one who doesn’t whine her way through her hardships but deals with them the best way she can.

The love story between Hermes and Medusa is one of the sweetest love stories I have ever read. Hermes is one of the best book boyfriends I have read. A Hermes fan club was mentioned, and I want to know… where I can sign up?!

“‘I adore you’ he whispers hoarsely. ‘There’s only ever been you for me.’”

“I love you. Do you understand that? I love you. That is not going to change, not ever. When we finally fall in love, it’s forever love. Even if you decide one day that you do not love me anymore, I will still always feel this way for you.”

Athena’s unjust actions toward Medusa is a perfect example of rape culture and how people often turn the victims of rape into monsters; in this case, literally so. I was especially sickened by Poseidon’s actions and further more creeped out when he truly believed that he and Medusa were lovers. To me he represented the ways of the past when people thought actions like his were okay, taking away the choices of women because they thought they knew what was best for them.

Overall I was enraptured by this book and couldn’t put it down. This is one of those special books in this genre that doesn’t come around very often, so I implore you, read this. You won’t regret it.

Lastly, one of my all time favorite quotes from this book:

“Change happens to us whether we like it not. Sometimes it’s for the good, sometimes for the worse, and sometimes, you have no control over it, despite just how desperate you may be to do so. Yet, it is in all our natures to try to bring about the change we wish for.”

Review originally posted at: http://rachelsreadsravenously.wordpre...

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 GREEK STARS! ★★★★☆



"I love you. Hold onto that. I did not wait two thousand years for your love only to lose it so easily."

In the name of almighty Zeus, this. book. is. AMAZING. What an absolutely unique concept that breathes life into the Greek mythology. This book is like a birthchild of what happens when mythology meets contemporary and being a fan of this subject, I was completely enthralled by this read.



The Deep End of the Sea is the modern day retelling of the Greek myth, Medusa. Remember the legend of the lady with a hair of snakes and a single look into her eyes will turn anyone into stone? Yup we're talking about the same lady. Once a mortal, Medusa had worshipped Athena but a tragic event had left her being cursed. Thus, turning her into a monster and had her exiled to an island for almost 2,000 years. The freedom she longed to seek has never seemed so real until the day her best friend, Hermes attempts to free her from the curse.

“I am a monster. The worst kind of monster. The kind that people have told stories about for thousands of years. The kind that daredevils will seek out, even though many believe I’m nothing more than a myth.”

I loved how Medusa was being portrayed in this one. For starters, she wasn't what I expected her to be at all as the myth creature itself is nothing like her. She feels remorse for her accidental kills and despite being isolated for 2,000 years, I've never met a woman as strong-willed as her. Although she came off as psychically weak, do not be mistaken by the fighter spirit she has in her. Her character appealed to me in many ways that I simply couldn't not love her.

And sweet loving God that is Hermes. My insides completely turns into goo thinking about him. Hermes is the exact definition of my book boyfriend; caring and loyal and protective and OH SO CHARMING THAT IT MELTS MY HEART. All those beautiful words he uttered every single time, I just want to lock them in a jar and keep with me forever ♥

"When we fall in love, it’s forever love. Even if you decide one day that you do not love me anymore, I will still always feel this way for you."

What I really enjoyed a lot about this read is the modern twist that the author brought into an ancient mythology. It's done brilliantly in a way that even if you removed the Greek element from the story, it'll still be an amazing contemporary love story taking place in the modern world. Having that mythology element there was definitely a plus for me.

Heather Lyons simply breathes life into these characters and portrays them so differently that constantly leaves me in awe. Even Hades, the God of the Underworld is one of the most likeable characters in this read. I know, what a shocker! But it simply works in this book and I love that I'm being surprised by it.



The dynamic between all the Greek gods was an interesting one to read about and I admit that at times, it felt rather comical to see how the Gods are acting like mortals with fancy cars and going shopping.



Overall this certainly proved to be an out-of-the-box read and one that you will almost never come across for being so unique. I was completely mindblown towards the end of the read and it's SO RARE that a contemporary read could achieve that! Despite some spelling/editing errors, I was not robbed of the pure enjoyment I got out of this read.

Heather Lyons spun a beautiful love story that will have you swooning and leaving you to melt in a puddle of sweet feels. Her characters were well-written and there were moments that left my heart pacing. Whether you're a fan of Greek mythology or not, I believe that this story will appeal to everyone alike as long you're a romance junkie.

"I will wish, however, that someday you will experience love for yourself. Love makes every misery, every struggle, every moment of life worth it."

[Natalie Monroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm probably going to be kicked out of the cool kids' club for saying this, but: Ididn'treallylikethisbook.

I agree that The Deep End of the Sea has a beautiful, beautiful theme and beautiful, beautiful writing. It has beautiful, beautiful characters who defy stereotypes and a beautiful, beautiful twist on Greek mythology.



But that's the thing. I don't like how this book handled Greek mythology. Or how it reads more like an edgy contemporary than a book based on Greek mythology.

Now before you bring out your torches and pitchforks, let me clarify by saying that I love the overarching theme. It's about healing from a traumatic incident or in Medusa's case, moving on from getting raped by Poseiden all those years ago. It's lovely and very well-done. There's also friendship, and love, and sexy time.



However, if you take out the elements of Greek mythology, this book would still read exactly the same. Sure, it's a wonderful spin on the Medusa myth, but the elements technically don't need to be there. And if you do choose to put them in there, I want it to be the headliner. I want epic quests, warring sides a la the Trojan War, sword fights...something to make them stand out as Greek gods and not just plain, old humans.



They're just so boring! They go out, eat dinner, shop. Yet somehow they have vast amounts of cash. Yes, I know they're gods and I'm just nitpicking now, but I can't help but compare them to the sad cardboard vampires of Twilight. We know they're vampires, but they never act anything akin to vampires of folklore.



I'm all for being creative, but the groundwork is there for a reason, peeps. Use it.

And speaking of being creative, this book utterly butchered Greek mythology.



I am a Greek mythology buff. Have been ever since I picked a copy of Greek myths in elementary school and still am. That's why I abhor books that don't get it right *cough*The Goddess Test. The gods are not the wonderful souls you see in this book. Although I applaud Lyons for breaking stereotypes like the broody Hades, slutty Aphrodite, wonderful, can-do-no-wrong Athena (she's a bitch here), they are not like that. They are fickle, bitchy and bipolar. In short, they are assholes. Every single one of them. For every wonderful thing they do or stand for (i.e Artemis is the pinnacle of girl-power), there's an equally as dastardly thing (i.e After Artemis found out one of her hunters was raped, thus no longer a virgin, she killed her). That's why I don't buy the all-round nice guy Hermes here. Yes, I know the gods are repenting after all these years, but why does he have to be so fucking perfect? And if I have to read one more line about how beautiful he is...



Plus, I'm not buying the whole constant factor when in the gods' relationships. If gods only ever fall in love once, then you might as well rip out two-thirds of the Greek mythology tapestry because that shit would be obsolete.



And what was all that crap with Athena being in love with Poseidon. I'm sorry, but that's where I draw the line. First off, Athena as a maiden goddess would never do that. And even if she did (because some accounts claim that Athena had a child with Odysseys), she wouldn't fall for Poseidon whom she argued with over Athens.
This is how it should be:

Not this:


Wow, this review turned out a lot more ranty than I expected. But I would recommend this book to those who seeking a lovely edgy contemporary with a Greek mythology twist. But if you're like me and looking for your next Percy Jackson fix, stay well away.

[Susana · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

TW's: Rape

There are stories that you know hope you are going to love: this was one of them.
From the synopsis to the first pages of this book, I knew I was going to devour this!

It’s a beautiful sight, which only saddens me, because all of that talk about death and beauty being intertwined is one of the biggest loads of crap I’ve ever heard. Death isn’t beautiful. Too often than not, it’s messy and brutal; even when done in sleep, there’s still that theft of breath, that failure of a heart. Death is an act of violence.
I should know. I am one of the most prolific murderers in history. And I think about death constantly.

And I definitely would have loved this, if all of a sudden the story hadn't changed to a YA/ new adult (with traces of cheesy) romance.

All I can think is, stars above, I am so incredibly blessed to have this man in my life.

Don't get me wrong. I like to read romance just like everyone else, but when a story is supposed to be about a character's growth, a character who has been raped and mistreated by almost every one else who has come into contact with her, you bet I am going to get angry if I only get people telling that girl (I don't care about the two thousand years old she has in her, she reads as a sixteen year old)what to do!
And that is what happens in this story: Not for once do I see Medusa acting like an assertive woman.
Not for once does she feel grow-up to me. Something that ends up being even more problematic when she starts being sexual active with... you know who.

For me this book suffers from something I like to call "multiple personality book disorder" (I really should create a shelf for these books).
This is supposed to be a mythology retelling. Instead all I got from it was a teen soap opera. When you have Gods and Goddesses behaving as fluffy kittens out of some Regency novel, things are bound to get strange.
And boring...

Zeus in flip flops and shorts?
Aphrodite acting like some sort of romantic saint?
Hades consulting his Ipad while throwing amused glances to his wife, the lovely Persephone?
Athena acting like someone who needs a straitjacket?
Poseidon, the crazy obsessed rapist?
Could all of these characters be more one dimensional?
I don't think so.

I swear that I never thought I would encounter such an amount of giggling, eye rolling, blushing and snorting amongst these Greek divinities.
It got embarrassing to read... and boring :/
So, for the mythology part? This gets a zero.

This story was supposed to be about Medusa, and it was, up until the moment the curse is removed.
Way to soon in my opinion. When she loses her "monster body" and "her girls"( the snakes) she also loses her identity. From that moment on, until the very last page, we get treated to how sweet and kind Medusa (Dusa)flourishes among her friends' care.
Everyone decides every single thing for her! From what she should do to what she should wear. o_O
I just wanted to scream at the girl: Get a Backbone!

Much has been talked about the romance, and I agree, Hermes is a great guy( he would have been greater, if he had kept himself ensconced in the story's background).
And we get treated to that... a lot. I lost count to the amount of times Medusa tells us about his current eye colour: more green... more blue... more green again...
Like I said, her mental processes read as those of a young teen falling in love for the first time.
Which she does.
I guess this being a New Adult story explains all of that.

Towards the end, the drama and angst level got to such proportions that I really had to force myself to keep reading this!
Medusa ends up being the lost daughter of Hades and Persephone, which would made Hermes her uncle, but don't worry, Gods DNA have this wonderful ability to change, so in the end they don't share any DNA! Yay, for love! -_-

Too long and filled with unnecessary details, this ended being a chore to finish.

[Jilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well we all knew the Greek gods were crazy, vengeful, MF's, right? But, who knew that Medusa was a poor victim rather than a hideous monster? Not me. I read the mythological version of her story and it says that she was Athena's handmaiden who, after taking a vow of celibacy, fell in love with Poseidon and married him - leading to her curse by Athena for breaking her vow. But, the writer of that myth was a filthy liar! Typical misogynistic blaming the victim mentality of history. Yeah, and I'm sure the cavemen knocking the women over the head were just "marrying" their willing wives as well. How beautiful...Not! jerks. No, Poseidon was a crazy mofo who raped Medusa and she took the blame and a horrible punishment.

Two thousand years later, we meet up with Medusa. She is on a hidden island, living her life, with a blind old Greek sailor friend and her best friend, Hermes, as her only occasional companions. She has a hard time dealing with the fact that she has killed people and is very girlish. Very angsty. That was the only thing that threw me off, if anything. You would think that she would toughen up after two thousand years, but she is a sweet and sensitive soul. This is why Hermes is determined to go to Zeus to get her curse reversed.

Hermes, in this story, is awesome. He is like Colin Firth in Bridget Jones's Diary when he says, "I love you just the way you are." Swoon-worthy. Let's get some sort of visual, shall we:


"But, that is Thor, Jilly, he's not Greek, he's Norse!" Shush, dear girl... just enjoy the view... but, if you are a stickler for the Greek thing, I will have to pull out my old favorite (it's under my pillow). Oh, darn. I hate to have to do. Really hate to. But, I want to be as authentic as possible:


Better? Oh, yeah. Now, what were we talking about again?

They book! yes! It is mainly a love story, and a very sweet one. But, I do want to give a couple of warnings. I don't think it is for young teens because there is sex in it. And, there is the rape of Medusa, though not described in detail, she suffers a lot of PTSD. But, the story is so unique and beautiful and awesome that I would recommend it for anyone else. Really a great book!

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Words: Greek, gods, love, lust, power.

My favourite parts of this book were the beginning and the end. Because they are masterfully written.

I was apprehensive when I started this - you just have to look at how I reacted to the Starcrossed series to know what can happen when someone messes with something I know and love (Greek Mythology). But this is done so well. The way it is written, the reasons given for the changes, this is a wonderful story which I loved from start to finish.

Heather Lyons takes Ovid's story of Medusa, and everything that was wrong about it, and brings her some justice.

This story is hard to read at times, but push through. It's really a story of girl power, of springing back up and being strong. I was smiling by the end. I think because of the rage I felt (mostly at Poseidon and Athena) I ended up feeling pretty good by the end, with a smile on my face.

[Irina Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will you look at that - I'm the odd one out once again.

This tastes like New Adult. Is it just me who's under this impression, or was it actually marketed as YA? Because that's what I was expecting, but not what I got.

Don't get me wrong - it's good. I really enjoyed it. But all the cool reviewers fangirled over it, and I'm stuck wondering why I'm the only one who wasn't wowed.

To start on a positive note, I do love the idea behind this novel for the most part. One thing didn't sit well with me though.
When I was younger, I used to want to be Athena. I took online quizzes to see which Greek goddess I resembled the most, and squeed when I got her. I knew everything about her. (I've forgotten most of it, but that's because the great quantities of mathematic knowledge I'm ammassing are pushing everything else out of my brain. Oh, no, wait - I'm failing Maths. My bad.) So when I realised she'd been cast as the main evil, vindictive bitch in this book, I squinted and curled my lip and tried to keep an open mind, because I know that I can enjoy anything if it's done well. But what can I say - this was kinda half-assed. It's like Lyons thought "Oh, Athena is the goddess of wisdom? Let's make her crazy then! Canon rejection equals creativity, right?". Nope. And that is why this Athena ended up being more of a caricature than an actual antagonist.

Oh, Lyons is creative. It's a creative story. Deliciously creative. In the same way soap operas are.
I kid you not: there are lost children, repudiated relatives, roundhouse kicks, millions in the bank and repeated rape attempts. Also a lot of crying. A lot of crying.
It's not that I don't get why Dusa would cry so much - I mean, hello, ex-monster on Olympus, what's up? - but all the quiet, intense introspection that I was anticipating and that would have made everything so much more relatable was replaced by stale cries of self-pity and self-hatred interspersed with motivational jingles from every corner.

The romance is heartwarming, but superficial (don't tell me you talk for hours and it's so wonderful - just fucking talk and let me be the judge), and the side characters are amusing and likeable, but often monodimensional.

The writing flows quite smoothly, but at times it feels a little unedited, if you will. Dusa's speech is part modern, part archaic, with no discernible causes for the change, and the narration in general made me itch with the need to tweak sentences and specify details.

Take this glossary entry:

Tartarus - The area where wicked people end up in the Underworld in Greek mythology.

First off, are you talking down to me, Lyons? Because I feel like you're talking down to me. I do know what Tartarus is, and if someone doesn't, it might be a good idea to let the fact that they have to look it up tell them they need to take a break from romance and get cultured.
Secondly - "wicked people"? Really? Isn't that a bit black-and-white? But that's a recurring issue in the book, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see it pop up in the glossary too.

One of the things that make this novel more NA that YA (other than the protagonist's age, 23. Or 2000, depending on how you want to see it) are the sex scenes, which are more explicit than they usually are in the second category. And yet they feel almost prudish at the same time.
[One tip for aspiring writers (and published writers who could do so much better): never call a man's dick "need". That's a turn off, in that it turns me off the whole book.]
On that note, I would like to point out how much that random half-assed explanation on spontaneous DNA alterations in the gods' cells bugged me. Oh, you want to avoid the sticky subject of potential incestuous relationships? Spare me. For one, you don't have to write about it. Most people don't even realise it's a thing that happens. For two, that's forced as hell. I mean, it's well known that Zeus and Hera are siblings as well as spouses - why try to make up some whacky explanation to make it socially acceptable? They're gods. Our rules don't apply.

I'm a ranter. I bitch and I criticise - that's just who I am. But that doesn't mean I didn't have a lot of fun reading this, so if you're intrigued, do give it a shot. It will probably make you cringe at some point, but you'll also most likely smile quite a few times.

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love makes every misery, every struggle, every moment of life worth it.

NO BECAUSE THE WAY THAT LAST SCENE HAPPENED IN PARIS AND THEN "PARIS" BY TS STARTED PLAYING WHILE I WAS READING IT🥹🥹🥹 coincidence? I think not

this was such a beautifully written journey for medusa i am in absolute awe with the way the author wrote her story healing as a survivor of SA. this not a plot driven story at all, its all about medusa and complete character focused <3

"I want to spend my life with you, if you'll let me. I want to spend forever with you. I don't care if you are mortal, immortal, or a so-called ex-monster. I just want you."

AND THE ROMANCE. HERMES IS PERFECT HERE I ADORE HIM. hermes being the most supportive and sweetest best friend and lover to medusa i- just like wow his lines and literally everything he did for her🥹. when i tell you there was absolutely nothing to hate him about him... and also hades and persephone <3 theyre all too adorable istg


only one thing really had me like🤨 because it seemed very unbelievable if youre familiar with greek mythology but im willing to ignore that since i loved everything else !!

my only complaint is that this felt way too short i need more😭😭 can i one day meet someone like hermes please

[Varsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of you who are familiar with Greek mythology are aware of Medusa. A woman cursed by Athena and turned into a snake headed monster whose eyes could turn anyone to stone.
Heather Lyons has taken this same Medusa's legend and has turned it into a wonderful and heartfelt story of redemption, hope, love and friendship. And I love this book. Forced myself to stay up through my constant headache just to finish it.

“I am a monster. The worst kind of monster. The kind that people have told stories about for thousands of years. The kind that daredevils.. seek out, even though many believe I’m nothing more than a myth. I am the Gorgon Medusa. And my eyes can turn anything living to stone.”

Medusa might have been a monster in appearance but her heart was gentle. Right in the beginning of the story, we see her wallow in guilt because of the people who have lost their lives due to her curse. For about two thousand years she's lived alone in a remote island haunted by gruesome memories. She has two friends who visit her occasionally, the blind old man Mikkos and Hermes(yes the god Hermes) who doesn't seem to care about the risk of death but for her and only her.
Just a few chapters in and all I wanted to do was hug Medusa and tell her everything would be alright. I wanted to put her in a safe bubble and protect her. She's so strong, yet unaware of it and so hesitant to trust and love again and that's completely understandable. She struggles to come to terms with her past and learns to trust other people.


Hermes is Medusa's best friend and oh man do I love him. He's that sort of a person who goes out of his way to make other people happy but he doesn't trust easily. After seeing Medusa suffer for centuries, he finally decides it's time to change that and brings her case to the Assembly. Thanks to him, and a few other gods(mainly Hades) Medusa is given a second chance at living.
Its clear to the readers that Hermes is hopelessly in love with Dusa(Hermes' name for her) but it takes sometime for her to realize that. I loved how their friendship blossomed into love and Medusa learnt to trust someone else. What I liked a lot is the fact that Hermes was initially attracted to Medusa's personality; her kindness and compassion long before her curse was removed.

“What kind of so-called monster weeps like her heart had shattered and never would form whole again?… I knew from that very second I heard your anguish. I’m afraid I was lost to you from that moment on. I had to discover all that made you you.”

I loved how the Greek gods were portrayed in this book. They're human by nature and many mortals have suffered at their hands. As much as I loved their portrayal, I truly hated Athena and Posiedon and for most part of the book, I just couldn't understand why these two couldn't let go of something that happened two thousand years back. I've read many books based on Greek mythology and this is the first time I've hated some of the gods.
In contrast to those two, we have Hades and Persephone and I loved them. I loved how these two supported Medusa and were trying to right the wrongs of their crazy siblings. I also loved their back story. Aphrodite and Hephaestus too were charming together.

Until this book, I never really gave much thought to Medusa because she was always the villain but now, seeing her as the victim has changed my perception of her. I absolutely loved her character in this book and never will I ever be able to see her as anything other than the Dusa Heather Lyons has created.

[Gelisvb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once upon a time in Greece, lived a girl who had no particular gift, but one: she was beautiful.
She didn't care about beauty, so she decided to become one of the Athena servants in a temple where her beauty wouldn't count.
Until nne day she met a man, a man who became her friend, one to whom she could talk and didn't seem to care about her beauy.
But that man was Poseidon and he did her care about her beauty enough to rape her.
Athena, accusing her of having been unclean and having dishonored her temple, punished her by transforming her in a monster and exiling her in an island.
Two thousond years pass and her best friend decide that her unjust punishment needs to come to an end.
These are the first fifteen pages.
I'm not kidding.
The problem is that basically everything interesting happens in the fists 20 pages of the book.
This book would have been so much better if, instead of being a sequel to the story of Medusa, it had been a retelling.
Here gods work on their ipad and the goddesses organize parties and go shopping on Olympus.
Goodesses go shopping and Gods work on ipads.

Am I the only one that see how ridiculous this is?

And Afrodite who asks Dusa (yeah) to call her "Dite"? And Hades calling Perephone "Peri"?
And Dusa(sigh) who goes to Jackson and she subscribe to a self defense course to kick Poseidone's ass next time she sees him?
And the epilogue?(Oh, God, the epilogue!)
Ah, before you ask: this is not a funny retelling a la Percy Jeckson.
This is serious.

So no. This is kind of bad (two stars because the love story is not bad, if you don't mind the knight in shining armor plotline)
I'm very disappointed because I liked the Collector society serie from the same author (really, I can't understand how the same person who has created the uber kickass Alice could create Dusa).
If you are into ancient greek Gods in modern world, skip this and go for Gods Behaving Badly, that is wonderfully ironic.

[-ya · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-stars
The premise is intriguing, but this book is really like a typical NA romance with Greek mythology ...in name only.

The main characters come across as one-dimensional.
It has cheese and sweetness in the romance. Lots of giggling and blushing too.

Ultimately, the character development and dialogue fall flat for me.

[Hersh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one main factor that made this book stand out is the usage of Greek Mythology. This book could have been another typical contemporary novel but like I said, the supernatural elements made this book stand out and enjoyable to read.



"I am a monster. The worst kind of monster. The kind that people have told stories about for thousands of years.
I am the Gorgon Medusa. And my eyes can turn anything living to stone."

Meet Medusa , whom we all miscalculated to be a nasty villain. In this book, she's definitely not a villain who enjoys killing innocent people. She actually cries when someone has been turned to stone because of her. She feels remorse. She's human despite her monstrous appearance. So, how did she become a monstrous creature, you ask?

Remember Percy Jackson's father, Poseidon? Apparently, he has a thing for pretty women and he is also deaf because he can never get the message that one is not interested in him. What I'm trying to say is that Poseidon is a rapist. And Athena is insane.

Long story short, Medusa was raped by Poseidon and Athena cursed her.

That's what I meant by 'Athena's insane'. See, being raped is not Medusa's fault at all. She didn't willingly give herself and she was forced but unfortunately thickhead Athena thought Medusa had defiled her temple (Medusa was a worshiper of Athena and worked in her temple) and cursed her.

Medusa has been living her whole life in isolation because of her monstrous nature and has only two friends Mikkos, an elderly blind man who brings her good from the modern world and Hermes, the Greek God. Hermes came to her because he knew she has been wrongfully cursed and that she was not a monster. Medusa was very hesitant to be Hermes' friend because her eyes could slay gods too and she obviously did not want such a thing to happen. But Hermes was persistent and slowly they became good friends.

Then, Hermes takes Medusa to Olympus to revoke her curse after lots of pleading and compelling because Medusa was scared to meet the gods. Finally, the curse is revoked and she is asked to stay in Olympus for awhile till she adjusts well to her human form.

By now you must have realized that there's something up between Hermes and Medusa. Yeah, they like each other a lot and I liked them both a lot. Hermes is really cute and the fact that he's a Greek god still baffles me because he too seems very much like a human. I felt that they were perfect for each other.



What I really loved about Medusa is that she's so normal and easy to relate to. Her narration just flowed smoothly and it was very comforting to read. The fact that she warned intruders about the dangers of seeing her face to face and cried over her victims really made me like her. She's scared like everyone in the world. She wants things that all normal human girls would want. She just wants to be a human and be loved. I understood her and was glad that somewhere in the middle, things were working out for her.

The other characters were good too. The Greek gods are pretty modern as they keep adapting to whatever new invention the human minds create. There's a lot more to the story but it's best if you read it.

I really enjoyed this book but the twists and turns in this book were too predictable. And my goodness, the errors in this book greatly annoyed me. Yes, this book has quite a few spelling errors and sadly, I'm not the person who enjoys a book despite its spelling errors. That greatly put me off otherwise I would have given this book full five stars.

[Khunsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surely I must have drunk too much wine, because all of this--his touch, his concern, his friendship--it's left me heady and hopeful. I marvel at how easily he can touch me right now, me, a monster, and he's as steady as always.

Warning: the beauty in the intimate scenes may cause ugly sobbing to occur. In case such an event occurs, please proceed to cry till your eyes are swollen and your face is a wet mess. This must be done immediately or the pent up feels may cause you to explode in the near future.

I never knew this day would come so soon--that I'll be speechless and at a loss for words in writing a review. But that is what Ms. Heather Lyons has done to. She has left me struggling to organize my feelings. I will, nevertheless, try to write review that does justice to this amazing book.

Before I get to my thoughts on the book, I just HAVE to do this...

Cover Analysis: I know I haven't done this for other books before, but I figured I should do this for books with covers that have given me a pause--both good or bad. Now, let's get cracking at this cover.

I can't say I'm a huge fan of the font used for the title--it doesn't really portray the sexy-sometimes-dark-other-times tone of the book. But that's a minor nuance. Let's get to the main point: the girl and the water.



That picture, with those colors, and that pose? Perfect. I am spazzing so hard about the cover now that I've read the book. Before, the cover was "meh", but now?



But really, that alluding thing the cover has going on ? Totally digging it. I mean, the whole thing concept of Medusa being trapped by the water, aka Poseidon, being stuck there, even as a girl, it's just brilliant.

*Side note* I'll be experimenting with a new way of doing reviews. Let's see if it works out! [wanted to get more analyzing done, beyond just what's on the surface]

My First Thoughts: I actually had no opinion, good or other wise, about this book going in. The concept was just so...new. I'd never encountered a book like this before, one that humanizes a monster, one that humanizes Medusa. Now, I've taken my fair share of Classical Mythology classes and have studied the subject since elementary school, non-stop [what can I say, I was hooked ever since I picked up [book: D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths] in 5th grade. A brilliant book, by the way, one to discuss at another time] And the Greek myths, guilty for doing so, have always glorified (that bitch) Athena against Arachne, against Medusa. Even in my learning, Medusa doesn't get much of a back story, only the slaying by Perseus. That said, in retrospect, maybe I did come in to reading this book with some thoughts: pleasure at knowing that Medusa gets her story told too. Maybe I've just been watching too much Once Upon A Time and been keen on learning the back stories of the "villains".



The World-building: There are a total of three places in this book [as indicated by the partition of the book into three parts due to where she was]: Gorgona, Olympus, and Jackson, Wyoming. It's a brilliant move, I would say, separating the book based on where Medusa currently was. It allows Ms. Lyons to concentrate on that one place and build it in such beauty and intricacy [whether that was her intention or not, I do not know, but that's how I perceived it :] Besides the physical world-building, the overall "world" that was created was also great. My only problem was towards the end, where everything seemed...rushed. Overall, the ending seemed too perfect and convenient :/ It was too perfect that to end the struggle of the Council over Medusa's fate that it was found that Hades and Persephone were her parents. It also seemed harried. BOOM, enters Demeter, tells the truth that she made them give Dusa up long ago, Poseidon can't win, everyone lives happily ever after, while I'm still reeling from trying to deal with Dusa's decision to give in to Poseidon. There was potential for a second book, in my opinion.



The Girl: Medusa. Dusa. Maddy. What ever your name is you beautiful person, never have I ever had the urge to hug someone so much [but you'd rather prefer his hugs anyways sooo ;]

I'd spent most of that night collecting the pieces which once made a whole man, blubbering in misery.

I-it's not your fault, Dusa!

The sound of waves crashing against the shore sends my eyes to the horizon. I've tried to drown myself in those waters more times than I ought to admit over the years, but the sea always spits me back out.

O_O



Dusa, in Gorgona, is a very sad girl. She's just...tired. Tired of failing to kill herself, tired of failing to stop accidentally killing innocents. But thank God for small mercies that she still has that spark of life in her, after so long! Those small mercies come in the form of her friend Mikkos [a blind man] and the god Hermes. These both are the support system that keep, no force, Dusa to keep going, even when she's at her lowest.

If there is one thing Dusa illustrates clearly, it is that inner beauty is a real thing, ladies. There is something my mom always says: your inner thoughts reflect on your outer appearance. Basically, no matter how blessed you are with the most flawless skin and such, if you are have a horrid personality, it WILL show. What we have with Dusa here is the exact opposite of that example. Her personality, her abundance of humanity is so overwhelming that it doesn't matter what she looks like: she is simply beautiful because her inner radiance burns so brightly. I was, and still am, in awe of the amazing amount of humanity this girl has in her. Years after being cursed. Years filled with involuntary murder.

Maybe this is why she chose to mold me into a killer; maybe she knew that my heart, to often called soft by those who knew me well back when I was human, would not be able to handle the actions I had no control over.

Yet she still had her compassion. She didn't become what Athena wanted her to be: a monster. Despite the odds against her, she had not one, but two precious friends who came back for her over and over again. What can I say, she's my new role model. I now aspire to be her. [I will say that the author molds Dusa to be so good without being infuriatingly perfect--it's Dusa's actions that show her personality and not the comparison of Dusa to less-than-perfect people around her. Magnifico!]

The Guy:

I sneak a quick peek over at him as he leans forward, arms against his knees. He's wearing one of my favorite t-shirts of his, a thin and fraying red one whose picture of a surfer has faded to the point of obscurity. The first time I saw him in it, I thought him to be exactly what a beach bum traversing the Mediterranean ought to look like--all gorgeous and golden in skin and hair. As I find him to be the most beautiful person I've ever met, inside and out, I can only imagine how the ladies in the outside world must fall at his feet.

Well hellooo there God of Sexiness. I don't blame you, girl, I'd sneak a peak too. Except you have restraint and can look away while I might end up staring at him forever.

But in all seriousness, how is it that Hermes is so hot, so kind, and so compassionate, without being bland? Maybe it was the dash of sexy. Whatever concoction Ms. Lyons used to make Hermes, she had it all perfectly balanced out.

"I find that I cannot sit back and allow for this to happen anymore," he continues quietly. "The simple fact is, my uncle raped you, and somehow my bat-shit insane sister blamed and cursed you for it happening in one of her temples. In no way did you deserve what happened to you."

Hmm, maybe it was also his "knight complex" as Dusa likes to put it. Can't hate a guy who wants to save everyone. DEFINITELY can't hate a guy that can look beneath the surface and befriend a "monster" like Dusa :')

Girl x Guy: I'm not going to tell you who Dusa ended up in the end. I'll let that be a pleasant surprise for you. I will warn you, as I did above, that the romance between the two was too beautiful. I kid you not, I CRIED so much. He was...just so accepting of her. He defended her, worked hard to keep her safe, and pretty much went against everyone to protect her. They both are meant for each other, this I have no doubt about. Also, HALLE-freakin-LUJAH, there is no insta-love or love triangle.



Overall, I'd say the book was...meh. Oh wait, thinking of the book I'm currently reading. OVERALL, I'd say...



This is literally me right now, as I contemplate how I can ever enjoy another book again...because this book was THAT GOOD. Like, some of the book I had been "looking forward to" are sitting untouched in my Kindle. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, MS. LYONS?!

[Charlotte Kersten · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up for how incredibly sweet and earnest this book is.

So What’s It About?

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

What I Thought

This is my second Medusa retelling of the year, and I chose it because I was looking for a super sweet, fluffy hurt/comfort type romance. In that regard it absolutely delivers, but it also has a lot of strange baggage that holds it back from being as enjoyable as it might otherwise be.

As far as the trauma recovery elements go, there are some things that I really do like, but what stands out most to me looking back is how often Medusa’s friends continually keep her in the dark about huge events that are happening or make important decisions for her because they believe that she is too fragile to handle them on her own. They don’t tell her that they’re going to petition her case with the gods or that Poseidon is petitioning his own case, they don’t allow her a say in being exiled after Poseidon finds her and attacks her again, and Hermes decides that she’s moving in with him at the end of the book without her input. Medusa is frequently infantilized by those around her in this way instead of being allowed to decide what is best for herself as a survivor, and it comes across as deeply patronizing and icky in a book that’s supposed to be about her empowerment.

Similarly, one of the big turning points in Medusa’s character arc is when the book’s wise old woman character tells her how she’s been wasting her time feeling sorry for herself and being weak and selfish because she was forced to live in isolation with no say in that happening after being assaulted by Poseidon again. “Bootstraps” lectures for mental health are a pet peeve of mine, I’ll admit (if only it was that simple!!), and this in combination with the lack of agency left me frustrated.

This is also probably my least favorite depiction of Hades and Persphone I’ve ever seen, not for Serious Lore Reasons, but just because it’s so dated and, like, Rom Com Sexist. Hades is constantly portrayed as amusedly tolerating the scatterbrained whims of his silly little frivolous wife in a way that is, again, super patronizing. At one point, he actually refers to her as a little yapping dog! Similarly, Hades talks about how annoying Aphrodite is when she doesn’t get her way and how she refuses to get a real job of her own, instead spending all of her time shopping with his hard-earned money. Okay??

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as a Greek retelling for those interested in seeing the mythology adapted or modernized in particularly interesting ways; we really never get an idea of what the pantheon are doing all the time despite them walking around with business iPads and talking about “taking a day off of work.” My personal taste would be for at least a bit more description of how the gods exist in the modern world where they are no longer worshiped or believed in, but the focus here is mostly on the romance with a very light scattering of Greek mythology that I can best describe as feeling modernized in a very basic McMansion-y way. Possibly the funniest random addition is that the gods’ DNA constantly reconstitutes itself so all their incest is actually okay lol.

All that being said, my favorite part of this book is Medusa herself. She is an incredibly sweet head to be in, and it is wonderful to see her find a life off of her isolated island, make friends, be treated well and get stronger. I mentioned hurt/comfort at the start of this review, and I think it pretty much hits all the beats you could want for that trope in a super indulgent way, and I’m not complaining. I really like the part of the book where Medusa goes to a sexual assault therapy group and describes her story in general terms that made it clear just how resonant the original myth still is in the present day. There are some other touches that I liked, such as her wanting to have sex right after the sexual assault that happens in the book, a response that is perfectly normal but often heavily judged as abnormal or shameful. Hermes as a love interest is pretty much defined by the fact that he’s incredibly handsome, has beautiful eyes that shift between blue and green, and is endlessly kind and loving and supportive to Medusa. He’s kinda boring in that regard, but in a nice way, and anyone who likes friends-to-lovers romances would probably enjoy how their relationship unfolds.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a complicated review to write. No matter what- my words will NOT be able to do this incredibly moving story of hope justice. Heather Lyons has created such a beautifully written story with poignant, striking characters that you won't be able to forget anytime soon. Fans of Greek mythology will see a whole new take on the story of Medusa- her isolation, her associations with the gods, and what her future holds.

Oh Medusa. There were so many times in this story that I just wanted to crawl inside my book and hug her. When we first meet her, she is so self-deprecating- she carries such guilt and shame over what she's done. She views herself as a monster despite the fact that she was cursed and does not want to kill. However, accidents have occurred and she blames herself for their deaths. Medusa has also been wronged in the worst way a woman can be. She had her innocence torn from her and instead of gaining comfort- she was cast out by a vengeful goddess and left to wallow in her own confusion and then later guilt.

"Because a kiss should be born from love, and want, and need. A kiss should be beautiful, something a girl can hold onto for the rest of her life, to pull out in her memory whenever she wants butterflies to come back."

She only has two friends to start- one is a blind man by the name of Mikkos and Hermes is the second. She loves her friendships- they give her such happiness in a life of solitude and loneliness. Mikkos is her oldest friend and always comes to visit her and bring her gifts- her most recent being a blind cat to keep her company.

And then there's Hermes. Hermes is the hero every girl dreams about having. He is good and kind, and a faithful friend to Medusa. He encourages her and builds her up when she is at her lowest and won't let her wallow in self-doubt. He is outraged that she has been wrongly accused and cursed. He plans to remedy that and get her sentence revoked.

Hermes and Medusa's friendship is so incredibly beautiful- they are patient and tender with one another and watching Medusa realize the depth of her feelings for her best friend was quite touching. Hermes has loved her for ages- even when she was a monster. He will fight for her and protect her at all costs. He won't give her up willingly- however he would do ANYTHING to keep her safe from those wanting to harm her and we really see that here. My heart was broken for the two of them, but I had hope that after everything Medusa has gone through that she would find her sunshine amidst the clouds.

Medusa has some surprising allies on Olympus aside from Hermes and they genuinely care for her and offer her sanctuary. They played a great role during her transition and I really love them! Aphrodite, Hermes' sister was also a supportive ally and I liked how she tried to make Medusa feel at ease. Jocko and Bernie were also great characters and not at all who they appear to be. They are very multi-layered and were an excellent addition to the story. I can't go without discussing those who would do anything to make Medusa's life hell. Poseidon and Athena both play a pivotal role in Medusa's past, as well as her present. Both have committed unspeakable acts against her and while reading I could only hope that they get what they deserved in the end.

I am obviously a huge fan of Heather and her work and I have to say- her writing style is so lyrically beautiful and her pacing just flows so very seamlessly. She really took a chance, turning this novel into what it was- a story of hope, love, and strength. She did a truly fantastic job of conveying to her audience what she wanted them to learn about Medusa and her story.

Watching Medusa transform from a woman who abhors herself and is very withdrawn from the world to a beautiful, strong woman who is determined to change her fortune is so empowering. She finds her strength in those who love her and in herself, which was something she never could before. I am so proud of her for overcoming what she has and for taking control of her own life.

"For a long time, I hated what I was, what I did, and what I allowed to happen to me. So here I am, fourteen days in, and I've decided that maybe I do need to find out WHO I AM and WHAT I WANT. And it's probably the scariest thing I've ever decided to do."

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a monster. The worst kind of monster. The kind that people have told stories about for thousands of years. The kind that daredevils like poor Walt seek out, even though many believe I'm nothing more than a myth.
I am the Gorgon Medusa. And my eyes can turn anything living to stone.

So you thought Medusa was evil and horrendous and the stuff of living nightmares? YOU THOUGHT WRONG!

If you're a fan of semi-contemporary retellings of Greek mythology (or mythology in general), The Deep End of the Sea will please you to the depths of the sea. We all know the tale of Medusa, but as old as her story is, it tells an extremely timeless one as well.

There's no easy way to go about it: rape is a primary issue in this book. Poisedon is a total dickhead who fancies himself in love with Medusa and can't see past that he robbed her of her body. Athena is a huge bitch who curses Medusa with snakes on her head and eyes that literally kill, and sentences her to a deserted island with barely anyone for company. Your heart can't help breaking over the unfairness of it all.

It's easy to see how this might scar a person (or a Gorgon or even a goddess, rather) for life. Medusa is prone to crying a lot, but who wouldn't when you've lived 2,000 years as the incarnate of children's horror tales?

She truly grows throughout the book. She learns to stand up for herself, confront her feelings, and adapt to her new surroundings, even if she's terrified out of her mind half the time. She thinks of herself as a monster and can't see past the fact that maybe, just maybe, she really isn't one.

Then there's the romance. Oh, the romance.

He kisses me again, hot and slow. "I want to spend my life with you, if you'll let me." His tongue traces my jaw line; passion stirs in my belly once more, "I want to spend forever with you." He gently bites my earlobe; I moan softly. "I don't care if you are mortal, immortal, or a so-called ex-monster. I just want you.

Hermes is such a god. A god with his mouth. ;)

But all jokes aside, he's an incredibly wonderful male protagonist. Hermes loves Medusa for who she is, not what she looks like. For someone so defined by her beauty or ugliness, I honestly think it's one of the healthiest relationships I've read about recently, just because Hermes cares for her in all the ways that matter.

Sure, he's high-handed at times (especially with Karo). But you can't fault him for waiting 2,000 years for her. Watching their friendship blossom into love was just so satisfying. Doesn't hurt than he's ethereally handsome. *__*

Some minor quibbles:

-Perhaps if Athena and Poseidon were drawn in more shades of grey than black and white, this would've warranted five stars.
-There are a couple of syntax usages I'm particularly nitpicky about that show up every now and again.
-Sometimes Medusa veered into the region of special snowflake, but it never got that far, so it wasn't a big problem for me. And some people found her angst a little too much to handle. What I can say is, I understand the reasons behind it, and the book keeps to a decent length. It didn't overwhelm or annoy me. Personal issue, IMO.

Either way, I'm glad I got this in paperback. I'm definitely lending this to my friends first chance I get. More people should read this, please???

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sigh* This book genuinely started off good, really good. I immediately liked Medusa and the life she had formed for herself on her isolated island. I loved the snakes on the top of her head and the relationship she had with them. The author set it up so that Medusa was able to be in touch, albeit from a distance, with the modern world and it worked. Overall Medusa came across as a strong, realistic narrator and I really looked forward to where the story would lead.

Sadly, for me this all came to an end when the curse is lifted (happens before a quarter in and is alluded to in the summary so hopefully anyone reading this won't see it as a spoiler). What I personally would have thought to be the ultimate climax of the story was very near the beginning and it was downhill from there. It went from a fascinating analysis of a mythological curse's impact specifically on Medusa to a romance. Oy. Between the lovey dovey eyeroll worthy romantic scenes to the gods and goddesses acting far too modern, I was no longer a happy reader. Sure, the gods could be modern, but their characters almost never exuded their god status. In fact, I would say they came across completely human with random moments of power and ultimately this bored me. If you offer me gods, I want GODS. There simply wasn't much to distinguish the gods from each other or modern day regular humans. Also, "good" and "bad" gods were far too black and white, I wanted more complexity.

While I ultimately never came to dislike Medusa, I did come to miss her isolation on her island and her head of snakes. Moving the book from Gorgona to Olympus proved to ruin the interesting, mythological story and turn it into a rather typical romance. However, I did think the treatment of Medusa's rape and ultimate PTSD were well done.

Overall I really thought I was going to love this book but it was not meant to be. The beginning is strong but ultimately I failed to be wooed by the gods.

[Caitlin Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the tale of Medusa. But it's not the one you're use too. No, this is a spin on Medusa's story that has heart and makes you feel for this poor ol Medusa and the struggle she went through. I will say I wasn't too familiar with her story, so as I started to read this I took a minute to read the original story. To say I was pleasantly surprised with this book would be an understatement, I was ecstatic with this retelling.

"It out to be noted I have some of the most wretched luck ever to be doled out."

Now, I'm not one to recap the story in my reviews, I feel like it takes away from reading the book so instead I'm going tell you all the wonderful things I loved about it. The first is Medusa herself. This is her story. Yes, there is a romance in it (swoon) but it's more than that. This is a story of redemption and finding you're way back to the living after being shunned for ages. Medusa has a lot to prove but underneath her worries and her fear, she is very strong. Yes, it's scary for her to try all these new things, to open herself up for these emotions she has had to keep hidden, but she does it. She takes the steps necessary to live a life worth living. And I loved watching her on this journey, finding the strength within herself.

"When I look up at him, all I can think is, he won't let me fall."

She has help along the way. Oh heeeyy there Hermes. Hermes was a character that surprised me. He was soft and kind and loving to Medusa. I was expecting that. And I guess since they have known each other for so long, their emotions made sense, how they were already kind of there. What did surprised me was how...alpha male he could get. That, I was not expecting. I mean, he is a God, I guess it makes sense. And I know he was doing it to protect Medusa. Because he does protect her, he does everything within his power for Medusa.

The other part that was real plus in this story is the talent of Heather Lyons to weave the mythology in this book so effortlessly. There is a lot to keep track of and she does so magically! I loved all the Gods and loved how they were portrayed.

"For the first time in two thousand plus years, time stands still. I pray it stays that way, because this moment here? Divine."

The ending. Again it was a way I was not suspecting the story to go but I did enjoy it! I was so proud of Medusa and all of the things she did. She truly become a strong independent female. And one of the last scenes, where everything is coming undone, secrets revealed, it was great. I couldn't put the book down until I found out everything!!

"Love makes every misery, every struggle, every moment of life worth it."

Medusa's journey in Heather Lyon's book is a tale of love, strength, family, and overcoming the cards that have been dealt to you. I loved this book. I was different and keep you on your toes and had total swoon worthy moments where you just melt into a puddle of awwww. This is a book to pick up!

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely brilliant new take on the Medusa myth, The Deep End of the Sea was a fantastic read. I loved this book! It was romantic, thrilling, and just wonderful.

I've always felt bad for Medusa. Despite the fact that she was a monster in the myths, I never saw her as bad. She was a victim of the gods and her story was really a tragedy. So, it was nice seeing a retelling that allowed her a happy ending.

Medusa was a lovely heroine. She was kind and likable and never forgot her humanity in all her years as a monster. She felt crushing guilt from every person she killed by mistake and, more than becoming human again, she just wanted to stop hurting people. I really liked her. She was strong, determined, and definitely a survivor. I thought she was great.

Hermes was wonderful. He was so sweet and determined to keep Medusa safe. I adored him. He was brilliantly portrayed.

The romance was lovely. Medusa and Hermes were so sweet together. They were best friends before anything else, so the depth of their feelings was always there, though neither of them admitted it at first. And, there was some spice in there, as well. I thought they were lovely together.

The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. I loved how all the gods were portrayed, with both their old characteristics and new minds. There were some secrets in store, particularly the full truth of Medusa's past. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect.

The Deep End of the Sea was a fantastic retelling of the Medusa myth. It was romantic, thrilling, and full of surprises. I absolutely loved this book! Romance lovers, this book is a must read.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[shady boots · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, after the glowing five-star review from the wonderful Khanh, I had to check this book out for myself, since she seldom gives books five-star ratings. Again, I suppose it became another case of having too-high expectations.

I mean, for the most part I enjoyed this book and its interpretation of Greek mythology. I loved the characters--Hades is my boo--and the interactions between them, and I liked the spin on Medusa's story. However, my gripe with this book is that it laid the romance on a little too thick, putting really heavy emphasis on it most of the time. And I'm not gonna lie, it did get cheesy more often than not.

And, bear with me here, but there was also something about the content of this book that I found a bit . . . fanfiction-ish, in that through the entire thing I felt like most of it was very wish-fulfillment-y stuff, if that makes any sense? Tons of fluff and happy-happy fun times, even some tame sex scenes thrown in. I mean like, you know how fanfics usually are so lighthearted and how everything seems to be so perfect, like nothing could go wrong and stuff, but that's most likely due to the writer's own secret desires and whatnot? It seemed like someone could have easily written this by picturing themselves in Medusa's shoes, is what I'm trying to say. The point is, I got a strong sense of wish-fullfilment-y-ness throughout a huge chunk of the book. I honestly have no clue how else to word this, so I can only hope that you guys get what I mean. xD

So, yeah. Overall, really good read, but a little too heavy on the romance and the cheese. I like cheese, cheese is delicious and all, but there is such a thing as too much of it.

[ᒪᗴᗩᕼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 Out Of 5 "don't look into my eyes" STARS

Heather Lyons is one of my favorite Authors, because of her series The Collectors Society.  If you haven't tried this series yet then you should.
 
I'm not mythology junkie, so I went into this knowing what the average person knows about Greek Mythology.  Which are only the basics.  With that being said…I thought this a deftly done and modern take on Medusa and the Greek Gods, one that I rather enjoyed reading.  The romance was sometimes on the bland side, but for those haters of insta-love, this could be just what they are looking for.  My only qualm was I really wanted more intensity throughout the story instead of only at the very end.
 

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~MY RATING~
☆4.2☆STARS - GRADE=B+
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~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
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Plot~ 4.3/5
Main Characters~ 4.3/5
Secondary Characters~ 4/5
The Feels~ 4/5
Pacing~ 4.5/5
Addictiveness~ 4/5
Theme or Tone~ 4.3/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 4.5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4.5/5
Originality~ 4.5/5
Ending~ 4.3/5 Cliffhanger~ Nope.
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Book Cover~ It's okay
Setting~ Island of Gorgona, Olympus, Jackson (Wyoming), and Paris
Source~ KU Kindle eBook
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[Vilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tragic life story. An all-consuming romance. An unforgettable fairy tale. Get ready to lose yourself in the depths of emotion, as you experience this amazing story of kindness, friendship, love and hope.One of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read.

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“This is my fairy tale. And it most definitely has a happy ending.”

Have you ever had a story consume you so completely that it was difficult to let go? A story that took you back to being a girl who fell in love with fairy tales? The kind where a girl with a good heart falls in love with a prince who sees beyond her exterior and will stop at nothing to find that happily ever after despite the pain, the circumstances, the conflict that stands in their way? This is that fairy tale. Beautifully written and incredibly unique, this story touched me heart and soul and has indelibly become a favorite. Heather Lyons is able to take a notorious character like Medusa and breathe into her a new life … a life misunderstood … a life so tragic that my heart ached for her as I desperately hoped for an impossible happiness. This is an exquisitely unique and beautiful story of love that I promise you won’t soon forget.

“I am a monster. The worst kind of monster. The kind that people have told stories about for thousands of years. The kind that daredevils … seek out, even though many believe I’m nothing more than a myth. I am the Gorgon Medusa. And my eyes can turn anything living to stone.”

This is Medusa’s story. A story born from pain and violence as she was cast away to the island of Gorgona, to live alone save for the nest of entwined snakes on her head and the threat of death by stone lingering in her forlorn eyes. You see, Medusa isn’t the murderer everyone thinks her to be. She’s anything but, in fact. For thousands of years she’s lived with loneliness as her constant companion, plagued by memories of unspeakable pain and consumed by an unjust guilt at the accidental deaths of so many who have dared to look her in the eye. She’s a girl that was wronged, and one that bears the cruel consequences of a brutal act that continues to haunt her.

“I am, in fact, a monster … a hideous one, to be precise … and it sucks. It genuinely, truly, absolutely, unequivocally sucks. I hate stealing lives. Thus, not only am I a monster, I’m a really lousy one. A lonely, classic Five Stages of Grief following, insecure, shut-in of a pathetic beast who talks to the snakes on her head and the statues on her island.”

My heart hurt so much for Medusa. Her feelings were honest and relatable, as odd as that may sound. Her emotions were so raw and real and her story so tragic that she truly deserved a second chance at life. Thankfully, she has one friend who gives her hope. Her best friend. An unlikely friend who has cared enough to visit her for thousands of years, caring not about the risk of death, but simply only caring for her. Hermes. The God. The son of Zeus himself. You instantly sense the strength of their bond and we learn that Hermes is also focused on fixing Dusa’s (as he calls her) situation. Hermes presses Dusa to fight to live. To fight to fix this wrong. But Dusa is fearful of the consequences.

“Before—I had no say in my punishment. I’ve born it quietly. Maybe it’s time I finally take a chance.”

And then everything changes and Medusa is given a second chance at living, all thanks to Hermes never giving up on her. And holy hot Gods, Hermes. I dare you to not fall irrevocably in love with him the moment he appears on the page. He is so good, so loyal, so caring. And it becomes increasingly clear to us, the reader, what is absolutely not clear to Dusa… Hermes is in love with her. Their relationship is so beautiful. I felt butterflies beneath my own skin with every moment they shared together. Both care so deeply for the other, but Dusa finds it difficult to fathom how a person so wonderful … a God no less … could fall for a monster like her.

“This is my friend. My best friend. He is a god, and I am an ex-monster. It is not like we are anything else, or ever can be.”

But we learn that Hermes has always been enraptured by the goodness that is Dusa. From the very beginning he looked beyond the scales of her skin and the death in her eyes to see the sadness that pervaded from a heart so intrinsically kind.

“What kind of so-called monster weeps like her heart had shattered and never would form whole again?… I knew from that very second I heard your anguish. I’m afraid I was lost to you from that moment on. I had to discover all that made you YOU.”

Their romance is everything you hope to find in a fairy tale. Two friends who fell in love despite their dire circumstances. I swear I swooned at every line, clutching my heart to my chest at every word whispered in frightful honesty.

“I am in love with you,” he whispers against my mouth. “Desperately. Hopelessly. In. Love. With. You.”

As soon as everything falls into place, however, old threats resurface and are poised to ruin everything. Buried secrets are revealed as a series of unexpected events unfurl. Medusa, through it all, evolves from a girl so affected by her painful past to a girl unafraid to fight for her life, for her own happiness, for control over the choices that are rightfully hers to make. This is a story of finding the strength inside yourself to fight for your happily ever after … to fight for the ones you love. It’s truly one of the best, most beautiful stories I’ve ever read and I hope that you love it as much as I have. Heather Lyons is a gem of an author, with a striking talent at evoking emotion and weaving the kind of stories that are difficult to forget. This book is one of my all-time favorites, no doubt.

“You are, as you have always been, the most important person in my existence.”

For more reviews, connect with me:
Vilma's Book Blog | Facebook | Twitter

[Lexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys...guys okay I forced myself to stay awake through a MIGRAINE to finish this book because OMG ALL THE LOVE.

+++

My full review will be posted at my blog on 2/21 for the blog tour however let me just leave you with a top 5 list of why this is one of the best books I've read this year:

1) Medusa ("Dusa") is a vibrant, well-adjusted (considering her circumstances) young woman who doesn't angst endlessly about the tortures of her life. Though she acts the victim at first, she eventually realizes that crap has to end and takes charge of her future.

2) Hermes has his secrets, but only once does he not ask for Medusa's permission before upending her life (and he does it because she's not acting in her best self-interests). He also apologizes profusely and from that point on makes it a point to ask her.

3) Love is not always the answer, but it can be the answer if you work for it. Love doesn't instantly make ANYONE'S life better in this book, but for those who use that love as a way to make their life and those around them lives better, its the most precious thing of all.

4) All the mythology you can shake a stick at, but not quite what you may have learned from Bulfinch's or Edith Hamilton.

5) Jocko is awesome. I won't say who he is to the story, but gosh he was one of my favorite iterations yet.

So there you have it. What more do you need?

---Full review---

Medusa, who I've long been fascinated by, takes center stage in this story about a young woman struggling to rebuild not only her life, but her trust in love and friendship. The novel is broken up into several parts. We open on Medusa (called "Dusa" by Hermes) on her island as she mourns yet another unlucky soul who surprised her and was turned to stone. She tries really really hard to not let this happen--locks on her doors to keep out invaders while she sleeps, heavy duty sunglasses, scarves to cover her snakes (her "Girls") and maintaining a distance between herself and those she does see. Mikkos, a blind sailor who brings her gifts from the new world and has been visiting for half a century. And Hermes, who she goes to pains to never harm because she couldn't stand the thought of losing her best friend.

Then there's the Assembly where Medusa's punishment is reversed after two thousand years of injustice. From there its Medusa's journey to reclaiming what was taken from her by Poseidon and Athena all those years ago. Its a slow process with some fitful starts. While she trusts Hermes as her friend and trusts that he has nothing but good intentions for her, she's wary of every other God or Goddess she comes in contact with. They must want something from her she reasons because why else would they go to such lengths to trust her so well?

Its by no means an easy road for her. Love is a large part of this book--family love, sibling love, romantic love--and Lyons doesn't make it all rosy-colored. Just because someone loves you doesn't mean you have to love them, and just because you love someone doesn't mean you should expect them to change for you. Hermes explicitly states it at one point, but in Lyons world once a Greek God loves, its forever kind of love. Which this could have very easily become rather trite at times, but Lyons also makes it clear that for those Gods we see in love there was something so much more.

There's a mild spoiler for this next paragraph so highlight to see: Poseidon, who is very clearly in the wrong here, is also shown to be motivated by love. While he makes it a point to call Medusa "pretty girl" he explains to her at one point that the fact they could talk for hours and hours meant everything to him. With her he could be himself and that is why he fell in love with her. Granted his love was obsessive, violent and damaging, but its really no different then the love that Hermes and Medusa share. Except where Hermes waited for her to figure it out and was attentive to what she needed rather then what he wanted, Poseidon ignored Medusa's wishes and took what he wanted. Things could have ended very differently if Poseidon had been more patient.

I'll admit that I did treat Hermes' revelation about genetics and DNA for the Gods' with about as much worth as a grain of salt. It was a handwave explanation to excuse a development that would have otherwise made his and Medusa's lives really really uncomfortable. I also wanted to know so much more about Hades and Persephone. Especially after we learn about how their relationship came to be (let's just say Persephone was the aggressor and Hades was a bit baffled by it all at first) and the ramifications thereof. And while Lyons touches very very briefly on the other Pantheons in existence (Hermes makes an off hand remark about it in relation to his work with Death and there's some Norse tossed in), this is clearly a Greek Pantheon dominated book. Which I have no issues with.

By in large the writing is very easy to fall into. Medusa isn't given over to purple prose (a bit in relation to Hermes) and she's a relate-able narrator. Later when she boils her story just down to the bare facts (no gods mentioned) for a group of people, its no different then anyone else's. She's a girl who tried her best to find a place to fit in, made a friend who took advantage of her and then spent the rest of her life labeled a monster for events out of her control. She spends much of the book railing against the injustice of it all (privately, or with Hermes), but as many characters point out she never came to terms with what happened to her.

In so many ways I loved this book and I fully recommend to not only those into greek mythology, but anyone looking for a novel about a girl who overcomes the traumas of her past to forge a much much brighter future.

[gunne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, how I wanted to like this. A new spin on Greek mythology? Check. A misunderstood Medusa? Where do I sign up?

I had such high hopes for this one.

It was just too badly written, though. The writing was juvenile and dull, the prose was uninspired, and the characters so flat, I wanted to fling my Kindle out the window. I'm not sure why I had the impression that Medusa could have made a witty, sardonic and misunderstood character, but what Lyons turned her into - a lovesick, hand-wringing damsel in distress - just made the book a pain to read. I wanted to give up about a hundred times, but I read on to see if things would change (like I said, I really wanted to like it). Didn't happen. An absolute waste of 5 hours. I'm no fan of oblivious, insecure characters and relationships with the depth of teaspoons. The endless and repetitive declarations of love - ugh, too much telling and not enough showing. Long story short, I did not sign up for a cheesy romance novel and was very unpleasantly surprised. This one's going on the shitlist shelf.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!! This book was recommended to me by a reader friend. I'm so glad that she did because I would have never known about this book! What a hidden gem. I love finding out and reading these books. A modern day twist on Medusa's story, this one had me crying a few times. Beautiful book!

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021 EDIT: Reread. This time round the grammatical errors and typos of 'The Deep End of the Sea' were a bit much for me, and it was overall kind of a slog to get through. Hermes as a love interest did not endear me - he is always described as being too gorgeous and too damn perfect, which is suitable for a literal god, but for a YA lover who's given so much page time, it's repetitive (especially his dialogue) and very, very boring.

Hermes is an arse sometimes, too: he's pushy and forward towards the traumatised, shamed and cursed rape survivor Medusa; in the habit of making assumptions about what she wants and what is best for her. He touches her, hugs her, kisses her on the cheek, without her consent more often than not, and that's before they're an actual couple. Of course, as a god Hermes is entitled on a cosmic scale, and is used to his authority never being questioned, so he would hardly ever listen to Medusa's protests. He even treats his bullying her into letting him into her life as a joke on page 62, which is never brought up again. At best, he's a cocky idiot. Medusa has no negative thoughts towards him, unless she thinks he's seeing another girl. It's ridiculous. As kind, comforting and sweet as their relationship can be, it's mostly based on the physical. It's overbearing and takes up a lot of the book.

Medusa, sheltered and isolated as she is (though not really, since she's regularly given info on the outside world), is bafflingly clueless about a lot of things, such as Hermes' painfully obvious love for her. She is always apologising for things that are clearly not her fault, and for understandable emotional outbursts. Even when looking at it from the perspective of a victim, it's infuriating. She barely does anything for herself for the majority of the book, without being coerced, pressured or manipulated into it.

And I am so bloody sick of YA stories happening/existing simply because of everyone keeping secrets from the female protagonist for no good reason. I can't count how many times Medusa demands what is going on, and nobody bothers to tell her. There is no reason for her to be in the dark concerning a huge secret about herself; about who she really is, which I won't reveal due to spoilers. However, I will mention: Are most of the Greek pantheon, adherent to the modern age, kind and decent to Medusa because it's the right thing to do, or because of a super secret, ulterior motive? Because she's special? If it's the latter, then yikes, that's an unfortunate implication right there.

Why does Medusa have to turn out to be so special? So inherently extraordinary? As if the millions of real life sexual assault victims in the world don't feel shamed, lowly and unworthy of kindness and understanding by their society enough, because of their "ordinariness" and "insignificance". Though no matter who the victims are and where they come from, there will always be victim blaming and slut shaming, unfortunately; as long as rape culture exists.

And Athena is a jealous woman scorned - for thousands of years - and that's why she's batshit insane, and an internalised misogynist. How peachy.

I'm also disappointed that, in a book all about the Greek gods and myths, Artemis, my favourite Greek deity, isn't mentioned once. Neither is Circe, for that matter. This is conspicuous and perplexing since 'The Deep End of the Sea' is a modern feminist text about the Greek myths.

But I still love Medusa, and regardless of whether I feel I am too old for this kind of YA fantasy romance, stories about rape and sexual assault and survivors like 'The Deep End of the Sea' will never stop being needed. For that I thank it and the author for continuing the discussion; for bringing this serious issue to light in YA.

Leaving aside all my recent reservations, I mostly agree with my first review. I might not like this book like I used to, but I still recommend it.

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



I've always had a strange sort of fascination with Medusa as a character. I’d also felt this way about nearly all the gods of Greek mythology (especially Artemis. I know, big shock). I grew up learning about them and the Greek heroes/demigods of legend in school. Plus in movies, TV shows, and books like the 'Percy Jackson' series. But Medusa - the woman with snakes for hair and whose look literally kills you stone dead - has something of a Dark Horse vibe and aura for me. Like an anti-heroine. So scary.

So mysterious.

So eerily beautiful.

And yet I had hardly ever come across a version of her that's sympathetic. Or, gods’ forbid, human. A human who was taken advantage of, violated, and unfairly ostracized; cursed by man-children who have more power and control over those beneath them than common sense and sympathy. Or as they are also known as, Greek gods – humans with immortality and the power to destroy lives with a hissy fit. Over the years I came to realize that these gods I'd loved to read about as a kid are arseholes.

But back to Medusa. In Heather Lyons' 'The Deep End of the Sea', Medusa is the heroine - not a monster to be slain, but a victim through and through. She was an innocent girl who once served and worshipped Athena. But after Medusa is raped by Poseidon, Athena rages at her for "desecrating" her temple, and so curses her to suffer all eternity as a Gorgon; not to be looked upon by anyone ever again. Medusa is forced to live alone on an isolated island for thousands of years. Those who sail for the island and are unfortunate enough to stumble across and take her by surprise are turned to stone. Medusa is forever sorrowful; to make up for her wretched existence she places the statues of those she accidentally killed around her home like guests of comfort. She invents for them backstories and lives, and helps in any way she can even though she knows it's futile.

This novel is more than a reimagining of the Medusa from Greek legend. It is about redemption for only the gods, because Medusa did nothing wrong – those who made her into a pariah whose eyes kill are at fault. ‘The Deep End of the Sea’ is a story about change; about coming to terms with a tragedy, talking about it, seeking and accepting help, standing up to injustice, facing up to a horrific past that's come back to haunt you, moving on in life from a scarred and reviled victim to a person stable and strong in independence, and about finding love again after fearing it for so long.

It is also about moving on in the times, and how certain attitudes can and must change for us as a society to survive. This is true of the Greek gods (some, anyway), who are finally maturing and trying to undo their wrongs in order to fit in with modern morality and development.

In a contemporary, slice-of-life framework, 'The Deep End of the Sea' is a story about rape, and understanding the despicable and inhuman crime for what it is. It is about myths and not believing everything you hear in popular consensus, so I don’t think it is a far cry to interpret the novel as a noble attempt to debunk rape myths as well. It is a coming-of-age and moving-on-in-stages journey for Medusa – the infamous, misunderstood Gorgon; told from her point of view and in the present-tense narrative.

All the characters are a distinctly memorable and unique bunch. Medusa is a lovely main character whom you feel deeply sorry for from the first page. She can come across as being a silly and naïve teenage girl at times - despite being over two-thousand-years-old - but given that she was a little young (twenty-three?) when her life was ruined by the gods and so had to live on an island away from civilization for far too long, I could let this pass. She's given access to the internet, literature and other useful things, so she is not entirely naïve; only about real feelings and experiences. She comments on how things outside her island are not like how they are in movies or books. I loved that when she is first taken into an elevator in Olympus, she claps like a happy child getting on a carousel for the first time. Despite her lapses of angst and self-pity at being a monster - the novel is enthused with this kind of prose - Medusa grows stronger and more assertive during the course of her story, reminding anyone who will listen to her that she is a person. She is no one's property. No one’s prize. She will learn to make decisions for herself and trust more people - people who really do care about her, and who may grow into life as her friends and family...

The only god Medusa has ever trusted in her two-thousand-year curse and exile is Hermes. Hermes is her best friend and only occasional companion besides an old mortal friend named Mikkos, who is blind and therefore unaffected by her deadly stare. Compassionate and loving to the end, the messenger god wants justice done for Medusa and for her to be happy once more. As is typical of YA male love interests, he is the quintessence of hotness (though he is a god, so this is to be expected), he has a hero complex, and is extremely protective of our initially-helpless heroine, to the point of being overbearing. But he is still respectful of her privacy and personal space.

Immediately the reader knows that Medusa is in love with Hermes - has been for thousands of years in fact - but Medusa herself is oblivious to this, or just doesn't want to admit it. Looking at her past and what happened to her involving Greek gods and love, this comes off as more understandable than annoying.

When all seems well and Medusa and Hermes finally get together (slight spoiler: she comes on to him first, and I like that), all the will-they-won't-they rubbish beforehand no longer holds water (pun intended) to some of the hottest and steamiest-written sex scenes I've ever read. 'The Deep End of the Sea' may be a young adult book, but I would not recommend it for anyone under fifteen, in spite of the sex scenes being perfectly healthy and, most importantly, consensual. Surprisingly, the romance and sex make up some of my favourite parts.

Another Greek god to appear here is, of course, Zeus, who is a laid-back surfer kind of guy (not bad for someone who's depicted as a serial rapist in myth), but is also kind of useless (Zeusless?). Hades (swoons!) and Persephone, the cool and oddly-sweet King and Queen of the Underworld, are like any normal, happily-married couple. Neither signs of abuse nor Stockholm syndrome are present in their relationship in this retelling. They are as compassionate and caring as Hermes, and they are awesome, especially Hades (love!). Then there's Aphrodite, who is wonderful. Bubbly and fun, I love that - along with a nymph girl named Kore, who works for the gods in Olympus - she fills the void of a female friend for Medusa. One of Hermes' favourite relatives to boot, Aphrodite genuinely feels dreadful about what happened to Medusa, and tries to get her life back on track. Aphrodite takes Medusa out shopping, and she can do martial arts! So the goddess of love isn't just a beautiful face - she can get angry over what she deeply believes in as much as the other gods. I wish she could have appeared more in the story, however.

Do NOT get me started on Athena and Poseidon. Some gods never change.

There are no grey areas to them: Athena, the so-called goddess of wisdom who cursed Medusa to begin with, is absolutely, irrevocably, batshit insane. Bitter, stubborn as hell, slut-shaming and victim-blaming, she is the real monster in this tale, alongside Poseidon. The god of the seas is a slimy, delusional, self-entitled, possessive, can't-see-past-his-head-up-his-own-arse rapist. I'll never see him the same way again after reading this book. But thankfully there are good people - and gods - who see through Poseidon and those like him for what they really are, and perhaps justice can be served in this, a story about rape...

I’d like to have gotten more out of these two gods, who seem to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever purely because they're the villains. Disappointing for a YA novel which handles such a delicate subject matter effectively.

Although there is another side of the spectrum here, when analyzing Athena’s character. Maybe it’s to show there really is no logical reason to blame the victim, if even the goddess of wisdom can’t come up with anything better than “the whore got what she deserved”.

However, I cannot pardon what is the book’s major flaw in my opinion, which is as follows:

'The Deep End of the Sea' is one of the few published works I've ever read that I felt was in desperate need of an editor. I mean, the writing itself is fine in terms of grammar and pacing - no overt description, no scene drags too long, and only the important elements are left in. The way the plot is structured and how the characters' personalities shine through are also very well done. I've already mentioned how nicely written the sex scenes are for the YA genre.

But so many typos! I wanted to get a pen and correctly spell or edit a word out on more pages than should be tolerated. I don't know if this is because I had somehow ordered an unofficial, un-proofread version of the book, but it did perturb my reading experience of what should have been the perfect YA book I’ve been looking for in a long time.

And as a note on the side, I liked Medusa's varied interactions and connections to the rest of the characters, and to her newly-acquired pet kitten. But not much thought is brought up about the snakes on her head, which she calls her Girls. She is very affectionate to them – at first. The Girls have been constant company to her on the island for two-thousand-years. Yet as we move further away from Act 1 - from the introduction to the sad, lonely girl-turned-monster Medusa - and towards the aftermath of the life-changing inciting incident, the snakes make no impact on the story at all. Barely a mention of them is written. I'm not too bothered by this, but it is moments like this which make me think that 'The Deep End of the Sea' could have potentially, in retrospect, been more.

As it stands, though, it is a good read. A satisfactory story of Medusa for any lover of Greek mythology. Sad, suspenseful, thrilling, sweet, even funny in places, and sexy without being inappropriate considering the subject matter. There is a marvellous, myth-shattering plot twist near the climax, following regrets that are mirrored and reflected in times past, and changes of scenery – all for easily-bored readers to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. The romance between Medusa and Hermes is a little overblown, but their love - one that's been developing for over two millennia at that - nevertheless feels real and gorgeous.

Medusa is a gorgeous Gorgon/innocent/heroine who deserves nothing less for all she has suffered through.

Final Score: 3.5/5

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRILLIANTLY AMAZING!!!
Totally blown away!!!!

FULL REVIEW:
Can I just say GENIUS??? Yeah, I mean it...The brilliance in this age old tale created by Heather Lyons is just AMAZING!!! She literally had me glued to the pages of this story...eager to know where it was going to go and exactly what was going to happen.
A tale about Medusa... A heart-warming tale about Medusa, mind I tell ya....And enthralling to say the least...
So, obviously you know that I loved this story. I truly do not want to go in to many details because it is a book you need experience for yourself.
But, this is what I will say....
Heather Lyons composed perfection by taking on the legend of Medusa. The monster tales that we all know about her have led us to believe one side of the story...sooo....what if they were wrong???
I was captured by the intriguing unique storyline that pounded me with shocking surprises and twists and turns. I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails waiting to see events unfold. ANNNNND....when things began to unravel,the mysteries being revealed to us, I was sitting here with my mouth hinged open.
My admiration for Medusa grew tenfold and a love for the god Hermes bloomed. I cannot say it enough that story is defintely going to be one of my top ten reads of this year...
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you get this book and read it right away....BELIEVE me...you will not want to miss out on this alluring mystical novel that will make you question everything you have read about those Greek gods of ole...