This brilliant novel in fierce, crackling verse tells the story of a year in the life of a sixteen-year-old who has been forced to grow up too fast. Alicia is trying to cope despite a shattered family, an abusive teacher, and a world full of human wolves who see her as their rightful prey. However, this book is about her journey as a survivor, not as a victim. One of the many ways that Alicia finds to hold on to her own agency though everything is by writing poems to Medusa and the other mythological figures in her story. She sees Medusa as a person who turned her pain into power, who learned to fight back when the world turned against her. In Alicia’s poetry, her abuser becomes Poseidon, and his enablers become Athena and the other gods who support Perseus. The myth is an important part of how Alicia comes to terms with her experiences and learns to cope with her trauma. 

Like Medusa, Alicia, who is white, is not alone on her island, although it takes her a while to realize it. She has many women in her life who support her in large and small ways, like Medusa’s Gorgon sisters, and whom she supports in turn. Deja becomes Alicia’s friend and transcends the “Black best friend” trope in many ways. The two act as each other’s sounding boards as they explore their developing identities, Deja’s asexuality and Alicia’s bisexuality. The new girl in school, Geneva, who is of Pakistani and white heritage, bursts on Alicia’s life like a ray of sunshine and is too grounded to let Alicia self-destruct. Finally, a chorus of co-workers, family members, teachers, and schoolmates give the thoughtful, observant Alicia new perspectives along the way. 

This book might be triggering for some readers, and the content is PG13. Alicia is sexually active, although nothing is described explicitly. Likewise, her assaults are present in the story, but in the form of doors that are ominously closed when they should be open, rather than explicit narration. Author Olivia Cole wisely allows Alicia to focus on her thoughts and feelings instead of explicit narration at these moments. The choice foregrounds Alicia’s agency, which makes her healing process more prominent in the narrative than her traumatization. She gives a beautiful rendition of a strong, ferocious, yet compassionate young woman who has been hurt, but is recovering. - Krishni Burns

Having never read a novel written in verse, I was skeptical when I picked up “Dear Medusa.” But Olivia Cole exceeded my expectations, delivering a poetic and powerful story following the life of sixteen-year-old Alicia. Instead of allowing herself to be bound by her trauma after being assaulted by her teacher, Alicia finds the strength and courage to defy odds and overcome her abuser. Not only does she find herself again after her assault, but her story also follows her as she finds herself through her sexuality.

Olivia Cole takes on a path in mythology which is usually left unwritten. Throughout the novel Alicia is introduced to the myth of Medusa, and, Alicia sees her not as bitter and vengeful, but rather as a woman scorned by the gods. Throughout the text, Alicia sees herself in Medusa as a woman who had been taken advantage of who then turns her torment into tenacity. Olivia Cole’s portrayal of Medusa’s myth makes an important contribution to contemporary adaptations of mythology. The original  myths do not have a single canonical version— each telling has many different details and variations. Olivia Cole’s interpretation of Medusa as a victim who then becomes a force to be reckoned with is a prime example of this. - Caitlin Romaker