Table of Contents

Foreword IntroductionChapter 1 - Witches

• Hecate, Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy
• Morgan Le Fay, an enchantress from English Arthurian mythology
• Circe, Greek goddess and sorceress
• Jezebel, Biblical figure and Queen
• Baba Yaga, Slavic supernatural being
• Cassandra, Greek prophetess
• Pythia, Greek priestess and oracle
• Perchta, a witch of Germanic folklore
• Nicneven, Scottish leader of the wild hunt and head of witches
• Rhiannon, Welsh silver-haired witch

Chapter 2 - Warriors

• Loviatar, Scandinavian goddess who gave birth to nine deadly diseases
• Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt
• Anath, ancient Canaanite goddess of love and war
• Divoka Sarka, warrior of the Bohemian tale The Maidens War
• Freyja, Viking goddess of war, fertility and love
• Furies, Greek goddesses of retribution
• Cihuateteo, Aztec warrior spirits
• Kali, Hindu goddess, the counterpart of Shiva the destroyer
• Yennenga, African warrior princess, a symbol of both motherhood and ferocity

Chapter 3 - Bringers of Misfortune

• Hel, Norse ruler of the Underworld
• Morrigan, Celtic trio representing death, sovereignty and protection
• The Valkyries, Norse warriors
• Pontianak, an avenging Malay ghost
• Baobhan Sith, part vampire, part ghost, part fairy in Scottish folklore
• Lilith, a demon from Jewish tradition
• Harpies, part bird, part woman in Greek mythology
• Medusa, Greek gorgon who turned people to stone
• La Llorona, ghost who brings misfortune in Mexican legend
• Futakuchi-onna, a yokai (Japanese monster) characterised by an extra mouth on the back of her head

Chapter 4 - Elemental Spirits

• Tefnut, ancient Egyptian goddess of moisture, rain and dew
• Tiamat, Babylonian primeval goddess of saltwater
• Mami Wata, a half human, half fish voodoo deity
• Pele, a Hawaiian goddess of fire, lightning, wind and dance
• Selkies, the seal folk of Scottish mythology
• Mari, a Basque goddess with associations to the weather
• The Lady of Llyn Y Fan Fach, a Welsh lake fairy
• Ame-no-Uzume, Japanese goddess of dawn, mirth and revelry
• Lieu Hanh in Da Lat, Vietnamese immortal
• Egle, Queen of the Serpents from Lithuanian folklore

Chapter 5 - Benevolent Spirits

• Tara, Buddhist goddess who gained enlightenment
• Maderakka, goddess of women and children in Sami/Finnish/Estonian mythology
• The Moirae, Greek goddesses of fate
• Brigid, Irish deity with associations with fire
• Erzulie Freda and Erzulie Dantor, sister goddesses from Haiti and Voodoo legend
• Banshees, benign spirits from Irish/Scottish mythology who foretell death
• Bona Dea, a Roman goddess worshipped only by women
• Julunggul, Australian aboriginal rainbow snake goddess
• Innana, ancient Mesopotamian goddess associated with love, beauty and fertility
• Mazu, a Chinese sea goddess who protects sailors
• Maman Brigitte, Vodoun goddess of justice

Afterword Index Acknowledgements

About the Author

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.

Reviews

Hodges looks at mythology through a feminist lens, showcasing 50 of the fiercest females in this modern retelling of the world’s greatest legends...Lee-Merrion’s illustrations bring these strong personalities to life.
*Publishers Weekly*

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*