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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
I could read these forever. The section on Arachne ruined me. The contemporary media analysis in this book is so good and interesting. Give me more, please.
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
funny
informative
slow-paced
Yessssss Natalie Haynes also released a book about goddesess!!! (And a sort of rehash on how freaky the Olympians are, haha but not really haha because they are /wild/ in the kind of behavior we can only describe as deviant).
Once again I got a fresh look at them - Natalie discusses the different versions, for example, of Homer's vs Hesiod's vs Sophocles' vs Pindar's vs Sappho's, sort of tying them together and then juxtaposed with contemporary perspectives (also, Natalie sets us straight on some mythical theories that are popular but aren't factually true - don't get me /started/ on the Hades and Persephone "romance" and while I /do/ get why people made these retellings but it's just romanticizing, in this case, something that was basically kidnapping, rape, and abuse by /her uncle/ and ughhh it's just so disgusting, no-one can make me read a retelling with Persephone somehow being in love with Hades because atp it'd probably just be Stockholm syndrome). But I digress.
This was quite brilliantly written and highly entertaining. I love it when someone discusses history but makes it comedic (which is quite a feat, bearing in mind most of them were tragedies). So glad she talked about goddesses most people don't really care about aside from as side characters? The muses, Hera, the Furies, Demeter (I love her, and seeing her win - albeit limited - over Zeus and Hades and makes the other Olympians actually fear her is damn badass)!? Thank you!!!
Once again I got a fresh look at them - Natalie discusses the different versions, for example, of Homer's vs Hesiod's vs Sophocles' vs Pindar's vs Sappho's, sort of tying them together and then juxtaposed with contemporary perspectives (also, Natalie sets us straight on some mythical theories that are popular but aren't factually true - don't get me /started/ on the Hades and Persephone "romance" and while I /do/ get why people made these retellings but it's just romanticizing, in this case, something that was basically kidnapping, rape, and abuse by /her uncle/ and ughhh it's just so disgusting, no-one can make me read a retelling with Persephone somehow being in love with Hades because atp it'd probably just be Stockholm syndrome). But I digress.
This was quite brilliantly written and highly entertaining. I love it when someone discusses history but makes it comedic (which is quite a feat, bearing in mind most of them were tragedies). So glad she talked about goddesses most people don't really care about aside from as side characters? The muses, Hera, the Furies, Demeter (I love her, and seeing her win - albeit limited - over Zeus and Hades and makes the other Olympians actually fear her is damn badass)!? Thank you!!!
funny
informative
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
“When women make art like men do, their goddesses look divine.”
Thanks to the publisher, Harper Perennial, for sending me a copy of this for review some months ago. I was definitely that kid that had a Greek mythology phase...and I never really grew out of it. While the market is a bit saturated with it right now, I have been really appreciative of, and generally enjoying, the prevalence of lady-lead retellings in the book world. The chance to read a nonfiction perspective on these goddesses was something I had felt like was missing, in the slew of fictional releases, so I was excited for this one. (All review opinions are my own.)
I decided, after I started reading, so present this review the way I do with short stories. So, each chapter, each goddess, is getting their own little blurb, with my thoughts and reactions while reading about them. And then, I'll finish with overall thoughts, if you want to skip right down to that at the end. :-)
The Muses: I love that this is a focus of this chapter on the Muses who historically had to bless/provide/inspire both science and art. “The distinction that only sciences are useful and only arts are spirit-enhancing is a nonsensical one.” They are more similar than different, they're all creative pursuits and I hate the arbitrary division between them now that says otherwise! An interesting look at the role they have played, been attributed with, and the changes across time (from being the keepers of creativity and skill that must be gifted - beautiful and talented, to a female inspiration for any male artists work, flattened into a generic role and not an artist in her own right).
Hera: I’m enjoying this one; it’s not so much arguing Hera’s unreasonable revenge and villainy aren’t her doing, but rather a reframing as to why she might be doing that. Haynes untwists a typical “tale as old as time” tale of misogyny - where it’s not the disgusting patriarchy that’s the problem in the situation, but the woman who refuses to stand and take it, using whatever means she has access to in order to take/gain some power and influence. You made her what she is, Zeus! Hera may be spiteful and petty, but she's also constrained by circumstances, and loyal/protective to the end when taken by the urge. What a representative and fellow for all women trapped by society/marriage in the time period. It’s a nuanced new portrait.
Aphrodite: “Human propensity to be helpless in the face of desire is widely attested, and largely unchanged through time…” And therein lies the power of Aphrodite, as the bestower of this love that brings us to our knees. The heart of Aphrodite’s power, and for me perhaps the sorrow/loneliness in in, is that her beauty and perfection remain unchanged regardless of any humiliations or vilifications that are throw at her, by humans and deities alike (you “can’t take away her game face” and “applying lipstick in a war zone” and “make her your laughingstock and she’ll only make you want her more” feel like intensely tragically accurate descriptions). Seeing examples of how this plays out across media (and in examples I’ve seen irl) only further proves the power in this perception/role. “…poets obviously get a better response from goddesses than the rest of us, but I suppose they probably sing a better prayer.” (Unrelated to the specifics of the chapter but I lovedddddd this line.)
Artemis: A really interesting look at her as a predator first and foremost; I liked the interpretation. I’ve most recently been drawn to her, the goddess of the hunt, connected with the moon, bow & arrow, nature/animals, and the lack of clarity or too much knowledge about her. All of that, everything about her, is a femininity that feels recognizable to me. The duality of her nature to both be surrounded by and hunt animals is appealing in its complexity and nuance.
Demeter: I have always thought that the way Demeter’s entire persona is communicated in the way she is related to Persephone is frustrating. She seems like she should be considered in so much greater esteem and separately, for the importance of her domain (harvests and agriculture and the literal sustaining substances of human life - such bounty she controls). Yet, I appreciate Haynes’ view of her stepping outside the role of ‘we must accept the predations of men’ that is typical of women of the time, at least in writing, and how she “weaponizes her rage” to force the men to consider her/Persephone’s preferences. It’s a partial win, but impressive still. Side note: interesting that this mother-daughter relationship is really the only positive/close/supportive female relationship that we see in this set of major goddesses.
Hestia: It’s poignant that the goddess of a “woman’s” domain - home and hearth and fireplace - arduous and menial, but ultimately ubiquitous and completely necessary for life, is a largely unspoken-of, invisible, goddess. The everyday goddess, in every moment and part of every sacrifice to every other god, but never centered in grand mythological narratives. “Fire from the hearth is both cleansing and polluting, noble and filthy, the property of kings and the province of slaves.” and “This is a goddess who doesn’t often do, but always is.” Again, the heart of every home, every temple, every city. I really enjoyed this essay a lot. Really the highlight of the collection for me, which was unexpected.
Athene: My childhood favorite: wisdom and warrior! Athene using her powers to bend mortals, messing with them and convincing them all she’s on their side and leading them to victory, it’s terrifying and wonderful levels of power for a woman to wield over men. After Hestia, a striking return to immaturity and the random favoritism and revenge/punishment of human hubris just like the rest. The contradictions of preferring men in giving favor, yet wanting nothing to do with them in practice herself (one of the non-sexual/viriginal goddesses), is something that strikes deeply, when you think about it.
The Furies: I don’t care what anyone says, and how unliked they are in the classics, I will always cheer for dark feminine avengers of wrongdoing! I love the Furies. Also, they only harangue and prosecute those who’ve done crimes, so like, someone needs to punish those people, right? Lovinggggg that the gods can’t really stop them, only slow them down some. The more nuanced look at their place here, that they are not just a negative force, but rather play the role of fear of retribution as a crucial part of justice (or at least shame at acting dishonestly or cruelly) in a functioning society, is really interesting. I enjoyed learning that they protect not just against murder, but also follow-through on oaths and promises (I see how those parallel and respect that framework a lot).
Haynes includes some really interesting examples from history and contemporary art throughout this essay collection, really doing a lion's job of communicating and exploring such a breadth of representations of these women across time. But, I did wonder if there is a point to this exploration, a thesis, or just, an academic curiosity? I never really got an answer to that while reading. And at the same time, I couldn't decide if I cared or not either. It was a compelling read, fascinating, even without a greater thesis. The light humor and injections and commentary Hayne includes as asides to the reader really kept this from getting bogged down in academia, making it a smoother and more accessible read, which is a fine to walk. There is so much tragedy in these stories and the lives of these goddesses, both in the revenge they wreak on others and in the heartbreak and violence they experience themselves. Phew. All in all, Haynes is clearly very well read/educated in this area, making so many references and connections and inferences. It’s obviously one person’s perspective, and it isn't a fast read (a read one chaper/goddess at a time, over a few months), but I enjoyed it.
Thanks to the publisher, Harper Perennial, for sending me a copy of this for review some months ago. I was definitely that kid that had a Greek mythology phase...and I never really grew out of it. While the market is a bit saturated with it right now, I have been really appreciative of, and generally enjoying, the prevalence of lady-lead retellings in the book world. The chance to read a nonfiction perspective on these goddesses was something I had felt like was missing, in the slew of fictional releases, so I was excited for this one. (All review opinions are my own.)
I decided, after I started reading, so present this review the way I do with short stories. So, each chapter, each goddess, is getting their own little blurb, with my thoughts and reactions while reading about them. And then, I'll finish with overall thoughts, if you want to skip right down to that at the end. :-)
The Muses: I love that this is a focus of this chapter on the Muses who historically had to bless/provide/inspire both science and art. “The distinction that only sciences are useful and only arts are spirit-enhancing is a nonsensical one.” They are more similar than different, they're all creative pursuits and I hate the arbitrary division between them now that says otherwise! An interesting look at the role they have played, been attributed with, and the changes across time (from being the keepers of creativity and skill that must be gifted - beautiful and talented, to a female inspiration for any male artists work, flattened into a generic role and not an artist in her own right).
Hera: I’m enjoying this one; it’s not so much arguing Hera’s unreasonable revenge and villainy aren’t her doing, but rather a reframing as to why she might be doing that. Haynes untwists a typical “tale as old as time” tale of misogyny - where it’s not the disgusting patriarchy that’s the problem in the situation, but the woman who refuses to stand and take it, using whatever means she has access to in order to take/gain some power and influence. You made her what she is, Zeus! Hera may be spiteful and petty, but she's also constrained by circumstances, and loyal/protective to the end when taken by the urge. What a representative and fellow for all women trapped by society/marriage in the time period. It’s a nuanced new portrait.
Aphrodite: “Human propensity to be helpless in the face of desire is widely attested, and largely unchanged through time…” And therein lies the power of Aphrodite, as the bestower of this love that brings us to our knees. The heart of Aphrodite’s power, and for me perhaps the sorrow/loneliness in in, is that her beauty and perfection remain unchanged regardless of any humiliations or vilifications that are throw at her, by humans and deities alike (you “can’t take away her game face” and “applying lipstick in a war zone” and “make her your laughingstock and she’ll only make you want her more” feel like intensely tragically accurate descriptions). Seeing examples of how this plays out across media (and in examples I’ve seen irl) only further proves the power in this perception/role. “…poets obviously get a better response from goddesses than the rest of us, but I suppose they probably sing a better prayer.” (Unrelated to the specifics of the chapter but I lovedddddd this line.)
Artemis: A really interesting look at her as a predator first and foremost; I liked the interpretation. I’ve most recently been drawn to her, the goddess of the hunt, connected with the moon, bow & arrow, nature/animals, and the lack of clarity or too much knowledge about her. All of that, everything about her, is a femininity that feels recognizable to me. The duality of her nature to both be surrounded by and hunt animals is appealing in its complexity and nuance.
Demeter: I have always thought that the way Demeter’s entire persona is communicated in the way she is related to Persephone is frustrating. She seems like she should be considered in so much greater esteem and separately, for the importance of her domain (harvests and agriculture and the literal sustaining substances of human life - such bounty she controls). Yet, I appreciate Haynes’ view of her stepping outside the role of ‘we must accept the predations of men’ that is typical of women of the time, at least in writing, and how she “weaponizes her rage” to force the men to consider her/Persephone’s preferences. It’s a partial win, but impressive still. Side note: interesting that this mother-daughter relationship is really the only positive/close/supportive female relationship that we see in this set of major goddesses.
Hestia: It’s poignant that the goddess of a “woman’s” domain - home and hearth and fireplace - arduous and menial, but ultimately ubiquitous and completely necessary for life, is a largely unspoken-of, invisible, goddess. The everyday goddess, in every moment and part of every sacrifice to every other god, but never centered in grand mythological narratives. “Fire from the hearth is both cleansing and polluting, noble and filthy, the property of kings and the province of slaves.” and “This is a goddess who doesn’t often do, but always is.” Again, the heart of every home, every temple, every city. I really enjoyed this essay a lot. Really the highlight of the collection for me, which was unexpected.
Athene: My childhood favorite: wisdom and warrior! Athene using her powers to bend mortals, messing with them and convincing them all she’s on their side and leading them to victory, it’s terrifying and wonderful levels of power for a woman to wield over men. After Hestia, a striking return to immaturity and the random favoritism and revenge/punishment of human hubris just like the rest. The contradictions of preferring men in giving favor, yet wanting nothing to do with them in practice herself (one of the non-sexual/viriginal goddesses), is something that strikes deeply, when you think about it.
The Furies: I don’t care what anyone says, and how unliked they are in the classics, I will always cheer for dark feminine avengers of wrongdoing! I love the Furies. Also, they only harangue and prosecute those who’ve done crimes, so like, someone needs to punish those people, right? Lovinggggg that the gods can’t really stop them, only slow them down some. The more nuanced look at their place here, that they are not just a negative force, but rather play the role of fear of retribution as a crucial part of justice (or at least shame at acting dishonestly or cruelly) in a functioning society, is really interesting. I enjoyed learning that they protect not just against murder, but also follow-through on oaths and promises (I see how those parallel and respect that framework a lot).
Haynes includes some really interesting examples from history and contemporary art throughout this essay collection, really doing a lion's job of communicating and exploring such a breadth of representations of these women across time. But, I did wonder if there is a point to this exploration, a thesis, or just, an academic curiosity? I never really got an answer to that while reading. And at the same time, I couldn't decide if I cared or not either. It was a compelling read, fascinating, even without a greater thesis. The light humor and injections and commentary Hayne includes as asides to the reader really kept this from getting bogged down in academia, making it a smoother and more accessible read, which is a fine to walk. There is so much tragedy in these stories and the lives of these goddesses, both in the revenge they wreak on others and in the heartbreak and violence they experience themselves. Phew. All in all, Haynes is clearly very well read/educated in this area, making so many references and connections and inferences. It’s obviously one person’s perspective, and it isn't a fast read (a read one chaper/goddess at a time, over a few months), but I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, War