I promised (more or less) that I would get back to basics and review some books, and I am excited to make good on that promise with this review of Herbal Magic by Aurora Kane. I plan to experiment with different styles of reviews to find one that is chronic-pain-and-fatigue-friendly but also appealing to read. This one is quite spartan but it gets my points across.
Greatest strength: beautifully illustrated
Greatest weakness: poorly researched
Purpose: entertainment, aesthetic
Authority: I was not able to find any information about Aurora Kane apart from her author bio, which claims she is a practicing witch with decades of experience.
Audience: readers with a casual interest in real-world magic and witchcraft, social media witches
Accuracy: hit or miss, especially outside of the directory of herbs
Scope: what you would expect from an introductory work
Documentation: the list of references and resources is suggestive of research that was superficial at best and shoddy at worst.
Bottom line: I would recommend this book but only with the caution that it is not a serious reference work. That said, it’s a gorgeous book, fun to read, and I, personally, love it despite its many flaws.
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