The myth of Perseus, told through the story of the three women who knew him best - his mother Danae, his wife Andromeda, and his victim, Medusa.
'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
Myth remembers Perseus as one of its greatest heroes. A slayer of monsters. A rescuer of damsels.
But the women who knew him best have a different story to tell.
His mother, Danae.
His trophy, Medusa.
His wife, Andromeda.
As Perseus becomes obsessed with the promise of his own destiny, his heroic journey casts a shadow of violence and destruction across all three women's lives.
It takes strength to survive a legend.
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.
Readers LOVE The Shadow of Perseus:
'I absolutely adored this book, I devoured it.' ?????
'The book is a real page turner.' ?????
'This was such a compelling and wonderful read! I genuinely loved every minute of this book and cannot recommend it highly enough!' ?????
'A beautifully written, unique, approach to the myth of Perseus. Just gripping' ?????
'A masterful voice in the popular new wave of feminist reworkings of Greek mythology . . . A must-read for fans of Madeline Miller and Natalie Haynes' ?????
'As someone who loves Greek Mythology retelling, I absolutely loved reading this book' ?????
A fresh and original take on the myth of Perseus . . . I was gripped by the human drama at the novel's heart.
A page-turning retelling . . . so interesting and thought-provoking
Heywood tells her story vividly, setting it convincingly in the period - Sunday Times on Daughters of Sparta
A beautifully woven tale, Heywood triumphantly reclaims the stories of three of Greek Mythology's most deserving women. With brilliant, confident writing, The Shadow of Perseus has illuminated the stories of ladies too often relegated to the role of villain or damsel.
Re-energizes the Perseus myth . . . By re-interpreting the familiar characters in human terms, Claire Heywood gives new life and a startling new perspective to an old tale. Original and engrossing
Claire Heywood is a scholar of the ancient world, having gained a 1st Class BA in Classical Civilisation and an MA with Distinction in Ancient Visual and Material Culture, both from the University of Warwick. Her deep understanding of the ancient world, coupled with her fascination with women's forgotten voices, inspired her to retell the legend of the Trojan War from the perspective of two key female characters. She is a former professional tour guide at the Roman Baths museum in Bath and now writes full-time.
Daughters of Sparta is her first novel. She is currently doing research for her second novel, which will also be set in the ancient world and feature different female perspectives.