"Queens of the Wild: Pagan Goddesses in Christian Europe" by Ronald Hutton is a captivating exploration of the complex and evolving history of deity-like figures in Christian Europe. Hutton, a renowned scholar, skillfully navigates the realms of anthropology, archaeology, literature, and history to shed light on the fascinating and often misunderstood beings that have persisted throughout European folklore and myth. In this concise yet illuminating account, Hutton delves into the origins and transformations of figures such as Mother Earth, the Fairy Queen, the Mistress of the Night, and the Old Woman of Gaelic tradition, challenging conventional beliefs and unraveling the intricate web of their cultural significance.

One of the book's notable strengths is Hutton's ability to challenge long-standing debates and myths surrounding these figures. He provides a fresh perspective by asserting that these goddess-like beings neither descend directly from pre-Christian pagan deities nor bear overtly Christian characteristics. Instead, Hutton presents a compelling argument that traces their evolution and development through the centuries, with a particular focus on how nineteenth-century scholars played a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of pagan survival. This critical reassessment adds depth and nuance to our understanding of these enigmatic figures and the cultural contexts in which they thrived.

"Queens of the Wild" is a thought-provoking and meticulously researched work that invites readers to embark on a journey through the rich tapestry of European mythology and folklore. Ronald Hutton's scholarly prowess and engaging narrative style make this book an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the intricate interplay between religion, folklore, and history. It challenges preconceptions and offers a comprehensive and insightful examination of these goddess-like figures, ultimately contributing to a more nuanced appreciation of European cultural heritage.

5 of 5 stars
Pub Date: 31 May 2022
#netgalley #queensofthewild

The term “pagan survivals” refers to the theory that in a Christianized West, pagan rituals and beliefs lived on, concealed under local customs, folklore and even certain Christian rites, allowing paganism to thrive beneath a socially respectable and acceptable veneer. This "pagan survival" theory was a mainstream concept amongst anthropologists, folklorists and historians from the mid-19th Century onwards, fuelled by a heady mix of Romantic ideals, subversive politics, animosity towards organised religion and, in the 20th century, the rise of feminism. Although this idea has remained a powerful one in popular culture (providing one of the most defining tropes of the literary and cinematic “folk horror” genre), since the 1960s there has been a wave of revisionism amongst both academics and amateur enthusiasts, who have questioned the allegedly “ancient” roots of certain relatively recent traditions.

In the initial chapter to this book, scholar Ronald Hutton places himself firmly in the revisionist camp. However, this volume is no one-sided polemic and, on the contrary, shows that a more nuanced and balanced approach can reveal the complexity behind certain popular beliefs which often escape easy categorisation as “Christian” or “pagan”.

The focus in this book is on four female deity-like figures (hence the title) which are definitely not “Christian”, but similarly difficult to define as “ancient pagan goddesses”. Hutton dedicates a chapter to each of these – Mother Earth, the Fairy Queen, the Lady of the Night, and the Cailleach (the Gaelic “Giant Old Woman”). In an epilogue, which might appear rather tangential to the key chapters of the book, but covers similar thematic ground, Hutton examines the figure of the Green Man which, typically, was long considered to be the heir of ancient forest deities, but whose roots are actually more mysterious – principally because they have no obvious explanation.

Hutton’s erudition sparkles throughout the book. The areas which he draws upon in his exploration of these female figures are wide-ranging, comprising history, folklore, religion, anthropology, literature and music. This holistic approach leads to some interesting insights – for instance, as to how literature was inspired by, but then in turn inspired, popular belief (such as in the case of Shakespeare and his portrayal of the fairy world).

There are ample footnotes, which not only provide references, but often allow the author to expand on specific points and debate the sources without interrupting the flow of the main text. What struck me in particular, however, was Hutton’s generosity towards schools of thought which he evidently disagrees with, seeking to find points of contact between differing positions. He ends his survey on a hopeful note that opposing camps may find common ground

A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.

I've been lucky enough to meet Professor Hutton several times, and he's kindly endorsed my own books - just to put that out there before we start!

I've always admired this man's writing, both for the factual content and the absolutely pragmatism with which he writes. There is no 'fluffy nonsense' in his books, but also no dry academic prose. His humour and wit shine through, and even when stating some hard truths, he shows his sources and workings, focusing primarily on providing information and inspiring understanding in the reader.

So it's unsurprising that this book follows his usual standards. Refuting the modern mythologies surrounding ancient goddesses (and goddess figures), he explores where such stories come from as well as their possible origins. This is fascinating to me, as while it's interesting to (again) be told that much of what we take for granted was made up by upperclass British Victorians, that doesn't stop the archaeological digging into a far deeper history. While many modern Pagans tend to leap immediately from contemporary writing to 'ancient Celtic' times (with virtually no primary sources at all), it's always important to me to realize that there is a LOT of time inbetween, with Christian society retelling older myths - Shakespeare, Chaucer, etc - and allowing them to live on to reach us.

While realizing that so many of the tale-tellers were men, as the educated class, this books digs into the often-obscured women's history, both in real life and fiction. This is a good part of our heritage, after all, and while it's not always comfortable to acknowledge that women were so comparatively powerless during much of our history, they still definitely have lessons to pass along. These are our many-greats grandmothers, and while we don't necessarily know their true names, we can listen carefully for their voices.

If you're interested in exploration rather than empirical truths, this book will be for you. If you want Actual Facts - which are impossible to find without a time machine! - then head back to your personal gnosis and fictionalised accounts. I admit to appreciating both, but amend the latter when new facts are presented from the former - almost always by Professor Hutton.

A definite recommend.

Ronald Hutton doesn't believe in fairies. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in fairies, either. I know of only one person, who definitely believed in fairies - Arthur Conan Doyle, who created Sherlock Holmes. While reading "Queens of the Wild" I couldn't help imagining Ronald Hutton meeting Arthur Conan-Doyle and giving him a copy of his book. They would have shaked hands and Ronald Hutton would have smirked and said under his breath: "Read this, you nitwit". What a pity that poor Arthur is long gone.

Anyway, it was an interesting book with some boring repetitive parts, that dragged a bit. But I kept reading, because the book put all I knew about the pagan imaginary in the context and showed how opinions changed over the years. It was worth my time, but the author's smugness annoyed me at times. He is so sure of himself, he has it all figured out. The Great Mother? Nonsense created by eco-friendly feminists! Fairies? Poppycock created by troubadours! The Green Man? Bunkum and balderdash... it started as a nice decorative element in churches without any hidden meaning. In my humble opinion there are so many things we don't know, I wouldn't be so sure that the author got it right.

I received "Queens of the Wild" from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.

I like reading about history and religion and how the last influenced the first. This is a book of big importance and avid nonfiction readers will just love it.

For me tho, I found some parts of the book interesting but I was also skeptical about others.

Queens of the Wild is an interesting study in what we think about when we we think about this time in history. Exploring our misconceptions and the historical record Ronald Hutton lets us reconsider what we know of paganism in Europe. This work can get a little academic but if you are interested in these topics it is an interesting read.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Firstly, I know we should not judge a book by its cover, but, this one is a work of art. I find it so stunning and it is such a fabulous representation of the figures covered in the text. The book focuses on the thought that while Christianity was the official religion of Medieval Europe, paganism was not only prevailing amongst the common people, but even thriving. It goes on to delve deep into four feminine figures; Mother Earth, Fairy Queen, Mistress of the Night and the Old Woman.

The text is well researched and detailed, I understand that this could be off putting and/or daunting for some readers, especially those with only a general background knowledge of folklore and mythology. To be honest, even with my background in History, the density of the text was a little overwhelming.

The images in the text were relevant and I always like reaching that section of a non-fiction text, its like a little reward.

This book delves deeply into the history of goddess-like figures in Europe. Hutton's research is thorough and exhaustive, drawing on anthropology, archaeology, literature, and history to demonstrate how these figures have evolved over time.

The book is divided into three sections, each of which focuses on a different type of figure. Hutton examines the impact of the four main figures—Mother Earth, the Fairy Queen, the Mistress of the Night, and the Old Woman of Gaelic tradition—on European culture. He also calls into question decades of debate about female figures long thought to be reincarnations of pre-Christian goddesses.

Hutton's writing is clear and concise, making the arguments he presents easy to follow. He also includes a number of well-researched case studies to back up his theories, and his analysis is frequently impressively detailed. I especially liked his look at the Mistress of the Night and how she has been used to represent women's power throughout history.

Queens of the Wild is an interesting and informative book about the history of goddess-like figures in Europe. Whether you're an anthropology student or just curious about the lives of these historical figures, Hutton's book is a great place to start.

What I loved about this book was Hutton's attempt to change the narrative of some of the firm-held beliefs, especially in Pagan circles, that there is a lot that survived from the pre-Christian world when in fact it is not.

Whilst I found the information in the book interesting, I always struggle with the same thing in Hutton's books: I just find them hard to read. The individual points are fascinating, exciting, but the writing itself reminds me too much of academia and work that it's just not a very enjoyable reading experience overall. Like not a leisure read but a serious work-type read.

The academic nerd in me rejoiced at this book, one that delves into four archetypes of women as they are presented in history in religion. Hutton examines literature, archeology, history, folk tales and mythology to support his thesis. Well researched and interesting but definitely for a niche audience.

This is an incredibly engaging academic book that delves deeply into folklore and female mythological figures. While not aimed towards a casual audience, it covers such fascinating ground that I think readers interested in the topic would enjoy it. It is very well-researched, and I particularly enjoyed the thematic focus on divine nature. I highly recommend this for students of history or readers unafraid of denser works.

I found this book to be very interesting, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. This book was very academic and the author sites many sources, which was great, but it was a lot to take in as a novice in this area. It took awhile for me to read and digest this book and I still don't feel like I fully read it because I had to pick it up and put it down so many times. I feel like this book would more appeal to someone who already has some knowledge in this area or timeframe of history and wants to expand upon that, but not a novice like me.

Very interesting topic but I really struggled to grasp the argument and kept searching for a thesis statement that would help guide me through it but just never found one. I'd recommend it to people acedemically interested in the topic, but it wouldn't be my go-to recommendation for someone casually interested.

Great book about pagans goddesses :) Reads at times very niche, but I personally find that very interesting.
Thank to netgalley me Roald Hutton for this copy!

Mother Earth. The Fairy Queen. The Lady of the Night. The Cailleach. Who are they? Are they lingering expressions of a polytheistic faith that fell before Christianity? Are they Deities worshipped in secret by surviving Goddess-oriented cults? Are they unique demi-divine beings who evolved organically within European Christianity? Are they poetic metaphors? Are they expressions of socio-economic class differences and rebellion? All or none of the above?

In Queens of the Wild, Hutton explores these theories and many others. Focusing primarily on the British Isles and central/western Europe, from the early Middle Ages (post-conversion) up through the modern era (the end of the twentieth century), Hutton dives into literature, artwork, court transcripts, and architecture in his pursuit of an answer. After establishing his working definition — what he means by “pagan survival” — Hutton devotes four lengthy chapters to examining the most well-known examples of “pagan survival.” Some of these have Biblical antecedents or can possibly be traced to classical Greece or Rome. Others seemed to grow out of indigenous European folklore (especially in Ireland and Scotland) or out of the ravings of Christian priests intent on finding heresy and Satanic influence. Still others appear to be entirely modern, growing out of the anthropological studies of the academic elite.

Hutton is something of a controversial figure in the Pagan/polytheist community. Some find his discussions and conclusions engaging. Others find them frustratingly generalized and wildly inaccurate. Queens of the Wild is the first book by Hutton that I have read; based on that, I fall somewhere in the middle. Queens of the Wild is written in an accessible and entertaining style. It sucked me right in, and I was happy to lose myself in its pages. Hutton also makes extensive use of primary and secondary source material. I have found a lot of Medieval and Renaissance poems that I now want to read. I found myself frustrated, though, by vague allusions to modern academics who go unnamed in the main text (you have to dig into the notes to figure out who he’s referencing), and by the broad range of the survey itself. This is a lot of material covering a wide swath of time and space. I think many of Hutton’s critics would have been less critical if he had focused on a single country/culture group or a single figure.

“Pagan survival” is a subject that has intrigued and divided the polytheist community for decades. I don’t see that changing any time soon. Queens of the Wild is an important addition to this conversation. Love it or hate it, it is intriguing, with an extensive bibliography that will have you hunting for clues and answers yourself.

Recommended to fans of Hutton’s other work, as well as The Fairy Tellers by Nicholas Jubber, The Writing of the Gods by Edward Dolnick, Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler, and American Witches by Susan Fair.

I will start by saying that I can appreciate the work and research that went into writing this book and I was greatly intrigued by the premise.

However, for me this book falls short. I understand that it is an academic text but given that the author talks early on about the importance of accessibility in scholarly discourse, this book is incredibly dense and difficult to follow.

I did read this book for sheer interest, but I think it's worth noting that i do have a degree in the Study of Religions so if I struggled to keep up with the content, then a casual reader could definitely have issues digesting this book.

I found that there was so much information it was hard to recall most of it and I also found it a touch boring and repetitive at times; I ending up skimming some paragraphs just to make it through.

I think that this book could benefit from a different formatting and more comparison and referring back to previous topics to refresh the reader's memory. That is, of course, if the goal of this book is to create ease of access to this knowledge for the average reader. I would like to see more people learning about these topics, so for me the simplification is paramount.

Thanks: Received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I personally found the writing incredibly inaccessible. This is such an exciting topic, but the writing style and language made it far too difficult to pay attention to and process.

This book is good, but not excellent for me. I had different expectations before reading it. However, it is enjoyable; I wanted a narrated nonfiction that appeals to me more than the academic explanation and analysis. Still, I might have a different opinion if I re-read it.

This is an incredibly comprehensive book that is a must-read for all folktale and fairytale history lovers. Some prior knowledge is required to dive into this book and might be overwhelming for a fairytale history novice. The author dissects some of the most famous fairytale queens and discusses how history, society, and people have interacted with these stories over time as well as how society has shaped these tails. No detail is too small when it comes to story and cultural analysis in this book. I would say this is a must-read for folktale history lovers and admirers of the wild fae queens.