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239 reviews for:
The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures
Sarah Clegg
3.85 AVERAGE
239 reviews for:
The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures
Sarah Clegg
3.85 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
This was a bit heavier on the scholarship and lighter on the whimsy than I expected, but the author obviously did her research.
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
This is a great listen during winter, and might become a frequent reread for me during the holiday season. The history is fascinating, and the author's personal experience with the different traditions makes the information presented very engaging.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
It was an interesting book to read about the different stories and traditions surrounding the Christmas season. I particularly liked the Mari Lwys. I would have appreciated this book a lot more if i
I had been spared the author's anecdotes and adventures which could have been replaced with slightly more in-depth analysis at times.
I had been spared the author's anecdotes and adventures which could have been replaced with slightly more in-depth analysis at times.
dark
informative
slow-paced
Overall, I think this book was out of order. Interesting content to be sure, but I think it would have made more sense to put the last bit and the afterword at the beginning. The last bit discusses the legacy of folklore in Europe, dispels common misconceptions, and establishes Clegg’s authority. I definitely would have been more receptive from the start had I known she has a history degree and wasn’t woo-woo, as the opening anecdote suggests.
As I was reading, I came across statements that contradicted what I had learned. And so I paused and researched and found that what I had learned was wrong and Clegg is actually the authority on this (the origins of the wild hunt is actually not ancient and pagan as I had thought, and there were likely not any human sacrifices at Stonehenge).
On the positive side of things, it definitely validates my instinct for ghost stories at Christmas. It simultaneously makes me feel more connected to the people of the past, and question if feeling that way is valid because there is a lot of evidence to show there is much more evolution and diversity in some of these traditions.
My other big critique is that they picked the wrong narrator for the audiobook. She’s posh and grandma-y, which doesn’t really match the dark debauchery in the book. I felt much more engaged when the author herself read at the beginning and end.
I’m making more of an effort to suggest books that remind me of the one I’m reviewing: The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth, Unruly by David Mitchell, and Rabid by Murphy and Wasik.
As I was reading, I came across statements that contradicted what I had learned. And so I paused and researched and found that what I had learned was wrong and Clegg is actually the authority on this (the origins of the wild hunt is actually not ancient and pagan as I had thought, and there were likely not any human sacrifices at Stonehenge).
On the positive side of things, it definitely validates my instinct for ghost stories at Christmas. It simultaneously makes me feel more connected to the people of the past, and question if feeling that way is valid because there is a lot of evidence to show there is much more evolution and diversity in some of these traditions.
My other big critique is that they picked the wrong narrator for the audiobook. She’s posh and grandma-y, which doesn’t really match the dark debauchery in the book. I felt much more engaged when the author herself read at the beginning and end.
I’m making more of an effort to suggest books that remind me of the one I’m reviewing: The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth, Unruly by David Mitchell, and Rabid by Murphy and Wasik.
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.5 ⭐️ Very immersive storytelling. Love learning about the darker side of beloved holidays/traditions. Connecting past to present traditions. The narration was easy to listen to. I do think this would be more enjoyable as a physical book maybe with doodles to go along with the tales. Overall informative and enjoyable.
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
dark
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced