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

by Jasmine Elmer

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

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Mythology

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2026

About the author

Jasmine Elmer is a mythologist and storyteller who brings ancient tales to life with a modern, feminist twist. Fascinated by the magical and the mystical, she dives into the worlds of goddesses, witches, slayers and rebels, showing how their stories still shape - and challenge - our own. With a background in ancient myth and history, Jasmine combines research with passion, breathing new life into myth and turning them into living manifestos of women’s power for a modern audience.
Her debut book, Goddess with a Thousand Faces, is a bold and lyrical journey through global goddess traditions, blending storytelling with historical insight to reclaim the sacred feminine. Her second book, Slay: Ancient Legends of Female Slayers and the Hidden Mythology of Dragons, champions forgotten female slayers and establishes them as emblems of strength, resistance, and liberation.
Of Pakistani and white heritage, Jasmine grew up in East London and now lives in Devon with her husband, son and five unapologetically adored cats. A passionate advocate of slow living, she spends her time meditating, enjoying nature and a savouring a sip of coffee. You can find her on Instagram @jas_elmer. Go to www.jasmineelmer.co.uk for more.

Reviews

[Sian · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a very proud Greek mythology nerd, I was delighted when Jas Elmer gifted me a copy of her second book to review – ‘Slay: Ancient Legends of Female Slayers and the Hidden Mythology of Dragons’.

Jasmine is on a mission (a ‘mythsion’?) to cast women back in the centre of ancient myths and stories. This book looks at 4 women dragonslayers and the significance of the dragons they slay: Medea, Thakane, Tokoyo, and Margaret. She wonderfully retells each of their stories to give you a detailed overview of their story and then sheds light on myriad themes and topics.

I put myself on the wrong foot with this book, however, as I thought it was going to follow the pattern of a retelling followed by a detailed analysis of each specific woman and story. There are elements of this, but the content is more thematic and fluid than that. It’s as much about the evolving meaning of dragons in myths and history as it is about the women who slay them.

(This is not a criticism of the book, it’s just so you manage your expectations on what the book is about.)

‘Slay’ is absolutely ideal for anyone who loves mythology and dragons. While it is predominantly non-fiction, the retellings are in a purely fictional voice, and the analyses and discussions use a delightfully accessible tone. You’ll learn lots of new words and theories, but understand them too!

The non-formulaic structure after the introductory chapters took me a little time to get used to, but this was mainly due to my pre-conceptions about the book. I had a great chat with Jasmine online after I’d read it about her approach to her structure.

The opening and closing chapters are especially eye-opening and had me questioning why I am so obsessed with Greek mythology (dedicating a whole degree to it) when it is so awfully misogynistic!

I will definitely be reading her first book, ‘Goddess with a Thousand Faces’ to continue my feminist mythology education.

‘Slay’ is out on 2 July!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author expertly combines immersive retellings of myths and legends with thoughtful analysis and detailed historical research, creating a fascinating and engaging read from beginning to end. As a huge fan of Greek mythology, I was especially delighted to see Medea featured, but I also loved discovering legends and characters I had never encountered before.

I really enjoyed the way the author brought together stories from a range of cultures. It was fascinating to compare these women, seeing both the similarities and differences in their stories. Although each character has her own unique tale, they are connected by themes of family, community, and belonging. Their motives often tied back to this, but the men in their lives played very different roles. The first-person retellings make the narratives especially compelling, drawing readers directly into each character’s perspective and bringing the stories vividly to life.

I was unfamiliar with two of the legends included, but they were presented so clearly, and were so engaging, that I felt that I gained a good understanding of their settings and cultural backgrounds. The non-fiction sections were equally interesting, exploring why dragon stories appear across so many cultures and what they reveal about shared fears, experiences, and beliefs. I particularly enjoyed learning about the different appearances of dragons around the world and also the shared characteristics that identified to them as the ‘same’ creature, and why this might be the case for people in such different places.

This is a must-read for fans of mythology and epic fantasy. I will definitely be seeking out the author’s first book about ancient goddesses. Thank you to the author for the early copy!

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slay by Jasmine Elmer is a must-read for anyone who loves dragons and tales of the underdog because this book blends a candid analysis of dragon mythology and history, with first person POV storytelling from the female dragon slayers themselves (I would read this book for these retellings alone so the fact that there is an epic fudgeton of dragon lore and history included is a real bonus)

We are taken on a journey through different era's and perceptions of what a dragon is, where it came from and why. Many of us have been immersed in the recent upsurge in dragon fiction, but slay gets to the rootsand this would be invaluable to any dragon author out there

This book is so full of fascinating information taht I could not put it down and indeed, it is one to keep and to return to whether for reference or just to brighten your day.

Returning to the dragonslayers, this really was the highlight for me in the choice of four very different heroines. One is famous, and three are sadly not so famous - their stories erased simply because they were female - thankfully, some stories and records remain so we get to enjoy the stories of Medea, Thakane, Margaret and Tokoyo retold in Elmers signature engaging and immersive style

(Note - As yet, I have not read Goddess With a Thousand Faces, but after reading SLay, it is going straight on to my TBR!)

Slay is the perfect read if you love dragons, history, historical boss babes and tales of the underdog overcoming adversity (and you may even gain a different perspective on certain heroes who were less than heroic!)


Thank you to Jas Elmer, and Renegade Books an imprint of John Murray Press/ Dialogue Books - Hatchette UK for this incredible ARC - My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[susan Laming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slay : Ancient Legends of Female Slayers and the Hidden Mythology of Dragons by Jasmine Elmer

Favourite quote "Because history can move your soul if you let it."

We all love dragons, but who do we think of when we think of dragon slayers? Immerse yourself in this book and you will find mystical tales of female slayers...
Slay describes four fearless women/girls who had faced a terrifying foe and had been triumphant. These slayers however, were lost in legend, only Medea survives thanks to her resurgence in some amazing histfic books.
Each slayer has been given the 'fictional freedom' to tell her own story in a wonderful mix of non fiction and retelling. Medea, Thákane, Margaret and Tokoyo tell you their stories in the first person. I loved this and it gave me a real connection to these characters.

I'm so glad Jas had found these slayers and brought them back to life for us, their stories for me are now unforgettable. We read not only Jas's passion for these slayers, but her deep love of dragonlore. The book takes us on the search for dragons through time, cultures and mythology culminating in an encyclopedic collection I will treasure.
It's meticulously researched and beautifully written. It's entertaining, witty and thrilling. I was compelled to dig deeper which is for me where the best of non fiction should take me. I loved how Jas 'talked' to us throughout this book, asking us to make these stories personal, to change perhaps our view of ourselves, I definitely did that. I felt this book was deeply personal to Jas and I appreciated that.
I was born under the dragon star sign so this book spoke to me on so many levels.

[Meg (megschapters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slay is an incredibly insightful, informative, and fascinating exploration of four female dragon slayers drawn from mythology and history around the world. What I loved most was how Jasmine Elmer challenges the assumptions many of us have about dragons and dragon slayers being exclusively male stories. Through the tales of Medea, Thakane, Tokoyo, and Margaret, she not only brings these women to life but also examines the evolving symbolism of dragons across different cultures and time periods. I was particularly interested in the discussions linking dragons to the human psyche and the wider meanings they can represent. While Medea's story was the one I knew best, Tokoyo's was the tale I connected with most, especially as someone with a Japanese dragon tattoo and the reasons behind choosing so.

Jasmine has written such a good balance between storytelling and analysis, it never felt too academic but still offered me lots to think about and I often found myself frequently pausing to look up references and myths mentioned throughout the book, which for me is always a sign of an engaging read. What stood out most was how relevant these ancient stories still feel when viewed through a modern lens.

Thank you Jasmine for providing me with a finished copy to read in advance of publication

[Helen Brummitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who writes our history, who has recorded the stories and what were their motives and intentions for doing so. This book tackles the bias in recording of women... and dares to dream, develop and storytell a world of women in the wild, doing the extremes for their own reasons. Jasmine adds flare and storytelling to myth and then owns and explains it ... split in to 4 parts, each ending in a review of sources, with a thorough development of thoughts on dragons and their meanings in various areas of the world.

If I had a criticism it was that i wanted more fictional retellings😍😍. I could have read about Thakane for days. I was almost sad that we were then faced with the facts and discussion about the dragons and their myth because I was enjoying the initial part so much. This isn't a criticism really as this is not a fictional book 🤣🤣

[Alia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super hyped to receive an early copy of Slay from the author and I absolutely loved it!! The archaeologist in me was vibing with the historical and cultural analysis parts but this book also includes four mythological retellings. These stories were both engaging and interesting, particularly as the author re-centred these myths to highlight the women, and their roles as dragon slayers. This book really makes you rethink everything you’ve been taught about history!

Honestly, not only was this really informative, but I also really enjoyed the author’s writing style and her clear voice throughout!

If you love mythology but want an alternative to all the Odyssey content this summer, I would definitely recommend reading about the cool women of mythology instead!!!