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annarella's review
4.0
An interesting book, full of ideas for spiritual places to visit. I appreciated the style of writing and the illustrations.
It made me travel and add some of the places to my bucket list.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It made me travel and add some of the places to my bucket list.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
anekov's review
4.0
Especially in today's situation where travelling options are limited (and definitely not recommended!), books that transport me to different places are more than welcome. This book was an enchanting journey to 25 legend-filled places all over the world accompanied by gorgeous fairy tale-like illustrations.
nomisabi's review
4.0
This book is a really exciting and creative travel book. The writer selected 25 places in the world that were somehow mystical, special, and beautifully presented them.
I love legends associated with places, so I requested it right away on NetGalley when I saw this book. I think the selection of the 25 places went pretty well: I didn’t know almost any of them, but I was interested in all of them. As for the content, I think it wasn't well-chosen because it couldn’t hold my attention. The stories weren’t bad, but they weren’t special either. I read it and I forgot about it almost immediately.
What makes the book special is that instead of images, there are illustrations about the places ... The illustrations are beautiful, they make the book really unique.
I loved this book, I found the concept exciting, but it was hard to hold my attention.
I love legends associated with places, so I requested it right away on NetGalley when I saw this book. I think the selection of the 25 places went pretty well: I didn’t know almost any of them, but I was interested in all of them. As for the content, I think it wasn't well-chosen because it couldn’t hold my attention. The stories weren’t bad, but they weren’t special either. I read it and I forgot about it almost immediately.
What makes the book special is that instead of images, there are illustrations about the places ... The illustrations are beautiful, they make the book really unique.
I loved this book, I found the concept exciting, but it was hard to hold my attention.
amalia1985's review
1.0
Where to begin with this nightmare?
The approach to each location and its legends is so epidermic and superficial, described in outrageously cheesy, pseudo-literary terms. Thank God for the beautiful illustrations by Amy Grimes.
Her take on King Arthur, his myth and significance is superficial and dismissive. ‘’No evidence that he existed’’? Have you even read anything on Arthurian legends and its era? Have you bothered to read the briefest article by contemporary Historians? Obviously not. Your opinion isn’t relevant, ‘’writer’’. You are here for presentation, don’t burden us with your obvious ignorance.
The presentation of the legend behind the Old-New Synagogue in Prague was loaded with mistakes. Thankfully, she got the Golem myth right. Surprising.
‘’Hell’’ is NOT a term to refer to the Underworld of Greek Mythology. The concept of Hell appeared much later. It is really frustrating when writers are too lazy to perform a basic research and I find anyone’s limited knowledge of Classic Mythologies unacceptable. 1) What the bleeping Hell were you taught at school? 2) What the bleeping Hell did you read when you were young? 3) How much of an idiot are you? And the Elysian Fields wasn’t another neighbourhood in Hades.
Jesus!
‘’The’’ Mani to refer to a location in Greece? Seriously?
‘’Ideas about the Greek heroic era’’? Lady, you couldn’t even begin to know what ‘’heroic’’ means, spare us your ridiculous irony and read some Churchill. ‘’Humans who were obsessed with death’’? Better ‘’obsessed’’ than ‘’uneducated and all-around heathen’’ which is obviously where you personally come from, ‘’writer’’!
‘’Evidence of a semi-mythical kingdom that might never have been.’’
Does than EVEN make sense? God in Heaven, the writing is mind-blowingly awful!
...and she managed to butcher the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus. Even Wikipedia is more accurate.
And she doesn’t like Stonehenge! What a pity, I’m sure the aeons-old gloriously beautiful rocks are deeply hurt by you.
A ‘’mass graves’’...Well done, writer and editor. You got a medal.
Comment on the totalitarian, barbaric, Hell-on- Earth world of North Korea: ‘’South Korea’s antagonistic neighbour.’’
What the actual fuck?
So much irony and sarcasm throughout. If you don’t respect your subject why are you even here? Poor attempts to appear humorous is the plague of today’s Non-Fiction, especially the kind that comes from Britain. You are not funny, you are ridiculous.
Whatever little useful information there may have been was lost in the labyrinth of atrocious writing, ridiculous sarcasm and a plethora of inaccuracies. Literary Places and Hidden Places by the same ‘’writer’’ were on my list. After having gone through this ordeal, I wouldn’t get them on my hands if they were the last books on Earth.
P.S.Jesus Christ, enough with the Netflix references! Not all of us watch this drivel of low-quality aimed to turn the masses’ brains into jelly!
ARC from White Lion Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The approach to each location and its legends is so epidermic and superficial, described in outrageously cheesy, pseudo-literary terms. Thank God for the beautiful illustrations by Amy Grimes.
Her take on King Arthur, his myth and significance is superficial and dismissive. ‘’No evidence that he existed’’? Have you even read anything on Arthurian legends and its era? Have you bothered to read the briefest article by contemporary Historians? Obviously not. Your opinion isn’t relevant, ‘’writer’’. You are here for presentation, don’t burden us with your obvious ignorance.
The presentation of the legend behind the Old-New Synagogue in Prague was loaded with mistakes. Thankfully, she got the Golem myth right. Surprising.
‘’Hell’’ is NOT a term to refer to the Underworld of Greek Mythology. The concept of Hell appeared much later. It is really frustrating when writers are too lazy to perform a basic research and I find anyone’s limited knowledge of Classic Mythologies unacceptable. 1) What the bleeping Hell were you taught at school? 2) What the bleeping Hell did you read when you were young? 3) How much of an idiot are you? And the Elysian Fields wasn’t another neighbourhood in Hades.
Jesus!
‘’The’’ Mani to refer to a location in Greece? Seriously?
‘’Ideas about the Greek heroic era’’? Lady, you couldn’t even begin to know what ‘’heroic’’ means, spare us your ridiculous irony and read some Churchill. ‘’Humans who were obsessed with death’’? Better ‘’obsessed’’ than ‘’uneducated and all-around heathen’’ which is obviously where you personally come from, ‘’writer’’!
‘’Evidence of a semi-mythical kingdom that might never have been.’’
Does than EVEN make sense? God in Heaven, the writing is mind-blowingly awful!
...and she managed to butcher the story of Odysseus and Polyphemus. Even Wikipedia is more accurate.
And she doesn’t like Stonehenge! What a pity, I’m sure the aeons-old gloriously beautiful rocks are deeply hurt by you.
A ‘’mass graves’’...Well done, writer and editor. You got a medal.
Comment on the totalitarian, barbaric, Hell-on- Earth world of North Korea: ‘’South Korea’s antagonistic neighbour.’’
What the actual fuck?
So much irony and sarcasm throughout. If you don’t respect your subject why are you even here? Poor attempts to appear humorous is the plague of today’s Non-Fiction, especially the kind that comes from Britain. You are not funny, you are ridiculous.
Whatever little useful information there may have been was lost in the labyrinth of atrocious writing, ridiculous sarcasm and a plethora of inaccuracies. Literary Places and Hidden Places by the same ‘’writer’’ were on my list. After having gone through this ordeal, I wouldn’t get them on my hands if they were the last books on Earth.
P.S.Jesus Christ, enough with the Netflix references! Not all of us watch this drivel of low-quality aimed to turn the masses’ brains into jelly!
ARC from White Lion Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
waywardbookshelf's review
5.0
This is a truly enchanting book! Baxter takes us to mystical places all over the world, and shares tales of their history and significance. Some are rooted in local lore, some in legend, and some in just a general feeling of aged-ness and importance. As a fantasy reader who also loves to travel, this was a beautiful fusion that really caught my interest and imagination. Each location she discusses has a few pages of text paired with beautiful illustrations, which made this the perfect book to have on my side table for when I just needed a quick escape.
I read this as a digital arc from Netgalley, but I am definitely adding a hardcopy to my booklist as well as the others Baxter has written ([b:Spiritual Places|35605740|Spiritual Places (Inspired Traveller's Guide)|Sarah Baxter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1517849649l/35605740._SY75_.jpg|57043363], [b:Hidden Places: An Inspired Traveller's Guide|53078426|Hidden Places An Inspired Traveller's Guide|Sarah Baxter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586437316l/53078426._SX50_.jpg|71838693] and [b:Literary Places|40697749|Literary Places (Inspired Traveller's Guide)|Sarah Baxter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550714059l/40697749._SX50_.jpg|63297689]) because I thoroughly enjoyed this pairing of art, travel and story.
I read this as a digital arc from Netgalley, but I am definitely adding a hardcopy to my booklist as well as the others Baxter has written ([b:Spiritual Places|35605740|Spiritual Places (Inspired Traveller's Guide)|Sarah Baxter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1517849649l/35605740._SY75_.jpg|57043363], [b:Hidden Places: An Inspired Traveller's Guide|53078426|Hidden Places An Inspired Traveller's Guide|Sarah Baxter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586437316l/53078426._SX50_.jpg|71838693] and [b:Literary Places|40697749|Literary Places (Inspired Traveller's Guide)|Sarah Baxter|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550714059l/40697749._SX50_.jpg|63297689]) because I thoroughly enjoyed this pairing of art, travel and story.
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting book, full of ideas for spiritual places to visit. I appreciated the style of writing and the illustrations.
It made me travel and add some of the places to my bucket list.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It made me travel and add some of the places to my bucket list.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
nietzschesghost's review against another edition
5.0
The fourth book in the exquisite Inspired Traveller’s Guides series by travel writer Sarah Baxter this time focuses on destinations renowned for their links with folklore, magic, myth and mystery. This is a delightful romp through some of the most visit-worthy places in the world. From Scotland to Spain, India to Iceland, there is a diverse range of locations for the globetrotting among us and that will tickle the fancy of just about everyone interested in places that have captivating stories attached to them. For those in need of travel inspiration or additions to their bucket list, this series is unmissable as it has both of those in abundance, and Mystical Places is no exception. Each entry is concise yet considered and is written in surprisingly lyrical prose. Perhaps now more than ever, in this time of global health concern, visiting places such the 25 enchanting settings found between these pages can attempt to satisfy our wanderlust from the comfort and safety of our humble abodes.
There's an intriguing mix of prominent mystical locations and those that are lesser-known and the way the book is written and structured allows for you to dip in and out of it as you please. It would make a superb coffee table book for that very reason and the 2-3 double-page spreads dedicated to each setting gives enough of an overview to fascinate you as a reader and entice you to possibly seek out further books on the place in question should you wish to. One of the biggest selling points besides the entertaining writings is the lush and simply exquisite accompanying illustrations which complement everything else spectacularly. Amy Grimes’s artwork is undoubtedly some of the most stunning I've encountered in any book in a long while. A thoroughly entertaining, accessible and informative read from the moment you pick it up. Simply sublime and spellbinding. Highly recommended. Many thanks to White Lion for an ARC.
There's an intriguing mix of prominent mystical locations and those that are lesser-known and the way the book is written and structured allows for you to dip in and out of it as you please. It would make a superb coffee table book for that very reason and the 2-3 double-page spreads dedicated to each setting gives enough of an overview to fascinate you as a reader and entice you to possibly seek out further books on the place in question should you wish to. One of the biggest selling points besides the entertaining writings is the lush and simply exquisite accompanying illustrations which complement everything else spectacularly. Amy Grimes’s artwork is undoubtedly some of the most stunning I've encountered in any book in a long while. A thoroughly entertaining, accessible and informative read from the moment you pick it up. Simply sublime and spellbinding. Highly recommended. Many thanks to White Lion for an ARC.
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