Warriors. Daughters. Lovers.
Two of Greek mythology’s most complex and powerful women—a powerful witch and a renowned huntress—join forces on an epic quest in this suspenseful, sapphic reimagining from the acclaimed author of Psyche and Eros.
Medea possesses both witchcraft and cunning, yet she endures a lonely and constrained life under the rule of her wicked father, Aeetes. When the hero Jason arrives, they strike a deal: If Medea helps him win her father’s Golden Fleece, Jason will marry her and take her with him back to Greece. But as the journey unfolds, Medea is forced to choose between the life she expected and the love she secretly desires—and the cost may be greater than she ever imagined.
Atalanta, raised by bears, is a capable warrior caught between the wilderness and the human world but never fully part of either. After the sudden disappearance of the woman she loves, Atalanta joins Jason’s Argonauts in an attempt to find her. But when Medea becomes part of the crew, the sorceress awakens something in Atalanta that she cannot ignore.
Jason, a skilled diplomat but a reluctant warrior, depends on his heroic companions to help him claim the Golden Fleece and retake the stolen throne of his father. Medea and Atalanta are among his most useful allies, but Jason soon finds that success may demand more than he can give.
Bursting with mythological references and cameos, Luna McNamara’s The Witch and the Huntress is a daring, enchanting story about two singular women in search of love, power, and redemption, set against a backdrop of epic quests and meddling gods.
I adored Psyche and Eros and was very excited for Luna McNamara’s new Greek retelling. McNamara does an amazing job with her prose and weaving the stories together smoothly. McNamara stays true to the times, laws, and morals of the era she is writing. There is a line that McNamara writes that rings this truth: “Men are above women and the gods are above men...” A reflected statement by a man who had married a goddess but then says to Jason, “Don’t make the same mistakes I did.” These men did not see how their mistakes were actually theirs and not the fault of others. A fact that is repeated throughout all mythology.
I enjoyed the different perspectives. Seeing the adventure of the Argos through Medea’s, Atalanta’s, and Jason’s eyes was interesting. As stated, it gave the reader insight into their reflections and made the adventure feel well-rounded. However, I felt that there was a missed opportunity with both Jason and Atalanta. I would have liked to have more of Atalanta’s insights as well as Jason’s. I wonder if the novel would have been better if it had stopped after the Argos had returned. I wonder if a second book that went more in-depth to what happened after. The ending just felt rushed to complete Medea’s story, with Atalanta and Jason just being fillers.
Overall, I rate the novel 4 out of 5 stars.
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