REVIEW: Medusa (A Love Story) by Sasha Summers

What a novel (and lovely) concept - delve into the history of the monster and make her human. Whenever I think of Medusa, it's that scene from the original 80s version of Clash of the Titans that comes mind, with Perseus holding her head aloft, the snakes still waving wildly, and triumphantly turning the Kraken to stone.

To think of Medusa as not just a sympathetic character, but a genuine love interest, is daring to the point of genius, but Sasha Summers pulls it off with Medusa A Love Story. It's a complex effort making such a significant change, but still remaining true to the original mythology, but somehow it all works.

The love affair between young Medusa (a priestess of Athena) and Artison (her assigned guard) is both tentative and touching. You honestly get the sense that there's something special between them, a bond of love and affection strong enough to justify her dangerous desire for freedom. Unfortunately, the gods of Summers' are just as capricious and cruel as they were in the original stories, and you know that their love is doomed from the start.

The opening scene tears apart your expectations and sets the stage for what is to come. The courageous quest of young Perseus is played very much as it was in the movies, but to hear Medusa lament her fate and invite her own death at his hands is quite startling. Later, when we see her become the Medusa of legend, it's equally startling to hear about her snakes biting her and inconveniencing her. In between, of course, is where the heart of the story lies . . . both literally and figuratively.

A lovely story, well-told, that has me intensely curious to see what Summers will do next with the immortal story of Hades.


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Author Bio:

Sasha Summers is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, history, and travel. It's no surprise that her books visit times past, set in places rich with legends and myth. Her first play, 'Greek Gods and Goddesses' (original title, right?), was written for her Girl Scout troupe.

She's been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she's doing so.

Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

Sasha is an active member of RWA and several Texas Chapters. A self-proclaimed movie-addict, she is full of all sorts of useless movie tidbits and trivia.

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Twitter: @sashawrites

Webpage: http://www.sashasummers.com

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