The Shadow of Perseus

A Novel

By: Claire Heywood

Narrated by: Olivia Darnley

Nationally bestselling author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative and female-centered reinterpretation of the myth of the great hero Perseus, told through the voices of three women who are sidelined in the traditional version—his mother, Danae; his trophy, Medusa; and his wife, Andromeda—but whose viewpoints reveal a man who is not, in fact, a hero at all.

Danae: Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, the king of Argos, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone in a remote fishing village. It’s a harsh new world for a young woman who grew up as a coddled princess, and forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

Medusa: As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest.

Andromeda: When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe’s way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda’s life is set on an entirely new path.

As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women’s lives. But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future.

©2023 Claire Heywood (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] markedly fresh spin on a classic tale, the allegedly valiant adventures of Perseus, the Greek hero who slew the Gorgon Medusa....In the rash, impulsive, arrogant, spoiled, entitled, and dangerous figure of Perseus, Heywood deftly deconstructs the model of Hellenic heroism, illustrating the dark side of a larger-than-life icon.Told through the perspectives of three very different but equally compelling women, Heywood's second novel is entertaining and impactful." —Booklist

“Vivid…Heywood ably imagines how the clever, strong female characters build their lives alongside vindictive and destructive men.” —Publishers Weekly

“It is the long-silenced women—Danae, Medusa, and Andromeda—who are the heroes in this fresh, feminist retelling of the myths of Perseus. A tale of bravery, heartbreak, and perseverance, THE SHADOW OF PERSEUS has breathed new life into these very old stories, and finally given these women their voice.” —Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of The Conqueror’s Wife

A fantastic reworking of the classic myth

Personally, I am a big fan of the supernatural and fantastical elements of ancient Greek myth. But I was pleasantly surprised that this realistic retelling of the story stuck with me. I loved how the story and all it’s mythological details were so deeply rooted in reality, making it so much more plausible and digestible. It is beautifully written from the perspective of three characters whose stories always ran parallel to Perseus’ but were also disregarded in favor of his. This book gives these women great strength, power, and honor. Now, to me, /they/ are the heroes of this story. Well done!

Excellent

this was an excellent read. I cannot wait to move to the next book!

Ability to make it human

I love how Heywood is able to take such popular and well known mythology and make it human. What if the gods didn’t interfere? What decisions by people would have led to the paths that are so well known? Great storyteller and always fun to hear another great retelling.

Great retelling of Perseus.

Loved the different take on mythology and how the stories might have happened. Loved the story and narrator. Kept me captivated and believing it could have happened.

Old story told with new voices

Not having a deep knowledge of the myths about Perseus (most of what I remember is from movies about him), I really enjoyed the story told from the women’s viewpoint. The narrator was pleasant to listen to and added to the story with her talents.

an enjoyable take!

upon buying this title, and seeing the reviews at the time, I was worried I would regret purchasing and be incapable of finishing it. Boy was I wrong! something about the story and it's progression was in such a way that I couldn't help but want to know how this telling was going to unfold. she came to us with 3 women, and each one got to tell "her part" of an already pretty well known story that they are usually just bit players for. this pairs well with retellings like: Phaedra, Stone Blind,and Ariadne!

A bit misogynistic?

Disappointed, I enjoyed daughters of Sparta and assumed I would love this one, and i first I thought I would. In a world where men are quick to blame their problems on women watch three women also blame themselves and who does it all circle back to? His mom, she was over protective and yet somehow non nurturing. We meet a boy who is scared to kill turn into someone who swings first and is this bc his mother wouldn’t let him when he was young? That’s the implication. Watch the proud leader of women forget her whole lives work bc she’s lonely and wants this boys love? Wait assuming the gods that make this heros journey possible in the source material don’t exist and therefore cannot be pointed to as the reason for confusion. And watch Stockholm syndrome in action as it’s poorly justified as a woman trying to live

loved the new take on this story!

i do wish it was longer! great story telling and a refreshing take on the mythology, wasn’t expecting the changes, but i was pleased regardless.

disappointed

the author indeed presents a story with nothing supernatural and I suppose it is plausible. However, none of the characters are appealing. perseus is frankly a psychic sociopath. I don't find his transformation particularly believable. the three women are naive or stupid . there certainly are such people, but i could have hoped for stronger and smarter women. there were plenty of historical women one could have used as an example.

Not my cup of tea

I love Greek mythology retellings but this was just boring. The story dragged on and the ending wasn’t great. Would skip this one.