Boo Review: Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth

Rating: 4.5⭐️

“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.