No Friend to This House

A defiantly feminist retelling of the myth of Medea from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Stone Blind.

It's superb: sharp, funny, inventive, powerfully humane

An illuminating and often thrilling work of feminist reclamation

Natalie Haynes . . . offers an extraordinary feminist reimagining of the myth of Medea, cementing her place in a female pantheon of classical interpreters with Pat Barker, Madeleine Miller and Margaret Atwood

One of my all-time favourite writers

Haynes’ Medea is especially striking – both fearless witch and desperate lover – capturing all the facets and contradictions of the character in the ancient sources . . . Another masterpiece from Haynes.

[A] wry, witty and ruthless retelling of Euripides' play

Natalie Haynes is a once-in-a-generation storyteller, and No Friend to This House is her masterpiece. Haynes does not so much retell the myth of Medea as excavate it, layer by devastating layer, for truths both timeless and timely. This is a stunning novel that cuts to the bone.

An incredible feat of storytelling, bringing to life all the strands of the divine and human which led to one of the most fascinating myths of all time - Medea

A stunning, slowburning tale full of passion and vengeance

The myth of Medea captivatingly retold (complete with the most beautifully foil-tipped pages) will completely reset your commute

If there is one thing Natalie Haynes knows how to do, it is reposition the classics. And her latest offering, No Friend to This House , raises the bar even more . . . In the world of Greek tragedy, Medea is often considered one of the most complex and divisive characters. But Haynes’ No Friend To This House gives readers more to consider about her

Witty, gripping, ruthless

An exceptionally powerful retelling of Medusa's story, an emotional gut punch of a novel . . . It is a dazzling achievement

Inventive and playful . . . [and] very funny

With her trademark passion, wit, and fierce feminism, Natalie Haynes gives much-needed voice to the silenced women of the Trojan War

Absorbing and fiercely feminist . . . A many-layered delight

A sparkling narrative . . . A Thousand Ships blows the dust off the classics

Haynes balances a fresh take on the material . . . giving new voice to the often-overlooked but fascinating Jocasta and Ismene

A wonderful and inventive take on an ancient tale

Glorious, gripping and brutal . . . I loved it

Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of The Amber Fury , The Children of Jocasta , A Thousand Ships , which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020, Stone Blind and No Friend to This House , both Sunday Times bestsellers. Her non-fiction includes, Pandora’s Jar , a bestseller in both the UK and the US, and Divine Might . She has written and performed ten series of her BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics . In 2015 she was awarded the Classical Association Prize for her work in bringing Classics to a wider audience.