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annarella's review
4.0
It's an interesting book, a collection of essays, and it's full o food for thought.
Not all the essay are related to witchcraft but I found them all interesting.
I discovered some new to me authors that I will follow.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not all the essay are related to witchcraft but I found them all interesting.
I discovered some new to me authors that I will follow.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
opheliafeyre's review
4.0
Book Review: 'The Modern Craft - Powerful Voice on Witchcraft Ethics'
Editors: Claire Askew and Alice Tarbuck
Publisher: Watkins
Release Date: 14th June, 2022
I am really excited about this book review, because I truly believe it’s quite unique; there are not many books out there, if any, that focus on Witchcraft ethics.
As soon as I found out about it I knew I had to read it. Not only is it a really important topic, but I find this kind of stuff super interesting!
ABOUT THE EDITORS
Dr Claire Askew is from the UK and lives in Cumbria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh, where she is also their Writer in Residence. Claire has written four novels: 'All the Hidden Truths', 'What You Pay For', 'Cover Your Tracks' and 'A Matter of Time'. She also has two poetry collections, 'This Changes Things' and 'How to Burn A Woman.
Dr Alice Tarbuck is based in Edinburgh. She is an academic specialising in Witchcraft and Environmental Humanities. Her work has been featured in 'Nasty Woman' and 'The Dangerous Women Project'. Her debut book is called, 'A Spell in the Wild', which has been on my reading list for a while!
ABOUT THE BOOK
The blurb:
“An eclectic and radical collection of essays on witchcraft practice and the ethics of magic - a must read for anyone engaged with the occult, witchcraft or magics of any kind.”
I was also sent an information/promo sheet which captures what the book is about;
“It offers a fascinating snapshot of contemporary occult practice viewed through an intersectional lens. Touching on a number of timely conversations, essay topics include:
- the ethics of decolonisation
- meditations on what it means to honour Mother Earth during the Anthropocene
- the reclamation of agency for working-class and queer witches through spellwork
- a gender-fluid perspective on breaking down hierarchies and magical symbolism
- a day in the life of a disabled Pagan Irish practitioner
As well as the editors Claire Askew and Alice Tarbuck it also features essays and contributions by;
- Lisa Marie Basile
- Stella Hervey Birrell
- Jane Claire Bradley
- Madelyn Burnhope
- Lilith Dorsey
- AW Earl
- Henry Josephine Giles
- Simone Kotva
- Iona Lee
- Briana Pegado
- Megan Sudden
- Sabrina Scott
- Em Still
MY THOUGHTS
Opening with a powerful message; ultimately asking, how the ‘old ways’ and traditions fit into today’s society and Witchcraft community. There is a lot to break down, even in Witchcraft and the Occult practices, to ensure we are being inclusive and that we do not perpetuate harmful beliefs or practices. The topics covered in the book are at the forefront of social movements and discourse generally so I think it’s great to have a book that focuses on important topics in relation to the Craft.
Witches are forever learning and adapting. It’s important that we know where our traditions and elements of our practice come from. For example, when I first started out I didn’t fully understand smudging. I know this is the same for a lot of people. I thought the simple act of cleansing my space with a bundle of sage was the thing to do. It wasn’t until later that I learned of the cultural appropriation attached to this. Smudging is a ritual that is a lot more complex than I first realised and one that I have no right to. As soon as I was aware of this I stopped, and it was no longer a part of my practice. It’s important for us as witches, and humans, to own our mistakes and learn from them, but also to ensure we have a full understanding of what it is we are doing within our practice.
The point of the book is not to make you feel bad or chastise you but to help you grow, learn and ensure your Craft is authentic to you. As I said, we are always learning and the point is to change and better yourself; acknowledge when you have done wrong, or harm, and make appropriate changes
The first essay, 'Witches and Wordsmiths, Sorcerers and Storytellers' was slightly disappointing. It was a brief glance at women as witches and their persecution during the Witch hunts and oppression throughout history. However, I feel like it offered nothing new to the topic. It was well written, but I felt like I was waiting for a point, some new ideas or a 'what’s next; take. It was too brief to have any real depth to it and it felt like the repetition of ideas I’ve read countless times before.
However, the second essay definitely redeemed it. It was called, 'Brass Knuckles, Broken Mirrors, Binders and Glitter Bombs'. It explored Witchcraft on a very personal level from a queer, working class Witch. They explored Witchcraft in poverty, when access to books, tools and other paraphernalia is just not possible. It was really interesting because it showed how having to adjust and tailor your craft, because of personal circumstances, means that it becomes something else - something totally personal and unique.
By the third essay I realised the that this book was not at all what I expected and in most ways that was a good thing. It’s not going to spell out to you the ethics of Witchcraft; what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s more personal than that. These are real people. People of colour, queer people, trans-people and they are telling their very personal stories and sharing their Witchcraft practices that mostly are not what may be seen as mainstream. It’s about what the Craft means to them.
At this point I would usually give an example of someone’s story to explain what I mean, but by the third essay, by trans woman Harry Josephine Giles, I realised it’s not up to me to sum up or summarise these stories. I feel like I have no right to shorten or alter their words. We should all read the words as they were written and how they were intended to be read. I should not pick and choose what I think is important from their story.
I realised that the book allows us to explore our own ethics through the stories and personal experiences of others. It’s up to us, as the reader, to listen to their stories and establish our own ethics. For me, having all of these different perspectives from marginalised voices, that are different to mine, allowed me to understand my privilege and I can appreciate other experiences that are not like mine. That’s important for everyone.
I won’t talk about every single essay but I did take something away from all of them and they are all so different and diverse. Here are a few that stood out to me.
I particularly enjoyed Lisa Marie Basile’s chapter about magic and mental health. It was probably the aspect or area that I identified with the most on a personal level. It was during my own struggles with mental health that I got deep into my magic.
One of the most interesting chapters was, 'Witchcraft, Indigenous Religion and the Ethics of Decolonisation'. A HUGE topic and this essay only skimmed the surface of it; looking at one aspect of decolonisation. It focused on the term ‘Shamanism’ and how early Witchcraft books (think - Cunningham, Gardner, Valiente) referred to Witchcraft and Wicca as Shamanism or as a type of Shamanism. I remember when I was doing my early reading, particularly Scott Cunningham, he referred to Shamanism and it did confuse me. I never saw Shamanism and Witchcraft or Wicca as being the same thing. They were separate things and I unconsciously chose to keep Shamanism elements out of my practice because it just didn’t feel right. I wasn’t sure why at the time, but looking back I knew that those practices didn’t belong to me. Saying that some aspects of Shamanism have been blended with Witchcraft practices and we may not have even realised it. For me, it’s about decolonising my own Craft, by learning and unlearning. I think that’s why reading and research and listening to other voices is so important.
As a whole the most interesting essays for me centered around gender identity. Witchcraft is littered with masculine and feminine references. In the tarot, when working with deities and in astrology to name a few examples. I’ve always been of the mind that these energies were universal and applied to anyone no matter how they identified. However it’s more complicated than that. We can’t ignore the fact that the binary is there, so how do we work with this to make it more inclusive? I’m really interested in this developing area of the Craft, especially from the trans and non-binary community.
FINAL THOUGHTS
One of the great things about the book is that it is so diverse and covers a range of topics. There will be something for everyone, and something for everyone to learn from or relate to.
It’s one of those books that is useful for beginners and seasoned practitioners. Things such a cultural appropriation and the effect your Craft has on the environment should be fundamental considerations for all Witches.
It would have been nice to have some closing words or a little bit of a summary from the editors at the end, but it’s not a necessity. It would have just been a nice way to end the book.
I enjoyed the book and I would definitely recommend it.
*Book was gifted by the publisher, Watkins, in exchange for a review. [Note: I read an advanced reader's / uncorrected proof copy of the book therefore their may be some differences in the finalised published copy.]
Editors: Claire Askew and Alice Tarbuck
Publisher: Watkins
Release Date: 14th June, 2022
I am really excited about this book review, because I truly believe it’s quite unique; there are not many books out there, if any, that focus on Witchcraft ethics.
As soon as I found out about it I knew I had to read it. Not only is it a really important topic, but I find this kind of stuff super interesting!
ABOUT THE EDITORS
Dr Claire Askew is from the UK and lives in Cumbria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh, where she is also their Writer in Residence. Claire has written four novels: 'All the Hidden Truths', 'What You Pay For', 'Cover Your Tracks' and 'A Matter of Time'. She also has two poetry collections, 'This Changes Things' and 'How to Burn A Woman.
Dr Alice Tarbuck is based in Edinburgh. She is an academic specialising in Witchcraft and Environmental Humanities. Her work has been featured in 'Nasty Woman' and 'The Dangerous Women Project'. Her debut book is called, 'A Spell in the Wild', which has been on my reading list for a while!
ABOUT THE BOOK
The blurb:
“An eclectic and radical collection of essays on witchcraft practice and the ethics of magic - a must read for anyone engaged with the occult, witchcraft or magics of any kind.”
I was also sent an information/promo sheet which captures what the book is about;
“It offers a fascinating snapshot of contemporary occult practice viewed through an intersectional lens. Touching on a number of timely conversations, essay topics include:
- the ethics of decolonisation
- meditations on what it means to honour Mother Earth during the Anthropocene
- the reclamation of agency for working-class and queer witches through spellwork
- a gender-fluid perspective on breaking down hierarchies and magical symbolism
- a day in the life of a disabled Pagan Irish practitioner
As well as the editors Claire Askew and Alice Tarbuck it also features essays and contributions by;
- Lisa Marie Basile
- Stella Hervey Birrell
- Jane Claire Bradley
- Madelyn Burnhope
- Lilith Dorsey
- AW Earl
- Henry Josephine Giles
- Simone Kotva
- Iona Lee
- Briana Pegado
- Megan Sudden
- Sabrina Scott
- Em Still
MY THOUGHTS
Opening with a powerful message; ultimately asking, how the ‘old ways’ and traditions fit into today’s society and Witchcraft community. There is a lot to break down, even in Witchcraft and the Occult practices, to ensure we are being inclusive and that we do not perpetuate harmful beliefs or practices. The topics covered in the book are at the forefront of social movements and discourse generally so I think it’s great to have a book that focuses on important topics in relation to the Craft.
Witches are forever learning and adapting. It’s important that we know where our traditions and elements of our practice come from. For example, when I first started out I didn’t fully understand smudging. I know this is the same for a lot of people. I thought the simple act of cleansing my space with a bundle of sage was the thing to do. It wasn’t until later that I learned of the cultural appropriation attached to this. Smudging is a ritual that is a lot more complex than I first realised and one that I have no right to. As soon as I was aware of this I stopped, and it was no longer a part of my practice. It’s important for us as witches, and humans, to own our mistakes and learn from them, but also to ensure we have a full understanding of what it is we are doing within our practice.
The point of the book is not to make you feel bad or chastise you but to help you grow, learn and ensure your Craft is authentic to you. As I said, we are always learning and the point is to change and better yourself; acknowledge when you have done wrong, or harm, and make appropriate changes
The first essay, 'Witches and Wordsmiths, Sorcerers and Storytellers' was slightly disappointing. It was a brief glance at women as witches and their persecution during the Witch hunts and oppression throughout history. However, I feel like it offered nothing new to the topic. It was well written, but I felt like I was waiting for a point, some new ideas or a 'what’s next; take. It was too brief to have any real depth to it and it felt like the repetition of ideas I’ve read countless times before.
However, the second essay definitely redeemed it. It was called, 'Brass Knuckles, Broken Mirrors, Binders and Glitter Bombs'. It explored Witchcraft on a very personal level from a queer, working class Witch. They explored Witchcraft in poverty, when access to books, tools and other paraphernalia is just not possible. It was really interesting because it showed how having to adjust and tailor your craft, because of personal circumstances, means that it becomes something else - something totally personal and unique.
By the third essay I realised the that this book was not at all what I expected and in most ways that was a good thing. It’s not going to spell out to you the ethics of Witchcraft; what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s more personal than that. These are real people. People of colour, queer people, trans-people and they are telling their very personal stories and sharing their Witchcraft practices that mostly are not what may be seen as mainstream. It’s about what the Craft means to them.
At this point I would usually give an example of someone’s story to explain what I mean, but by the third essay, by trans woman Harry Josephine Giles, I realised it’s not up to me to sum up or summarise these stories. I feel like I have no right to shorten or alter their words. We should all read the words as they were written and how they were intended to be read. I should not pick and choose what I think is important from their story.
I realised that the book allows us to explore our own ethics through the stories and personal experiences of others. It’s up to us, as the reader, to listen to their stories and establish our own ethics. For me, having all of these different perspectives from marginalised voices, that are different to mine, allowed me to understand my privilege and I can appreciate other experiences that are not like mine. That’s important for everyone.
I won’t talk about every single essay but I did take something away from all of them and they are all so different and diverse. Here are a few that stood out to me.
I particularly enjoyed Lisa Marie Basile’s chapter about magic and mental health. It was probably the aspect or area that I identified with the most on a personal level. It was during my own struggles with mental health that I got deep into my magic.
One of the most interesting chapters was, 'Witchcraft, Indigenous Religion and the Ethics of Decolonisation'. A HUGE topic and this essay only skimmed the surface of it; looking at one aspect of decolonisation. It focused on the term ‘Shamanism’ and how early Witchcraft books (think - Cunningham, Gardner, Valiente) referred to Witchcraft and Wicca as Shamanism or as a type of Shamanism. I remember when I was doing my early reading, particularly Scott Cunningham, he referred to Shamanism and it did confuse me. I never saw Shamanism and Witchcraft or Wicca as being the same thing. They were separate things and I unconsciously chose to keep Shamanism elements out of my practice because it just didn’t feel right. I wasn’t sure why at the time, but looking back I knew that those practices didn’t belong to me. Saying that some aspects of Shamanism have been blended with Witchcraft practices and we may not have even realised it. For me, it’s about decolonising my own Craft, by learning and unlearning. I think that’s why reading and research and listening to other voices is so important.
As a whole the most interesting essays for me centered around gender identity. Witchcraft is littered with masculine and feminine references. In the tarot, when working with deities and in astrology to name a few examples. I’ve always been of the mind that these energies were universal and applied to anyone no matter how they identified. However it’s more complicated than that. We can’t ignore the fact that the binary is there, so how do we work with this to make it more inclusive? I’m really interested in this developing area of the Craft, especially from the trans and non-binary community.
FINAL THOUGHTS
One of the great things about the book is that it is so diverse and covers a range of topics. There will be something for everyone, and something for everyone to learn from or relate to.
It’s one of those books that is useful for beginners and seasoned practitioners. Things such a cultural appropriation and the effect your Craft has on the environment should be fundamental considerations for all Witches.
It would have been nice to have some closing words or a little bit of a summary from the editors at the end, but it’s not a necessity. It would have just been a nice way to end the book.
I enjoyed the book and I would definitely recommend it.
*Book was gifted by the publisher, Watkins, in exchange for a review. [Note: I read an advanced reader's / uncorrected proof copy of the book therefore their may be some differences in the finalised published copy.]
omcbookclub's review
4.0
I loved that this book made me sit and think after each essay, and yes it took so much longer to read(i received this book before publication so I really have been slow to review) but I think that it was better to take the time and thought than just skim read and review in a rush for publication.
Not only did I come away from this book having, I feel, learned a lot I came away with a huge reading list! Some of the authors mention other authors or books that I've ended up putting on my tbr pile.
It's defiantly a book id recommend to others in the community because we lack books on the subject of witchcraft ethics and this is defiantly a good one to start that section off with.
Not only did I come away from this book having, I feel, learned a lot I came away with a huge reading list! Some of the authors mention other authors or books that I've ended up putting on my tbr pile.
It's defiantly a book id recommend to others in the community because we lack books on the subject of witchcraft ethics and this is defiantly a good one to start that section off with.
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