The classic story of Medusa is a familiar one: young hero Perseus was sent on a quest by a king to behead the monstrous snake-haired Gorgon. With some assistance from the gods, Perseus completes the task and uses Medusa's head to turn his enemies into stone, at least until he gives the head to Athena to put on her shield. Perseus is hailed as a hero, marries a beautiful woman, and lives happily ever after. Medusa, not so much.
In Stone Blind, however, Haynes reimagines the myth, framing it from Medusa's perspective. Sure, she's a Gorgon, but is it her fault that Poseidon rapes her in Athena's temple, an act that causes the affronted goddess to curse Medusa with her snake hair and stony gaze? Is Perseus really a hero, or is he a foolhardy demigod who only succeeds because he gets some help from the gods? It's a wonderful, thoughtful reimagining of Medusa's story, and even though you know going in how it's going to end, it's still a compelling tale. For those who appreciate Circe, Daughters of Sparta, and other feminist retellings of mythology.
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