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No Fair Maidens

A wild journey with the lost goddesses of Britain
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No Fair Maidens

By: Kim Willis
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

'This book is an act of excavation, and an act of remembering.'

As Kim Willis drifts from the traditional path of marriage and motherhood, she yearns for a new set of stories to light her way. Here, she is pulled towards the source of the Severn, hearing whispers of ancient matriarchs: shape-shifting enchantresses, scaly nymphs and goddesses who once commanded our lands. These are no fair maidens, but powerful warrioresses and animalistic beasts, snaking along the edges of watery places where we meet the otherworld in the shadows.

As she uncovers the ancient myths hidden in the rugged landscapes of the British Isles, the stories of women like Arianrhod, Melusine and Cerridwen awaken a forgotten power. Journeying from the Severn to Skye, Eryri to Northumberland, Kim discovers new magic in the tales of old, unveiling forgotten truths about grief and healing, while charting a new course through sisterhood and sexuality, fertility and freedom.

Through the threads of folklore, history and landscape, Kim identifies a better way of being for modern women, and crafts a new vision for Britain where women are - and always were - a force of nature.

© Kim Willis 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Customs & Traditions Europe Gender Studies Great Britain Social Sciences Women

Critic reviews

This is a really important book, pulling on a half-forgotten golden thread of mythology from which we can draw inspiration and strength. Both experiential and scholarly research underpin Kim’s quest, and she makes herself open and vulnerable in a way which asks for a great deal of courage. Read this book – it might change your life! Brave, bold, authentic and true.
In her empowering and moving memoir, Kim Willis asks important questions about the relevance of ancient myths to the complexities of contemporary life. Along the way, she introduces a cast of goddesses and female warriors who once roamed the British Isles and whose stories – until now – have long been buried. I found it utterly compelling.
Evocative, emotional and essential for any woman journeying on her path and seeking a sense of belonging. A triumph!
This a book I will return to again and again. How do we not all know these stories of powerful women? I want to study them till they are in my bones. I loved the blend of a modern single woman figuring things out through these ancient stories. I was inspired by Kim’s determination to follow her own path - it makes me feel much less weird for always going off on different winding roads. This book will inspire a lot of women to live life true to them. A movement begins!
I loved journeying with these ancient, empowering, otherworldly women. Kim Willis is an expert storyteller, reminding us of the deep power and intuition within us all.
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