https://tamaranth.blogspot.com/2024/03/2024040-divine-might-natalie-haynes.html ( )

If you love Greek mythology, sarcasm, and studying the classics from a feminist POV, this one is for you. I loved every second of this dive into the stories of the goddesses. Haynes doesn't shy away from painful stories, but she manages to bring humor to the book as well. I'm off to read the rest of her books now and I can't believe I missed her work so far! ( )

“Not only did the ancient Greeks seem to have modelled gods in their mortal image, but they apparently chose their worst selves as the template.”

Having read and loved Pandora’s Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes, I was eager to read the author’s latest work of non-fiction and I was not disappointed! Meticulously researched, factual, informative, and laced with the author’s insightful observations and trademark wit, Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth is an immersive read.

While most existing texts (and much of the inspired art) depict female characters from the Greek myths predominantly from the male perspective which, though interesting, can certainly feel (on occasion) unidimensional, the author allows us to explore each of the goddesses and their myth with a fresh interpretation of their gifts and motivations, vices, and their lasting impact on the modern world. As the author states in her brilliant introduction, ” Women can now make art, and we require no one’s permission. We can create our own stories of all those gods and monsters and –if we choose –make them in our image.”

My favorites were the chapters on The Muses, Hestia, Demeter and The Furies but I did enjoy the remaining chapters on Hera, Athene, Artemis and Aphrodite as well. Referencing several sources, the author delves deep into the characters, their stories from the myths and how their stories have inspired various art forms all around the world ranging from paintings and sculptures and artifacts to movies, music and much more.

Please note that this is not a “retelling” but a series of discussions about the goddesses in Greek Myth drawn from various existing sources with the author’s observations interwoven throughout the chapters.

Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks and NetGalley for the digital review copy of Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. ( )

A feminist take on goddesses in Greek mythology. She covers documentary and sculptural/painted versions of the stories, adds context of the times they were produced, and gives much more nuanced visions of the deities involved than we usually see from the whitewashed versions for children that many of us were brought up with. She is a classicist, but it's by no means a dry, scholarly book - there are many nice splashes of humour and references to the goddesses in modern culture and film. Very enjoyable. ( )

The goddesses of the Greek myths seem all powerful and in sharp contrast to their mortal compatriots. In a misogynistic society worship of powerful female figures didn't seem too anachronistic. Here Haynes explores a number of deities and the evidence we have for their myths and worship. The exploration covers the standard Greek myths but pulls together evidence from the myths and contemporary culture yet follows the pathway throughRoman beliefs and pan-theism and through to modern day exemplars. It is wonderfully readable book but one which is also incredibly learned. ( )