Yet She Lives: Fierce and Fantastical Women of Norse Mythology (Lisa Hannett, T&H)

In Yet She Lives: Fierce and Fantastical Women of Norse Mythology, Lisa Hannett brings giantesses, witches and warriors from the ancient world to life. Building on the work of her well-received Viking Women: Life and Lore, she retells the stories of powerful, enigmatic women from the nine realms of Norse myth, including Hel, queen of the dead; Freyja, goddess of sex; and Thorgunna, a ghost who cooks a midnight feast for her pallbearers. Both storyteller and scholar, Hannett holds a PhD in Old Norse-Icelandic literature and balances dynamic retellings of the myths with authoritative discussions of their literary origins. Yet She Lives sits somewhere between fiction and nonfiction, in the amorphous space that Mary Beard once described when distinguishing the divide between writing myths and writing about them. Hannett proves that modern texts can live happily in this middle ground. While Hannett demonstrates deep respect for the source materials and brings her academic background with a light touch, her writing is often at its strongest in its narrative moments and the vivid descriptions of otherworldly places and the memorable women who occupy them. In Yet She Lives, Hannett skilfully combines creativity with scholarship in a way that feels accessible to a broad audience. The book reaffirms that women’s stories remain central to our ongoing fascination with mythology. Recommended for readers who enjoy Genevieve Gornichec and Charlotte Higgins.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Abe Theobald is a writer and graduate researcher at La Trobe University. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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