No Friend to This House

I adore Natalie Haynes. I would read her interpretation of a foreign cereal box.

Two summers ago, I was adrift in every classical retelling that I could get my hands on. It was during this time that read Euripides’s Medea, on the recommendation of the Ms. Haynes, after hearing her discuss the story on an episode of her podcast, Natalie Haynes Stands Up For the Classics.

Although it is nice to have the experience come full circle, I do not believe that you need knowledge of the original to enjoy Ms. Haynes retelling here.

I appreciate her restraint as a writer when crafting complex characters. Sometimes it can be very self satisfying to create a one-note villain or the perfect hero, but she doesn’t do that here, the result is messy, interesting, and honest.