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dethklok1985's review against another edition
fast-paced
2.5
Gave up at 55% but I still call that finished. Barely 1/4th of the book contains a history of Marie laveau, and what it does have to offer is wildy unorganized. The rest is almost a recipe guide on spells and offerings for her. There is no in depth history like I was expecting and the writing seems very amateur. The citations are wonderful, however.
whatchareadingheather's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
Definitely more instructional manual vibes but I still really enjoyed the history aspect and appreciate how much work this author did for this book.
daniellecaskinett's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
I loved the first half of this book. The second half is less of a story and more of a how to.
rachlawley's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
I enjoyed the first section very much as I picked this up to learn more about Marie Laveau and the history of voodoo in the US. The second and third sections would’ve done better as their own book since they detail how to become a “Laveau Devotee” and how to conjure. I was not the intended audience for those sections.
mari1532's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I listened to this audiobook with my trial of Audible.
Brief Summary: This book explores the life, practice, and legacy of Madam Marie Laveau one of The United States' most famous practitioners of the magical arts. In addition to being a biography of Madam Laveau, it also explores the history of Voodoo in New Orleans and provides the reader with guidance on their practice.
Thoughts: I honestly had no idea what I was getting into in this book. I had never heard of Madam Laveau and knew nothing about magical practices in the United States. However, the synopsis sounded interesting so I decided to listen and I am so glad I did. Alvarado's historical and anthropological approach to this work was fascinating. Not only did I learn about Madam Laveau's life (which in and of itself was interesting), but I also learned a better understanding of the magic that she practiced as Alvarado herself is a practitioner and included notes regarding her practice later in the book.
If you enjoy learning new things or have an interest in the history of Voodoo in the United States I would recommend this book. It is a wealth of knowledge concerning both.
Brief Summary: This book explores the life, practice, and legacy of Madam Marie Laveau one of The United States' most famous practitioners of the magical arts. In addition to being a biography of Madam Laveau, it also explores the history of Voodoo in New Orleans and provides the reader with guidance on their practice.
Thoughts: I honestly had no idea what I was getting into in this book. I had never heard of Madam Laveau and knew nothing about magical practices in the United States. However, the synopsis sounded interesting so I decided to listen and I am so glad I did. Alvarado's historical and anthropological approach to this work was fascinating. Not only did I learn about Madam Laveau's life (which in and of itself was interesting), but I also learned a better understanding of the magic that she practiced as Alvarado herself is a practitioner and included notes regarding her practice later in the book.
If you enjoy learning new things or have an interest in the history of Voodoo in the United States I would recommend this book. It is a wealth of knowledge concerning both.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Death and Misogyny
Minor: Racial slurs