Fluffy bunny Wicca in its most patronising form! (Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation - Silver Ravenwolf)

Member Name: wicked_witch

Product:	Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation - Silver Ravenwolf
Date:	14/02/02 (626 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: attractive, good price for the amount of stuff in here

Disadvantages: patronising and condescending, fluffy bunny heaven, misleading

This is quite possibly the most patronising book I have ever read. And I have read some patronising ones. This is definitely written for the Buffy generation. I can see its written to be parent friendly, but it IS possible to do that without completely mucking it up!

It is an attractive looking book, the front cover gives the misleading idea that Wicca is all about being trendy.

Ravenwolf refers to Spirit as God (as in masculine and singular) throughout the book, this is unusual and misleading. She also condemns prejudice and then incites it herself (she says its the 'other' guys who do black magick). She also seems to think teenagers are profoundly stupid. Teenage Witches have better things to do than doodle bug love spells (?) and love glo's (??). She completely denies the existence of sex magick. There are many commited couple and even some covens who do perform sex magicks, yet she denies their existence to ease parents' fear- thus creating more misconceptions of Witchcraft. She also feels it necessary to translate the 13 American Wiccan laws into teenspeak (like they werent easy enough to understand in the first place).

There are two introductions in the book, one for teenagers and one for parents. From the parents one it is clear that part of the books purpose is to prevent the parent going mad at finding a book on Witchcraft, but like I said Ravenwolf goes way overboard with this idea. With sickly and stupid chapter titles such as "The dark side- witches don't go there" just opening the cover of this book is enough to turn the stomach of a sensitive person.

The book does cover the basic theology of Wicca but rather misses the point. Ravenwolf is so caught up in being respectable that she leaves half of the religion out in the cold! I'm tempted to think shes a Christian is disguise trying to turn Witches in Christians (lol, here come the conspiracy theories).

This book is all fluff
and no substance. It doesnt talk about the real essence of Wicca- raising energy from nothing, being out in nature and being at one with it. The good Witchcraft authors realise you cant put the craft in a book, you have to see it come alive to make it work. Ravenwolf obviously doesnt see this. The book gets marks for presentation and entertainment but that is about it! This book is more Sweet Valley than real Witchcraft.

Summary: