As advertised. [Warriors, Witches, Women by Kate Hodges]

When something is getting a "feminist take," or when the feminist analysis lens is a major point of its publicity, I shouldn't then be surprised that it's done through the lens of white feminism. And throughout my reading of Warriors, Witches, Women that was my one critique, that the stories of these women and their stories was being sieved through that filter. That's hot it reads. Eurocentricity, or innate European foci, a given. What I didn't need was to have every other mythological woman related to popular white feminist symbols and icons. Repeated linking to Game of Thrones plot points and characters, mentions to figures like Gloria Steiner, Hilary Clinton, RBG - a lot of so-called feminist heroes were referenced with heroic attributes highlighted and other shortcomings downplayed in the context of loosely linked characters and contexts.

The use of current slang felt weird and extraneous given the context of age-old mythological figures, but this book did everything else right. I got my well-cultivated curation of female warriors, witches, and figures in mythology. As with any mythology-focused book I disagreed with interpretations of stories, but again, that's the point of mythology, analysis and individual interpretation. I will say that for any figure, male or female, revenge filicide is never an act of agency or power. Also, forever team Medusa, probably never team Athena. Probably never team Artemis after reading this book either. I learned a lot and generally speaking, personal cringe issues aside, I enjoyed the book. 4 stars from me.

Warriors, Witches, Women by Kate Hodges is set for publication February 2020.