More than Just a Rating discussion

I was recently asked to review a new novel about a famous classical character.
I have produced several articles on the classics, studied Aeschylus to Aristotle and authored a few classically themed novels so it came as no surprise to me that I was asked. After a short jarring initial jolt, "A journalist" (you can always tell the journalist turned writer) writing in clipped tones on a character once subjected to delightful prose. I liked the snappiness of the book and the reimagining of this classical character in all her majesty.
The story was wondrous, and I loved it. As you can imagine my review was glowing (which rarely is the case with a first-time author).
My review was not used on the dust cover. I wondered why?
A great review from someone respected on the subject matter.

This is what I was told when I inquired. "Only women wish to read about strong female characters, so we only used female reviewers". One of those reviewers was once a student of mine and so I called her. Explained the situation. She was shocked.
Surely men love strong female characters......

Raymond wrote: "I was recently asked to review a new novel about a famous classical character.
I have produced several articles on the classics, studied Aeschylus to Aristotle and authored a few classically themed..."

That's weird and disrespectful. Not courteous to you is bad and the attitude toward readers? Disdain? Not only saying that "Only women" will read the book but believing that means there should only be female reviewers? I'm not sure who made those decisions but that is very limiting marketing plan.

Reminds me of the story from around fifty years ago. Publisher was asked how they decided whether to market a book as a gothic or as a mystery. Easy, the publisher replied, if it's written by a woman it's a gothic, if it's written by a man it's a mystery.

I did not mind that they eschewed my review. Publishers are publishers, out to make money. But surely every man enjoys a strong and dominant female character (lol- perhaps not in real life, that would depend upon which man you ask, but in fiction certainly) should they not have tried to double the audience?
Invite men and women to read the book?
It is a clever and engaging book.
I thought that decision insular and even sexist.
"Scheherazade", the simpering violet one day, the dominant Tiger the next remains, for me, one of the greatest characters (heroines) ever imagined.

Absolutely poor marketing. Tbh, I actually very seldom look at jacket reviews, and even then am less likely to notice 'gender' of reviewer. I'm more likely to be looking to see if the review is by Kirkus, NYT, etc., rather than by an author, blogger, or someone I've never heard of.

Very sexist. And, um, homophobic? What about the non-binary, trans, gender fluid, and other queer reviewers and readers?

Lol- I'm with you. I write them (jacket reviews) but never read them. I open a book which attracts me by subject matter in a local bookshop and read a random couple of pages and judge in that way. Once I went strictly by reviews.
I still give truthful reviews no matter how cajoled or tempted I am to "Cross the Rubicon" Lol- if you ever come across them, they are always my true feelings of the novel.
I am not going with Groucho Marks there; in this one thing I do have principles.