42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The hidden unveiled, April 20, 2006
This review is from: Working With Fairies (Paperback)
I enjoyed this book, though I found the sub title a bit misleading about the book's contents. I was expecting to see page upon page of spells and charms but was pleasantly surprised by very thorough history lessons on many of The Wild Folk.
The eight chapters in the book contained a wealth of information of historical accounts of fairies from around the world. Where they live, what they do and how to obtain their help as well as avoid their ire comprised major portions of each chapter.
Chapters were divided into sections like The Other World, Devas and Dryads and Elementals. The last one was the most extensive filling about a third of the book with informational tidbits, poems, meditations, correspondences, and suggested rituals for each of the four Elemental Fae.
I have never been a big "fairy" person per se, but I found the historical accounts fascinating and well worth the read. The glossary in the back was a helpful addition to the book. Keeping track of who's who and what is often difficult in books like these. Having a well-formatted index with easy to read bold headings in the back made it easier to keep track of that.
In the chapter called Fairy Families, I especially liked the listing of the Muses and what their `specialty' was. This is something that I often wanted to know in the past but was unable to find the information as accessible as it is presented in this book. Information such as this is presented in a factual, straightforward manner. The author includes dates, places and names when possible as much of her source material came from historical accounts of `witch' trails.
The recipes included in the book are made with common ingredients for the most part, making it possible for those interested in deepening their relationships with fairies to try their hand at making them.
If you are interested in fairy lore, or want to include fairies as part of your practice, this is a good book with plenty to hold your interest.
W. Lyon Martin Author/Illustrator of "An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child."
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fairy Lore, June 15, 2007
This review is from: Working With Fairies (Paperback)
I enjoyed this book very much, however it is more about fairy lore and traditional fairy stories than about actually working with the fair folk. There are a few recipes and suggestions but they only make up maybe 5% of the book.
The author did do her research though on cross cultural fairy beliefs and compares how the fairies in some regions are similar to fairies in other regions. She also did some good historical research on the origins of the classification of elementals in the form we know it today ie, sylphs, gnomes, salamandars, undines. That was something I had not considered previously. Who would have known Paracelsus was involved? That's not something they usually teach in Wicca 101.
I only give the book four stars because the book was missing some basic information about actually communicating with the fairy creatures and recognizing when they are communicating with you. I don't see how anyone could establish a real working relationship with a being that you can't even communicate with. Leaving offerings is fine, but then what? Secondly, the author doesn't discuss the historical context of the stories/accounts in the book and the influence that the Christian church and its theology had on the stories that were told or collected. I have a hard time believing the fairies were blood-sucking vampires that would take a persons blood if they didn't leave the appropriate offerings as described in some of the stories. That sounds more like a distortion that would be made up by the church to influence people to stay away from the nature spirits rather than a story that would come from people who had frequent dealings with them.
Overall, I would say the book is worthwhile, however as another reviewer mentioned, the title is a little misleading. A better book for learning to actually communicate with nature spirits is called "Working With Earth Energies" by David Furlong.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!, March 19, 2009
This review is from: Working With Fairies (Paperback)
Well we all know Anna Franklin is a talented writer - but this is one of her books that I have that has made its way to my list of favorites. So many books on Fairies are full of fluffy stuff - with charms and spells using glitter and conjuring up images of giggling sprites. This book gives an in-dept description of what fairy magick is all about. If you are just starting out - this is a wonderful book to give you a solid base on the history of Fairies - the role they play in mythology and how you can incorporate them into your spellwork. No fluff - just good info. She also has a fairy oracle deck now that is excellent - a great companion to this book - Amazon sells both - so stock up!
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