Bestselling Author Ayana Gray's Adult Debut I, Medusa Is a Masterful 'Villain Origin Story' — See the Cover! (Exclusive)

Bestselling author Ayana Gray's first adult novel is a reimagining of one of the most iconic characters in Greek mythology.

In I, Medusa — which is set to be published on Nov. 18 by Random House — Gray, 32, introduces readers to a Medusa that is not a "victim, but a vigilante," according to a press release. Ahead of the book's fall release date, the author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy exclusively reveals the cover of her latest fantasy novel to PEOPLE, while also sharing what inspired her to center her story on Medusa.

"Medusa is an iconic but often one-dimensional figure in classical Greco-Roman mythology," Gray tells PEOPLE. "She is often portrayed as a villain, but I've learned the best villains never think of themselves that way and wanted to explore that."

She adds, "I was inspired to write a story that forces readers to decide for themselves whether she truly deserves to be called a monster."

In Greek mythology, Medusa is depicted as a woman with snakes for hair and a penchant for turning anyone who meets her gaze into stone. But Gray is flipping the script as she weaves a story about a young woman who is caught between chasing her own desires and being forced to play along with the Olympian gods' games.

Gray shares that her new book is "at its core, a villain origin story," which is one of the reasons why she knew it needed to be an adult novel. Along the way, she found the biggest difference between her YA novels and I, Medusa is that she "allowed" herself "to explore some complex ideas and themes with a bit more nuance."

"My young adult trilogy follows a classic 'hero’s journey' story arc," she shares. "I, Medusa follows the inverse of that arc and centers a much more morally ambiguous protagonist. I didn’t know that it would be a book for adults when I started writing it, but I quickly realized that, to do the story justice, that was a necessary creative choice."

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Unlike her YA books, I, Medusa will not be part of an ongoing series. "It was satisfying to tell a complete story within one book for the first time in my career!" she says.

Most importantly, Gray is excited for readers to delve deeper into Greek mythology, and maybe even see a bit of themselves in Medusa, just like she did.

"It’s almost impossible for me to create a protagonist who I don’t find some echo of myself within," Gray explains. "The Medusa in this story feels like a tribute to so many girls I’ve known, and past versions of the girl I’ve been."

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I, Medusa is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.