But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. Medusa, her sisters, and Perseus have light-brown skin.Ī smart reimagining of an ancient tale that questions old tropes. Rich in texture and color, they give the impression of a rediscovered ancient manuscript or mural. Some messages can veer toward heavy-handedness when they shift away from Medusa’s own distinct perspective, but Perseus’ description of her as a poet is also true of Burton’s prose aquatic and mythical but not overwrought, its beauty is reflected in Gill’s sublime full-page illustrations. Burton delves into the lingering trauma of sexual assault and toxic gender roles in a visceral call to empathy, with surprising twists on the original story. In her hunger for the sustenance of the connection she’s been denied, Medusa reconsiders the status quo and her relentlessly cruel treatment by both men and gods. Her first-person narration quickly builds connection with readers-even her snakes experience distinct emotions-as she begins to examine her own autonomy and her need to tell her story to a stranger. After being banished, Medusa lives with only her winged sisters for company on a hidden desert island until Perseus, a son of Zeus, arrives to bring light to her lonely days.

The Medusa myth is given new shading and depth in a feminist retelling that homes in on the heart of a young girl punished unfairly for being herself. Boy meets girl, girl loves boy-but girl’s hair was cursed and is made of living snakes.

Medusa burton