A review by carleeiigh
Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire by Bettany Hughes
4.0
As someone who knows very very little about Greek/Roman mythology, I loved this as a starting point!
I loved seeing the known origins of a Aphrodite-like goddess in Astarte, Ishtar, etc, and how it transformed as cultures came together. How she was worshipped, her children (even a nonbinary (for today's verbiage) child who was worshipped!) and some of her lovers, how her temples were converted to Christianity and thus Venus was in a way white washed as a symbol of women "should be"
My few complaints are that its very short. I want to know about the similarities of worship between her and the Virgin Mary! I want to know how she played into Renaissance art, how exactly it morphed to a "gaudy, one dimensional form." Then back again as a feminist figure. There's a lot just sort of mentioned, I would like an expansion of all these chapters!
I loved seeing the known origins of a Aphrodite-like goddess in Astarte, Ishtar, etc, and how it transformed as cultures came together. How she was worshipped, her children (even a nonbinary (for today's verbiage) child who was worshipped!) and some of her lovers, how her temples were converted to Christianity and thus Venus was in a way white washed as a symbol of women "should be"
My few complaints are that its very short. I want to know about the similarities of worship between her and the Virgin Mary! I want to know how she played into Renaissance art, how exactly it morphed to a "gaudy, one dimensional form." Then back again as a feminist figure. There's a lot just sort of mentioned, I would like an expansion of all these chapters!