This had a very interesting story based in history of one of the most famous witches of Ireland, Buddy Early. The way the story was told gave some background information about her but the additional knowledge about the history of magic and witches was the best part.

Thank you to NetGalley and Leaping Hare Press for providing a copy for review in exchange for an honest review.

Witchcraft: a graphic history tells the part fictional, part realistic story of Biddy Early, a famous Irish witch. Squire writes herself into the story as an apprentice of Biddy's and uses it as the narration. I really liked this narrative plot device as I felt like I was getting a first glance into the story.

The art is gorgeous, and I love the colour palette used for the illustrations. It was a very interesting read, giving an insight into the history of witchcraft. I did feel like it was quite surface level and didn't provide much in terms of specific but I would still recommend it as an interesting read.

The story and art of this graphic novel blend beautifully to convey a great deal of information about witches and witchcraft. The story interweaves history with a narrative about Biddy early and a young girl learning about her craft..

The book covers women who were known as witches, types of witchcraft, tools and associated items and even covers some of the historical witch trials. The book does have some brief depictions and descriptions of the burnings and various executions.

This one will interest anyone who enjoys sequential art, witches or history of women.

I loved the illustrations of this book SO MUCH.

Unfortunately, I felt that the fictionalised story overpowered the facts and history portions of the book, so sometimes I was scanning past the story to get to the information. I also felt like the facts could have been laid out better and fleshed out a bit more rather than just little snippets between the story.

There were also a few formatting problems with the text not lining up with the text boxes on many pages (32, 33, 41, 66, 72).

However, I do think that this book would appeal to many people, especially young girls who would enjoy and benefit from hearing stories about people like Biddy Early.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Witchcraft: A Graphic History follows Biddy Early through the eyes of Lindsay, a curious young girl intrigued by the world of witchcraft. The narrative primarily centers on Biddy, interspersed with historical snippets about various witches, the meanings of different herbs, and insights into witch trials across the ages.

While this book is marketed as non-fiction about witches, it often feels more like a personal fulfillment project for the author, with Lindsay serving as a self-insert character. Their interactions are less about exploring the rich history of witchcraft and more about Lindsay’s admiration for Biddy, often lacking substantive dialogue on witchcraft’s origins and practices.

Overall, I struggled to connect with this book. The art and storytelling fell flat for me. From the outset, the dynamic between Lindsay and Biddy felt forced, detracting from the potential depth of the historical context. The historical aspects seemed tacked on rather than woven into the narrative. I would hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking to learn about witchcraft. There are many other titles that delve into the subject with greater depth and a more engaging presentation. However, if you prefer learning through graphic novels, this might be worth considering.

“Listening to nature isn’t just useful for witches, who draw strength from it to restore their magical energies: it has beneficial effects for everyone, providing a source of physical and mental well-being.”

Absolutely adored this mostly nonfictional graphic novel on witchcraft and how magic works. I loved how the author intertwined her life into the telling of Biddy Early’s life, an actual Irish wise woman from the 1800s!

The style of graphics in my opinion were extremely compelling; I loved the neutral and soft tones making it visually appealing to the eyes. The story itself was easy to follow and gave insights on the negativity townsfolk had towards healers during this time (BOOO 👎🏼) . Loved the entire witch history theme throughout the book too: techniques, types, trials, all of it was interesting and informative!

The only possible negative I have to say about the story was, the entire town went from wanting to banish Biddy/put her on trial, to suddenly leaving her alone and letting her walk the town. I was honestly expecting something more tragic to happen, but it didn’t—it was almost like something was missing from the story. Perhaps nothing devastating happened because Biddy healed Lindsay’s aunt, and perhaps because in real life Biddy was only accused of witchcraft, but also not murdered. 🤷🏼‍♀️ However, I don't think this took away from the book at all, just something small I noticed.

A special thanks to NetGalley and Leaping Hare Press for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. ✨💖🧚🏼

Oh this was such an easy book to binge! This isn’t a usual book I would go for, but I’m glad a took a chance on it because it was absolutely amazing to read. Was completed in less then a day, of in and out reading, unfortunately I had adult responsibilities to keep me from just sitting and binging the entire thing!

This is my first graphic novel, and when I tell you the graphics were just absolutely breathtaking, I am not joking. Each image fit perfectly with the text and it was so amazing to read and see at the same time. The illustrator done a fantastic job with these images.

My only flaw with the book is it quite often lacked some detail. A bit more of a deep dive into certain aspects of the story being told, but other then that the mix of fiction/non-fiction and graphics was absolutely breathtaking.

This was such a wonderful book. Beautifully illustrated, educational, tells the story of one of the most important witches and witchcraft, and how people intentionally harm what they don't understand. It's a must read!

This book was so cool! I loved learning more about witchcraft and it was told in such an intriguing and visual way!

Thank you to NetGalley and Leaping Hare Press for providing a copy for review. All opinions are my own.
The only thing i loved about this graphic novel is the art style. Other than that, I didn’t care one bit about the non-fiction part of it, the fiction part was okay but felt like it was cut a little too short. Overall it’s a 2/5 ⭐️ for me.

Thank you Author for providing an ARC in NetGalley to read. It was an enjoyable book to read, and I’m a fan of the artwork

But I don’t think it was the right book as a “dictionary” of witches in general. Well every fiction has its own world and applause to the author for the research effort

I am sad because the book looked rather promising but the pdf is pretty much unreadable. The pages are mostly white and the ones that are not looked almost as if they have a glitch effect on them making them unreadable.

I didn't really know what to expect with this book but I really enjoyed it. I like viewing it on my Kobo Color. Biddy was a great main character! Loved this!!

A really bingeable and enjoyable book on witchcraft. I think anyone could enjoy this from early teens up. Full of stories, fun and facts!

This graphic book tells the story of a famous Irish witch from the 19th century. The author inserts her child self into the story as an apprentice of Biddy's. I consider this decision unique and well done.
The art style is pretty and easy to follow.
The content of the book was interesting enough but it felt too short and a little rushed.
3.5⭐

Accesss Provided by NetGalley and Hare Press:

A really bingeable and wholesome book on witchcraft. I think this book has so much potential to be a gorgeous book for older kids and honestly I think many would adore it already. However, I thought there were a few things in the book that could definitely be improved. For instance I think the book has a hard time working out what exactly it is: some phrases are very convoluted and somewhat philosophical without really explaining what this means (e.g. references to 'elevated consciousness) while others feel very forced and intentionally avoiding more elevated language. I would say on part of the latter a lot of the time a more poetic style could be adopted particularly in regards to characters speech. It often felt very robotic and inhuman which really takes away from the whimsical tone the book relies on. As well as this the book tries to blend together history of witchcraft with a narrative and while for the most part it works well there are times when there are massive concepts not deeply explored and other concepts probably over-explored e.g. talking about individual witches there are like 6 witches only summed in a sentence which really made it feel a bit like a fact file at times , I wonder if this could be blended with the section talking about types of witchcraft to give both a deeper feel. I must say the artwork is for the most part gorgeous my only qualm would be that often there will be beautiful foreground and then just a white background which again detracts from the whimsical feeling. However, when the art is done well the art is done superbly. Another thing I took issue with was probably a very personal preference but at a certain point biddy says 'magic doesn't mix well with science nor with religion'. I think this is just a sentiment I disagree with really because it really plays on this view of a hyper rational view of science that really takes away from the wonder, awe and whimsy implicit to disciplines like ecology. I think especially for a book so rooted in nature this might have been interesting. The religion factor is just an overgeneralization really lots of religions have incorporated magic and magic is implicit to almost all major religions. However these last two things are really just nitpicking and I think especially children would not lose enjoyment from them. Though I do really think children would love the ecology and magic kind of synthesis. Though I had a few issues this was thoroughly enjoyable and I would love to read this to my children (one day) purely because it shows how beautiful it is to live in a world like ours.

Witchcraft: A Graphic History followed the story of Bridget ‘Biddy’ Early, a woman who practices ‘witchcraft’ in the woods outside of County Clare, Ireland. This blends non-fiction elements with the fictional story of Biddy teaching a young girl what she knows, while healing village locals and dealing with stigma from the local church. Practices include herbalism, mainly, but talks about the different types of witches, revered women, faerie folk, and tools of the craft.

From the very beginning I fell in love with the art style. Each piece was distinguishable and clear, while seamlessly working together to tell the story of this incredible woman. I loved how easy the font was to read, and how each scene was broken up with facts and little tidbits.

To read a book about witchcraft in a Graphic Novel format was very unique, as well as the fiction/non-fiction blend. This would be excellent for the practitioner who is new to the craft, or anyone that wants an easily digestible way to start. The author states that she is a practitioner and clearly defines when her own voice is used. Normally I would skip introductions, but this one I would Highly recommend people to read.

My one criticism of this book is that it is stated that Biddy was the first, accused of witchcraft, to appear in historical records. I would like to have known where the information on pages 94-97 came from, as some of those witch trials were before Biddy’s time. So there must have been a record somewhere. A bibliography would have been nice to see at the end of the book.

This was a fantastically easy read with some really useful information in it. I found myself wanting Biddy and her young apprentice to win, and I felt really happy when little Lindsay was helping with cooking and protection spells.

Overall I have given this book a 4.5 star rating, bumped up to a 5 for the purposes of Netgalley and Goodreads.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of this book.

I liked the concept and parts of this were really informative and easy to digest. I liked the colouring/art of pages 94 - 97.

Unfortunately though I wasn't a fan of the art style which is key for my enjoyment of graphic novels. There were consistent mistakes with my edition too of the text not matching up with its "bubble" and made it difficult to read at times. Unsure how this got through quality check and it would be an obvious issue with even just a cursory glance.

The title made me believe this would be a sweeping history of witchcraft and not just a little information on one witch and her (author insert) pupil.

The writing was poor with a staccato flow and bad pacing. The dialogue was often unrealistic and also very poor.

Overall disappointing. Feels like a lazy computer-generated fanzine. It has good bones but either needs an editor or whoever edited this needs to be replaced.

2.5/5

Witchcraft: A Graphic History by Lindsay Squire provides a visually enchanting introduction to the history of witchcraft. The book explores the legacy of wise women and healers who used their knowledge and intuition in ways that were often misunderstood—and, at times, feared. As someone interested in the history of magic, I found it to be an engaging read, though I was left wanting a bit more depth in certain areas.

It told us the story of Biddy Early, one of Ireland’s most famous witches, who became known for her healing powers and unique methods. It's mostly a nonfictional story and this book hints at her trials and the obstacles she faced, but the storytelling feels somewhat rushed, skimming over crucial parts of her life and legacy. I would have loved a deeper dive into her experiences, especially regarding the trial she endured, which would have given readers a richer sense of her impact and the challenges she faced during her lifetime.

The art style is another highlight of this graphic novel. The illustrations are detailed and atmospheric, bringing a certain mystical energy that aligns beautifully with the theme. Each page is a visual treat, capturing the allure and mystique of the witchcraft world. In addition to its visuals, the book includes small magical tips and insights, which add an interactive element that I think beginners in the witchcraft world would especially enjoy. These little tips give it a practical edge, as if inviting readers to explore further.

Despite its strengths, the book feels more like an introduction than a comprehensive history. I was expecting more, maybe other witches' stories, but this might be a perfect place to start, it’s easy to follow, visually captivating, and offers just enough to spark curiosity.

Overall, while I was expecting a bit more depth and detail, I still enjoyed Witchcraft: A Graphic History. It’s an accessible read for newcomers and a visually delightful exploration of a fascinating subject. I would recommend it to those who are curious about the history of witchcraft and are looking for a visually engaging starting point.

i was so excited to dive into this but it fell so flat. focused more on ONE witch rather than many throughout history. incredibly white-washed unfortunately. the art itself is GORGEOUS. honestly, with what this could have been mixed with the art it would have been an automatic hardcover buy for me. truly it was witchtok personified and I dont mean that as a compliment lmao