TITLE: Bohemian Magick
AUTHOR: Veronica Varlow
PUBLISHER: Harper Collins
ISBN: 9780063027381
PODCAST EPISODE: Book Club 28
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Veronica Varlow comes from a long line of Bohemian witches. After a horrible Rottweiler attack, she dedicated herself to living the life that she had always desired and never looked back. As an internationally renowned burlesque dancer, model, coach, and witch, she has spent her time exploring the extraordinary in life and helping to teach others to do the same. Her most recent endeavor to help others to achieve all that she has in life is her first book ‘Bohemian Magick: Witchcraft and Secret Spells with a Rock-and-Roll Vibe to Amplify Your Mojo and Electrify Your Life’ recently published by Harper Design.
Bohemian Magick is a gorgeous piece of art in addition to being an enlightening book. The book is an intricately crafted work of art that includes over 150 photographs from Varlow’s life and previous Witch Camps that she has hosted. This artwork lends to the book a sense of intimacy, particularly through the images and stories of Varlow’s childhood. The book also encourages the reader to place some spell elements within it, thus personalizing it to an even greater degree so that the grimoire becomes something truly unique for yourself.
The book is part memoir and part guide for any aspiring witch. Varlow has crafted her own form of magic, the Spectaculus School of Spellcasting, which merges her Bohemian background with more playful and modern conceptions of magic. The spells in this book are given playful tongue in cheek names drawn from rock and roll standards – Crossfire Hurricane, Walk This Way, and Bohemian Rhapsody are just a few – but they still contain solid craft drawn from deep tradition. Throughout the book Varlow takes time to explain how the new Spectaculus spells have drawn from traditional Bohemian beliefs, sometimes even sharing the rhyming incantations that her grandmother originally taught her growing up. None of the spells require anything that would be inconvenient to gather, most asking for just a candle, some matches, and the confidence to proclaim your existence to the universe.
Bohemian Magick would be a gorgeous addition to any shelf, and a fun and enlightening read for anyone new, or looking to reginite, their witchcraft practice. The Spectaculus School of Magic is a playful way to frame magical usage, and to help any witch rediscover the “Wild” within themselves. It is easy to understand why Varlow is beloved by so many – she is an accessible, enthusiastic writer with a fascinating life and perspective to match.
AUTHOR: Veronica Varlow
PUBLISHER: Harper Collins
ISBN: 9780063027381
PODCAST EPISODE: Book Club 28
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Veronica Varlow comes from a long line of Bohemian witches. After a horrible Rottweiler attack, she dedicated herself to living the life that she had always desired and never looked back. As an internationally renowned burlesque dancer, model, coach, and witch, she has spent her time exploring the extraordinary in life and helping to teach others to do the same. Her most recent endeavor to help others to achieve all that she has in life is her first book ‘Bohemian Magick: Witchcraft and Secret Spells with a Rock-and-Roll Vibe to Amplify Your Mojo and Electrify Your Life’ recently published by Harper Design.
Bohemian Magick is a gorgeous piece of art in addition to being an enlightening book. The book is an intricately crafted work of art that includes over 150 photographs from Varlow’s life and previous Witch Camps that she has hosted. This artwork lends to the book a sense of intimacy, particularly through the images and stories of Varlow’s childhood. The book also encourages the reader to place some spell elements within it, thus personalizing it to an even greater degree so that the grimoire becomes something truly unique for yourself.
The book is part memoir and part guide for any aspiring witch. Varlow has crafted her own form of magic, the Spectaculus School of Spellcasting, which merges her Bohemian background with more playful and modern conceptions of magic. The spells in this book are given playful tongue in cheek names drawn from rock and roll standards – Crossfire Hurricane, Walk This Way, and Bohemian Rhapsody are just a few – but they still contain solid craft drawn from deep tradition. Throughout the book Varlow takes time to explain how the new Spectaculus spells have drawn from traditional Bohemian beliefs, sometimes even sharing the rhyming incantations that her grandmother originally taught her growing up. None of the spells require anything that would be inconvenient to gather, most asking for just a candle, some matches, and the confidence to proclaim your existence to the universe.
Bohemian Magick would be a gorgeous addition to any shelf, and a fun and enlightening read for anyone new, or looking to reginite, their witchcraft practice. The Spectaculus School of Magic is a playful way to frame magical usage, and to help any witch rediscover the “Wild” within themselves. It is easy to understand why Varlow is beloved by so many – she is an accessible, enthusiastic writer with a fascinating life and perspective to match.