I enjoyed this volume, though I have to admit that a review is a bit difficult for me to write and I am not exactly sure why. I will revisit in the future and see if I can give a proper review then. I appreciated both the history and the fact that the book did not focus on Wicca alone.

The Secret People was a well written and accessible book looking at the old wisdom that has been handed down for centuries from one country wise woman to the next. Melusine Draco drew from a wide variety of historical sources to trace the knowledge that would have been commonplace for our grandmothers or great grandmothers.
I really liked the mix of practical and esoteric information. The advice was no nonsense and the practical warnings regarding herblore helped me trust the author.
The Secret People should be appealing to a wide audience ranging from those interested in pagan rituals to people interested in incorporating some of the old ways back into their lives. The lively mix of history, modern anecdotes, and recipes makes this a fun and informative book!

The Secret People appealed to me because I read quite a lot of historical fiction, much of it with a magical twist. Books like the Outlander series or Paula Brackstone's witch series. This is a collection of stories, lore, traditions, recipes, and history of the Celtic people from whom I'm descended. While it touches on witchcraft, it isn't a book of spells but more a book of age-old advice.

"Theirs was a knowledge that filtered down in the form of spells, domestic plant medicine and country lore, imparted to offspring, friends and neighbours, who in turn handed it down to their children…and so on down through the generations."

It was fascinating to learn that the same plant could be traditionally used for ailments which seemed quite contradictory, such as low sperm count and syphyllis. I also found the calendar-related chapters to be interesting, as they told of how Saints Days connected to early pagan celebrations and gods. There's a chapter about what skills and traditions went into poaching animals from the lord's land.

Written in an historic manner, this is still an easy read that I enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley, Moon Books, and John Hunt Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my feedback.

My interest in this book was two-fold: I'm incubating a book in which a character might need much of this information, and of course simple curiosity in this author's take on the subject. It's an utterly practical compilation of recipes and hints that do not require the reader to be a "parish pump witch" or wise woman. All you have to be is someone looking for natural solutions to common problems – looking for common sense and time-worn remedies. There are tidbits pulled from Mrs. Beeton's book right alongside things that could be found in any decent grimoire.

There is a magical bent much to the information – a holly will balance the magical energies of a rowan or apple tree in your garden, for example – but there's nothing airy-fairy about this book; advice like that feels more like feng shui. Even the section on divination feels more solid and straightforward than others I've seen.

I went into this expecting to harvest bits and pieces I could reference if my fantasy-eighteenth-century physician ever comes more to life. I came out of it with actual useful ideas for cleaning, for treating headaches and sore throats, for repelling pests, for celebrating Twelfth Night, and simply for being more aware of the seasons. "If a girl-friend has been having a run of misfortune, give her a bunch of carnations, or Gillyflowers, and this will turn her luck to good." Carnations all around, I think …

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.