The women in India's great epics compare favourably with the men-Draupadi, the princess with five husbands and a fiery temperament; Sita, the gentle one who defied the ten-headed Ravana, underwent trial by fire and finally descended into the depths of Mother Earth, refusing to go back to her suspicious husband; Kunti, who abandoned her firstborn; Satyavati, the femme fatale, whose greed set the stage for the Kurukshetra war; or Savitri, who achieved the impossible without waging war. Pushpa Kurup brings their stories and many others in this brilliant compilation of the powerful and intriguing women of our mythology. What enriches this volume further is the inclusion of a few lesser-known but equally significant women, such as Unniyarcha, the heroine of the Vadakkanpaatu of Malabar; Kannagi, whose fury destroyed the prosperous Pandya kingdom of Madurai; Sati Devi and Amba who immolated themselves in their bid to achieve their mission; Uloopi who abducts the mighty warrior Arjuna, and many more. These are women with a mission, with agency and ambition who could write their own destiny and forge their path ahead. From bhikkunis and sanyasinis to wild and wayward women, from daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers and widows to queens, warriors and scholars, these splendid women and their stories deserve a special place in our history and make for a fascinating read.