Review: Divine Dicks and Mortal Pricks - Walburga Appleseed

Review: Divine Dicks and Mortal Pricks - Walburga Appleseed - January 2024

You know those cozy evenings when you're curled up with a cuppa, and you want something that's both clever and entertaining? Well, I found exactly that in Walburga Appleseed's delightfully irreverent romp through Greek mythology.

This isn't your dusty school textbook version of these ancient tales. Appleseed has taken the familiar stories we all half-remember – you know, the ones where Zeus couldn't keep it in his toga and everyone seemed to be related to everyone else – and flipped them on their head. Finally, someone's asking the questions that should have been asked millennia ago: Was Achilles really that heroic? And why on earth did the Trojan War start over what was essentially a cosmic temper tantrum?

What I absolutely loved about this book is how it centers the women who've been lurking in the margins of these stories for ages. The goddesses dealing with their philandering husbands, the nymphs trying to avoid unwanted attention, the queens managing kingdoms while the men were off having "adventures" – they all get their moment in the spotlight. 

The tone is casual, snarky, and wonderfully modern without feeling forced. Yes, the title prepares you for some cheek, and Appleseed delivers with humor that had me chuckling into my tea more than once. But beneath the sass, there's genuine insight into how these ancient stories have shaped our culture and how differently they read when you actually pay attention to the women in them.

If you're looking for something that's equal parts enlightening and fun, that'll make you see old stories in a completely new light, pop this on your reading list. Just maybe don't read it in public unless you're comfortable with the occasional snort-laugh.

Perfect for fans of mythology retellings with bite, feminist humor, and anyone who's ever rolled their eyes at yet another "hero's" questionable behavior.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MfkFRk