Stone BlindStone Blind
What it's about
Medusa is the only mortal sister in a family of Gorgons. When the god Poseidon assaults her in the temple of Athene, the goddess punishes Medusa by turning her into a monster whose gaze turns people to stone. Then Perseus, a young hero, is sent to bring back her head. Natalie Haynes retells the myth from many sides.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a witty, feminist mythological retelling.
You'll love it if you liked
Ariadne
Clytemnestra
The Witch's HeartGood to know
It includes sexual assault.
By the numbers
- Readers5 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On our reserve shelf: it's well reviewed, but isn't currently a prize winner, a lifetime bestseller or a book everyone's talking about, so we don't rank it. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Natalie Haynes
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Godfather
The Pillars of the Earth
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
FoundationExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Stone Blind worth reading?
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Its Must-Read Score is 51.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Stone Blind about?
Medusa is the only mortal sister in a family of Gorgons. When the god Poseidon assaults her in the temple of Athene, the goddess punishes Medusa by turning her into a monster whose gaze turns people to stone. Then Perseus, a young hero, is sent to bring back her head. Natalie Haynes retells the myth from many sides.
How long does it take to read Stone Blind?
About 9 hours (371 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Stone Blind?
If you liked it, try Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati or The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec.