In the last year or so I’ve been drawn to re-imaginings of Greek myths through new or neglected perspectives but it’s mostly made me more hesitant about tackling some of the original sources like The Odyssey or The Iliad. Well after reading Pandora’s Jar: Women in Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes, I’m more motivated than ever to actually take a stab at those classics I somehow managed to dodge during my high school, college and graduate literary studies. Though her novel A Thousand Ships helped spark an interest in doing so, it’s only in this extended analysis of how several familiar female figures from Greek myth have been transformed over the centuries that I feel truly inspired to go back to those earliest source materials myself. As Haynes points out, the women of Greek myth tended to be far more present (and complex) in the original forms than they may seem to have been given their representations in the last few centuries.

They’re names most of us are familiar with: Pandora, Helen, Medusa, Eurydice, the Amazons, Madea, Penelope and more. And most of us probably know elements of their stories but that might be all we know – elements. Especially in popular culture, so many of these women have been simplified and simplified over the centuries to the point where we only really remember singular aspects of their stories that have become conflated with their characters. For Helen, it’s her (literally) devastating beauty. For Medusa, it’s that she is a monster. Penelope waited, Clytemnestra plotted, and the Amazons fought. But that wasn’t always the case – in fact, for many of the women who appear in Greek mythology, they played larger and more nuanced roles in the story. Haynes deftly traces each of these women back to the oldest surviving sources of their stories and works to piece together how they originally appeared as well as where, how (and perhaps even why) they changed along the way to how they’re understood in modern pop culture.

I found Natalie Haynes’ writing style incredibly readable. The passion she has for her subject matter is obvious and she has a delightful and irreverent sense of humor but when the topic calls for it she demonstrates powerful nuance. Of all the women in her book, Phaedra was the one I knew the least about going in. Haynes’ honesty about how and why she almost left Phaedra out of the book entirely delved into just how much sexual assault there is in Greek mythology and how much of it has been sanitized over the centuries in an effort to make the myths appropriate for children (just look at what Disney did to Zeus in Hercules). It’s understandable in so many ways but Haynes follows the ripples of how sanitizing the myths that way impacts our understanding and appreciation for the figures in the myths as a result. If you tone down the actions themselves, the actors don’t appear so bad – the heroes get shinier. When you’re old enough to understand the euphemisms, you’re already attached to the image you had of the hero before so you’re more likely to reason away, excuse or ignore the inexcusable – it changes the way we see their victims (a point that Haynes also makes with her exploration of Medusa).

With each chapter focusing on one woman, I tried to pause and digest Haynes’ writing and insights but I was too compelled to just keep reading. Though she delved into the stories of ten female figures, I reached the end wanting so much more. Part of me really hopes that Haynes will follow up with another book along the same topic but focused more on the goddesses of Greek myth. They pop up in her discussions of these mostly-human figures but I’d love to read Haynes’ analysis of the role their divinity plays in the shifting portrayals of the goddesses through time (particular as they are translated and repackaged for a largely Christian audience). While I hope and pray for Haynes to write such a book, I’ll just have to content myself with reading more of her novels exploring the lives of many of the women she spent so much time studying and analyzing in Pandora’s Jar.

(ARC from NetGalley) For the girlies that had a Percy Jackson phase. Honestly, loved this. It was fascinating to see how these women’s stories were so warped over time to become villains and monsters, when in fact they were just women. Even the “evil” ones had more nuance than just doing bad things for the sake of doing bad things. Haynes also has a great sense of humor that makes this such an easy read for some heavier topics.

This was so funny and witty! I found the author’s voice to have such a sharp wit and specific tone, I really enjoyed it. This is different from what I would usually pick out but that ended up being a good thing.

A critical reexamination of the women of Greek myth though a 21st century feminist lens - by going back to the earliest sources of the myths. Haynes shows that over time, the women of Greek myth have been mostly silenced and simplified, and incredibly complex and powerful women in the hands of ancient Greek theater writers have been reduced to walk on roles as 'the girlfriend' in the hands of 19th century novelists and 20th century filmmakers.

A fascinating new look at the characters you thought you knew!

Deeply fascinating and sparklingly funny! Perfect for anyone with an interest in the Greek myths, the recent novelized retellings (Circle, Ariadne, A Thousand Ships), or the application of feminine perspectives to scholarship of any kind.

Natalie Haynes (A Thousand Ships) brings her background in Classics and stand-up to deliver a refreshing and scholarly look at the women of the Greek myths. She goes from Pandora to the Amazons to Medea and back again — with several others and the perfect amount of Beyonce, Buffy, Wonder Woman, and Clash of the Titans in the mix.

Well informed and full of wit, this exploration of the women of Greek myth looks at how stories can change and evolve depending on who is telling the story. It questions our understanding of the role of these women, and if our assumptions of them, their lives and motivations are fair, or even true. Essential and entertaining reading for anyone interested in the Greek myths.

This was my first book of Greek mythology. It was interesting and a rather feminist approach to it, which I enjoyed. I loved learning of the different women throughout.

Smart, feminist, funny and accessible….I loved this exploration of the Women of the Greek myths. Each chapter focuses on a key female character from mythology (eg. Helen, Medusa, Jocasta), and discusses her portrayal through the ages, misrepresentation and misogyny, referencing not only the classic Greek texts, but modern interpretations, fine art and pop culture. So informative and fascinating, I couldn’t put this down.

a great feminist look at several important and colourful women throughout the Greek myths. This is such a fascinating explanation and retelling and with the mix of humor that Natalie Haynes adds this is a wonderful story! The time I spent with my nose in these pages passed so fast! It was nice and refreshing to see history with women in a different light. It sure added new meaning to a lot of the myths we all know so well!

Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes is a fascinating challenge to the status quo in Greek mythology. Thank you @harperperennial for the gifted copy!

Before going in, know that your enjoyment will depend on what you’re looking for. If you only want to escape into mythological storytelling, this isn’t the right fit. If you would like to learn about the roots of Greek myths and examine how women are portrayed in them, this is perfect!

Often the women in Greek mythology are under-developed or vilified. We learn about them through lens of other characters, typically men. In Pandora’s Jar, Natalie Haynes challenges that pattern by giving the spotlight to women, like Pandora, Medusa, and Penelope, and showing how their stories warped from the original texts to modern depictions.

You don’t need a deep understanding of mythology to read this. Natalie Haynes reminds you of all the stories and sprinkles in a bit of humor and sarcasm. I appreciated how the witty moments broke up the denser analysis.

I rarely read literary criticism, but I’m glad I tried this! It taught me a lot. And with the popularity of retellings right now, this is an important reminder to think critically about what we read and whose voices are heard.

This book is apparently nonfiction, which I somehow didn't realize until reading it and this fact alone kind of made it a disappointment. The stories about different women in Greek myths are written as essays exploring how they have been written and portrayed throughout history are interesting. Each chapter emphasizes that these women have been mostly treated unfairly, not fully realized characters with their emotions understood. Mostly because these stories they're usually side characters in a man's quest for glory and favor. Also, we can't ignore that Greek myths were written by white, rich and powerful men.

These men didn't really see a reason to focus their energy on female characters or to really make them make sense. Yes, they make mistakes, but often their actions are labeled as crazy or lovesick when really these women have their own motivations. Mostly mistreated or ignored by the men in their lives, they're sold like cattle, stollen as brides, assaulted, etc so of course they're going to make some choices that a male author of the time would disagree with.

I do think this book would have been better if it was presented from a point of fiction, each woman getting a story where she is finally fully realized and a central character. This would have been unique and interesting and more fun to read.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book!

I'd like to thank NetGalley, Harper Perennial, and Natalie Haynes for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Haynes is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. It included a lot of fascinating information, but was told in an easy-to-read and funny format. I was never bored but was instead interested in learning more about these women and their myths. I also liked the pictures included and the women chosen were great picks! Overall, this is a smart, yet modern, book that describes some well-known myths, but from the women's perspective. I highly recommend it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book! It was really interesting and filled with good information! I would love to learn more from this author in other mythos.

Thank you, Harper Perennial, for the gifted e-book!

This book is a fascinating look at popularly known women in Greek mythology and their victimization, villainization, or both, presenting the reader with evidence to the contrary and reflecting on the effects of male gaze on Greek mythology. Each essay feels like a feminist classics lecture, and I found myself wanting to engage in discussion with Haynes. Some essays were a bit long-winded, but I enjoyed her wide use of many sources as well as pop culture references, though I admit I did not know mamy of them. I love the way that Haynes reminds us that these women are characters, but regards them as human beings because of how centuries of storytelling have brought them to life and shaped them. This book is accessible and nuanced as Haynes brings scorned and (some( forgotten women from Greek mythology front and center. My personal favorite chapters were those about Helen of Troy and Medusa.

I really enjoyed learning more about the women in Greek mythology from a different perspective. Natalie Haynes does such a great job weaving to story of each woman without making it feel dry.

This took a bit to get into but ultimately a great read. All about women role in ancient myths. This was fun fem8 it’s and has serious scholarship behind it. Very much enjoyed.

Reading Greek myths is one of my favorite memories as a child and like man people, it didn't dawn on me until much, much later in my adulthood how many of the stories were from the point of view of men, even when the heroes of the stories were female. And most men can't do an adequate job writing women, nor do they give them any real dimension or substance. So reading a nonfiction book that essentially reclaims these women, whether they are major supporting characters or even heroes /anti heroes of the myths, felt like the right book that finally came about. Whether you as a reader are fascinated by Helen of Sparta/Troy or appalled by Medea, this book will try to put that threads of all of the stories about them to form a more realistic, deep and sometimes sympathetic figure than the ones we've been fed over the thousands of years of male storytelling,

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

I loved Natalie Haynes’ novel of the women (and goddesses) of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships. So when I saw she’d written a nonfiction exploration of a similar topic, Pandora’s Jar: Women in the Greek Myths, I wanted to read it as well.

Haynes is an authority on Greek myths, particularly the women in the tales. This new work looks at Pandora, Jocasta, Helen, Medusa, the Amazons, Clytemnestra, Eurydice, Phaedra, Medea, and Penelope and how they have been viewed through the ages. The earliest appearances of these women (whether human, goddess, monster, or some combination) are often quite different from the versions we have come to know through later--even modern--representations. I was a bit surprised to learn that the early Greek renderings were often less misogynistic than more recent versions. The variations in the stories are fascinating and the reasoning behind the changes are complex. Haynes traces the evolution of the various tales and offers insight into how we’ve come to settle on particular versions, as well as why the stories are destined to continually change.

Haynes has a great deal of empathy for the characters. She writes clearly, with great understanding and with wit. I have always enjoyed retellings of the old myths and I equally enjoyed this analysis.

I recommend reading Pandora’s Jar and A Thousand Ships in tandem.

pandora’s jar is a compassionate, thorough examination of the remarkable women in greek mythology. haynes draws on both classical and contemporary tellings of these myths to explore why and how these fascinating, nuanced women have often been reduced to stereotypes—“villains, victims, wives and monsters”—while still remaining entertaining and accessible to readers.

This is an excellent book for anyone who enjoys literary criticism or essays on fiction. This also has the feeling of historical text critique, which makes this title hard to place in any specific category. Haynes writes her interpretations based on text and also shares the general facts of the text in such a way that it almost feels like you are following a historical fiction novel, even though it’s nonfiction. Haynes creates a unique style, comparable to authors like Erik Larson or Heather Morris who blur the lines of fiction and nonfiction.

I definitely do not recommend this as a beach read. This is more of a “grab a coffee and be prepared to use your noggin” type of read.