A Drop of Venom

November 15, 2023
A retelling of the Medusa tale set within a world infused with Indian lore that follows a sexual assault survivor whose powers enable her to seek vengeance. In this reimagining of the myth of Medusa, with influences from the story of Perseus and serpent deities from Indian folklore, Manisha is a beautiful 16-year-old temple priestess who's secretly one of the feared naga people who can turn men into stone. Orphaned Pratyush is the last of his kind, an invincible 17-year-old monster slayer in service to a selfish king. He visits the temple time and again, simply to see and talk to Manisha; she's intrigued by the charismatic boy who's also a legendary warrior. But before they can be together, Manisha is violently sexually assaulted and, with the help of snake magic and golden serpent companion Noni, survives being kicked into a pit of venomous vipers. She travels the outskirts of the kingdom, searching for the family torn from her in childhood and defending young women in need. Meanwhile, the king sends Pratyush on a mission to bring back the head of the powerful Serpent Queen. The dual-perspective narration goes back and forth in time, heightening the suspense as Manisha's and Pratyush's paths inevitably intersect again. This thrilling, well-paced fantasy, with rich worldbuilding and a slow-burn romance, powerfully reclaims Medusa as a symbol of feminist rage. A gripping, magical tale of sisterhood and strength. (author's note) (Fantasy. 14-18)

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Starred review from October 23, 2023
Patel (Isha, Unscripted) unflinchingly addresses themes of sexual assault and rape culture, trauma, and consent in this bold fusion of the Medusa myth and Indian folklore. Sixteen-year-old Manisha survived the King’s attempted destruction of her people, the naga, five years ago by posing as a temple priestess. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Pratyush, the last of the monster slayers, serves the King by undertaking hazardous missions across the land. During Pratyush’s repeated visits to the temple, he and Manisha develop a tentative, forbidden bond, but everything changes after another temple guest sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her into a pit of vipers. Still alive and now imbued with terrifying, snake-like power, Manisha wanders into the wilderness, where she’s repeatedly forced to defend herself. Little does Manisha know that
Pratyush has been dispatched to slay a reported monster capable of turning men to stone—nor does he realize that he’s tracking the girl he loves. Frequent moments of gore, misogyny, vengeance, and violence are juxtaposed by the star-crossed leads’ sweetly awkward dynamic and set against a mythic backdrop of dark magic and deadly monsters rendered via anachronistic third-person prose, making for a story that, while not easy to witness, is urgent and vital. Ages 14–up. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary.

January 1, 2024
Grades 10-12 Indian folklore is woven into the Greek Medusa myth in a colorfully descriptive world where monsters have been nearly hunted to extinction and temples float in the sky. Years after Manisha's family makes the agonizing decision to have her masquerade as a priestess to hide her identity as one of the naga, a people seeking independence from the king, she meets Pratyush, the king's last monster slayer. A vicious assault leads to Manisha becoming one of the very monsters Pratyush has been trained to hunt. The delineation between monster and hero grows thin as the ramifications of the king's commands become clear: Pratyush must decide between his duty and his heart. The furious, action-packed fantasy raises probing questions about the true nature of duty and honor, and especially of monstrosity versus morality. Warnings from Riordan and Patel are not to be taken lightly; sexual violence is not uncommon. Bringing readers face-to-face with the cruelty of sexual assault in a variety of contexts, this dual third-person narrative will be best suited for mature readers.

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Starred review from July 12, 2024

Gr 10 Up-Medusa meets Indian mythology in this fantasy novel. Sixteen-year-old Manisha lives without family and friends as an apsara, or priestess, on the Floating Mountains. No one knows she is a nagin except for the family she left behind. She gets closer to 17-year-old Pratyush, the monster slayer. He hopes to secure her hand in marriage upon his return. After leaving, Manisha is sexually assaulted by a temple visitor and kicked into a pit of vipers. She survives with heightened senses and the ability to petrify men with her blood. She searches for her family while Pratyush is unwittingly searching for her, the monster whose head he needs to deliver to the king. This novel handles sensitive topics, such as sexual assault, violence, and death of family members in an age-appropriate manner. Patel conveys devastatingly the complexities of grieving and the healing process as Manisha struggles with self-blame. Through friendship, she learns that the fault of sexual assault lies with the perpetrators and how to stand up for victims. Moreover, the worldbuilding is executed fantastically. VERDICT This will appeal to fans of mythology. The book is equal parts perfect character development and page-turning plot; it would be an excellent addition to high school libraries and public libraries alike.-Wilsinia Ocasio

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