Dawn Palace

Medea loves Jason from the moment she sets eyes on him; Jason, who believes that Medea is a powerful witch, is eager for her aid in securing the Golden Fleece. He swears to marry Medea and cherish her. Medea will do anything for her husband, even engineering a murder. But he later dismisses his sacred oath to her and divorces her. This engrossing retelling of Medea's story is filled with powerful ideasthe author strongly depicts the life of a well-educated woman in a society that placed females on a level approximating that of slaves. Medea's changes in fortune are viewed not as an isolated incident, but rather as a part of the demise of matriarchal rule and the victory of male-dominated religions over the worship of the Great Mother Goddess. And Medea's blind love for Jason is as believable as it is tragic. The compassionate renderings of the secondary characters demonstrate the author's sensitivity to the psychological truths beneath the surface of the myths. Well-researched, the novel and the notes that accompany it are never didacticrather they create vivid images of life in ancient times. Ages 12-up. (April)