Slay: Ancient legends of female slayers and the hidden mythology of dragons

A groundbreaking and seminal chronicle of the hidden history and mythology of female dragon slayers from ancient world expert and author of Goddess with a Thousand Faces, Jasmine Elmer.

The dragon is a monster with a rich history of symbolism in almost every culture. In the stories that have been passed down through time, dragons lurk in the great wild, in dark, unknown and mysterious lands that exist on the periphery of human civilisation. Only the bravest of souls dare venture into the darkness to vanquish the dragon – and so often the tales have only shone light on the men. But what if there is so much more to this narrative?

Jasmine Elmer shifts the spotlight to the daring and victorious female dragon slayers that have been written out of history. Combining historical research with mythological retelling, Slay is a celebration of the dragon – and the woman that conquered the monsters – that has never been done before.

Slay is a distinctive and revelatory historical and mythological exploration of dragons, the stories and cultures around them, and the fierce women who slayed them.

Praise for Goddess with a Thousand Faces

'Fascinating, fun and thoughtful and enlightening' Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

'A beautiful weave of history, myth and storytelling by one of our most exciting new classicists' Dan Snow, historian and TV presenter

'Gorgeous. Jasmine Elmer has a fierce passion for these women, and this shines through in her writing' Lizzy Tiffin, author of Bad Girls of Ancient Greece

'If you love history and feminist retellings, this is your next must-read' Rachel Blackmore, author of Costanza

'Jasmine Elmer's sparkling debut offers up a refreshing, inclusive and powerfully feminist manifesto for what it means to be a goddess, ancient and modern' Emily Hauser, author of Mythica