Mythologis
Shapeshifters: The Complete Guide to Shapeshifting in World Mythology

Mythology Themes

Shapeshifters: The Complete Guide to Shapeshifting in World Mythology

Werewolves, Skin-Changers, Selkies and the Gods Who Change Form

The complete guide to shapeshifting in myth: the werewolves and skin-changers of folklore, the shape-changing gods of Greece and the North, the selkie and the fox-spirit, and the meaning of the changing body.

180 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Greek, Norse, Celtic and East Asian shapeshifters
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01Breaking the Deepest Rule
  2. 02The Gods in Disguise: Zeus and His Forms
  3. 03Proteus and the Old Men of the Sea
  4. 04Loki, the God Who Became a Mare
  5. 05The Werewolf and the Skin-Changer
  6. 06The Selkie of the Northern Seas
  7. 07Fox-Spirits of Japan and China
  8. 08The Witch in Animal Form
  9. 09Transformation as Punishment in Ovid
  10. 10Swan Maidens and Animal Brides
  11. 11The Body That Will Not Stay Still

About this book

About this Mythology Themes mythology guide

Gods turn into bulls and swans, the cursed become wolves, seals slip off their skins to dance as women. This is the complete guide to shapeshifting in world mythology.

To change your shape is to break the deepest rule there is, that a thing is what it is. Mythology is full of the rule being broken. Gods turn into bulls and swans to seduce mortals; witches and sorcerers take the form of hares and cats; the dead and the cursed become wolves; seals slip off their skins to dance as women on the shore. The shapeshifter unsettles us because it dissolves the line between human and animal, self and other, and that is exactly why every culture tells stories about it.

This is the complete guide to shapeshifting across world myth and folklore. The shape-changing gods, Zeus and his disguises, Proteus the old man of the sea, the Norse Loki who becomes a mare and gives birth; the werewolf and the skin-changer; the selkie of the northern seas; the fox-spirits of Japan and China; the witch in animal form; and the deep human fascination with the body that will not stay still.

The book gathers the shapeshifters across cultures, drawing on Homer, Ovid, the Eddas, the folklore collections and the Eastern sources, and every chapter cites where it comes from.

Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.

What you will discover inside

  • The shape-changing gods, from Zeus in disguise to Proteus of the sea
  • Loki, the Norse god who became a mare and gave birth to a foal
  • The werewolf and the skin-changer across folklore
  • The selkie, the seal who sheds her skin to walk on land
  • The fox-spirits of Japan and China
  • Why the changing body fascinates and frightens us

Mythology Themes mythology book at a glance

TraditionMythology Themes mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length180 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Questions about the Mythology Themes mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Is this the same as the werewolves book?

No, it is broader. The werewolf is one chapter here. This book is about shapeshifting in general, the shape-changing gods, the selkie, the fox-spirit, the swan maiden and the witch in animal form, across many cultures.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. It draws on Homer, Ovid's Metamorphoses, the Norse Eddas, the Celtic and Scandinavian folklore, and the Chinese and Japanese sources on fox-spirits, with references to the standard translations.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 180 pages depending on the final layout.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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