View source for Basic Witches by J Saxena and J Zimmerman

{{infobox1
|title=Basic Witches
|author=J Saxena and J Zimmerman
|reviewer=Holly Lewtas
|genre=Spirituality and Religion
|summary=This fascinating read is the perfect first spell book for anyone, whether you want to be the next Hermione Granger or are simply interested in the origins of witchcraft. You will be casting spells in no time.
|rating=4
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|pages=208
|publisher=Quirk Books
|date=September 2017
|isbn=978-1594749773
|website=
|video=
|cover=Saxena_Jaya
|aznuk=1594749779
|aznus=1594749779
}}

Before I started this book I was expecting to be thrown into the world of magic and would know how to levitate by the end of the first chapter. Unsurprisingly, I was wrong. However, what I was met by was a book that explores the origins of witchcraft, teaches you how to dress and act like a witch and contains spells ranging from accepting compliments to conjuring up a relaxing Netflix binge. 

The book is targeted at all people, whether you are interested in magic or not. I loved how the term 'witch' was used so loosely throughout the book. From the first page you are not lead on into thinking that witches are magical beings who can alter the running of the universe. Instead, what you are taught is about how witches have always been powerful women who stood up against society's norms since day one, which I found truly inspiring. Don't be mistaken though, the book doesn't apply to a specific gender and the authors make a lot of effort to give alternatives to feminine ideas that are expressed throughout the book. 

Each chapter contains introductions, spells and my favourite section: Witch History. I found it so refreshing to have a book covering an expansive topic such as witchcraft yet you are not reading pages upon pages of information that can be overwhelming sometimes. Instead you are taught about the key concepts surrounding the origin of witchcraft including quotes from books that were written in the 1700s which was incredibly interesting. It was so concise yet gave you the starting blocks to go on to do your own further reading. 

Not only this but the book takes a modern approach to discussing witchcraft which is particularly shown in the section surrounding emojis and their likeness to runes. It is features like this that make the book such an fascinating read even if it seemed a bit silly at times. There is even a section on exercise that teaches you the move called 'raising from the dead' which has many similarities to a sit up! But it is this jovial tone that remains prominent throughout which is what kept me reading till the very end, even though it was clear that I wouldn't be purchasing a crystal ball anytime soon. 

Ultimately, if you take away all the witchy illustrations and humorous sections what you end up with is a practical book that contains valuable life skills. It teaches you how to realise what you actually want deep down, how to prioritise yourself and that you don't need to be so critical. All the 'spells' that are interspersed in the book are actually just ways of changing the way your brain works and how you think; it is a lot like Mindfulness. Although some spells deal with big topics such as letting go of a friendship, this book does help you to do just that but in an exciting way. The props that the spells contain such as candles and photographs help you to overcome your worries and problems better than you could do on your own. It goes to show that our witchy ancestors were actually very smart women who led fulfilling lives and were not plagued by their inner demons.

If you would like to read another quirky book surrounding witches then I would recommend [[The Magic Book of Cookery by Danaan Elderhill]].

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[[Category:J Saxena]]
[[Category:J Zimmerman]]