Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes book review and Quiz Answers
“I see all those who men call monsters […] I see the men who call them that, call themselves heroes, of course” “Enough to know that the hero isn’t the one who’s kind or brave or loyal. Sometimes- not always, but sometimes- he is monstrous” (Haynes 3)
The end of May and another bank holiday will greet you when this blog is hot off the press. I want to start by giving you the answers for the bank holiday quiz in the last blog. Then I will review Stone Blind and why it is highly recommended. The novel titles were, and I hope you got all or most of them-
1 Wuthering Heights
2 Moby Dick
3 To Kill a Mockingbird
4 Jane Eyre
5 The Time Machine
6 War and Peace
7 Bleak House
8 Dracula
9 Great Expectations
10 Persuasion
I will try to create a different literary puzzle for later in the year, as it is a twist on the usual blog.
A book that I am currently writing on in university, is Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. It is a fairly new book that only came out in 2022. It neatly blends the old Greek mythological and historical figures, with contemporary issues in the present day. I had not read it until a couple of months ago and I am not an expert on Greek myth. Haynes makes the novel accessible so that you do not need to bring any prior knowledge of the Greeks, to enjoy the novel.
Most people will know who Medusa and Perseus are. This reworking seeks to counter-argue the idea of who is usually seen as the “hero” (Perseus) and who is seen as the “monster” (Medusa). The idea of acting “monstrous” towards someone and something, is how Haynes sets the novel up. I really found the direct reader challenge to think what our assumptions are, at the start of the novel, fantastic. It really draws you in to think about the way men have long called themselves “heroes,” and the female reaction “of course” because it is no surprise to them.
Haynes uses the novel to analyse how beauty is seen and how the female can be seen to be taken advantage of or seen as ugly and a threat, when they try to be equal. Medusa also faces the threat and is given the punishment of turning everything she looks at into stone, by Athene. This shows how a female can do that to a fellow female. Perseus is certainly drawn differently to how you might think him to be in traditional tales.
I found this novel a fairly fast read once you’ve established who the characters are. It is modern infused with plenty of historical details and likes to pause and check if your thinking has changed. I would recommend getting this novel for summer and you will not be disappointed!
Work Cited List-
Haynes, Natalie. STONE BLIND: MEDUSA’S STORY. 2ND Edition. Picador. 2023.
Rare Birds Books. “Rare Birds Books.” Rare Birds Books. Date Accessed: 7th May 2025. URL: rarebirdsbooks.com/products/stone-blind.