Book review – Cunning Words: A Grimoire of Tales & Magic

First book review!

So…this may be a bit revealing, telling, whatever. Draw whatever conclusions about me that you will, but this will be my first of hopefully many reviews!

Todays review is: Cunning Words: a Grimoire of Tales and Magic

 Marshall WSL is a queer, practicing traditional and folkloric witch based in Texas. He is a co-host of Southern Bramble: a Podcast of Crooked Ways, and writes the column The Southern Light Diaries for Patheos Pagan. 

{I will link his stuff at the end}

I first heard about Marshall through Olivia The Witch of Wonderlust, then through a panel discussion about various aspects of witchcraft. As much as I do really like the Witch of Wonderlust amongst quite a few other practicing female youtubers I feel like I gravitate more towards Marshall because he is a male practitioner, and though we are different I can relate to being a man between masculine and feminine amongst other things.

Now what we are here for, the book! So I read the back to get an idea of what to expect, but I didn’t know anything going in. What first struck me was that I was expecting a more informational matter of fact kind of book, even though witchcraft is very subjective. To elaborate for those that may not know, it’s not only ver intention based but it is very personal, so how one person practices is not universal, but there are some similarities between practices. This was structured in more of a narrative similar to a Mother Goose or Grimms Fairy Tales, and while not everything was safe for young audiences, I could see some of these stories being told to youngins.

I loved how the stories connected, but not in a straight line, it was a very…crooked path, heh {if you know you know}. The stories weren’t only just fun fantastical magical reads, but they were instructional, but for that you have to read it for yourself, and I urge you to do so as this book was self published, which is also pretty impressive. Aside from the wonderful stories there were poems that also held some directional guidance, and ended with some spellcraft.

This was the only book I can remember that was set up in such a way, {there may be others, but this was the first one I read like this}. This book reminds me of something I learned decades ago in grade school (I think it was about what makes a good explanatory essay). Tell the reader what you’re going to tell them, Tell them, then tell them what you told them. It may sound juvenile, but it makes sense and Marshall did it great! Even before you open the book the cover tells you exactly what the book is and the first text based page tells you a bit more of what to expect, then you get lovely fantastical stories, poems, spells, and then a closer explaining what you just experienced.

If magic calls to you or is of interest to you, this book is a must have. 

This was my first review, but hopefully not my last, we’ll see. Until next time, later days.

~Owl

For more information or to connect with the Author view his link tree here

Please note I am not affiliated with Marshall, we don’t know each other personally, and this review wasn’t paid for. I like his work, I just started listening to his podcast, and he seems like an all around cool person. I am not a Patreon member of his, but that is more due to my finances, if you can show support please do!