Such an important and interesting info book about all kinds of women in myths, folklore, legends, religions, and the far-off past!
I can hardly name my favourites in a concise list, because all the women are great. All women are great. All women are strong. And different. And unique. And complex, complicated, and full of contradictions. You know, human.
But I will attempt to list the faves anyway:
The Witches (and goddesses): Hecate (a new favourite goddess), Morgan Le Fay, Baba Yaga (she's everywhere now, and that's a good thing), Cassandra (the strongest, most enduring, tragic, relatable and relevant woman of all time?), and White Buffalo Calf Woman.
The Warriors (and goddesses): Artemis (no surprises there), Anath, the Furies (social justice warriors! Beware patriarchy!), and Kālī.
The Bringers of Misfortune: Hel, the Valkyries, the Baobhan Sith, Lilith (yes! resurgence!), Medusa (double yes resurgence!), and the Futakuchi-Onna.
The Elemental Spirits: Tiamat, the Selkies, Mari (the shapeshifting, independent, helpful feminist and matriarchal goddess), the Lady of Llyn Y Fan Fach (she has a lot to teach us about respect, set terms, ultimatums, boundaries, consent, and communication), the Rainbow Serpent, and Mazu (the multitalented, badass, mystical, independent historical woman turned worshipped goddess).
The Munificent Spirits: Tārā (the Wisdom Moon and princess, and a compassionate, passionate, proactive Buddhist/Hindu social justice warrior who gives no shits about the expectations placed on gender), Madderakka (she and her daughter spirits are the patron, homely, earthy, nurturing and comforting goddesses of childbirth and motherhood, and feminism and equal rights), the Moirai (the immortal, organisational, harmonious, ever-present and everywhere Fates), Brigid (the feminine saint and goddess of unconventional lifestyles and of women's health, and abortions, plus an equal rights advocate and a lesbian), Bona Dea (the most little-known, mysterious goddess, almost erased completely from history by whiny, insecure, patriarchal manbabies, who was definitely a cool, independent lady with female worshippers and female-centric events - reclaim her, never overlook her, never forget her and what she represented to women, i.e. freedom from men), Ame-No-Uzume (oh wow! You HAVE to look her up!--er, not like that), Maʽat (Cleopatra, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Isis, Bastet, and then there's Ma'at - a true Egyptian queen and goddess of equality, and the serene, stoic creator of rules and order from chaos and anarchy), and Mamam Brigitte (a fiery, uninhibited, partying, passionate, compassionate and caring vodou goddess).
Snakes figure a lot into mythology, don't they?
Women have always been rebels. They have always been social justice warriors, knowing what's right and fighting for it; fighting for equality. They have always been strong, smart, independent, instinctual, and self-aware. They have always been loving sisters, in groups.
Women have always been painfully, tragically human.
'Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology's Fiercest Females' isn't perfectly written. A few times Kate Hodges contradicts herself. Her section on Yennenga shockingly manages to read as conservative and pro-life, and pro-choice, at the same time; it could have been worded better.
In talking about Artemis, Hodges errors in naming a character in pop culture, Katniss Everdeen from 'The Hunger Games', as Katniss Everdee. I hope that is just a typo and not an astounding oversight and display of ignorance. On the subject of pop culture, she references 'Game of Thrones' many times, too.
In quoting Clarissa Pinkola Estés, the author of 'Women Who Run with the Wolves', Hodges just states her name at first, but when quoting her a second time, she refers to her title as well, as Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Consistency is all I'm asking for.
Her chapter on Medusa is surprisingly lacking in sympathy. It glosses over many devastating details about the tragic character and reclaimed feminist icon.
Hardly anything is mentioned about trans and nonbinary identities, bafflingly.
However, despite its flaws, I highly recommend this well researched, powerful, uplifting, inspiring tome, to all women, and mythologists and anthropologists. We all can learn a great many truths from it.
Like the truth that women are, and always have been, and always will be, equal and important to society. They are strong, fantastic and brilliant, as their own unique, multifaceted, individual selves, and as vital saviours of humanity. We are all doomed if we disrespect, subjugate and abuse half the human race. If we see them as in any way inferior, and less than.
Kate Hodges is right - progress and demolishing gender norms, and challenging and changing our attitudes towards gender and the archaic, conservative ideas spung from that, plus kindness, are vital to the future survival of society (from her chapter on the Rainbow Serpent, the Aboriginal, Australian, genderfluid serpent goddess of creation, water, and menstruation).
'Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology's Fiercest Females' - with a title like that, I was never going to resist it.
It's a keeper in my feminist nonfiction shelf, and a pickup and reminder of how strong, resilient and worth it women and humanity - and I - are, whenever I feel low, depressed and hopeless. Truly inspirational, and a wakeup call.
There too many great quotes for me to choose from and copy for this review. Just read it.
This book about mythology, and learning about the past, especially concerning women, might just save us all.
Final Score: 4/5
P.S. Oh, and the illustrations are nice. But why is the "small-but-terrifying" Moirai, Atropos - The Inevitable, the governor of the future, the death-bringer, the sister who cuts a person's life thread - depicted as a Black woman, when her two sister goddesses of birth and life, are white? I mean, YIKES! How did no one notice and point out how problematic that is?!
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