I received an advance review copy from Quarto Publishing Group through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.

3.5 stars

"It's that old story; boy meets girl, girl offers him sex, boy refuses, girl reveals herself to be an unfeasibly powerful war goddess."

First things first: the elegant art and eloquent storytelling in this book are definitely appealing. I was hooked from the beginning, and delighted to find a variety of figures from a variety of cultures, some better-known than others.

However, the illustrations and outside quotes often didn't match up with the text, which was jarring. I also felt like it was overall still very Eurocentric, from the actual legends being told — and I'm sure it was hard to just choose a few, considering how many wonderful women exist in folklore around the world! But I'm particularly disappointed that Mulan wasn't included in the Warriors section since in my opinion she's as classic an example as Artemis/Diana — and the analysis of each's impact focuses on the author's (modern, Western) views rather than their specific cultural context. I'm also not so sure about the inclusion of a canonically genderfluid deity in a book of female characters. And it's a small detail, but it honestly bugs me that the subsections of this book aren't even in the same order as the title.

So while I wouldn't be mad if someone gifted me this as a coffee table book, I probably wouldn't buy it for myself or any close friends/family.

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CONVERSION: 10.0 / 15 = 3.5 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 10
Credibility: 6 / 10
Organization / Structure: 8 / 10

Emotional Impact / Interest: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: N/A