As a lover of Greek Mythology, Natalie Haynes has proven herself as the authority in the discipline. The Divine Might by Natalie Haynes is a superb non-fiction account of Greek Goddesses as well as their historical and modern day impact on culture and society. As I’ve come to expect from Haynes, The Divine Might is both well-researched and enthusiastically told. Haynes’ love for the genre and discipline is evident and infectious on the page. An autobuy author for me, Haynes is dynamic in her storytelling and writing. As soon as I finished the NetGalley eARC, I purchased the audiobook because it is narrated by the author and I desperately wanted to read it again for the first time. I’m also planning to purchase the hardcover to add to my Haynes collection.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC of this book. I enjoy Haynes and her passion for Greek mythology and how she has inspired a new renaissance in retelling of the old myths. I was hoping for a newer understanding of many of these goddesses and I did get a new perspective on Hera and Hestia. The other goddesses I feel I am too familiar with to connect with the material as I already knew this. Getting more details on the history and archeological records is helpful for those not as familiar with how the Greeks and Romans viewed these goddesses. I would recommend this who want to know more about the reality of this worship after reading some of the better retellings. 3 stars.

3 ⭐️

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I decided that I wanted to read more genres of books. I saw this book and decided to request it. Non-fiction isn't my genre. I hate reading most of them, but I also love Greek mythology. So, I decided to see if I would like it because the premise was interesting.

This book discusses The Muses, Hera, Aphrodite, Artemis, Demeter, Hestia, Athene, and The Furies. It was interesting to learn more about these goddesses of Greek mythology. The author's writing was also good. However, non-fiction isn't the genre for me.

3.5 stars
My first book of the year is always a nonfiction book - it's a tradition I started by accident a few years ago and it just stuck. So when Divine Might popped up on my NetGalley shelf I knew it would be my first read of the year.

Divine Might is divided into chapters and each chapter focuses on a different goddess or goddesses plural. All the goddesses get fair treatment from Haynes as she expands on their capacity for good and evil. I appreciated the deeper insight into goddesses like Hera, Aphrodite and Demeter and how they are reflections of the time and people who worshipped them. Haynes cheeky asides and introduction where she talks about Lizzo and Cardi B also added levity to the book which I appreciated.

My one issue and this is probably an arc specific issue is that Haynes talks a lot about how the goddesses were depicted in art so I would have loved to seen those depictions in the book instead of searching for them myself. I hope when this book is published that the artwork is included.

Overall I did enjoy it and I am definitely a fan of Haynes writing style so I enjoyed her quips and relating the goddesses to modern movies and celebrities but those new to her or expecting just a history book may be surprised. Still I highly recommend.

I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley.

Haynes is a must read author for me and I was so excited to see a new story focusing on several of the well known women of Greek mythology. I enjoyed learning more mythology and learning new facts about the goddesses. There were many new myths I learned (especially everything about Hestia!) You can tell Haynes is so passionate about mythology through her writing and she makes it easily accessible for anyone unfamiliar with myths.

If you've read Natalie Haynes' Pandora's Jar (and you really should!), you have an idea of how Divine Might is set up: Haynes looks at the myths of several Greek goddesses and analyzes them both through the lens of ancient Greece (what were the men really saying in the story versus what we think of today as the story) and then putting a more female-centered view on things. After all, Greece back in the day was a man's world. So how did a goddess use her power and how did women celebrate this?

Haynes applies her impressive knowledge of ancient history and ancient Greek along with her delightful (modern) sense of humor to answer these questions and bring the goddesses into a frame we can understand and be inspired by. From the Homeric Hymns to the Iliad and Odyssey to the poems and plays we know and those we only have fragments of, Haynes does an amazing job of finding the goddesses who aren't always obviously celebrated alongside those who are. The Furies and the Muses get equal time with Athene and Aphrodite, and Haynes' look at Hera was definitely thought-provoking and changed how I looked at many of her aspects.

I think two of my favorite chapters (if I had to choose, because they were all great!) were the ones on Demeter and Hestia. Haynes really goes deep into Demeter and her different aspects and does a great job reminding us how, for all we normally think of her as a kindly, mothering figure, she has her power and rage just like the other goddesses. It isn't good to underestimate Demeter, or any woman/mother! Hestia's chapter may be my favorite of all though. Partly because, as Haynes admits up front, there isn't much in the archaeology for Hestia- no grand temples like for Athene- and no long poems like for Demeter. For Hestia, it is in some of the small details we discover her, as well as in the laws Rome developed for Hestia's Roman version, Vesta, and her sacred priestesses the Vestal Virgins. She became one of the most fascinating goddesses to me through Haynes' searching and discoveries.

Divine Might is a book for anyone interested in Greek mythology and ancient Greek history, anyone who is enjoying the recent retellings of myths and wants to look into some of the goddesses as women would see them, and anyone who enjoyed Pandora's Jar. I know I'll be rereading both books plenty of times for their thought-provoking conversation and for their humor. Something for everyone!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC of this book!

Natalie Hayes returns to the world of mythology with Divine Might, a non-fiction book about some select female Greek figures in mythology. There's a section for Athene, Aphrodite, Hera, Demeter, Artemis, the nine Muses, the Furies, and Hestia. I knew going in this was a non-fiction book, so it's going to read differently than a fiction book. I feel like this would be used more as a reference for reading about the particular goddesses versus a book just to read through. While I enjoyed each section, I found the stories and comparisons around each goddess sometimes felt like they were going off on a tangent and I wondered when they would get back to the comparison to the particular goddess. Not a bad addition to a mythology reference shelf.

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley

Divine Might by Natalie Haynes is a deep dive into Aphrodite, Artemis, Athene, Hera, Demeter, Hestia, the Muses, and the Furies of Greco-Roman mythology. Haynes opens with the Muses and ends with the Furies, drawing attention to the ways in which they parallel and are antithetical to each other.

The use of pop culture over the decades and how these figures are used plus characters that mimic them (such as Katniss and Artemis) shows how we have never actually left the influence of Greco-Roman society and the ways in which they continue to impact our stories. Haynes is open about her biases and presents her stances with sources along with examples.

My favorite chapter was actually Hestia’s, which is perhaps the chapter most bare of actual examples of the mythological figure. The chapter focuses on the importance of the hearth in the ancient world, it’s role in society, and the respect Hestia is often shown in the myths where she does appear or the ways in which she is different to the other gods.

My second favorite was Aphrodite’s as she is perhaps my second favorite goddess (Artemis might be my first) and I’m always a fan of seeing authors discuss her various origins and their implications.

I would recommend this to fans of Greek mythology looking for a nonfiction book.

Content warning for mentions of sexual assault and suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for allowing me to read and review this book.

Divine Might is a Non-Fiction book about the women of Greek Mythology written by Natalie Haynes.

As always with Natalie Haynes, I loved this! The knowledge that she has shows in every chapter. Each chapter focuses on a different goddess or figure in the greek mythos and having each chapter dedicated, it was easy to get transported and mesmerized by the writing. The author is very knowledgable and the entire book feels like a huge, fun ramble about a topic the author knows very well. I found myself laughing out loud at many points during my reading journey. I highlighted so many passages of funny bits and inspirational bits too.
I am a lover of greek mythology and I really enjoyed learning more about the women in more depth than fiction retellings can give. I especially loved the chapter on Hera and Hestia respectively. Two misunderstood goddesses.
Overall, I really enjoyed the reading experience and will continue to read everything Natalie Haynes writes.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harper Perennial for allowing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first book I’ve read by Natalie Haynes but let me tell you, it will definitely NOT be my last! Natalie’s writing is playful while being jammed packed with facts. You’re learning, but also having fun and giggling while doing it! I have a feeling I could listen to her lectures and seminars with the same amount of excitement because you sense the jovial tone she likes to set, even when speaking on tough information.

I have always been a huge Mythology nerd, and Greek Mythology is right up my alley. More than most people, I have heard these tales over and over again, read them ad nauseum while studying for my Art History degree, and every blue moon I’d go down the proverbial Wikipedia K-Hole when I wonder about a very specific and minute issue within the mythology stories. With that all said, I could read and reread Natalie’s text about them and still feel the joy of hearing them for the first time.

I appreciate Natalie’s perspective concerning these myths. Like most art and history, they are shown through the male gaze. While that isn’t a bad thing necessarily, it does mean that half the population don’t get to understand texts from their point of view. Natalie GIVES us that point of view, and WOW does she! It truly is one of my favorite scholarly texts I have read, and even better, it reads like a story.

If you’re into mythology and want a fresh, contemporary view of the Greek pantheon…check this book out! Even if you’ve heard the stories before, come enjoy the text for the laughs alone. Seriously! This one made me giggle! 101/10!

When I grabbed this one it was because I love Stone Blind and the author is a favorite of mine; I may have not realized it was non fiction. I do love mythology and so I still found it interesting if not a bit dry. I think this is exceptionally well written and will be a great reference book for when I need to look back for mythological facts.

Natalie Haynes is back with a follow-up tp her wildly popular, Pandora's Jar. This time, with Divine Might, Ms. Haynes outlines the Olympian goddesses, Athene, Aphrodite, Hera, Demeter, Hestia and also the 9 Muses and 3 Furies. It's a fascinating look at mythology and goddesses/immortals that shaped the Greek and Roman civilizations.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this e-arc.*

I really love Natalie Haynes’ fiction novels, the last two of which I gave five stars each. This didn’t hit for me in the same way. I think the chapters are too long for one, and I just didn’t find her wit, cleverness, and creativity in retelling myths to translate as well with this. I confess I’m not a huge fan of non-fiction, but I was eager to give this a try because I enjoyed Haynes’ fiction. I don’t know that I will read any more of her nonfiction, but I will definitely continue to buy her fiction books. A Thousand Ships and Stoneblind were both excellent.

An accessible and fresh take on Ancient Greek mythology., specifically in this case, Olympus and the Furies. Haynes covers the stories of The Muses, Hera, Aphrodite, Artemis, Demeter, Hestia, Athene and The Furies. I appreciate this feminist take on Greek goddesses. It’s refreshing to see new life breathed into these iconic stories. If you loved Pandora’s Jar, you love Divine Might.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

I love Natalie Haynes and a huge fan of A Thousand Ships and Panadora's Jar. Starting this I was picturing it o be like those previous books. I had a difficult time reading this. I feel like the men took a more center role then the women who the book was focusing on It felt like the women were forgotten throughout the book. I did not like the long descriptions of the art. It took me out of the story. This was not my favorite of Natalie Haynes work.

DIVINE MIGHT: GODDESSES IN GREEK MYTH
BY: NATALIE HAYNES

Natalie Haynes prolific author of so many feminist retelling regarding Greek Mythology has written another absorbing non-fiction book called "Divine Might," has written about several goddesses which my favorite two are about Hera and Artemis.

She has used modern movies and art and many other mediums to retell often vilified goddesses and has offered her interpretation which removes the fault with which many have been attributed.

With Artemis the hunter with the quill of arrows and bow an example to see the goddesses from the female perspective she uses a well known source from two of Euripides's plays. Artemis who was never a stranger to child sacrifice Natalie Haynes gives as an example last play Euripides wrote which was produced posthumously, around 405 BCE., in which we are all familiar with called "Iphigenia in Aulis," It basically depicts the events which took place when the Greek forces mass at Aulis, planning to set sail from there to Troy. Achilles has already proven himself to be the greatest warrior among the men when Agamemnon was the commander of the Greek war effort against Troy. They are gathered with the intent of retrieving Helen who fled Sparta to be with Paris. Agamemnon's sister-in-law that has abandoned his brother Menelaus. The Greeks have been unable to sail and the cause has been deemed to have been some kind of offense to Artemis.

The exact reason for the offense has varied depending on the source. It could have been attributed to Atreus, Agamemnon and Menelaus's father who offended the goddess Artemis by promising to sacrifice an animal, and then failing do so therefore failing to fulfill his promise. As Natalie Haynes states Greek gods don't mind taking their revenge on a later generation. She also states about an ancient scholar, writing about the now-lost epic poem the "Cypria," says that Agamemnon was responsible for an excessive prideful slur, After shooting a deer , the Greek King full of self confidence boasted that not even Artemis could have done a better job as a hunter. This kind of slur rarely goes down well on Olympus. Pseudo-Apollodorus suggested that both were the cause. Agamemnon claimed to be as skillful of a hunter as Artemis the goddess of hunters. Also, his father failed to keep a promise to sacrifice a golden sheep.

Either reason, the Greek priest Calchas interpreted the wrath of Artemis as requiring a sacrifice of Agamemnon. He summons his own daughter, Iphigenia, to Aulis by instructing his wife Clytemnestra to bring their eldest daughter for the reason that Iphigenia is going to be married to Achilles while that was his subterfuge that he used to get his wife to bring her by sending a letter when knowing all along he was going to sacrifice Iphigenia. He changed his mind and wrote a second letter saying that she can get married another year, and not to bring her. Menelaus grabs the letter from the old priest and reads it, and when the priest berates Menelaus for reading the letter that wasn't meant for him. Menelaus responds that the old man shouldn't have been carrying something that was bad for Greece. More specifically Menelaus saw the letter as being bad for him to get his wife back, who was the beautiful Helen of Troy, Clytemnestra's younger sister. Menelaus pockets the letter and confronts his brother. Agamemnon had been happy or pleased to sacrifice his daughter to Artemis. They argue without mentioning the offense to Artemis. You all know the rest of the story Iphigenia dies.

As I said that has been a favorite of mine and for reasons of keeping this brief I won't go into the section I liked about Hera. I did enjoy this book and it clearly shows Natalie Haynes has meticulously researched this.

Publication Date: January 2, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Natalie Haynes and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for generously providing me with my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#DivineMight #NatalieHaynes #HarperPerennialPaperbacks #NetGalley

Oh I really wanted to enjoy this one. I love modern takes on Greek and Roman myth, and I’ve liked Natalie Haynes. But I just couldn’t with this one. While the descriptions of art and sculpture were well done, they occupy way too much space. If you took them out you’d be left with nearly nothing. There’s a weird balance between vaguely alluding to pop culture elements she assumes we all know, and hyper-overexplainign other pieces of pop culture (I did not need a multi-page breakdown of the plot of Hunger Games while it took me hours to realize the author was referring actual existing Athena Barbie dolls). I wanted some sort of thesis or argument we were following and I thought we’d see it in the ways in which we can see the masculine creation of feminine counterparts but that through line just sort of disappeared. Fabulously researched but not my jam.

I always love Natalie Haynes. She makes me want to read so much Greek Mythology. I love her perspective and her focus on the women in these stories. Her writing is so easy for me and flows so well.

When I read Natalie Haynes’ Pandora’s Jar last year, I absolutely loved it so it made sense to round out my unintended non-fiction November reading with her latest book, Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth. Once again, Haynes explores the depictions of female figures in Greek mythology. While Pandora’s Jar looked at predominantly mortal, human figures, Divine Might focuses exclusively on goddesses and primarily those among the Olympians. But where Pandora’s Jar focused on how those mortal women were depicted and interpreted in their own time and how that’s evolved in the millennia since, Divine Might doesn’t feel like it goes as far in looking at how our understandings or portrayals of these goddesses have been impacted by time. It’s much more focused on what their depictions in ancient Greece (and Rome) can tell us about how those who worshiped them understood and interacted with them. And while that’s still important, it wasn’t what I’d been hoping for or expecting after Pandora’s Jar.

Women and power often have a fraught history within patriarchal societies and ancient Greece was nothing if not patriarchal. So, what does that mean for the goddesses that the society worshiped? From the Muses to the Furies and the various Olympian goddesses in between, the power they were supposed to have and how they wielded it demonstrated that they were – in many ways – exempt from the rules that applied to human women. But those exemptions came with caveats and limitations – they were the exceptions that prove the rule in more cases than naught. And the ways that they are often remembered, with Hera as vengeful towards Zeus’ victims or Demeter as helplessly grief stricken, Hestia forgotten at the fringes or full of contradictions like Artemis, is an oversimplification that erases elements of their stories, especially as they relate to their divine roles and power.

Perhaps it’s because the little bit of classics/mythology I had in school were so focused on the gods and goddesses and what they were each associated with, but I felt far more familiar with the myths and tales referenced in Divine Might compared to Pandora’s Jar. Some of the pop culture references (especially early in the book) weren’t as familiar to me, but they also didn’t enhance my understandings of the goddesses the way the references in Pandora’s Jar did (I truly went in thinking this would be the same analytical lens as before, but applied to the goddesses rather than mortal figures). In Pandora’s Jar there was more focus on contrasting the modern with the classical rather than highlighting the consistencies. So much time was spent directly in the text of those classical plays and poems, analyzing the historic contemporary portrayal and their sub-textual meanings. I’d been expecting more time tracing how different goddesses have fallen in and out of favor through the centuries, how we understand and think of them now compared to then. Because of this, the pop culture references felt disconnected from the actual analysis. What does it say that the Athena of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series is a mother to a demigod when the classical goddess was notoriously uninterested in sexual relationships or motherhood? What would Aphrodite (Venus) make of becoming the poster-girl for women’s razors? Why wasn’t Persephone given a chapter of her own rather than having an extended tangent on her experience of her kidnapping and rape in the chapter about Demeter and her grief (and rage) over the loss of her daughter (especially with the surge of popular re-imaginings of the Persephone/Hades dynamic in the last decade or two that Haynes, understandably, finds problematic)?

The Artemis and Hestia chapters were probably my favorites because they appeared to be the most difficult to pull together, the former because of all the inherent contradictions in how she’s portrayed/understood and the latter because she tends to be so passive that she’s left out and overlooked ninety percent of the time. I also enjoyed Haynes’ analysis of these two along with Athene as far as the different ways they hold to a shared determination to remain unmarried and childless (especially as goddesses in a society where young women had almost no options beyond becoming wives and mothers). I would have liked a bit more of an examination of if and how popular perceptions of these (and the other) goddesses have been affected by the women’s rights and feminist movements of the last two centuries. Or of the differences that arise when they’re portrayed (in painting, literature, film, etc.) by men versus women. There are hints of something along those lines throughout the book but there isn’t the same kind of unifying interpretive thread running through the chapters the way there was in Pandora’s Jar. Instead of the interpretive lens bringing the figures together, it is primarily their status as goddesses giving this collection a sense of cohesion.

Natalie Haynes is one of my favorite authors, so I was initially excited to read this book when I first saw it. But this took me so long to read, putting me into a reading slump. Each chapter was supposed to focus on the goddesses in context, but there was such a large focus on the male characters in each story it felt like the goddess was forgotten in her own chapter. I'm not sure if this was to emphasize her point that these goddesses were constructed by the men who orated about them or not. But it was increasingly frustrating. There were also very long descriptions of various plots and pieces of art. I hope that images of the art pieces are included in the final print because I couldn't always follow the description I was reading. I find that this is the weakest in Haynes's catalog but still better than other similar books I've read.