Scan barcode
bookfey's review
4.0
An interesting audiobook on the history of the occult in relation to women. It also addresses current gender issues in relation to the topic
laurynreads's review
4.0
I thought about this rating/review for a while and I think I’m gonna round up to a four. While the research and concise writing was what I’d expect from this duo, I felt a push and pull while reading of wishing to know more specifics about a specific person or feeling like there was a lot of related topics discussed under a person but not a lot about the person named. But I think taking on a topic as large as this one and with the format this book is in with these lil vignettes, they did a fantastic job and I applaud the effort! I learned a whole lot.
lunaseassecondaccount's review
4.0
Fun!
Each write up about the (mostly) women who have historically been involved in witchcraft is presented in short sections, usually only a few pages long. It gets straight to the point about their involvement, and why they've left a mark in the history books. The book is grouped into chapters about how the occult has been shaped and politicised, how people have profited from it, and how witchcraft has since become an image and an identity.
Very cute. This is going to my witchcraft/spooky stand.
Each write up about the (mostly) women who have historically been involved in witchcraft is presented in short sections, usually only a few pages long. It gets straight to the point about their involvement, and why they've left a mark in the history books. The book is grouped into chapters about how the occult has been shaped and politicised, how people have profited from it, and how witchcraft has since become an image and an identity.
Very cute. This is going to my witchcraft/spooky stand.
jennie5's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.5
I listened to the audiobook. It would have been a 5⭐️ read had they gotten John Hathorne’s name right. They kept calling him Hawthorne which is not correct.
clozzersaurusrex's review
4.0
4⭐️ An insightful and interesting read about the history of witchcraft and the occult in america
This was a great read that was fairly short but packed in a lot of information, all relevant and interesting and seemingly well researched. There were many women discussed in this book who i’d never heard of before and it was good to see them discussed, and get a page in the history books. So often, literature and discussion around witchcraft is limited to salem, and a lot of this is manipulated to suit a particular story, fictional world or agenda so it was refreshing to read something that went beyond this.
The authors were respectful when writing about particularly difficult or potentially problematic events without shying away from the fact that they happened. I would love to see a follow up book that looks deeper into the journey of witchcraft in Europe or the United Kingdom!
This was a great read that was fairly short but packed in a lot of information, all relevant and interesting and seemingly well researched. There were many women discussed in this book who i’d never heard of before and it was good to see them discussed, and get a page in the history books. So often, literature and discussion around witchcraft is limited to salem, and a lot of this is manipulated to suit a particular story, fictional world or agenda so it was refreshing to read something that went beyond this.
The authors were respectful when writing about particularly difficult or potentially problematic events without shying away from the fact that they happened. I would love to see a follow up book that looks deeper into the journey of witchcraft in Europe or the United Kingdom!
carleeiigh's review against another edition
4.0
I keep flipping between 3 stars and 4, but ultimately I enjoyed this book and would recommend - with the expectation that this is more of a "famous women in occult history" than a full women's history OF the occult. It is chapters of interesting women, that are very boiled down and sometimes not ENITRELY accurate, but gets the main point across. A good beginner's history, and its entertaining at that.
chelsevie's review
3.0
I really wanted to love this book, and regardless of my reservations, I'm so glad that it exists, but in reality this is a 2.5 star book for me.
The authors take a look at the history of the occult through various significant female figures in loosely formed themes. Whilst the format largely works, it becomes quite meandering and repetitive.
My biggest gripe with this book is that there were so many women that I wanted more of a deep dive on. Most of the book is largely anecdotal, scratching-the-surface summaries of prominent occult figures many of whom could have, in my opinion, been sacrificed to allow greater page count for other subjects. I'd have prefered a more in depth, thoroughly researched section on many of the women or topics discussed. But at least it's given me a starting point to other things I want to read up more on.
Overall the book just wasn't very well written and the subject matter had the potential to be far more engaging than it actually was. Again, I'm glad the book exists though, and I've learned some interesting facts that have left me hungry for more on the subject.
The authors take a look at the history of the occult through various significant female figures in loosely formed themes. Whilst the format largely works, it becomes quite meandering and repetitive.
My biggest gripe with this book is that there were so many women that I wanted more of a deep dive on. Most of the book is largely anecdotal, scratching-the-surface summaries of prominent occult figures many of whom could have, in my opinion, been sacrificed to allow greater page count for other subjects. I'd have prefered a more in depth, thoroughly researched section on many of the women or topics discussed. But at least it's given me a starting point to other things I want to read up more on.
Overall the book just wasn't very well written and the subject matter had the potential to be far more engaging than it actually was. Again, I'm glad the book exists though, and I've learned some interesting facts that have left me hungry for more on the subject.