Encyclopedia of Goddesses & Heroines by Patricia Monaghan

Encyclopedia of Goddesses & Heroines by Patricia Monaghan features more than 1,000 goddesses and heroines from around the world. This is an excellent resource to use but also a fun read. Not many books sold as an encyclopedia would I want to read cover to cover, but this one I did, and I’d want to read it again!

Book Description

“Groundbreaking scholar Patricia Monaghan spent her life researching, writing about, and documenting goddesses and heroines from all religions and all corners of the globe. Her work demonstrated that from the beginning of recorded history, goddesses reigned alongside their male counterparts as figures of inspiration and awe. Drawing on anthropology, folklore, literature, and psychology, Monaghan’s vibrant and accessible encyclopedia covers female deities from Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, Asia and Oceania, Europe, and the Americas, as well as every major religious tradition.” – Encyclopedia of Goddesses & Heroines

My Thoughts

Encyclopedia of Goddesses & Heroines is a well researched and easy to read encyclopedia about Goddesses and Heroines in mythology. It has the ones that you likely have already learned about such as Athena, Brigit, and Cleopatra. However, it includes so many that you have likely never heard about, such as Niamh, Vasilisa, or Selene?

Goddesses & Heroines are divided by their location in the world, making it easier to find ones that you may be searching for, or learn about a particular culture at a time. If you know the one you want to search for, that is easy to do too, just look in the index. Think you might be named after one of these ladies? Take a peek, I won’t tell!

This is a must-have reference for all mythology fans. It is also great for someone who writes fantasy stories that needs some inspiration for characters. As a gamer, I’d also say it would be great for character names that are unique and can provide meaning to your digital self. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Encyclopedia of Goddesses & Heroines, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.