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_belle's review
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Okay, so, it's true.. this book is not really about the science of "witchcraft". Aside from some divination, hoodoo and burning sage.. there's nothing about magical powers, spells, potion making, flying broomsticks.. nothing.
And it's also true.. the authors do go on different tangents talking about nothing really relating to witches or the craft. (There was one instance with the mention of a study about older women dating younger men that had me quirking an eyebrow..)
These things are definitely disappointing, I totally agree.
And also, it has to be said.. there is a lot of talk about witches I've never heard of before.. but there is no mention whatsoever of the famous Halliwell sisters.. the CHARMED ONES are snubbed! Which I found shocking as the original Charmed is literally iconic.
And while we're at it.. no mention of the original Sabrina either.. but.. they do win back some points with the somewhat confusing choice of having a chapter dedicated to Buffy.. I love Buffy, and yes it has some witchcraft.. but I don't think many people view Buffy as a "witchcraft" show.. certainly not in comparison to Charmed and others.
However, the Buffy chapter seems completely wasted talking about impromptu singing, dance mania (yep, the episode where Buffy temporarily turns into a bad musical) and an entire interview about memory loss, which I skipped. And the Sabrina chapter is wasted spending the whole time interviewing someone about running a mortuary 🙄
Anywho.. in saying all of that.. I actually kinda really liked this book. I don't know what to say but, I had fun!.. so, take my 4 stars ✨
And it's also true.. the authors do go on different tangents talking about nothing really relating to witches or the craft. (There was one instance with the mention of a study about older women dating younger men that had me quirking an eyebrow..)
These things are definitely disappointing, I totally agree.
And also, it has to be said.. there is a lot of talk about witches I've never heard of before.. but there is no mention whatsoever of the famous Halliwell sisters.. the CHARMED ONES are snubbed! Which I found shocking as the original Charmed is literally iconic.
And while we're at it.. no mention of the original Sabrina either.. but.. they do win back some points with the somewhat confusing choice of having a chapter dedicated to Buffy.. I love Buffy, and yes it has some witchcraft.. but I don't think many people view Buffy as a "witchcraft" show.. certainly not in comparison to Charmed and others.
However, the Buffy chapter seems completely wasted talking about impromptu singing, dance mania (yep, the episode where Buffy temporarily turns into a bad musical) and an entire interview about memory loss, which I skipped. And the Sabrina chapter is wasted spending the whole time interviewing someone about running a mortuary 🙄
Anywho.. in saying all of that.. I actually kinda really liked this book. I don't know what to say but, I had fun!.. so, take my 4 stars ✨
jadedyogi's review
5.0
This was such a great read. I can’t rave enough about this book. The layout, concepts, backstories, and the amount of research put into this book is amazing. This book gave insite to things I never thought about of new about the history of witches, and belief over the times.
Definitely add to my shelf for education and reference purposes! All the stars
Definitely add to my shelf for education and reference purposes! All the stars
kblincoln's review
4.0
Reading the Science of series by Hafdahl and Florence are really fun. This latest installment is no exception. The Horror Rewind podcast hosts and Horror genre lovers are the perfect pair to lead us in uncovering the pop culture and science layers surrounding the making of horror (primarily in movie form).
Their super-fan knowledge and enthusiasm come through in every chapter. It’s entertaining and also eye-opening when they talk about the tropes that have framed our view of witches in say, Eve’s Bayou vs. Goldie Hawn/Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her.
The “science” in the titles of these books are mostly social science: psychology, socio-anthropology, media studies of fictional tropes, mixed in with bits of medical science– like when they answer the question posed by The Love Witch about whether there actually are “love potions” by discussing chemicals, effect of hormones on brain systems, etc.
The call out boxes in each chapter were a mixed bag. When they had to do with aspects of the movie making, like the call out box about Angelina Jolie’s Malificent make-up taking 3 hours or The Conjuring 2 being based on a real life event, I was fascinated. Other call out boxes felt a little more awkward. The pythagorean theorem or statistics on 15-17yr old teens vs 13-14 yr old teens having more crushes didn’t add as much to the unpacking of society views of witches.
But some of the really juicy bits that you get in this series are the conversations and access to the creative thinking of current directors and writers in the horror genre. In particular, the conversation with The Love Witch’s Anna Biller really reveals the intense focus, thoughtfulness, imagery, and symbolism that makers of these movies put into their stories, stories often dismissed by the general public as only blood-and-gore.
I challenge you to read this book and not see your own prejudices or assumptions about women’s power reflected back at you when you come across witches in mainstream or horror tv shows and movies.
Their super-fan knowledge and enthusiasm come through in every chapter. It’s entertaining and also eye-opening when they talk about the tropes that have framed our view of witches in say, Eve’s Bayou vs. Goldie Hawn/Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her.
The “science” in the titles of these books are mostly social science: psychology, socio-anthropology, media studies of fictional tropes, mixed in with bits of medical science– like when they answer the question posed by The Love Witch about whether there actually are “love potions” by discussing chemicals, effect of hormones on brain systems, etc.
The call out boxes in each chapter were a mixed bag. When they had to do with aspects of the movie making, like the call out box about Angelina Jolie’s Malificent make-up taking 3 hours or The Conjuring 2 being based on a real life event, I was fascinated. Other call out boxes felt a little more awkward. The pythagorean theorem or statistics on 15-17yr old teens vs 13-14 yr old teens having more crushes didn’t add as much to the unpacking of society views of witches.
But some of the really juicy bits that you get in this series are the conversations and access to the creative thinking of current directors and writers in the horror genre. In particular, the conversation with The Love Witch’s Anna Biller really reveals the intense focus, thoughtfulness, imagery, and symbolism that makers of these movies put into their stories, stories often dismissed by the general public as only blood-and-gore.
I challenge you to read this book and not see your own prejudices or assumptions about women’s power reflected back at you when you come across witches in mainstream or horror tv shows and movies.
cinephilegirl_'s review
4.0
I write about witches and also I'm very fond to read magic practice. I enjoy this book, it has many information, others have more illustrations but this one was spot on the magic practice and not only Wicca.
I recommend it for a non fiction reading and it help me to expand my knowledge about the craft. Love this kind of book
I recommend it for a non fiction reading and it help me to expand my knowledge about the craft. Love this kind of book
annarella's review
4.0
It was a fun and informative read. It's entertaining and well researched and it's never dry or boring.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
jlynnelseauthor's review
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.5
I love "The Science of..." series by Kelly and Meg. Each pop science book focuses on an aspect of mainstream media and women's roles. My favorite chapters are those about the origins (ancient and folklore) of commonly-held beliefs about witches and magic. While some of the information about medical science does fly over my head, there's so much information to enjoy and learn about surrounding witches, their roles in media, and their history. Meg and Kelly inject their own humor and reflection in each chapter as well. They also interview influencers in media and medical professionals as they dive into what makes up many of the tropes that are common place today in both witch lore and media representation. I thoroughly recommend, especially if you enjoy witchy reads and witchy horror.
diaryofavoid's review
4.0
The Science of Witchcraft attempts to explain details of magical tales in terms of modern science. Overall it's a pretty good book and can be read through or used as reference if you wanted to read based on what stories you already know.
However, there are some chapters that are only vaguely connected to the story they're titled for. The chapters were still interesting explanations of some weird science, but they didn't quite connect back to the witchery they were supposedly trying to explain and instead felt like the book had jumped down a wikipedia rabbit hole and forgot to finish reading the original article.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
However, there are some chapters that are only vaguely connected to the story they're titled for. The chapters were still interesting explanations of some weird science, but they didn't quite connect back to the witchery they were supposedly trying to explain and instead felt like the book had jumped down a wikipedia rabbit hole and forgot to finish reading the original article.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
artemishi's review
informative
fast-paced
1.0
This book is incredibly mistitled and desperately needs an editor. It has nothing to do with the science of witchcraft, which might explore the topic of botany, mineral formation, altered states of consciousness, or a number of themes in most neo-Pagan practices. Instead, it's a tangential collection of science-based sound bytes loosely categorized around popular media with a witchcraft theme. For example, it starts with the Wizard of Oz and gives a very brief background on the role of the Wicked Witch of the West within the movie, and how Margaret Hamilton's portrayal shaped our modern perception of 'the evil witch'. But then it non-sequitors into whether a tornado can move a house and whether smelling poppy flowers can make you sleep, while neglecting to get into the actual science behind the phenomena. Lather, rinse, repeat in every single chapter, each one based around a different popular media witch story.
These science factoids aren't held together by a common thread, often are general overview statements with no backing data, and each one is preceded with a banal question. For example: "Why do some people have a fear of getting older? A study found people view aging negatively and equate it with a decline in life. The study provided ways to address societal ageism. When the worry about getting older starts to affect your well-being, it becomes a diagnosable condition called gerascophobia. This can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy."
Both the repeated question phrasing and the very surface-level answers make this a book intended for audiences that are too young to grasp complex topics. Which is a shame, because the concept of exploring the science behind elements of witchcraft portrayed in popular media would be a fun one to read (and write, frankly), but the authors have instead presented a ramble. Every now and then, they throw in multi-page interviews with various people who might touch tangentially on the something related to the topic at hand, including the authors' own responses of "Wow! I didn't know that! That's very interesting."
Overall, a pretty awful stab at pop science. I'm gonna have to go read some Mary Roach to get the taste out of my brain.
litwtchreads's review
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC. This was an interesting and delightful read. I like how the author took media about witches and witchcraft and looked at the science behind it, but I was expecting a little more science, though the history lessons and callouts were really interesting. This book was a quick and easy read but felt a little disjointed to me, I think it would be better to read in multiple sittings rather than straight through. One thing I did love about this book was the actual writing and the interviews. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
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