Friday, August 1, 2014

The Gray Witch's Grimoire - Amythyst Raine

The Gray Witch's Grimoire - Amythyst Raine
Source: Kindle
Originally Reviewed: August 1, 2014
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I had high hopes for this book. I really did. After reading the pages available as a preview, and going through the reviews available on Amazon, I was excited! Finally, a book that took (what I believe to be) a realistic perspective on Witchcraft – that all parts of it are to be respected, not feared.

I wish I could say I wasn’t disappointed. For one, its short. Less than 200 pages. (If I had the ability to focus I once did, I could read it in one sitting.) For another, it doesn’t really address Gray Witchcraft. It reads like a basic introduction to Witchcraft for the average seeker rather than someone who’s experienced in the Craft and wants to dive a little deeper into areas not typically covered.

I can appreciate her opening with “Magickal Principles” and a “Code of Ethics” for us “gray witches”, but that doesn’t even cover a full dozen pages. After that, it’s discussion on some symbols, and basic Witchcraft beliefs.

I understand this is titled as a Grimoire, so I’m not taking issue with the fact the rest of the book is full of correspondences. However, they are correspondences that can be found with just a few keystrokes on Google, with no real link to the concept of Gray Witchcraft.

That being said, there are a few things in the book that I think are missing from most basic Wicca/Witchcraft books on the market today – but again, nothing really specific to Gray Witchcraft. It was neat seeing how the author viewed Initiation, as that almost always ends up being a contentious subject. I enjoyed her take on how one experiences initiation not being a part of a group. I also enjoyed how she expanded on “The Metaphysical Laws of Witchcraft.” Again, something I think most books on Witchcraft are missing, but nothing special to the Gray Witch.

To wrap this up, I’ll say this: I think Amythyst Raine had a great idea, but the execution could have been done much better. The book itself is a good book – not something I would sit down and read, but definitely something I would still use as a quick reference as it has a lot of good information. If you are looking for a book that might actually be a good reference for the Gray Witch, I’d strongly suggest you search elsewhere.

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