Reviews - The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures

241 reviews for:

The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures

Sarah Clegg

3.84 AVERAGE

yoursisterscanary's review against another edition

2.0

dark informative medium-paced

shinysarah28's review against another edition

3.5

dark informative

kat_3000's review

4.0

adventurous dark funny informative inspiring fast-paced

Very good book but has wounded my bank account as I want to travel to all the places mentioned in the book 🤣

livsliterarynook's review against another edition

4.0

dark informative medium-paced

hazychapters's review against another edition

5.0

dark informative reflective slow-paced

I chose this book to be one of my last reading of 2024, without a clue of the themes. What a surprise to end it and realise it is a new favourite in the non-fiction/history genre!

This book is a history essay studying dark Christmas folklore and traditions. Witches, Krampus, Mari Llwyd and musings, Sarah Clegg did an incredible job explaining the origins and evolution of these myths. I particularly enjoyed all the connections to Christianism, and how religious authorities tried, through centuries, to muzzle pagan traditions.

The writing style is very easy to read, and humorous. The author’s bibliography is dense, the area of study still in need of being explored, and I loved the fact that Clegg took the time and effort to travel to different places to participate in the festivities and put her experience in regard to her research.