It felt a bit too Wiccan inspired, grossly misinformed about Satanism and seemed kinda anti-Christianity as well. It also sort of felt like beliefs I didn't hold were shoved in my face. I'm a Pagan, but I do not believe in the duality of good and evil. I believe they are extremely subjective and at worst, nonexistence. I also do not practice Paganism because of ecology reasons. I do care about Mother Nature but not in a religious or spiritual sense.

There was also a part where the "history" or what felt like "history" about witches was extremely questionable. Though besides these problems, it was an alright read, but I don't think I would really recommend it to anyone.

The artwork was really pretty though.

Incredibly informative! History, culminating information for novices or those intrigued.

Information of the interaction with pagan culture with Christian culture provides a well organized,description of the treatment women with healing abilities have undergone for centuries. The information is fantastic. Great read.

The illustrations are beautiful, even when they are terrifying. The text is just okay, and makes you wonder why they put all this just “okay” text in this book of beautiful illustrations.

It's a charming thing. The history is romanticised and inaccurate, but I doubt it is intended to be accurate. It is a piece of art about witches, both real and fantasy. The lines are blurred and that is fine by me.

i enjoy reading the passages in this book and the illustrations are so awesome i am impressed

The illustrations are probably the best part of this book, but the writing was better than I had anticipated, though not without issues. Namely, the author has a strange tendency to both repeat and build up questionable and unfounded claims, and then turn around and wryly point out the problems with these interpretations. Yet it is still the imprecise and suspect legendarium of the meaning and place of witches in the European context which receives the greatest attention. One example: witchcraft is undeniably female coded in modern society, but I don't think it is entirely clear that this was always the case. In fact, the few times the book goes into detail about historical examples, it is male witches or magicians who are featured. There is also the schizophrenic feeling that the author both acknowledges the specific time, place, and circumstances of the witch-craze in Europe and the speculative root causes of it, yet also makes sweeping claims that the persecution of witches is found throughout history and in all parts of the world; to an extent it is true, but the sort of broad obsession and sweeping nature of the witch-craze was a unique phenomenon, and the persecution of individuals in other circumstances does not have the same connotation.

Reflections and lessons learned:
I grew up in the 80s/90s in the midlands so went to a lot of grungy style alternative style shops, but wouldn’t ever describe myself as interested in witchcraft. I was always more poetry rather than spells. Once started this book for instance, I instantly found myself debating my top 3 tv witches (Samantha Stephens from Bewitched (suburban house mom witch), the inimitable Angela Lansbury as Miss Price, along with Emelius in Bedknobs and Broomsticks (single strong woman living on her own witch) and perhaps Mary Poppins (temporary fixer witch - simply swapped the broom for an umbrella?) - tempting to include Grotbags, but she didn’t quite make it). But this was a much more rounded and informative summary of the history, perception and treatment of essentially, what were quite often simply women. Really insightful and considered - very important for feminism and from an influential and appropriately experienced author