Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation

Rating:
Summary: A resource above all others.
Review: If you have a question about Wicca, this book has the answer. It is a big fat textbook sized book. There is a Table of Contents at the front and an index in the back. Everything is sorted through by topic. It is easy to find what you need to know about with in the book. It has some sections geared towards teens but in general it is an all ages book that everyone should have on their bookshelf. If I could only have one book, this would be my book.

Rating:
Summary: What Happened Silver?
Review:
I Am very disappointed with this book. I own and highly recommend "To Ride A Silver Broomstick" to anyone who is fairly new and interested in The Craft. I also own "To Stir A Magic Cauldron" which in it's own right is pretty decent. So when I saw a book that is being advertised as a "Book Of Shadows" For a solitary Witch, By Silver Ravenwolf, I was very excited and purchased it.

That was a mistake. I am a fairly adept Wiccan, however I am always reading and learning, and suggesting to people just beginning, or even just interested in learning new things, like myself. You can never learn or read enough. Wicca should be a constantly flowing religion.

This book is not helpful, I have NO problem with folk Magick, or "kitchen Witchery" I actually have a great respect for it, so that is not at all what I am complaining about.

The biggest fault of this book is, it is not advertised as a book for young adults or teens, and it is! It has a condescending writing style that I am not too sure even if i was 15 years younger I would appreciate. Some "Spells" in the book can be used to fit some small needs, maybe. It just has terrible references to teachers, fellow students, Proms. Gee, This is a little silly for anyone who is not a young EARLY teen, sort of interested in dabbling in Magick, Which could actually be dangerous if not done properly. Anyone in that realm (new to Wicca) should pick up a Cunningham book, and anyone who has had more than a few months, maybe weeks reading about Wicca should seriously invest in a Christopher Penczak book, they are intelligent and informative.

Again I am very disappointed with Silver Ravenwolf, She WAS one of my favorite Wiccan Authors. I wish she would refocus her attention to the adult Pagans, and if she does write a book directed towards teens or preteens, advertise the book that way!

If you are a solitary Witch and want a book to further your education on the craft, do not bother to pollute your mind with this drivel. Believe me it actually pains me to say that about a Ravenwolf book.

Rating:
Summary: A return to spirituality
Review: While some of the author's words are focused on the teen (as that is who is doing a great deal of searching in regard to religion); it brought back a great number of reminders that I had forgotten in my 20 years of being a practicing witch...and the number 1 thing is that we never stop learning.

This book utilizes the authors humor, down to earth phrasing and desire to teach to do just that. While some of it may be more difficult (i.e. the phases of the moon, days of the week/month in which to practice magick and achieve the desired action) she does warn you that this may be true in the Foreward of the book and acknowledges the need and/or necessity to continue our learning through the references that she has provided.

I love it and utilize it on a day to day basis, as well as my own Grimoire and that of others. After all, on this path that we've chosen in honoring the earth and creator, we never stop learning...

Blessed be,

Rating:
Summary: Not just for teenagers....
Review: If I hadn't read the back of this book I wouldn't have ever guessed, based on it's content alone, that it was intended for teenagers. It's well put together, with concise information in a format that welcomes the reader to browse freely to any topic of interest. I agree there have been many "beginners" books written over time, but each author brings with them their own ideas and perspectives associated with the Craft. Silver is no different and I find her perspective valuable to the adept as well as the novice. I count this book as an excellent reference manual.

Rating:
Summary: It is a great read
Review: I own this book. I love this book. For all those out there thinking that this is just a manual ur wrong. This book was made for Starters. *the beginners and up* The only reason why those who marked it a 1 star is because u dont understand it. It's quite simple to understand and practice. It doesnt say this is what you have to go by, it doesnt say this is great to solve ur problems for everything. It doesnt tell you that you have to read it at all even if you dont want to. Age 13-16 shouldnt be doing this kind of stuff. Your a young teen, you dont need to practice this. In fact you shouldnt until you know when, where and how to use it. As for the parents interupting during your practicing. Ya it can mess up what you are doing, just like a tv or music can end up distracting you. And yes you do have to be undistracted for those things to work... dahh. It is a good read as long as you know what your doing, and make sure it's for a good reason. 3fold effect can be a bite in the bum. This is for the new generation, why? it's easier to understand. You can udder the words... in the old days the words would be in a different tounge. This isnt "charmed" nor Buffy the vamp. slayer here. Charmed and buffy are the fakes of them all.

Rating:
Summary: Please do NOT buy this book..
Review: I bought this book to assist me with the compilation of my giant personal Grimoire, which I am to use for Training purposes as a Priest. I met Silver in Denver at a New Age Faire.. she is very sweet, I must say.

However, she is unhealthily self-rightcheous and continues to pervert the Trueness of the Craft by dilluting it in NewAgeism (fluffyness, YES!) and superstitious folk-magic. I will be returning my book to the retailer at once, to perhaps pick up one of the brilliant writings of Christopher Penczak or Kala Trobe.

It's seriously depressing & disgusting. While there is some relatively good information herein, much of it is just plain BS. Honestly. I do not criticize; I simply witness & share.
She has her "Secret formula" for successfull spells and meditation, which is ritualistic mental transcendence of the Self, Time & Space. Umm.. honey, this is what real Witches DO! That should be taught well before any Spell.. the Internal workings must be mastered and understood before any spell is performed.

This book poses a risk for people searching for Craft information. Especially the incorporation of a spell which has been translated over many years.. It is an invocation to HECATE and is meant to KILL PEOPLE. Yes, KILL PEOPLE! This verbal charm, if used with enough magickal intention, CAN do just that. Why in the hell is this included in a general, youth-targeted, law-abiding book? Wow. It has no place to be published, especially here.

*Sigh* I honestly cried while reading this book.

I would recommend "The Elements of Witchcraft" by Ellen Dugan before ANY craft newbie book.

At least it keeps the dabblers dabbling & believing that there is nothing more than what she says (which does not lie on personal experience).

The most hilarious line is: "This meditation may give you a "floaty" effect.... This is OK!" I needn't say any more.

That's it.

~OakRaven~

Rating:
Summary: Just terrible.
Review: First, what she presents here is "outer court material" (and I'm being charitable). "Outer court material" is simply information not bound by secrecy oaths. An analogy -- there is a difference between the owner's manual you get when you open the box containing your new microwave and the technical specifications and drawings which detail the inner workings of said microwave. This book is like the owner's manual. Here the analogy breaks down because all the average person needs to operate a microwave is the instruction booklet but Wicca/Witchcraft/Magick requires the technical specifications which you are unlikely to ever find in a commercially available book -- aka "inner court material." Without this, you are just going through the motions.

Second, understand that the danger presented by Silver Ravenwolf and similar authors is that they do not make this distinction -- and they KNOW there is one -- choosing instead to present this "outer court material" as the whole ball of wax. Want to know why your spells don't work and you feel like you're in the middle of a fairly boring role-playing game when you follow rituals you find in these books? It's because you are lacking crucial information regarding what these spells and rituals actually represent, the so-called "mystery teachings." Much of this is oath-bound and you are unlikely to find it in a book. Find a teacher, and if there are none where you are, sit under a full moon and ask the deity to reveal these mysteries to you. If your intention is true, and you are ready, they will teach and give you more than you will ever get out of any book.

Third, this book is a.) poorly written b.) shows a terrible grasp of history and historical context c.) is incredibly condescending and d.) annoyingly folksy.

Finally, think on Silver Ravenwolf's lineage. It implies a Gardnerian connection impossible by Gardnerian standards as men are initiated/elevated by women and vice versa. A true lineage will reflect this. Gerald Gardner could not initiate/elevate Buckland *according to Gardnerian practice.* In fact, Buckland was initiated by Lady Olwen. It is at best disingenous to include Gerald Gardner as part of her lineage because Gardner has nothing to do with it other than initiating the woman who later initiated Buckland in one of the Traditions Buckland followed. Buckland later developed Seax-Wicca, in which he trained/initiated Michael Ragan, who immediately went and formed his OWN tradition and so on down the line. Another analogy -- you're related to your mother's sister's husband by law, but you are not related to him by blood. Buckland would be Ravenwolf's mother's father, Gardner would be her mother's father's sister's husband.

I would be surprised if Silver Ravenwolf wasn't aware of this, and one wonders why someone so in tune with "Spirit" would continue to advertise a lineage which has been questioned by many -- or at the very least, explain why she believes it to be valid. I've seen some nonsense by a separate group consisting of people elevated by Silver Ravenwolf, claiming the same lineage and saying the connection is through the "honor of eldering" rather than initiation or elevation. To which I reply -- nonsense. Even if you were to consider "eldering" separate from degree elevation it still doesn't address the fact that Buckland was in no way "eldered" by Gardner and Ragan was in no way "eldered" by Buckland.

The moral of the story folks, is no one's perfect and always consider your source. Deity never minds healthy skepticism.

(BTW, MoonChyld DewDrop is meant to be sarcastic, and I make no claims to a lineage from anyone at all)

Rating:
Summary: What is wrong with you people
Review: what wrong with you people if you read her other books it says New Generation Witches and then say Witches of the ninties and in the descrition of the book in the back of others it says big book for pagan teens