Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology'S Fiercest Females

Meet mythology's fifty fiercest females in this modern retelling of the world's greatest legends. From feminist fairies to bloodsucking temptresses, half-human harpies and protective Vodou goddesses, these are women who go beyond long-haired, smiling stereotypes. Their stories are so powerful, so entrancing, that they have survived for millennia. Lovingly retold and updated, Kate Hodges places each heroine, rebel and provocateur fimly at the centre of their own narrative. Players include: Bewitching, banished Circe, an introvert famed and feared for her transfigurative powers. The righteous Furies, defiantly unrepentant about their dedication to justice. Fun-loving Ame-no-Uzume who makes quarrelling friends laugh and terrifies monsters by flashing at them. The fateful Morai sisters who spin a complex web of birth, life and death. Find your tribe, fire your imagination and be empowered by this essential anthology of notorious, demonised and overlooked women. Review: With subjects ranging from Kali and Baba Yaga to La Llorona and Maman Brigitte, this is an appealing overview of mythical women who have become mainstream icons. * Booklist | ALA * From the famous Greek bringer of misfortune Medusa, to the Jewish demon Lilith and the Japanese supernatural beast Futakuchi-Onna, this collection of tales explores both the myths that saturate Western fame and the legends you've yet to hear about - but trust me, after you get to know them, these magical ladies are impossible to forget. * BookTrib * Contents: FOREWORD INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 WITCHES Wise women, soothsayers and healers HECATE Greek: goddess MORGAN LE FAY. British: enchantress and fairy CIRCE Greek: goddess/witch BABA YAGA Slavic: witch CASSANDRA. Greek: prophet THE PYTHIA. Greek: priestess/witch BERCHTA. Southern German/Austrian: goddess WHITE BUFFALO CALF WOMAN Indigenous American/Lakotan: spirit RHIANNON Celtic: goddess/fairy CHAPTER 2 WARRIORS Fighters, strategists and bringers of justice ARTEMIS Greek: goddess ANATH Northwest Semitic: goddess DIVOKA SARKA Bohemian: warrior FREYJA Norse: goddess THE FURIES Roman/Greek: goddesses CIHUATETEO Meso-American: spirits KALT Hindu: goddess YENNENGA Mossi, African: princess JEZEBEL Hebrew/Christian: queen CHAPTER 3 BRINGERS OF MISFORTUNE Destructors, havoc-wreakers, harbingers of doom HEL Norse: goddess MORR.GAN Celtic: goddess THE VALKYRIES Norse: spirits PONTIANAK Malay: ghost BAOBHAN SITH Scottish: vampire LILITH Jewish: demon LOVIATAR Finnish: goddess HARPIES Greek: monsters MEDUSA Greek/Roman: monster LA LLORONA Mexican: spirit BANSHEE Celtic: spirit, fairy FUTAKUCHI-ONNA Japanese: supernatural beast CHAPTER 4 ELEMENTAL SPIRITS Lightning bolt-throwers, commanders of fire and ice, creators of the planet TIAMAT Babylonian: goddess MAMI WATA African/American: goddess PELE Hawaiian: goddess SELKIES Scottish: creatures MARI Basque: goddess THE LADY OF LLYN Y FAN FACH Welsh: fairy THE RAINBOW SERPENT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Australia: gender-fluid goddess/god MAZU Mazuism/Buddhism/Taoism/Confucianism: goddess EGLE THE QUEEN OF SERPENTS Lithuanian: woman CHAPTER 5 MUNIFICENT SPIRITS Bountiful deities, generous spirits, domestic goddesses TARA Buddhism/Hinduism: goddess MADDERAKKA Sami: spirits THE MOIRAI Greek: incarnations of destiny BRIGID Celtic: goddess and saint ERZULIE DANTOR AND ERZULIE FREDA Vodou: goddesses BONA DEA Roman: goddess AME-NO-UZUME Japanese: goddess INANNA Mesopotamian: goddess MA'AT Egyptian: goddess LIEU HANH Vietnamese: goddess MAMAN BRIGITTE Voudou: goddess GLOSSARY FURTHER READING MYTHOLOGICAL WOMEN PLAYLIST ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY Author Biography: Kate Hodges graduated from the University of Westminster with a BA in Print Journalism. She has over 20 years writing experience on magazines, having been a staffer on publications including The Face, Bizarre, Just Seventeen, Smash Hits and Sky, and written for many more, including The Guardian, Kerrang! and NME. She has also worked for Rapido TV and P For Production films. She is the author of three books on London. Harriet Lee-Merrion is an award-winning illustrator based in Bristol, in the South West of England. Her work has been published worldwide and exhibited internationally in New York, London and Berlin. She has illustrated for numerous clients including The British Library, Conde Nast, the Guardian, the Washington Post and the New York Times.