Heywood, Claire: The Shadow of Perseus

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Saint, Elodie Harper and Natalie Haynes, author of Daughters of Sparta Claire Heywood returns with an imaginative reinterpretation of the myth of the great hero Perseus, bringing to life the voices of three women who are side-lined in the traditional version, and whose stories reveal a man who might not, in fact, be a hero at all. His mother. Banished from her homeland thanks to a prophecy foretelling that her unborn child will one day cause the death of her father, Danae finds herself stranded, pregnant, and alone. Forging a new life for herself and for her young son Perseus will be the hardest thing she''s ever done. His trophy. As a member of a reclusive band of women who live deep in the woods, known as the Gorgons, Medusa has eschewed all contact with the outside world. That is, until the day she finds an injured boy named Perseus in the forest. His wife. When a harsh sandstorm threatens to destroy her nomadic desert tribe''s way of life, Andromeda knows that a sacrifice will be required to appease the gods and end the storm. But when a forceful young Perseus interferes, Andromeda''s life is set on an entirely new path. As Perseus becomes increasingly obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women''s lives. But even as he tries to silence them, the women may find that reclaiming their voices is their only hope for lifting themselves into a better future. ''A page-turning retelling . . . so interesting and thought-provoking'' JENNIFER SAINT. ''A fresh and original take on the myth of Perseus . . . I was gripped by the human drama at the novel''s heart'' ELODIE HARPER.