Medea
A Novel
Published on 14. March 2024
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-6680-2076-0 (ISBN)
Description
Discover the full story of the sorceress Medea, one of the most reviled and maligned women of Greek antiquity, in this propulsive and evocative debut in the tradition of Circe, Elektra, and Stone Blind.
Among the women of Greek mythology, the witch Medea may be the most despised. Known for the brutal act of killing her own children to exact vengeance on her deceitful husband, the Argonauts leader Jason, Medea has carved out a singularly infamous niche in our histories.
But what if that isn't the full story?
The daughter of a sea nymph and the granddaughter of a Titan, Medea is a paradox. She is at once rendered compelling by virtue of the divinity that flows through her bloodline and made powerless by the fact of her being a woman. As a child, she intuitively submerges herself in witchcraft and sorcery, but soon finds it may not be a match for the prophecies that hang over her entire family like a shroud.
As Medea comes into her own as a woman and a witch, she also faces the arrival of the hero Jason, preordained by the gods to be not only her husband, but also her lifeline to escape her isolated existence. Medea travels the treacherous seas with the Argonauts, battles demons she had never conceived of, and falls in love with the man who may ultimately be her downfall.
In this propulsive, beautifully written debut, readers will finally hear Medea's side of the story through a fresh and feminist lens.
Among the women of Greek mythology, the witch Medea may be the most despised. Known for the brutal act of killing her own children to exact vengeance on her deceitful husband, the Argonauts leader Jason, Medea has carved out a singularly infamous niche in our histories.
But what if that isn't the full story?
The daughter of a sea nymph and the granddaughter of a Titan, Medea is a paradox. She is at once rendered compelling by virtue of the divinity that flows through her bloodline and made powerless by the fact of her being a woman. As a child, she intuitively submerges herself in witchcraft and sorcery, but soon finds it may not be a match for the prophecies that hang over her entire family like a shroud.
As Medea comes into her own as a woman and a witch, she also faces the arrival of the hero Jason, preordained by the gods to be not only her husband, but also her lifeline to escape her isolated existence. Medea travels the treacherous seas with the Argonauts, battles demons she had never conceived of, and falls in love with the man who may ultimately be her downfall.
In this propulsive, beautifully written debut, readers will finally hear Medea's side of the story through a fresh and feminist lens.
Reviews / Votes
"A must-have for adult collections, especially for readers who want to rethink how so-called monsters are traditionally presented, from a modern feminist viewpoint."-Library Journal (starred review)"Propulsive and evocative"-The Nerd Daily "With rich prose, vivid imagery, and a voice of singular compassion, Eilish Quin tells the story of Medea, a remarkable woman whose lonely childhood and innate curiosity led her down unthinkably catastrophic paths. Quin's telling is clear-eyed but tender, and explores questions of power, sacrifice, and what it means to be a woman in a world ruled by men. A haunting, deeply moving tale that I won't soon forget."-Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn "For centuries Medea has been caricatured as an unnatural mother or treated as a cautionary figure-- Eilish Quin's unflinching novel gives her voice and vividly dramatizes the cost and power of her agonizing choices." -Katharine Beutner, author of Alcestis and Killingly "Lyrical and haunting, Medea does its legendary protagonist justice-a riveting journey of womanhood, love, and loss."-Natasha Siegel, author of Solomon's Crown "With this complex and involving debut, Quin adds to the growing field of Greek myth retellings from the perspectives of monstrous women, probing here into the life of the filicidal heroine of Euripides's play of the same name [...] As Medea's familiar story unfolds, Quin allows for a great degree of moral complexity, but consistent throughout is her devotion to those she loves-including her eventual ill-fated children. Madeline Miller fans should snap this up."-Publishers Weekly "Medea by Eilish Quin provides a compassionate origin story for one of the most reviled of all Greek mythological women: the witch, Medea. Quin looks closely at the ancient sources to determine why Medea might have made her infamous, terrible choices. The story draws the reader to the final, heart-breaking conclusion, incorporating along the way timely themes of family, knowledge and women's power." -Laura Shepperson, author of Phaedra
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
447 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6680-2076-0 (9781668020760)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
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Person
Eilish Quin is a queer writer and artist based in the smog and glamour of Los Angeles with her various cats. She enjoys conversing with plants, watching British crime dramas, photographing lizards, rereading gothic novels, and staring aimlessly into tempestuous bodies of water. Medea is her first novel. Follow her on X @Eilish_Quin or on Instagram @EilishQuin.