Chantry Westwell has used her profound knowledge of the Library's unrivalled Medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscript collections to explore some of literature's most enduring and multi-layered stories, together with the deep history of the books and chronicles in which they were first preserved. A follow-up to the author's highly successful Dragons, Heroes, Myths & Magic (2021), this new volume builds on ongoing trends for re-telling classical and medieval stories from the perspective of female characters as well as exploring how female reputations are exalted or ruined to suit the particular ideals of different eras and cultures. Maidens or Monsters includes dedicated sections on warrior women, women of virtue, power, tragedy, as well as enigmatic and allegorical women.

These powerful tales are presented alongside some of the most exquisite examples of art to survive from the eighth to the sixteenth centuries as medieval artists responded to the inspiring storylines with their own works of supreme beauty.