I am only briefly acquainted with the myth of Medea, so there are a bunch of places I am not fully able to consider whether they stick true to the myth or whether they are the author’s changes in liberties.I did, however, know enough of the myth to want to read this book to see how exactly our central character decides to enacting her revenge on Jason for betraying her, and I’ll be completely honest, I was a bit disappointed. 

Medea in this novel does not have much agency in the actions she takes - I believe the only thing she’s ever done on her own was when she, as a child, turned her brother into a pig. Otherwise, practically every other decision she makes is due to the manipulation of Jason, and she has no agency in these actions. Her father is a terrible man, as is her brother, and yet it is only when Jason backs her into a wall that she decides to kill him to save herself, and she feels guilt for such actions. In the same way, every murder Medea does to help Jason with his goals is a task given to her by Jason - but the instant she faces any backlash for such actions, he gaslights her into thinking it was her own decision and that he is innocent. I have no issues painting Jason as a less-than ideal suitor - but it’s a little disconcerting that practically every decision Medea makes that sends her along her darker path isn’t one she makes on her own. Up until the very end, she practically has no agency and is only a vessel to follow Jason around as he uses her as he wants.

I thought it was interesting that during a conversation with Atalanta, who states that women in stories can only be villains or love-struck damsels, that this book does the exact same thing to Medea. Everyone around Medea sees her as an evil witch - while this book attempts to paint these very same actions as something that she only does out of love for Jason, and not by her own merits. Even her very last actions done to hurt Jason (I won’t say what in case you’re unaware of them) I found to be very lackluster and boring. I was expecting her revenge to not only attack the woman he’s leaving her for, but for the only people Jason cares about - and, yet, in what is probably the most memorable thing Medea does - she’s barely considering Jason’s feelings, and is doing it out of naive love - and not revenge. I also found the ending to be a bit odd, with Medea suddenly doing a full 180 to her previous actions - and yet, she is taking care of her ailing father. 

This book felt like it couldn’t decide whether to make Medea a villain or misunderstood damsel, and so instead attempted to do both. She is evil and embraces her darker side when it benefits her, but immediately after she feels guilt for these actions and tries to remedy them. I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if Medea was allowed to embrace her more villainous side, instead of Jason almost forcing her into that role until she has no other choice left.