⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Bold, witty, and unapologetically fierce, Bad Bitches of Antiquity is a refreshing take on historical storytelling that shines a spotlight on the women history often sidelines. Lorelei Wilder brings sass and scholarship together in a way that’s both entertaining and enlightening.

The audiobook format added a layer of personality to the stories—Wilder’s narration is engaging and full of attitude, which suits the subject matter perfectly. From Cleopatra to Hypatia, each chapter is a celebration of defiance, intellect, and power. The tone is modern and cheeky, which makes ancient history feel surprisingly accessible.

That said, the book sometimes leans a bit too heavily into the snark, which can overshadow the nuance of these women's lives. A few chapters felt rushed or overly simplified, and I found myself wishing for deeper dives into certain figures. Still, Wilder’s passion for reclaiming these stories is undeniable, and her voice (both literal and literary) is one I’d happily listen to again.

📚 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced listeners copy! This was a fun and fiery ride through the ancient world’s most formidable women.

Loved it. I discovered a lot of story about strong women which were so interesting and from a wide variety of culture. The stories are short, sometimes too short, but tell the significant part of their myth. I really learnt a lot and enjoy my time with it.
The only downside of the audiobook is that some quote were repeated and it quickly felt repetitive.

This book takes an accessible, feminist look at the world's mythological tales, specifically putting the spotlight on some of history’s fiercest goddesses, heroines, and warriors.

I appreciated the concept and have, in fact, considered writing a similar book (or rather "collection") of tales myself. I also enjoyed the irreverent and lively tone, which makes this audiobook easy listening for those new to mythology or looking for an empowering introduction to legendary women.

However, as someone who loves myth and has studied the world's mythologies and religions extensively, I had hoped for a broader collection.

I found the book leaned heavily on already well-known figures, such as Athena, Medusa, Persephone, etc., rather than delving into more obscure or underrepresented women from global mythologies. While a handful of lesser-known stories make appearances, the bulk of the book focuses on the mainstream “bad girls” we’ve seen in other retellings. It ultimately left me wanting more variety and deeper exploration.

This collection feels somewhat surface-level and less fresh than the premise promises.

Still, it's a fun, modern take on mythological stories and would be perfect for casual fans or those just starting to explore the world of legendary women. If you’re already deeply familiar with mythology or hoping for a collection packed with hidden gems, you may find this one just average, though.

Bad Bitches of Antiquity is a collection of quick stories about notable female characters in ancient history. Author Lorelei Wilder gives each of her goddesses, heroines, warriors and titans a quick history and retelling of their major story arc. She was a great job, framing the female characters in positive or kick butt light.

Though I enjoyed the focus on female character characters in integrity, I found that the delivery of the stories to be a little confusing. Stories bounced around from different mythologies, and time frames without a lot of flow between them. I think a different organization might’ve made this easier to follow along with.

The audiobook narrated by Ozzie Jacobs was very vibrant and enthusiastic. Reading had a very young feel to it and made this audiobook very accessible for younger readers interested in the subject. I enjoyed the narration in the fresh take their voice gave along with the style of storytelling the author Used.

I think this is such a fun way to get a quick intro to mythology. The narrator is wonderful at keeping the source material fun and light. I can see this being a really good book for teens but the writing makes it really fun for all ages to read or listen to. I do think if you have any prior knowledge of Greek myths you may find this repeating knowledge you already have. These are all stories told over and over again. I wish there was other myths like Selene or Gaia.

This was such a fun read. It felt very much in line with the tone of the book Zeus is a D--, if you’ve read that. Snarky, witty, unapologetic, and sarcastic with a feminist twist. I loved that this book encompasses so many different mythos. I’m super familiar with Greek mythology, but this book includes stories from around the world. I loved hearing the different cultures tales, and seeing the similarities between some of them. If you’re a fan of audiobooks, I 100% recommend this one, the narrator is AMAZING. It’s read with such a great attitude you can’t help but smile and laugh your way though the book. I also felt like there were a lot of characters from mythology in this book that don’t get talked about as often because they aren’t super popular for whatever reason, or they aren’t part of the Western literary cannon. I loved that those women got some love here, because their stories deserve to be heard too. If you love fairytales and mythology, you definitely need to read this book!

Bad Bitches of Antiquity had a fun concept and plenty of potential, highlighting powerful and notorious women from mythology across different cultures. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the premise.

Despite promising to span multiple traditions, the book is overwhelmingly focused on figures from Greek mythology, which made it feel less diverse and more repetitive than expected. There were missed opportunities to spotlight equally fascinating women from underrepresented mythologies around the world.

The tone is conversational and heavy on modern slang, which gives it a “your sassy friend is telling you a story” vibe. This adds some humor and flair, but often undermines the gravity of the subject matter, especially in cases involving trauma, violence, or sexual assault. The casual voice sometimes trivialized the very stories the book claimed to reclaim.

Additionally, the reliance on very current cultural references and slang might limit the book’s long-term relevance. While it may resonate with some readers now, the analogies and language choices could feel dated very quickly.

Overall, this was an okay listen with a great idea behind it, but the execution left me wanting more depth, balance, and lasting value.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

A round-up of some of the goddesses and heroines of the ancient world, offering a brief overview of who they were and what made them unforgettable after all this time.

Ozzie Jacobs, as the narrator, did a fantastic job in bringing these wonderful women to life with her enthusiastic and humorous tone.

What I liked: This was a fun summary of some of the great women from ancient myths and legends around the world. The jovial, concise stories worked well as an introduction for those just dipping their toes into ancient history.

What didn’t work for me: While goddesses and heroines from across the globe were highlighted, there did seem to be a greater focus on Europe. It would have been nice to see more representation from other regions, I believe there was only one story from Polynesia.

Final thoughts: A punchy, entertaining look at some amazing women of the ancient world.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of ancient history and women's studies told with a comical twist.

Fun and informative, my only comment is that I wish the stories were more in depth. I would have loved longer more detailed stories for each goddess spoken about

Overall enjoyed Bad Bitches of Antiquity by Lorelei Wilder. Who doesn't love a feminist forward anthology about strong female figures throughout world mythology? I do feel like its one of those books that will not age well - the tone will likely seem pretty archaic in the next 5-10 years. I did enjoy the stories and the "hell yeah, what a baddie" feel of all of them.


Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the advance copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this as an audiobook.

I really enjoyed the way this was structured and the way it was told. It made for easy listening. I do think I'll pick it up as a reference book as I think I lost a bit of the presentation from a physical book. I would definitely recommend

This was a really fun, informative book. A synopsis of the stories of women in mythology, their stories, their high points, and the things they represented. Women in mythology were often overlooked or misjudged. Well written, well read, and interesting.

This book is the perfect if you want to learn the basics about women from mythology, their story is told in a very summarised way. However, it's told brilliantly, the book is very compelling and witty.

It was a really fun and interesting read. I found myself unable to stop reading this, I laughed a lot at some of the sarcastic remarks the author includes here.

I loved the book and I hope we get more books by the author, on women and mythology. I really need to know more about his heroines.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing and Brilliance Audio for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

This was such a good entry point to mythology and I'm thinking of getting it for me neice. The flow of the narrator wasn't for me. I also had issues with how Cassandra was talked about, but I loved learning about all the new mythology I hadn't known before

This was an interesting and educational read, but I didn’t expect it to be so heavy on internet lingo—it threw me off more than I thought it would (though I probably should have seen it coming from the title!). The concept is great, but my main issue is that each figure is explored through the lens of just one story and one character’s POV. While the author does clarify that these aren't meant to be full biographies, there's still a tendency to present the characters—like Hera—as inherently good or feminist figures based on limited narratives. That said, if you're into mythology with a Gen Z twist and don’t mind a meme-heavy tone, it’s a solid read.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for the Audiobook ARC for my honest review.

This is a good book for anyone curious about mythology in general but unsure of where to start. It expands past the Greek, Roman and Egyptian pantheons, including regions which don't get enough attention in books on history much less mythology. Each section is short, the book over-all his short, which adds to it's charm.

*Bad Bitches of Antiquity* by Lorelei Wilder is a bold, witty, and modern retelling of mythological women from across cultures—goddesses, queens, warriors, and rebels who have long been overlooked or villainized in traditional texts. Presented in a fast-paced, irreverent tone and narrated beautifully by Ozzie Jacobs, this audiobook feels like sitting down with your coolest aunt who just happens to have a PhD in world mythology.

The book’s biggest strength lies in its **wide cultural reach**—from Greek and Roman myths to lesser-known figures from Indigenous, African, and Hindu traditions. I appreciated the diversity and the effort to center women whose stories aren’t as often retold in Western literature. The bite-sized format makes it digestible and entertaining, perfect for casual readers looking to dip their toes into mythology without wading through academic or overly dense retellings.

That said, the book's **brevity can sometimes work against it**. While the stories are fun and accessible, many feel too simplified or lacking in nuance. In several cases—especially with the more complex or culturally layered myths—I was left wanting more detail or deeper context. I also noticed some inaccuracies or conflated terms, particularly in the Hindu mythology section (for example, using “Hindi” where “Hindu” was meant). While I understand the informal tone was part of the charm, a bit more cultural sensitivity and clarity would have elevated the material significantly.

Despite those issues, this book excels at what it sets out to do: **reframe ancient narratives through a modern, feminist lens**, and invite readers to reflect on the power, resilience, and complexity of mythological women. It’s not trying to be a definitive text—it’s here to spark curiosity, empower, and entertain.

The narration by **Ozzie Jacobs** is one of the highlights. Her delivery is warm, dynamic, and deeply engaging. She nails the tone—part fireside folklore, part punchy podcast—and keeps the listener hooked from start to finish.

Recommended for mythology lovers, audiobook fans, and anyone who wants their ancient goddesses served with sass and smarts.

Bad Bitches of Antiquity is a compendium of dozens of women from history and myth, and how they’ve been perceived through the ages and whether that tells the whole story.

If I could tell be author one thing it would be KISS (keep it simple, stupid) because this did way too much. This is a short book and it spreads its pages over way too many subjects, some chapters felt like 4 sentences. After several entries I found myself asking what was the point of that? There are a few moments of humour and interesting discussion but not nearly enough to justify reading this.

I also did but like the narrator at all, and she just had me rolling my eyes most of the time. Trying way too hard to be ‘sassy’ and it took away from the content.

omg I loved this. it combines many of my favorite things - myths, righting wrongs against women, sarcasm, and a well written book.

As a fan of mythology and badass women, this book was a fun and quick read! Each character is introduced like a superhero, and the tone is very fun. The blurbs about each character are quite short, so this is a nice introduction to a wide variety of powerful females versus a deep dive. I received this book in advanced audio format from NetGalley, and while the narrator was good, I feel this would be far more enjoyable in print or e-reader format due to the many, many names.