 |
Book
Review - Book of Shadows |
|
Back cover synopsis: |
Rhaevyn's Synopsis |
| From reading the back cover, I was immediately turned off to be quite honest. I don't agree that "Wicca" means "wise one," plus I tend to take issue with anyone who feels the need to put "Wiccan High Priestess" after her name all the time as though it's on the same level as someone who puts PhD. or Esq. as part of their title. People howl at Dr. Laura for it, and I see little difference in Ms. Curott needing a title as if it places her in a position of authority that we otherwise wouldn't know about. Actions speak louder than words, you know. I finally decided to go ahead and read it because so many people said it was good, and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. I still have a few nits to pick with the book, but as long as you remember it's her memoir and not a How-to Wicca 101 book, you should be able to plunge through it. She does have a very feminist-like bias through the book, which is where most people's criticism comes in. |
Entertainment Factor  |
| When read like a story, and without looking to try to re-create the steps she took on her journey, this is an entertaining story. I get the feeling that some of the events were jazzed up for the sake of keeping the flow and keeping the book interesting, but I did like her style as far as story-telling. When a chapter ended, even if it was late at night, I wanted to continue reading the story to find out what happend next. She did a very good job of maintaining the various plots throughout the entire book, which is a rare gift. And of course, they all wrapped up nice and neat with a pretty bow at the end. |
Content and Information  |
| It's a memoir, so the information promised on the back cover was not as fulfilling as you'd expect. I suggest reading it for the story once, then reading it again and pulling out some of the activities and rituals to adapt for your own use. I did like how she said she'd bring birdseed with her and leave a gift to nature when she went to meditate on her lunch break. The book gave me a few ideas that I'll probably use in the future if I have not begun using some ideas already. Basically, it shows how you can practice in your everyday life...even the simplest ideas can be helpful. |
Usefulness  |
| It's not a book that you'd use, per se, like you would a Wicca 101 book. If anything, when you read the book, you can think, "Oh yeah, I can do that everyday!" Her book, Witch Crafting, runs more along the lines of taking what she did in Book of Shadows and putting it into lesson form. So this isn't particularly useful as far as a reference book, though it can be inspiring if you're not sure how you can practice in a more urban setting. |
Longevity |
This is actually a rather new book, but I think it will last for a while. Most books that you find are about how to practice...Book of Shadows is pretty unique in that it's more of a biography than a how-to. I think people want to see that there are others out there who are more like them with 9-5 jobs, go through traffic jams, and have crappy bosses. Even though the setting of the book is 1984, I think it will continue on as a decent read in the future...but only time will really tell! |
Final Analysis  |
| Again, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Don't read the back cover and get your expectations up for what you may think this book is about. Read it as a story, even as a fictional story if you must, and appreciate the fact that, yes, there are other people out there like you. |
Author: Phyllis Curott| BOOKS
|
I'll admit a bias...I don't like a lot of the books that Pagan authors are putting out now. I try to give fair and honest reviews, but I really think that if we want the standards of Pagan reference and literature raised, we have to be incredibly critical of what is already on the market. Just wanted to warn you ahead of time... *grin*
|
|
||