This book seems to be a staple on many witch’s bookshelves, so I had to check it out for myself when it was re-released. I found it to be a delightful read, although not quite what I expected.
The book is divided into three sections: All About the Little People, Working with Faery Beings, and A Dictionary of Faery Folk of the World. The first section was truly enjoyable. Although the bulk of the book is centered upon Celtic cultures, the author includes a fair amount of information on other cultures as well. The best point of her book is that fairies are not evil beings bent on making our lives more difficult. That being said, she does not pretend that danger does not exist. She clearly states that some beings should be avoided and includes a fair amount of information on how to protect yourself.
My only complaint is that the Dictionary at times seems to be contradictory to much of what other information is out there. A number of people strongly disagree with some of her descriptions of faery types. My advice would be to use this dictionary as a starting point, but if you wish to work deeply with the Fae, include other reference books in your study. Of course, this is generally true for any subject, especially one that could contain some inherent danger. Overall, this would be a good introduction for those new to studying the Fae and a handy book to reference when wishing to contact them in a ritual context.
~review by Jennifer Erwin
Author: Edain McCoy
Llewellyn Publications, 1994; 2004
pp. 369, $14.95
