I adored this graphic novel omg! The writing, the colours, the characters?? LOVE! Biddy is such a cool main character and I love how the story telling is woven in with the history of witches!!

I highly recommend reading this graphic novel, its a cozy fantasy read where Lindsay tries to convince age old Biddy to teach her the ways of magikal arts!

This books seemed to be a bit disjoined, hopping between fictional story, historical context, and montages of information about witches. I think it would have done well to show Biddy's life without the girl, as a historical book. I enjoyed the tidbits about history as well as the part's explaing different aspects of witchcraft. I found the storyline and conversation between Biddy and the girl to be a bit too didatic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Leaping Hare Press for providing a copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Part fictional story, part non-fiction, witchcraft: a graphic history tells the story of Biddy Early a semi-famous Irish witch from the 19th century. The author, being a practicing witch in modern day, inserts her child self into the story as an apprentice of Biddy's as a narrative plot device. The decision is unique and for the most part works well.

This felt too short and a little rushed especially towards the end. There are some conflicts and threads that are left largely unresolved. Nothing ever comes of the priest getting involved and rallying the village. It jumps quite abruptly from Lindsay leaving her aunt and uncles house to years later when she is a young woman and ends there. Biddy's trial is also never depicted and is largely glossed over.

The art style is very pretty and easy on the eyes. However, there were some formatting issues with the text not being lined up and blending in with the illustrations making it hard to read.

The content of the book was interesting enough. A very brief history of witchcraft with some insights into different creatures and famous witch trials internationally. I was just hoping for more.

A delightful read full of history and magic. A blend of fiction and nonfiction that outlines the history of witchcraft and Biddy Early. A lovely early instructional text for those interested in witchcraft but also full of gorgeous illustrations.

This was a wonderfully informative graphic novel about a famous witch from Ireland along with helpful tidbits including general knowledge of witches and their practices.

This was a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that taught the readers not only about Biddy Early, the first witch to appear on a historical record, but also about the magical practices in an empowering way.
The author weaved reality with fiction by introducing a young Lindsay who learns about magic alongside Biddy, and in the process also realises how to be her true self.
The ending felt a bit rushed, as there were some conflicts introduced throughout the retelling of Biddy Early's life that were never properly resolved, but overall the book did a good job of introducting readers to the magical world of witches, and motivated us to add some of that magic into our own lives.

This book has much to commend it. It tells the story of Biddy Early, a well known witch in the west of Ireland who was born in County Clare in 1798. The book does a great job of chronicling her life through words and illustrations and I could hardly put it down.

Not only does it focus on Biddy's life but also explains about the origins and history of witchcraft and its connection to nature and the world around us. Through Biddy we learn about the patriarchal society in which she lived and the stigma attached to those who used plants to heal others. We read of the rituals associated with Biddy's craft along with the persecution of the wise and cunning folk.

The book has been beautifully illustrated by Lisa Sausi in a lovely base colour palette of greens and orange.

This would make a fantastic introduction to the history of witchcraft for both adults and young people who want to learn more of its history through the story of Biddy Early. I enjoyed reading this very much and highly recommend it.

This graphic novel is a nice introduction into witchcraft! I think this will be great for those just venturing into the subject, as it provides great background knowledge and history. I do wish less of the story was focused on the “apprentice” but understand the relationship is integral in moving the plot along. I loved the illustrations!

Beautiful illustrations and a lot of fascinating history in this graphic novel. It’s a quick read, and felt like a perfect October pick.

A Visual Journey Through the Mystical World of Witchcraft

In Witchcraft: A Graphic History, Lindsay Squire captivates with a visually striking and well-researched exploration of witchcraft across the ages. From ancient times to modern-day practices, the book offers an engaging overview of the history, beliefs, and cultural impact of witches, healers, and magical traditions. Through its blend of vibrant illustrations and concise narratives, one is drawn into the stories of wise women, misunderstood figures, and the enduring fascination with magic.

The graphic format enhances the accessibility of the content, making it an enjoyable read for those new to the topic as well as seasoned enthusiasts. The illustrations, with their mystical and earthy tones, breathe life into the historical events and characters discussed, while the concise writing avoids overwhelming readers with too much detail, keeping the pace light and engaging. The book shines in its portrayal of women who, despite persecution and societal fear, played significant roles in healing and spiritual practices. It offers a balanced perspective on the complexities of witchcraft, challenging misconceptions while celebrating its cultural significance.

Overall, this graphic history is an enjoyable and informative experience, perfect for anyone curious about the roots and evolution of witchcraft. It’s a visually compelling, accessible, and thoughtful tribute to the magic that has always intrigued humanity.

I loved learning about Biddy Early in this graphic history. The format was a great out of the box way to share all the wonderful information the book has to offer. The underlying storyline keeps the reader intrigued. I will admit I was not the biggest fan of the drawing style but that is a small thing for an otherwise wonderful book.

The art stands out for its vivid color and beautiful detail in this work of graphic non-fiction. I learned a great deal about the history of witchcraft, traditional remedies, and to some degree the story of Biddy Early. However, I will say there wasn't always a clear or natural flow to the book's organization. While centering the story on Biddy teaching Lindsay, the plot surrounding Biddy's relationship with the village and eventual accusations of witchcraft is a bit loose. I found the characters never quite came to life, perhaps as the narrative sticks to facts, and there is a limit to the amount of information we have about Biddy. The art and the detailed history of witchcraft kept me reading!

A unique and magical tail with art that is so stunning I want to frame it on my wall. If witchcraft interests you definitely read this and even if you’re just a little bit curious I highly recommend it!

The strongest point of this introduction to the history of witchcraft was undoubtedly the beauty of the illustrations. The drawing style was simply stunning and complemented well the subject of the book.
My favorite parts were the historical references and botanical/wicca lessons. However, I felt like this was sometimes inaccurate, notably in the way it presented wicca as an ancient pagan religion instead of the fairly modern one that it is. I was also surprised to see how young Biddy was depicted.
My main issue was that I didn’t feel like the historical fiction part fit well with the overall purpose of the book. I think this book would have worked a lot better as either a graphic novel or an illustrated historical book.

A great, easy to digest introduction to the history and world of witchcraft. This book is perfect for someone looking for a jumping off point on the subject. It gives a brief synopsis of famous witches throughout history as well as famous witch trials all the while telling the story of one of these witch, Biddy.

Absolutely loved this book. Exquisitely illustrated with a lovely story which flowed beautifully. I loved the fact that whilst following the animated story, there were split descriptions of linked narrative as well as historical references.

Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

#witchcraft #history #witchcraftagraphichistory

"Witchcraft: A Graphic History" is a mixture of beautiful illustrations and a confused, poorly researched, historical revisionist, overly romanticized narrative about the historical figure Biddy Early.

Weirdly ageist as well, as during her trial she was around 70 years old. In this book, she is depicted as young and attractive, as well as an out-and-proud neo-pagan.

It depicts a lot of modern ideas on paganism (including Wicca, which began in the 20th century) as being ancient and feminist.

In the end, this book didn't know what it wanted to be: an illustrated guide to Wicca 101, or an historical fiction narrative.

In the end, it failed at both instead of succeeding at one.

2 stars, mostly for the beautiful artwork and illustrations

Well told, an easily digestible wall to learn more about the history of witchcraft. I loved the illustrations and the way the dialogue was laid out.

3.5
This story was a cute beginner look into the many types of witchcraft that exist, but there are some flaws within it. This story focuses primarily on Biddy Early, but not the real Biddy Early, but rather a strawman stand-in for her. Biddy Early was not considered a witch during her time, she was an herbalist. Yes, she was accused of witchcraft in the 1860s, but her charges were dropped due to lack of evidence. Biddy Early never stated herself to be a witch, nor did any who knew her really thought her to be one. She was merely a famed herbalist and healer that the local Catholic Priests disliked for various (idiotic) reasons. Other than this glaring issue, the rest of the story is pretty on par with elements of modern witchcraft. It mentions the different types of witches, different styles of witchcraft, and several famous persons or deities who are known to have connections to witches. This is all fairly basic information, this story mostly focuses on giving a very broad and simple look at witchcraft. Certain things are left out, such as in the divination section. They mention cartomancy, pyromancy, tasseography, and smoke scrying. But fail to mention other methods that are actually ancient such as Osteomancy (throwing bones), Hieromancy (divination through animal entrails), or Ceromancy (divination with melted wax). There are also some minor spells that are mentioned and spoken as if they are ancient traditions. But uh, blowing cinnamon through the door is not an ancient tradition. From my research, this is a modern ritual of bringing prosperity into the home. This is an issue throughout the entire volume, at least where spellwork is mentioned. Several modern iterations of spells are treated as if they are ancient. Also, the brief mention of Wicca acts if it's an ancient type of paganism, but Wicca was created somewhere between the late 1930's to early 1950's and is considered a modern pagan movement. Also, the concept of a "Book of Shadows" is a modern pagan practice, not ancient. A lot of practitioners throughout history did not know how to read or write, as formal education was considered only something for nobility or those in higher religious positions. Also, I did not care for the throwaway line "Science and magic do not mix". What we consider science would have been considered magic to previous generations. Magic and science are one and the same! Again, a lot of these are minor issues that I personally have, and hopefully, this book would simply be a good jumping-off point for anyone who is interested in the craft. I did like the art! The illustrations were lovely and the page flow was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I struggled to connect with Witchcraft: A Graphic History. The narrative felt disjointed, with the focus on a fictional apprentice relationship overshadowing what could have been a more compelling historical account. Given the title, I expected the book to delve into multiple stories about wise women and witches throughout history, but instead, it concentrated almost entirely on a dramatized version of Biddy Early’s life.

While the artwork was stunning and clearly well-crafted, the content didn’t align with my expectations. I had hoped for more factual depth and a broader exploration of witchcraft and healers across different time periods, but the book’s approach left much to be desired in that regard.

ARC Review