I am so grateful that I was swapped this. I think I expected something different so it took me a bit to grok the thesis. Once we hit the final chapter though it all made much more sense. While I found some of the thinking flawed, I am quite aware of the limits of my perception. I might actually keep this one and starting underlining. ( )

This book is a fascinating look at these three women authors who have transformed esoteric literature with their pens, and have influenced modern views of women to include women as a personification of the Goddess and Her many aspects.

Dion Fortune, a follower of Madame Blavotsky, wrote early in the 20th century about the spiritual journey of men and women who are drawn to non-traditional religions. While not all of her women characters are sympathetic (in fact, very few are), her men characters become drawn to women who are able to guide them into an exploration of the worlds beyond ours. [The Sea Priestess] is the book of Fortune's that I've read cover to cover.

Fast forward to Marion Zimmer Bradley and her take on the Arthurian myths through [The Mists of Avalon] and resultant Avalon/Atlantis series. The idea of an isle of holy women dedicated to a Goddess, rather than the Christian God, becomes a central theme and a literary "why not?". The Knights of the Round Table are no longer a central feature but are observed through the lives of the women who interact with them.

Finally, Diana Paxson takes up Bradley's pen with her further tales of Atlantis and the early years of the Isle of the Mighty. She continues to stretch the possibilities for the sacred and divine feminine within this world as both warriors and priestesses. I have read none of Paxson's books on these subjects, but Sadovsky is a competent author who is able to bring elements of these stories to a non-reader in a full and complete fashion.

I found this book a refreshing intellectual discussion of these topics and of these authors. Their lives are presented so that their writings are seen in the context of the times in which the authors lived. The impact of how these women re-imagined Women and their Divine images is seen over and over again in fantasy and the fantastical historical fiction by authors like Juliette Marillier and in Diana Paxson's larger corpus. Additionally, Sadovsky does not hold back on her criticism of each author, acknowledging where their description of women's roles are limited by responding to an overarching view of the Divine Feminine through her reproductive or physical attributes and not the personal journeys of her followers. Sadovsky expands the view of the Divine Feminine as more than Maiden, Mother, Crone by adding to this Triad: Moon Mother (Fortune), Witch Queen (Bradley), and Warrior Queen (Paxson). In addition, Sadovsky argues in her final chapter that limiting the Divine Feminine to her reproductive aspects limits Her female followers, and a greater expansion of the role of the Divine Feminine should also included non-maternal aspects: Warrior/Lover, Healer, Judge, Teacher. ( )

It is possible that my understanding of this book is slightly marred by not having read the works by Diana Paxson that are referred to in the text. I have read Dion Fortune and_ Mists of Avalon_ by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Sadovsky's analysis of the portrayal of priestesses in these works seems accurate. And I agree that these fictional representations have influenced the ritual and personal spiritual work of many contemporary Pagan women.

I have two thoughts to contribute to the discussion of this topic. The first are a few quibbles about the priestesses of Avalon in _Mists_. It struck me, after a detailed rereading of the work, that the religious ideas presented are more than a little incoherent. On one hand we are told that the Goddess does not require sacrifice. But then Igraine is informed that betraying Uther, who had been forced on her by the politics of Avalon but whom she has come to love, is a sacrifice required of her. Avalon is also supposedly a supportive environment for women; but what kind of supportive environment for women fails to provide communal care for children. Hello--doesn't worshiping a Mother Goddess at least imply that one should be a good mother? There is a bit more to being a mother than merely not having an abortion. Then Avalon goes to great lengths to create a king, Arthur, who will be loyal to his Pagan roots as well as suitable for his Roman/Christian subjects, but then send him be raised by Christians so that he is appalled and guilt-ridden by the Pagan rites he is put through. These are wise women? In the long run, the rising Christian cult seems to be superior to the stumbling, bumbling and incoherent institutions of the Avalon priestesses and Druid priests.

My second comment is that, despite its popularity with women's spirituality groups, the Triple Goddess was actually a product of a male poet, Robert Graves. In _The White Goddess_ he lays out a scheme, very male centric, of the Goddess as muse, mother, and layer-out of the male poet. In a later essay he introduces the Black Goddess as another aspect, one that comes to the poet when he is no longer the lusty lover. The Triple Goddess of Maiden, Mother, Crone is not taught by the British Traditions of Wicca, although the ideas have infiltrated some groups from the larger Pagan culture.

Overall, the book is worth reading.

Revised after rereading the book--Overall I hold to my comments above. I would add that many of the problems conceptualizing goddess energy stem from what I would call trinitarian monotheaism--thinking of the Goddess as singular, with different aspects rather than as a range of different deities with differing interests and spheres of influence. I would also add that the author's experience of being regarded as sexual in her maidenhood but not as a mother reflects a misunderstanding of the triplicity. (once again IMO) For Pagans of earlier times goddesses seen as young and virginal were just that, virginal--Artemis, Athena, Hestia. Mature goddess such as Hera, Aphrodite, and others were mothers, and sexual. The Greeks did not really have a divine Crone, their gods were immortal and never aging. Seeing different qualities in different deities avoids the problem of "how can the Goddess be a mother and a warrior and other contradictions. ( )

The Priestess and the Pen is a powerful piece of work. It is labeled "groundbreaking". This is a fair assessment of Sonja Sadovsky's book.

Using the writings of Pagan authors such as Dion Fortune, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana Paxson, Sadovsky explains each authors influence on goddess worship and modern paganism.

This is not light reading material. The reader must sit and concentrate on the subject at hand, but it will be worth it. Sadovsky was able to open my mind, broaden my thoughts and increase my understanding of her viewpoint.

Some key ideas from the book:
"Priestess is a symbol of independent female authority, and a living link to the Goddess she serves."
There are four types of Priestess', each type is reviewed and explained in the book.
1. Earth Mother
2. Moon Mistress
3. Witch Queen
4. Warrior Queen

The Goddess herself is:
1. eternal
2. light and dark
3. maiden, mother and crone
4. dark mother of mystery.

Sadovsky further explains that the threefold goddess is not always accurate nor fitting. The goddess has a 4th face, "hidden but key to personal power and self identity."

The author herself sums up the Priestess and the Pen in the introduction by writing "Priestess and Pen focuses on the literary character of the Priestess in 20th century fiction"

I think she more than adequately succeeds in her goal. My understanding of Modern Paganism is greatly enhanced by reading this book and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in Paganism, or the works of the three spotlighted authors.

FYI- everything in quotation marks was directly quoted from Ms. Sadovsky's work, the PRIESTESS AND THE PEN. ( )