Witches of Fawsetwood

(Nimue, review)

I read this book quite a while ago because I know Dorothy through Moon Books and she approached me to see if I’d be willing to write an endorsement for her witchcraft novel. I absolutely was, and this is the text I gave her:

“This is a rich, deep, slow read of a novel that really draws you into the lives of the characters. It achieves something truly unusual in that it sets a practice much like modern witchcraft in a historical setting and makes that feel plausible and authentic.”

I want to expand on that here. Dorothy has pulled off something I find genuinely impressive. I’ve read a fair few novels (or at least the first few chapters of them) that position modern witchcraft sensibilities and practices in historical contexts. I have otherwise usually hated this kind of book, I’ve often declined to finish them, and generally found them to be horrible and annoying.

This book was an absolute exception. I found it persuasive and I very much enjoyed reading it.

Usually the problem with this kind of novel is that the author only knows about modern witchcraft and just assumes that was what people did in the past. Dorothy has a depth of understanding around both the history and the folk traditions to be able to do something entirely different. She’s also not got people able to use magic to solve their every problem, and she’s realistic about the kinds of problems people used to try and fix with magic. I very much liked that.

Here we have witchcraft as the survival of pre-Christian Pagan practice, presented as though these are the roots of modern witchcraft. While I was reading I found it easy to suspend my disbelief and go along with the story. Let me tell you that given how much disbelief I had to suspend in the first place, this is no small achievement. She makes the witchcraft work in a way I have never seen before.

If you’re into witchcraft novels then you’re going to enjoy this, simply. It doesn’t really fit with my understanding of historical witchcraft at all, and I was entirely fine with that, because the story was interesting, I was intrigued by it, and the writing was good.

Fantastic fiction

(Nimue, review)

I don’t read a great deal of fiction that sits at the high fantasy end. I am however really keen on queer fantasy fiction. This is in no small part because it’s always diverse in a whole array of ways. I’m pretty much done with post-Tolkien, and with things based on a whitewashed misunderstanding of mediaeval Europe, and I’m tired by ultimate battles between good and evil.

Queer fantasy tends to be a lot stronger when it comes to the fantasy side of the equation – identities, cultures, bodies, landscape and challenges are all more likely to be properly fantastical rather than a re-hash of something familiar. I picked up Claudie Arsenault’s novellas because they were being offered for review ahead of the second one coming out and I read each in a couple of sittings.

I love books that just throw you into the story and don’t over-explain the setting. The worldbuilding unfolds as the story progresses, and there’s a lot going on – this is a land with history, and issues, and we see it through the eyes of a rather unworldly main character who has a lot to figure out about emself (lots of pronouns in this story!). The world is intriguing and the characters are endearing. There’s plenty of action, and it all serves to move the story forward. I love all the details of this well thought through setting. On getting to the end, I wanted more.

The three main characters are thrown together, in no small part because of a sentient wagon that has opinions but no way to clearly articulate them. This is very much a story about something, or someone waking up in ways that are threatening, but also full of potential. I came away from the first book with the feeling that there’s a history here and that what people think happened is not going to turn out to be what really happened.

Book 2 sees the three main characters we met in book 1 hit the road, and acquire a new member of the team. This is a mobile queer-platonic household, which I greatly enjoyed. There’s warmth and some bed sharing, but the main character is asexual, and several of the others seem to be the same. I’m very much enjoying the camaraderie of the story, and the centring of relationships that are not romantic, and not ci-s-male-dominated. There are new adventures and challenges, a new culture to learn about and the fascinating landscape and history of the setting continue to unfold in an entirely pleasing way. There’s mild peril, and it doesn’t feel like the sort of story that is ever going to crash into something really awful.

These books a nice read – affirming more than cosy, I felt, because there are plenty of things to think about in terms of values, relationships between beings, and identity. Watching the main character begin to learn how to think better of emself is rather wonderful.

You definitely have to read these in order – this is essentially a large novel that’s coming out in sections. You will get to the end of the second one and not want to stop, which is awkward because you will have to wait. The next instalment comes out in the autumn and the front of the second book includes the dates for the rest of the story.

You can find out more on the author’s website – https://claudiearseneault.com/

Econarrative

(Nimue, review)

Econarrative, by Arran Stibbe follows on from his book on ecolinguistics and the stories we live by. This is a book exploring the way in which stories impact on our relationship with the world. It ranges widely, taking in religion, science, advertising and fiction to look at how the mechanics of a story inform people’s thinking.

These are important considerations for anyone on the bard path. How do we talk about the living world? What can we do that would be helpful? What’s acting on us, and on the people around us? There’s a lot of material here to inspire and engage you.

While the author has gone to some effort to make the book as accessible as possible, it is quite a demanding read. It’s not impenetrable for the non-expert (me). If you aren’t in the habit of reading more academically orientated writing then expect to have to move slowly. This is a densely packed book with a lot of ideas in it. However, it has been written to be used by people who want to think about how they tell stories and what impact their words might have. This is a text for leaders, teachers and of course… bards and Druids. Although we aren’t the target audience it is absolutely relevant reading for anyone on this path.

Language is a powerful thing that impacts on us emotionally in ways we aren’t always conscious of. Skilfully used stories and ways of telling them can persuade us without even alerting us to the ways in which we are being persuaded. I was really glad to see adverts treated as a genre and analysed in this way – I have a lot of issues with the way adverts impact on us, especially the subtext in adverts and it’s great seeing someone take this on with the skills to thoroughly dismantle how it works.

I found this book hard work – but that’s not a complaint. It is a demanding read, and also a rewarding one and has given me a great deal to think about that I will certainly be taking into my own writing.

More on the publisher’s website https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/econarrative-9781350263147/

A Westerly Wind Brings Witches

A Westerly Wind Brings Witches is a witchcraft novel by Sally Walker – who is new to me but came to my attention through Moon Books. I had the pleasure of writing her an endorsement back before the book came out, which goes as follows:

This novel balances rather knowing humour about modern Pagans, with well informed dives into history. It’s a remarkable blend of comedy and compassion that manages to make jests about some of our standard witchcraft fantasies while offering a compelling view of reincarnation and personhood. Full of unexpected things, entirely charming and well worth your time.

I’ll add that I love being surprised by books, and this one absolutely delivered on those terms. The main character – Moira – is a total non-event for the first forty years of her life. Then she runs away to Cornwall and, while trying to find herself, joins a coven. What she finds is far more than she ever imagined, and includes a lot of past-life recollection. This content is well rooted in history and draws on what we actually know of cunning folk, and witch trials – often so sorely misrepresented in fiction. There’s some gleeful playing with tropes and resisting of conventions here.

This is a hopeful book, with good things to say. It could so easily have been something mean-spirited and snarky, but Sally pokes fun from a place of affection and understanding. Anyone who has been a Pagan for a while will see something of their own experiences here, I have no doubt. We’ve all met some of these characters. At times, most of us have probably been them to at least some degree.

The writing itself is delightful, and uses alliteration to a startling degree. It’s a really playful style in the more contemporary sections, and often cheerfully anachronistic for the historical parts. At times the book is emotional and challenging, but overall it’s a warm-hearted and hopeful thing to read.

More on the publisher’s website – https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/westerly-wind-brings-witches-novel

When I wrote this review it was simply as a result of having read the book. At this point I’m also doing some publicity work for Sally, so wanted to be clear that I’ve ended up doing that because I liked the book, and have not been persuaded to like a book because of a job.

The Rattlin’ Bog

(Nimue, review)

It isn’t easy finding good books for children growing up in Pagan households. Most Pagan parents are wary of raising their children as Pagans and want to make sure they have a broad perspective on religion. At the same time, there are key values that many of us want to pass on. Respect for the natural world is certainly one of those.

The Rattlin’ Bog isn’t written to be a Pagan children’s book but I think it has a lot to offer on those terms. The first part of the book is based on a folk song, it’s repetitive so easy for a small child to get to grips with. There’s a lot of nature in the song. Then there’s a section that gives you lots of child friendly information about what’s going on in the song, so you can build understanding. Author Jessica Law has a background in biology and knows what she’s talking about.

Bogs and wetlands are really important ecosystems but get a very bad press. Protecting these complex and liminal landscapes is really important – they take up a lot of carbon and they can absorb a lot of water. Re-establishing bogs will help us mitigate against climate chaos as well as protecting landscapes that are valuable in their own right. Encouraging children to see wetlands as good things will help with this. 

Obviously this isn’t a neutral review – that’s Keith’s photo of Jessica, the same Jessica who heads up Jessica Law and the Outlaws. I had the pleasure of seeing her new children’s book ahead of release (out at the start of April). I think it’s relevant though, hence the post.

Here’s the publisher’s website https://www.barefootbooks.com/uk/rattlin-bog

Hedge Guild Otherworld Oracle

(Nimue, review)

This is without a doubt my favourite oracle card set ever, and I’ve encountered a fair few over the years. It’s a collaboration between Jesse Wolf Hardin and Kiva Rose Hardin, and I was sent it to review. I’ve been pulling a card every day for some weeks, and I like it so much that I want to buy the handbook to replace my review pdf. I have physical cards.

The hedge is a liminal place. This set takes us into the marginal and magical, bringing in other than human influences, and inviting us out to the edges. There are sixty Hedge Guild Otherworld cards. They draw on folklore, archetypes and the personal insights of the creators. It’s a highly original set, and comes in three sections. The Guild are characters from the margins, they are guides and archetypes. There’s also flora and fauna. Commentary for each card includes all kinds of wider information – what the card signifies, what folklore it draws on, how you might encounter what’s represented, what questions to ask yourself and so forth.

There’s no judgement here – which is often an issue with cards. All kinds of feelings, energies and possibilities are considered, but not with any sense of them being good or bad, right or wrong. They are what they are and what you do with them is up to you. I like that a lot. Judgy cards can be really demoralising to work with and I don’t find them helpful.

Each card offers richness and wisdom. While you certainly could use them for divination, I found them to be excellent for contemplation. Every card offers food for thought, and wisdom to reflect on. Each card has the potential to take you on a journey towards enchantment and wonder. It’s a wonderfully well-written thing and an invitation to bring all kinds of magic into your life. Taking time to meditate on a card is a rewarding process, making this a good tool for anyone who needs something to work with in order to meditate effectively.

One of the issues with oracle cards is often who the user is assumed to be – especially what life stage you are expected to be at. I didn’t find that with this set. These cards are grounded and thoughtful, but also accessible and not requiring any prior knowledge, I think they could work well for anyone who fancied them. If you like your otherworldliness wild and tender, wise and playful then this is for you.  I wholeheartedly recommend checking them out.

Hedge Guild Otherworld Oracle Deck & Book – Sales Page
https://planthealerbookstore.com/hedgeoracle

The Magic of Wolves

(Nimue, review)

This fascinating book by Robin Herne explores the roles of wolves in magic, folklore and spirituality. The content draws widely from European and Asian sources, and ventures into ancient Egypt. Robin is explicit that there is too much Native American wolf material for him to do it any kind of justice in a book like this, and that the same is true of African wolf lore. I think it’s really good when authors own their limitations and don’t try to represent material from cultures they don’t have enough insight into.

Having followed Robin’s work for many years, I’m aware of him as a well read and insightful person in matters of Pagan antiquity. This is a thoughtful book that draws on that considerable knowledge-base and presents the material in an engaging, very readable way. It is a very dense text with a lot of insight in it, and it does come thick and fast so I had to take it slowly to try and absorb it all. It’s a funny thing that shorter books are often slower reads for this reason.

I did not know how widespread ideas about werewolves are, nor how far back they went. Robin brings a lot of interesting ideas to this issue of human shapeshifting, and his speculation on the topic is persuasive. There are many different ways in which people from wide ranging periods and cultures have been portrayed as also being wolves, and there’s lots to consider here. While we can never know what authors from the distant past really means when they talked about wold people, it is good to explore the possibilities, and the ways of viewing the world this opens up. There is far more to wolf magic than shapeshifting, and wolves have played many different roles in human stories.

I can very much recommend this book for anyone interested in wolves. If your spiritual practice involves wolves in any way, there is a great deal of value here and the book also provides a solid jumping off point for further reading and exploration. For anyone interested in folklore and prehistory, this is well worth considering as a text.

More on the publisher’s website https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/magic-wolves

I am Taurus

(Nimue, review)

This is a fascinating book and I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like it. In terms of subject matter, I am Taurus is an exploration of the role of bulls in prehistoric cultures. Most specifically aurochs. Stephen Palmer traces connections between different times and places around the mediterranean, all informed by the presence of a bull-like constellation. It’s a persuasive argument, rich in detail about prehistoric cultures.

However, this isn’t simply a non-fiction text. Stephen has undertaken to relate something of each culture he represents through the eyes of the bulls in question. This is what the title is all about – these first person narrations of the experience of being Taurus in different times and places. These tellings include the myths of the culture, related as the lived experience of the bull, which is a striking thing to encounter, I think it would be clear to most readers that these are stories and ideas, blending what we know about these times and peoples with speculation. However, the lines are not clearly drawn. I would have liked some notes – perhaps at the end – to clarify where the author has brought his formidable imagination to bear. Stephen is a well established speculative fiction writer, so this is something to factor in.

With all due reference to Robert Graves and The White Goddess, we do have problems in moden Pagansim with people reading speculative and poetic work as though it was hard fact. I love and value these kinds of speculative engagements that open up room for more ideas and more ways of seeing the world. We need imaginative engagement – that’s what myths are for. It’s when people insist on taking myths literally that the problems tend to start. 

Making meaning is itself a speculative process and I hope this book will help people see that and think about how it works. 

I really enjoyed this book. I’m no great expert in aurochs or prehistory but have enough of an acquaintance with both to really appreciate what Stephen Palmer has done here. You definitely don’t need to already be an expert to  get something out of it but at the same time I think you need at least some awareness of prehistoric cultures around the Mediterranean to get the most out of this book. I think at least low-level familiarity has been assumed so it’s not really suitable for anyone new to ancient Paganism. 

If it sounds like your sort of book then I can promise you an engaging read that will get you thinking and wondering.

More about the book here – https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/iff-books/our-books/i-am-taurus

The Five Minute Druid

(Nimue, review)

Sarah-Beth Watkins has written a gem. I have no time at all for the kinds of books that tell you that you can have the moon on a stick for no effort at all, but this is absolutely not that kind of book. This is a book for people who are short of time and/or energy but want to bring something of Druidry into their everyday lives. It covers all of the basics and offers things to try that will work if you can only dedicate a little time.

Lots of people are time poor. Poverty, illness, and caring roles are particularly hard to do anything about. If you don’t have much time for yourself then taking what you can and making the best of it is a really good choice. This book can help you do that.

Many people are time poor because they are distracted, overstimulated and not able to manage their time well. Breaking out of that – be it doom scrolling, game addiction, too many screens, too little quiet time – isn’t easy. Making small changes to change your life is a good response if you’re actually after a radical shift. Most of us can’t run off to live in a hut in the middle of nowhere, but most of us can find five minutes every day to start reclaiming some control over our lives.

The book assumes that you are new to Druidry, it doesn’t have much to offer anyone who has their practice in order and to their liking. It may however be helpful to anyone who has fallen off their path for some reason and who needs to rebuild what they do. I think it might be especially useful for anyone struggling with depression. The focus on small daily actions means there’s nothing too intimidating or overwhelming about having a go. The book itself is small, the tone is warm and encouraging. It’s a punchy little text with an upbeat tone. It’s not going to make you feel judged for being short of time or energy, but rather it will help you feel less alone with that.

Happily my blog made it to the list of recommended reading for people looking for small Druidic things they can do every day. That’s a really affirming thing for me and I very much appreciated it.

Find out more on the publisher’s website – https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/five-minute-druid

A Curse of Magick

(Nimue, review)

I’ve thought for a long time that a lot of myths make considerably more sense if you assume the main protagonists were mostly teenagers. It’s not an unreasonable thought – people in prehistory had shorter life expectancies, with 25-30 being a lot more normal. It’s therefore reasonable to assume that active adults are in fact young adults. It makes sense of the emotional aspects of the stories, the cockiness, impetuousness, the rash choices and the choosing of preposterous hills to die on.

This is a YA novel take on the tale of Grainne and Diarmuid and the tale works very well indeed with overtly teenage characters. It isn’t a story I’ve spent a long time with, but this felt like a faithful take on the original. For anyone unfamiliar with the story I should point out that like a lot of ‘Celtic’ myths, it doesn’t go well and the ending is sad. It’s not a conventional sort of romance, and there were a few sequences that were tragic, so it pays to be prepared for that.

If you’re the sort of adult reader who, like me, appreciates a good YA tale, this is for you. If you’re looking for an accessible way into the mythology, this is a good read. It has a nice pace to it, plenty of magic, and detail and I found it a delight. If you’ve got young readers, this is a bit sexy and there are some slightly gory bits, so it depends a bit on your young human. I’d have no qualms about buying a copy for fourteen and up – Grainne is seventeen, which is something of an indicator.

I have read some of the older stories in the forms we have them. I’ve read The Tain. I found most of it to be a slog – it’s not a form of fiction I do well with. Ancient mythic stuff doesn’t tell stories in the same way we do, and there should be no shame in not getting along with it. If you want to engage with ancient stories but don’t get on with how they are told, looking for books like this is a really good option. 

Here is the link on Amazon: