WITCH PRINCESS

by Dorothy Johnson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 1967

Though fate and legend have long since determined the ending, Medea's story is once again fresh and still engrossing in this feminine retelling. Daphne, her clairvoyant handmaiden, describes her mistress the kingdom of Colchis, the Journey of the Argonauts and the terrible events after their arrival as she sees them, from her common sense viewpoint, constantly sorting out rumor from fact (as the author interprets the tale) and always informed by love for Medea. The Witch princess emerges as a human but finally mysterious, elusive woman-she did not kill her brother (Jason did), she did not run away (she was kidnapped), she did not deliberately kill Jason's new wife (the robe she sent was so ancient no one remembered if it carried a good or bad spell), she didn't kill her sons (she footed the populace). Her spells are mostly hypnosis, her magic often Sleight of hand. But she is a princess, dignified and wise in ruling, superior to the shadowy, immature jason, her feelings hidden from the World behind a terrible smile and only revealed in her last blessing to Daphne--""The priestess of Hecate prays that Myron's wife will never learn what hatred is."" The voyage of the Argo is as exciting as ever in Daphne's subjective and detailed narration, the life at court and in Corinth are equally so when characters interact and power intervenes. A second vivid reconstruction of Greek legend from the author of the well-received Farewell to Troy.

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 1967

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1967

Categories: FICTION