My unofficial review of Being Medusa by A. Lynn Powers

[Levi]

1. Having snakes for hair would suck, that's what I think!!

Poor Medusa is a young girl with very unique problems. One she's totally smokin' hot and doesn't know it at all, and two there is the little thing about snakes for hair. You can't comb a set o' snakes and they draw unwanted attention to a pretty young lady. What's a girl to do, freeze people who offend her, or become a loner and build up a tough exterior to keep people out?

Our story begins with Medusa in trouble for freezing some frigid girl for being a freakin' jerk We follow the tale of Medusa explaining how she is always in trouble and she really thinks that it is all her fault, as, due to the way her sisters and everyone else treat her, she has low self esteem. The author does a great job of building interest in the character of Medusa, as well as empathy for her and her situation. We can all relate, right?! Am I right?! Yeah, you with the third nipple or that High School yearbook photo that you won't show anyone because you looked like a dang donkey with glasses, haha--a**glasses.(sorry, I've been reading too much young adult fare lately and am really enjoying the young potty humor hahaha)

Somewhere along the way, Medusa gets hit by a car driven by some jerk of a new guy at the school, and this is where her life begins to change. The new guy and his family feel so bad about what he has done, that they will not leave her alone with their stupid caring and bringing of food and other such contrite and apologetic behaviors. (Also their mom does not want to get sued. haha) She begins to make friends with these pesky people and soon she makes other friends as well. She begins to open herself up to realize that not everyone is against her like her stupid sisters that never clean up after themselves and answer the door in their underwear....(because they're gross!!)

There are twists and turns along the way that I will not reveal because no one likes a spoiler, but suffice it to say that Medusa continues to learn that some people can be trusted and others cannot. Just as she begins to trust people, some of them let her down. HARD!! She does not take this and become bitter and retreat back to her former self, partly because she has already learned her lesson, but mostly because her friends are there for her when this happens and help her to keep her faith in humanity. The villianous pair that hurt Medusa are not completely frozen in the end, but are handily taken care of by a plot hatched up by her and her friends.

Humor is also not lacking, which is always a plus in my book. At one point Medusa wonders, as young girl with snakes for hair would, "Is it ok to carry a brown purse with black snakes?" There is also a funny part where she relates how people are talking about her behind her back and she overhears, "I wonder if the carpet matches the drapes?"(hahahaha oh, the implications that has in this story) and, "I wonder if she stole Donny from his girlfriend using snake charming tricks?" Hahahaha

All in all a beautiful story about self consciousness and how our image of ourselves is typically an unfounded alternate reality that we create. What a better way to personify that in this genre than by using a character like Medusa who, although human in body, also has an obviously different appearance than everybody else. This is a story that most of us can relate to and a very refreshing and unique take on a very time tested theme.


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Being Medusa
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[gali]

What a lovely and refreshing review!

Seems like a great book. I am glad you enjoyed it so much.

[Levi]

Oh, thank you Gali,you have calmed my fears. I'm glad you like the review.

[bookowlie]

Nice, insightful review. Snakes for hair....totally gross. It's nice to see a Young Adult book that's not about vampires, witches, etc.

[Lovely_Loreley]

Really great review! This is definitely going on my to-read list now (also potty humor is some of the best humor around haha)

[zeldas_lullaby]

This is a great review! I haven't read this one, but I have read two of her other works: Secret Memories and No Fury. I highly recommend them as well. Secret Memories if you live for plot surprises, and No Fury if you ever enjoyed watching the Bachelor or Bachelorette.

I love the way you capture the heart of the books you review, Levi!!

I don't have any horrendous high school yearbook photos. But if my middle school yearbook photos got out, I'd just die.

[Levi]

Nice, insightful review. Snakes for hair....totally gross. It's nice to see a Young Adult book that's not about vampires, witches, etc.

Thank you so much Owlie, I know I use the hahaha too much, I am sadly still transitioning from The Nothing that is social media. (And yes I just likened social media to a black void that threatens to destroy the lands of imagination-because it is! Do not insert hahaha here
I really did like her original take and I will probably eventually read her other books in support.

-- 01 Jul 2015, 00:06 --

Really great review! This is definitely going on my to-read list now (also potty humor is some of the best humor around haha)

Thank you lovely If you do read it, I hope that you will enjoy it and let me know what you think. Potty humor and all

-- 01 Jul 2015, 00:08 --

This is a great review! I haven't read this one, but I have read two of her other works: Secret Memories and No Fury. I highly recommend them as well. Secret Memories if you live for plot surprises, and No Fury if you ever enjoyed watching the Bachelor or Bachelorette.

I love the way you capture the heart of the books you review, Levi!!

I don't have any horrendous high school yearbook photos. But if my middle school yearbook photos got out, I'd just die.

I will eventually check out her other books (I will not mention the horror that auto correct just about unleashed upon my life there at the end of that sentence hahaha) Thank you for those kind words Meg, I appreciate it immensely.

[zeldas_lullaby]

You're welcome! Anytime! Keep reviewing.

[bookowlie]

Nice, insightful review. Snakes for hair....totally gross. It's nice to see a Young Adult book that's not about vampires, witches, etc.

Thank you so much Owlie, I know I use the hahaha too much, I am sadly still transitioning from The Nothing that is social media. (And yes I just likened social media to a black void that threatens to destroy the lands of imagination-because it is! Do not insert hahaha here
I really did like her original take and I will probably eventually read her other books in support.

-- 01 Jul 2015, 00:06 --
Well, I don't remember saying anything about using hahaha too much. Now if you used hahahahahahaha, that's a different story.

[zeldas_lullaby]

I use it all the time myself, in caps, no less. LIke this:

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

Or, if I'm feeling sisister...

WA HA HA HA HA.

I think I developed the habit when my sister got mad at me for typing LOL. She said she hated that. So I started doing the HA HA HA HA HA thing.

[Levi]

Gosh no Owlie sorry, I was just relaying my insecurities into that post ha ha it had nothing to do with you. It should have said "Thank you Owlie, but....." Because I had been thinking that it was a little excessive

Meg, I like saying Lolz'ing or lolomg, mostly to make fun of it ha ha. Again thank you guys so much. I'll have an official review that strictly follows the guidelines, and yet will be teeming with my odd humor, by sometime next week. Wa ha ha ha

[zeldas_lullaby]

WA HA HA... WA HA HA.. WA HA HA HA HA...

I can't wait to read it!!

[gali]

I like saying lol

[Levi]

WA HA HA... WA HA HA.. WA HA HA HA HA...

I can't wait to read it!!

But you must I say!!

-- 01 Jul 2015, 16:42 --

I like saying lol

Lolz'ing gali, your word of the day?

[Lisalovecraft]

This sounds like a great book! What a cool concept.