The third book in National Book Award finalist Katherine Marsh's fantastical series about a mythology-based boarding school finds Ava and her friends in the midst of a deep-sea battle for their lives. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and the TV series Wednesday!
It's a new school year, and Ava and Fia return to the Accademia on probation. Worse, their new headmaster is none other than Triton, Poseidon's domineering son, who transforms the campus into his own sea-themed domain.
As Fia struggles with her fear of water and the mystery behind her mother's suspicious death, Ava struggles to unlock the secrets of Fia’s lineage, including those of her ancestor Chimera.
With the help of their friends, a riddle from a Sphinx descendant, and the mythical Pegasus, Ava and Fia embark on a daring journey to Poseidon's golden palace to uncover the truth about Fia's mother. Along the way, they confront gods and reveal the real stories behind the so-called monsters. But Triton isn't forgiving, and it will take more than courage to right these ancient wrongs and escape with their lives.
Poseidon's Prisoner is the latest in Katherine Marsh's "unique and distinctly feminist fantasy series" (Publishers Weekly). The first book in the series is the award-winning Medusa, about which author and educator Colby Sharp said: "you won't be able to stop turning pages."
The series
In a Venetian boarding school where history’s shadows cling to every stone, legends are not just remembered, they are alive. At the Accademia del Forte, students carry the blood of creatures once branded as monsters in Greek myth. Their powers are unruly, their emotions dangerous, and their place in the world carefully controlled by gods who still demand obedience.
Read full series description
At the heart of the story is Ava, a girl whose anger flickers into something far more powerful than she ever imagined. Her journey begins with the unsettling discovery that she can freeze another human being, and from that moment, nothing feels safe or ordinary again. Within the academy’s marble halls, she uncovers truths buried under centuries of mythmaking, where questions of power, justice, and identity cut deeper than any blade.
The series unfolds with a haunting mix of adventure and intimacy. Venetian canals, frozen corridors, and mythic landscapes create an atmosphere that feels both timeless and urgent. Friendship and loyalty guide Ava as much as fury and defiance, and every challenge forces her to decide whether to accept the stories she has inherited or to write her own.
What makes these books resonate is not only their inventive retelling of Greek mythology but also their willingness to ask what it really means to be a monster. Through Ava’s struggles, readers are invited to reflect on anger, resilience, and the courage it takes to challenge the narratives that shape us.
Recognized by educators and young readers alike for its emotional depth and myth-infused storytelling, The Myth of Monsters offers a darkly atmospheric yet hopeful reimagining of ancient tales. It is a fantasy series that feels at once classical and refreshingly new, inviting readers to lose themselves in its wintry labyrinths and emerge with questions still burning.
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