Cris P Cruz

A Great Survey

Revisado: 03-05-24

Another excellent piece by Dr. Jack Chanek. This book is an excellent survey of primary sources while reducing the obvious racism, classism, and queerphobia in said texts. Dr. Chanek doesn't hide those things but writes in a style that is very "I read this so you don't have to." His style is poetic and accesible to readers and seekers od all levels.

All in all a good read.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not the Target Audience

Revisado: 10-19-23

The witchcraft and tools described in the book are great. Unfortunately the tone of the book is directed towards white cis-heternormative suburbia. The slang is forced and frankly too much. It tends to deal with superficial psychological issues and doesn't really explain how dark this type of work can get quickly. All in all, a good book for beginner witches, young adults, and people with light traumas. For darker traumas you'll want to search elsewhere.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

An Excellent Guide to New Hellene Magic

Revisado: 08-10-23

This book is an excellent guide to the Old Gods that is grounded in both scholarship and modernity. My High Priestess and Priest know Jason Mankey and such vouched for his passion for scholarship. I have to say I am pleased with the dedication Mankey and Taylor have in this work. My one complaint is that the audiobook does not contain the footnotes from the text.

The narrator also mispronounced certain names, however this is a limitation brought on by the production company not the authors.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An Excellent Perspective

Revisado: 05-15-23

There is another review of this book which calls this work a disappointing waste because this work focuses on identity witchcraft. I thought it was quite clear that this was the book's focus. Mhara deals with identity and representation head on in the introduction. She does not try to create a set dogma or recipe but delineates a mindful approach to creating your own witchcraft centered on the genius locae, or spirit of place. Not only does Mhara use her identity, she uses the techniques involving her mytho-historic research, and techniques from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to create an individual form of Witchcraft centered on hearth and home.
Unfortunately, this book fails in that the narrator is not a Welsh speaker. This is obvious in the prayers Mhara writes, even to me another non Welsh speaker. The narrator stumbles things and appears to second guess herself. This is Tantor Audios (the publisher's) fault as they do not vet narrators for the works they use. Per the Author to not use this as a pronunciation guide.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Darling Book by a Darling Man

Revisado: 04-11-23

I didn't expect to be so moved by this book. I didn't expect insights into the AIDS crisis or on Southern norms. I was pleasantly surprised. Rest well, Leslie. You are missed

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Colossal Disappointment

Revisado: 11-18-22

The narrator is excellent, all the kudos to him.

Act1 is great. It's well written, the character is dark and broody but fine. The world is beautiful, the premise, and prose superb. By act 2 the beauty is lost. There are no literary rests, there is no relief to the tension. By Part2 Chapter 4 it becomes clear the book has no intention of following the central premise or question: What is binding. Instead the book becomes a boring romance between two unlikable characters and the "perfect sister." This book is an angry letter from a sister who's ex boyfriend left her for her brother and she wants to make sure she punishes them. It is thinly veiled "bury your gays" trope written with so much contempt and bitterness that I wonder why the author rants and raves about queer representation. The author clearly doesn't like queer folk, so I wonder why she bothered.
There were so many interesting questions the author outright asks the reader. There were mentions of history, questions of craft, socio-economic comments, comments on feminism, the start of a truly beautiful work of art in Act1. The author drops them for a rant about how the gays wronged the perfect girl...

This is not a book for the serious reader of historical fantasy. It is a book whose sole purpose is to fan the flames of homophobia.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An Excellent Conclusion

Revisado: 10-20-22

This book explores Death and modernizes the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. The descriptions of the Underworld are seemingly new but trace their origins to Ancient Hellenistic cosmology. This books is an excellent conclusion to what hopefully will be another trilogy of Adam Binder novels. It discusses forgiveness and acceptance. Forgive is the absolution of emotional debt, and acceptance that something happened. It is not agreement. One can forgive someone and still have boundaries. This book explores that and what it means to forgive in a non linear way.
The narrator is lovely as ever. No notes.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Brujeria Colonized

Revisado: 10-13-22

This book is a good introduction for those practitioners who are Christian or Catholic. It is however not for those of us who are not connected to it. I was expecting something different. I expected an analysis and history of Mexican American Folk Magic and Ancestral work with both Spanish/Indigenous influences. It quickly becomes clear that the author is devoutly Catholic and thus rejects certain assertions and peoples. Queer folk for example are not accepted by the Church and yet certainly queer Mexican American brujos exist. The author dedicates most of the Iglesia chapter on how to go unnoticed by the Church. The author does not go into why, but it's obvious: The Church does not approve. In fact, it becomes clear that the author does not understand how socio political structures affect folk magic. His magic is folk magic made by and for Catholics. It is not inclusive to queer folks, Afro-Latinos, or non-Catholic practitioners. Instead the author deliberately ignores these people in an attempt to adopt and colonize the practice of magic. This is magic for the white folk in Mexican circles. It categorically misunderstands intersectionality and marginality in Mexican American cultures.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

A Must Read

Revisado: 10-11-22

for any witch, wicca, wise one, or cunning folk. This book deals with loss, with sorrow, reconstruction, ethics, and even racism. It is a collection of tales and a collection of spells. It is also a masterpiece. Harrow uses language the way an artist uses a brush or chisel. The narrator is unflinchingly kind and fierce. This was a delight to listen to.
Blessed Be

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

An excellent performance

Revisado: 09-22-22

This recording is from 1992. As such there are portions where the narrator coughs, or stumbles that may seem jarring compared to newer recordings. However you should not let this one slip. The narrator tells a mythic history of Earthsea and its famed mage Ged. The reader should expect this to be a bit dry because it is essentially nonfiction within Earthsea. The Narrator is great at giving the myth meaning and emotion. This was wonderful.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña