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The Return of the Goddess: A Divine Comedy
The Goddess is returning!
She takes shape in the hands of an Episcopal priest’s shy, retiring wife. She invades the dreams of a grande dame who thinks women priests are a scandal. She lures a poker-playing ex-convict onto unfamiliar terrain, literally. Then there is the mysterious old man in the wood, who’s been watching, waiting for a sign of her return.
Who is the Goddess? Where has she been for so long? What does she want from the four human beings whose lives she is turning upside down and inside out?
As they confront these questions, Esther, Spencer, Marvin and Fergus find themselves drawn together, forging friendships across boundaries of age, class and race, discovering—and recovering—powerful, erotic passions. All their encounters, with themselves and each other, lead them deeper into Blackwood, an old estate that shelters an imperiled grove of trees sacred to the Goddess, a grove it becomes their mission to save.
The Return of the Goddess, A Divine Comedy marks Cunningham’s first explicit exploration of Christianity and the power of a divine feminine, long forgotten, obscured, and suppressed by the Church. She went on to write The Maeve Chronicles, featuring her iconic, outspoken Celtic Magdalen. The Return of the Goddess takes the reader inside the world of Cunningham’s origins where a gap in a wall leads from the church to the sacred grove.
Twenty-six years after its first publication The Return of the Goddess, A Divine Comedy remains a classic in what has become a movement, both within established religions and beyond, to reclaim the goddess and to embody her return.
She takes shape in the hands of an Episcopal priest’s shy, retiring wife. She invades the dreams of a grande dame who thinks women priests are a scandal. She lures a poker-playing ex-convict onto unfamiliar terrain, literally. Then there is the mysterious old man in the wood, who’s been watching, waiting for a sign of her return.
Who is the Goddess? Where has she been for so long? What does she want from the four human beings whose lives she is turning upside down and inside out?
As they confront these questions, Esther, Spencer, Marvin and Fergus find themselves drawn together, forging friendships across boundaries of age, class and race, discovering—and recovering—powerful, erotic passions. All their encounters, with themselves and each other, lead them deeper into Blackwood, an old estate that shelters an imperiled grove of trees sacred to the Goddess, a grove it becomes their mission to save.
The Return of the Goddess, A Divine Comedy marks Cunningham’s first explicit exploration of Christianity and the power of a divine feminine, long forgotten, obscured, and suppressed by the Church. She went on to write The Maeve Chronicles, featuring her iconic, outspoken Celtic Magdalen. The Return of the Goddess takes the reader inside the world of Cunningham’s origins where a gap in a wall leads from the church to the sacred grove.
Twenty-six years after its first publication The Return of the Goddess, A Divine Comedy remains a classic in what has become a movement, both within established religions and beyond, to reclaim the goddess and to embody her return.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1992
19 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 30, 2016
I am so glad I happened to discover this book! I truly enjoyed reading it, not least because it is so hard to find good Pagan Fiction set in modern (or near modern) times. The language was introspective and beautiful, the characters interesting, and the narrative filled with poignant details.
This is definitely a work of Magical Realism more than Urban Fantasy. Don't expect a lot of overt and showy magick; you won't find any flashing lights and billowing smoke in this novel, but rather the subtler workings of supernatural power we see in real practice.
That is because this is less a fun, light novel-- ice cream in book form, as I like to call it-- and more a work of literary fiction woven with Goddess-borne enchantment. This is a story with meat on its bones-- just as much about a self-discovery, broken marriages, life choices, and spiritual awakening as it is about finding the Goddess and realizing the magick in and around us all. It is a novel to provoke think, to uplift , to remind each of us of the divine nature in everything. Beyond that, it is also a sincerely good read: well written and enjoyable. I was actually surprised I'd never heard of it before!
In fact, I have only two complaints about this book, one of which is very minor. Firstly, I will give you all fair warning: it becomes a little preachy about feminism in a couple of spots. (Seriously, I'm a moderate feminist and even I thought it grew just a bit heavy at times.) Please don't let that turn you off, however! The agenda does not outweigh the narrative, or even come close to doing so, and if you can simply take those few, brief lectures in stride, you will love this book! My only other complaint is that, near the end, a few of the lose ends seemed to be wrapped up a little too quickly. That issue is so minor, however, as to be a matter of opinion. Nonetheless, however this was all in all an excellent book!
This is definitely a work of Magical Realism more than Urban Fantasy. Don't expect a lot of overt and showy magick; you won't find any flashing lights and billowing smoke in this novel, but rather the subtler workings of supernatural power we see in real practice.
That is because this is less a fun, light novel-- ice cream in book form, as I like to call it-- and more a work of literary fiction woven with Goddess-borne enchantment. This is a story with meat on its bones-- just as much about a self-discovery, broken marriages, life choices, and spiritual awakening as it is about finding the Goddess and realizing the magick in and around us all. It is a novel to provoke think, to uplift , to remind each of us of the divine nature in everything. Beyond that, it is also a sincerely good read: well written and enjoyable. I was actually surprised I'd never heard of it before!
In fact, I have only two complaints about this book, one of which is very minor. Firstly, I will give you all fair warning: it becomes a little preachy about feminism in a couple of spots. (Seriously, I'm a moderate feminist and even I thought it grew just a bit heavy at times.) Please don't let that turn you off, however! The agenda does not outweigh the narrative, or even come close to doing so, and if you can simply take those few, brief lectures in stride, you will love this book! My only other complaint is that, near the end, a few of the lose ends seemed to be wrapped up a little too quickly. That issue is so minor, however, as to be a matter of opinion. Nonetheless, however this was all in all an excellent book!
June 11, 2011
This is one of the most wonderful books I've encountered in ages. The main character is an Episcopalian Priest's wife, who "loves to make things." One day, using some homemade play-doh with her sons, she subconsciously fashions a figure very, very like the Venus of Willendorf. And she hasn't a clue what or who this represents, except that it brings her to tears.
Over the course of the book, in a completely natural way, she comes to accept the Way of the Goddess, and the protection of a nearby Sacred Grove. There is absolutely nothing artificial about this book, and that's probably the reason I loved it so very, very much. Her eventual turning to paganism is completely organic, and by the time the Sacred Marriage is reenacted in the Sacred Grove, Esther (Astarte) has changed utterly.
This book was written in 1993, and I noticed upon reading the Afterword, that the author thanks Starhawk, as well as others, for their help. I think that's one of the reasons the Divine Feminine comes across so very, very authentically in "Return of the Goddess." I dearly, dearly loved this book, and I intend to add it to my own permanent collection, to be read and re-read over and over again.
For those friends of mine who haven't read this book, I urge you to do so. It's not dogma, it's completely organic. The Return of the Divine Feminine is one a lot of us have been waiting for a long time.
Over the course of the book, in a completely natural way, she comes to accept the Way of the Goddess, and the protection of a nearby Sacred Grove. There is absolutely nothing artificial about this book, and that's probably the reason I loved it so very, very much. Her eventual turning to paganism is completely organic, and by the time the Sacred Marriage is reenacted in the Sacred Grove, Esther (Astarte) has changed utterly.
This book was written in 1993, and I noticed upon reading the Afterword, that the author thanks Starhawk, as well as others, for their help. I think that's one of the reasons the Divine Feminine comes across so very, very authentically in "Return of the Goddess." I dearly, dearly loved this book, and I intend to add it to my own permanent collection, to be read and re-read over and over again.
For those friends of mine who haven't read this book, I urge you to do so. It's not dogma, it's completely organic. The Return of the Divine Feminine is one a lot of us have been waiting for a long time.
February 8, 2019
I first read this electrifying novel 19 years ago when a dear Psychotherapeutic Instructor, who was aware that I had recently been called by the Goddess recommended and lent it to me and I've cherished and considered it one of my top 111 books since! Elizabeth is a bona fide storyteller and her character development is unrivaled, with an aptitude for plotting which incorporates everyday experiences on one page with visionary insights on the next without every contradicting and being trite. This was her first novel, so having read the more recent Maeve Chronicles and added those to my top faves, I can say that her prowess as a Writer has only amplified and become fine-tuned as the years have gone by. I only reread a book which beguiles and elevates my consciousness by inviting me to bear witness to a Life which is potent with the germinated seeds of evolution and flowering, this book checks those boxes every time. If you are enraptured and inspired by juicy tales which involve personal and collective healing blended with the pertinent awakening of the Divine Feminine then dawdle no longer, this is a classic and should not be missed!
April 28, 2018
I recently read this book again, and I still love it! Esther Peters is an obedient, subservient wife who married her husband because it was expected. Her whole existence, in fact, has been ruled by the expectations of others... until, that is, the Mother Goddess enters her life as subtly as a whisper. It's a simple beginning: Esther unwittingly creates a play dough image of the Goddess on Samhain, or Halloween, a traditional time of endings and transitions. This seemingly innocuous event sets her on a path to changes and self-discovery, and neither Esther nor the small town of White Hart may ever be the same.
Written with both humor and a keen eye for human nature, The Return of the Goddess takes the protagonist on a new and unfamiliar journey. Esther finds herself gradually embracing the joy of living along with a new sense of self-worth, daring to feel beautiful and alluring, dancing when no one can see. The changes in her personality, however, inevitably cause friction. Esther must make a choice: be true to herself and, for the first time, take control of her life, or fall back into the routine of doing what's expected by her husband, her small town, and her religion. One path promises freedom and fulfillment, but demands that she find the courage to stand on her own, while the other is comfortably familiar, but leads to a continuous cage of self-denial and subjugation.
While also a rare and wonderful work of Pagan fiction, at it's core, The Return of the Goddess is about the inner self warring with social norms. Caught in a tug-of-war between two factions-- her husband, an ambitious Episcopal priest, with self-righteous members of his flock on one side, and a motley crew of eccentrics and outsiders on the other-- Esther must choose whether she will be true to herself, or once again take the easier path of relinquishing control to convention. Helped along by a wealthy, vivacious old woman, an elderly mystic, a handsome stranger, and even a family of more open-minded parishioners, will Esther find the strength of will to embrace the Goddess nature within herself? Will the changes she's experiencing create the full and happy life she craves, or simply rip her world apart? It's hard for anyone to stand for who one is and what one believes when so many stand in opposition. Throughout the course of a year measured, unbeknownst to Esther, in sacred days, she must find the courage to take her own spiritual journey... and, on the way, learn that there may be far more than just her happiness at stake.
My only real qualm with the work, in fact, was that, despite being something of a feminist myself, there were a couple of points at which I found the novel a little "preachy." However, other than those two small parts, when Cunningham seemed to momentary forget herself and begin pushing a message, I found The Return of the Goddess utterly charming. So charming, in fact, that I was more than willing to overlook the brief lapses into sociopolitical sermonizing.
I greatly enjoyed this novel, finding it enlivening and uplifting. The characters are quirky and interesting, and the story engaging. Deep and multilayered, the narrative itself is by turns humorous and heartwarming. Some passages made me chuckle, while other filled me with a tender warmth. The lines drawn between characters are not rigidly straight; while this novel does involve controversy between religious ideals, it is not a simple matter of Christianity verses Paganism. (As mentioned before, Martin's relatives, who grow to support Esther in her search for self-realization, are, in fact, Christian.) Elizabeth Cunningham's narrative is far more complex than that. This is a book about a woman discovering that she has been called by the Goddess all along, though she was too buried in dutiful expectations to hear it, and seeking the strength to become her own person despite social censure. Perhaps because of this, many of the whispered truths hidden throughout the novel transcend religious boundaries.
Nonetheless, The Return of the Goddess is also a beautifully Pagan novel full of ancient symbolism and the bright, warm, joyous spirit of the Sacred Feminine. The Goddess flows throughout the entire narrative, sometimes a gentle trickle, sometimes a laughing stream. Elizabeth Cunningham weaves subtle magic along with the sacred power of the natural world and the female soul into every page. Good Pagan fiction like this is all too rare. In fact, I loved The Return of the Goddess so much that I read it twice while I had it from the library, and then purchased a copy of my own.
I would definitely recommend this novel to any book-loving witch, Wiccan, or fellow Pagan, as well as to any open-minded woman who enjoys good contemporary literature off the beaten path. I will, however, warn you that the staunchly conservative may feel insulted by the religious controversy within this book. However, if you have an open mind and you embrace the Goddess within yourself, or are ready to try to do so, you will love Cunningham's funny and uplifting novel.
Written with both humor and a keen eye for human nature, The Return of the Goddess takes the protagonist on a new and unfamiliar journey. Esther finds herself gradually embracing the joy of living along with a new sense of self-worth, daring to feel beautiful and alluring, dancing when no one can see. The changes in her personality, however, inevitably cause friction. Esther must make a choice: be true to herself and, for the first time, take control of her life, or fall back into the routine of doing what's expected by her husband, her small town, and her religion. One path promises freedom and fulfillment, but demands that she find the courage to stand on her own, while the other is comfortably familiar, but leads to a continuous cage of self-denial and subjugation.
While also a rare and wonderful work of Pagan fiction, at it's core, The Return of the Goddess is about the inner self warring with social norms. Caught in a tug-of-war between two factions-- her husband, an ambitious Episcopal priest, with self-righteous members of his flock on one side, and a motley crew of eccentrics and outsiders on the other-- Esther must choose whether she will be true to herself, or once again take the easier path of relinquishing control to convention. Helped along by a wealthy, vivacious old woman, an elderly mystic, a handsome stranger, and even a family of more open-minded parishioners, will Esther find the strength of will to embrace the Goddess nature within herself? Will the changes she's experiencing create the full and happy life she craves, or simply rip her world apart? It's hard for anyone to stand for who one is and what one believes when so many stand in opposition. Throughout the course of a year measured, unbeknownst to Esther, in sacred days, she must find the courage to take her own spiritual journey... and, on the way, learn that there may be far more than just her happiness at stake.
My only real qualm with the work, in fact, was that, despite being something of a feminist myself, there were a couple of points at which I found the novel a little "preachy." However, other than those two small parts, when Cunningham seemed to momentary forget herself and begin pushing a message, I found The Return of the Goddess utterly charming. So charming, in fact, that I was more than willing to overlook the brief lapses into sociopolitical sermonizing.
I greatly enjoyed this novel, finding it enlivening and uplifting. The characters are quirky and interesting, and the story engaging. Deep and multilayered, the narrative itself is by turns humorous and heartwarming. Some passages made me chuckle, while other filled me with a tender warmth. The lines drawn between characters are not rigidly straight; while this novel does involve controversy between religious ideals, it is not a simple matter of Christianity verses Paganism. (As mentioned before, Martin's relatives, who grow to support Esther in her search for self-realization, are, in fact, Christian.) Elizabeth Cunningham's narrative is far more complex than that. This is a book about a woman discovering that she has been called by the Goddess all along, though she was too buried in dutiful expectations to hear it, and seeking the strength to become her own person despite social censure. Perhaps because of this, many of the whispered truths hidden throughout the novel transcend religious boundaries.
Nonetheless, The Return of the Goddess is also a beautifully Pagan novel full of ancient symbolism and the bright, warm, joyous spirit of the Sacred Feminine. The Goddess flows throughout the entire narrative, sometimes a gentle trickle, sometimes a laughing stream. Elizabeth Cunningham weaves subtle magic along with the sacred power of the natural world and the female soul into every page. Good Pagan fiction like this is all too rare. In fact, I loved The Return of the Goddess so much that I read it twice while I had it from the library, and then purchased a copy of my own.
I would definitely recommend this novel to any book-loving witch, Wiccan, or fellow Pagan, as well as to any open-minded woman who enjoys good contemporary literature off the beaten path. I will, however, warn you that the staunchly conservative may feel insulted by the religious controversy within this book. However, if you have an open mind and you embrace the Goddess within yourself, or are ready to try to do so, you will love Cunningham's funny and uplifting novel.
December 30, 2018
What a beautiful tale full of interesting archetypes and complex characters. I loved Cunningham’s uses of tarot cards to tell this story and explore her characters’ evolutions. Esther was fantastic, and so were Gale and Raina and old Spencer Crowe. The ending was perfect, and I was so happy with Blackwood’s fate.
I definitely see common themes through Cunningham’s works, common images and archetypes: gods and goddesses, human divinity, sanctuaries for women... But each of her books is unique and memorable in its own right. Return of the Goddess will stick with me for a long time, just as all of Cunningham’s other books have. 5/5 stars, of course!
I definitely see common themes through Cunningham’s works, common images and archetypes: gods and goddesses, human divinity, sanctuaries for women... But each of her books is unique and memorable in its own right. Return of the Goddess will stick with me for a long time, just as all of Cunningham’s other books have. 5/5 stars, of course!
October 21, 2017
I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Cunningham's Maeve Chronicles, so have been looking forward to a chance to read this earlier work of hers. With the recent 25th Anniversary release and availability on Kindle, I had a recent opportunity to dive in. Written with much heart and vulnerability, I enjoyed following the journey of Esther, the protagonist as she takes the plunge to explore her spirituality and in the process find herself.
February 8, 2020
Great book- spirituality at its best.
July 11, 2020
Wonderful book, the Goddess returns, may she stay in our realm. May we feel her, see her, sense her, etc. We need her more than ever, now.
August 27, 2018
I liked this in the way it treated paganism - no one is too weird, and the goddess is there whether we acknowledge her or not. Apart from Spencer, I didn't really care much about any of the characters, but all the same, it's a good book.
July 6, 2021
This book happily surprised me. It didn’t grab me and hook me like I want a book to do, but I was very satisfied by the end, even though it was a conveniently happy ending.
I am biased towards this author because her Magdalene trilogy are some of my favourite fictional books to date. That being said her earlier works are not nearly as captivating. This book was much better by the second half, the first half was three stars for me but by the last half the characters really blossomed and I started to feel that true Goddessy earthy vibe shining through like I do in Cunningham’s later writings.
All in all she did a lovely job mixing theology, mythology and lunar wisdom into an inspiring tale of reawakening to the magic within us all. I really appreciated how Cunningham introduced both women and men characters connected to magic, ceremony and the ways of the old.
I am biased towards this author because her Magdalene trilogy are some of my favourite fictional books to date. That being said her earlier works are not nearly as captivating. This book was much better by the second half, the first half was three stars for me but by the last half the characters really blossomed and I started to feel that true Goddessy earthy vibe shining through like I do in Cunningham’s later writings.
All in all she did a lovely job mixing theology, mythology and lunar wisdom into an inspiring tale of reawakening to the magic within us all. I really appreciated how Cunningham introduced both women and men characters connected to magic, ceremony and the ways of the old.
September 17, 2011
Although this book's story line became fairly predictable, I enjoyed the melding of the old ways with modern religion to develop the story. I enjoy reading authors with questioning minds. Part of the reason I read this right now was to get my own personal spirituality up and running again.
I loved Cunningham's book "The Wild Mother." I was hoping "The Return of the Goddess" would give me that same feeling, but it fell a little short. Three stars is a little harsh, but I can't go the full four.
I loved Cunningham's book "The Wild Mother." I was hoping "The Return of the Goddess" would give me that same feeling, but it fell a little short. Three stars is a little harsh, but I can't go the full four.
August 4, 2016
Honestly my favorite book by Elizabeth Cunningham. The story is a little predictable, but I still found it thoroughly enjoyable. Despite our circumstances not being exactly the same, I would say that I identified pretty strongly with the main character Esther, and I adored her nosy, mischievous, elderly neighbor Spencer. If I had to say there was a weak point to this book, I would pin it down to the character of Fergus. I felt like he was played a little too serious and as such I didn't enjoy his chapters as much as the other three protagonists.
August 5, 2009
Writers like James Patterson with their fast-paced style have spoiled me because I find myself skipping over the descriptive passages of this book. Not many authors write as beautifully as Cunningham, She has this writing style that's reminiscent of Marion Zimmer Bradley that make me wish I could write like that!
March 29, 2024
This is a book that improves every time I read it. Esther and Marvin are such an unlikely pair and yet they symbolise the duality and fullness of the Goddess. A wonderful book with a captivating storyline. The characters of Spencer and Fergus are the grandparents I wish I had. I want to live in Blackwood.
September 14, 2009
Modern story where clergyman's wife "discovers" the Goddess and more about herself and her marriage. Interesting story, but the characters needed more development, or maybe the characters' motivations needed to be clearer...I am not sure, but it's not *quite* right. Still, I enjoyed it.
February 19, 2009
I found this in a second hand bookstore, looked at the quotes on the back, one from Starhawk, one from Robin Larson from the Center for Symbolic Studies, and decided that was enough to get me to buy it. Great read, quite a cast of characters, all believable in their changes. Finely written
July 19, 2013
Intriguing and well-written, I like the blend of themes. It covers a lot of ground, mainly the feminine principles at work in nature and religion. It's a tad on the formulaic/predictable side. Overall, a fun read and good intro to her work. Her Maeve series is a must-read.
October 31, 2009
Just thinking of this book makes me want to reread it. It defies classification as far as I'm concerned.
March 17, 2011
Not my kind of book....too surrealistic. I couldn't identify with the characters, so I didn't have the interest to keep reading.
June 18, 2014
So beautiful! Both an elderly and young couple find love and sexuality through their spirituality. Cried at the end.
April 24, 2012
A little dated (copyright 1992), but clever and well executed and fun.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews