Deep in the heart of the mystical forest, where sunlight scarcely penetrates the lush canopy of trees, lives a witch. She is an ethereal being, shrouded in mystery and magic. With her raven-black hair flowing down past her waist and her piercing green eyes, she is a sight to behold. Legend has it that the witch has resided in the forest for centuries, her immortality stemming from the enchanted herbs and potions she concocts. She possesses an innate understanding of the natural world and the secret language of plants. Her tiny cottage, nestled amidst towering trees and gnarled branches, is adorned with dried herbs, bones, and crystals, which she uses for various spells and rituals.
I very much enjoyed this book, I think it has many potential applications, and that pagan readers of all paths should consider checking it out.
It is a hefty tome at over 500 pages but beautifully bound and once you get over the odd use of a lighter typeface for practitioner contributions designed. It is a hefty tome at over 500 pages but beautifully bound and once you get over the odd use of a lighter typeface for practitioner contributions designed.
Her tiny cottage, nestled amidst towering trees and gnarled branches, is adorned with dried herbs, bones, and crystals, which she uses for various spells and rituals. The forest itself seems to breathe alongside the witch. Ancient trees whisper ancient tales, and the animals approach her with a sense of reverence and trust.
English Magic by Uschi Gatward review – exquisitely eerie withholding
U schi Gatward won the 2015 Wasafiri new writing prize for “My Brother Is Back”. It is an unsettling short story about a young man’s release from imprisonment into the captivity of state surveillance and his own paranoia, so cleanly told as to feel uncanny. Many of the people in her debut collection, English Magic, seem to be trapped. Some of the animals, too.
In “The Bird”, a couple return from their honeymoon to “the sound of scuffling” inside their dirty Brighton flat. The husband notices it first. When he tries to wake his new wife, “she feels like digging her nails into his arm, giving him a Chinese burn”. Later, to her precise instructions, they unwrap wedding presents. She pays all the gifts of cash into her account. The tapping grows louder. “It sounds like a hammer.” When, eventually, he sets the bird free, he regrets not leaving it to die. He has begun to think of it as a sacrifice, “Our payment for having such a nice honeymoon.” You suspect the worst: if the bird doesn’t pay, who will? But Gatward doesn’t do conclusion. She hints, even teases. But she also withholds.
“The Clinic” opens with a baby being tested for some sort of abnormality. Early on, you sense the parents are hiding something, confirmed when the narrator puts the child to bed “to sleep off the cough syrup”. When she wonders how they might stop it from talking so fluently, you question what kind of creature it is – and why are they running away so secretly to live in the woods? References are made to “the next district” and “next month’s tokens”, and to a time “before the pollution got too bad” when you could still smoke. The narrator reads up on vital foraging knowledge and looks forward to the day she can pass it on to her child, “if we last that long”. As the predicament of the tight little family unfolds, this concise dystopia becomes gradually more terrifying. Gatward’s restrained depiction of a totalitarian state in a pre-apocalyptic world is utterly convincing – like a 10-page companion to Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.
Bite-sized: 50 great short stories, chosen by Hilary Mantel, George Saunders and more Read moreShe has referred to some of her work as “documentary fiction” and “protest fiction”. The US whistleblower Edward Snowden provides the seed for the fragmentary and entertaining “Oh Whistle And”. “Lammas”, which unfolds in fragments, sometimes just a lone sentence, traces radical protest in east London from the 1890s to the 1930s. Talha Ahsan, who was arrested at his home in Britain in 2006 and held without trial until he was extradited to the US, inspired “My Brother Is Back”. You will recognise the angle of her politics, but Gatward leads your mind in subtler directions with clear, understated sentences: “Now that the lamp is on, the darkness seems to fall faster around it, this pool of yellow light the only lit space in the world.”
Yet what is most striking about this collection is what is left unsaid. When a couple drive to the countryside and get sucked into a festival with a maypole and hobbyhorses, the woman panics at the sight of a dragonfly confused above a fire: “It will die here, she thinks. Like a trapped bird battering itself out in a room.” When two friends take a trip to Margate and can’t locate “the shell house”, one of them begins digging frantically into her memory. She’s in tears: “It’s all a blank.” Reading English Magic, you catch yourself searching for clues, but this exquisite debut invites us to trust our imaginations. Like the narrator of the final story, “Backgammon”, Gatward often seems to have decided to “let that hang in the air”.
English Magic is published by Galley Beggar (£9.99). To support the Guardian and the Observer buy a copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
It’s funny that I went to America and ended up buying a book about England, but it is what it is. I am always fascinated by myths and legends and thought that this book was going to be a history of how magic was treated throughout English history, and I was sort of right.
Birds sing melodies that only she can decipher, and the wind carries her secrets across the land. She is a protector of the forest, ensuring the delicate balance between its inhabitants and their surroundings. Stories of the witch's powers have spread far and wide, and those in need often seek her guidance. Villagers plagued by illness, worried parents seeking to protect their children, and lost souls searching for direction have all made their way to her doorstep. The witch listens intently, her gentle voice offering comfort and wisdom. With her touch, wounds heal quicker, ailments vanish, and despair transforms into hope. But the witch's powers are not to be taken lightly. She possesses a dark side, a force capable of wreaking havoc on those who provoke her. Tales of vengeance and curses surround her name, warning against underestimating her wrath. The forest itself comes alive at her command, vines tangling around trespassers, and shadows lurking in the corners. Yet, those who approach the witch with respect and sincerity are met with kindness and guidance. She has a deep understanding of the complexities of human nature and the duality of good and evil. Her empathy allows her to see beyond the surface, determining the true intentions of those who seek her counsel. As night falls in the forest, the witch becomes one with the darkness, her powers growing stronger under the moon's gaze. She communes with spirits long gone, seeking knowledge from the other realm. It is during these moments that her magic is at its peak, and she harnesses it to protect the forest and its inhabitants from unseen dangers. The witch in the forest remains an enigma, a figure of both fear and reverence. She stands as a guardian of nature, a healer of souls, and a teacher of ancient wisdom. She reminds us of the power and beauty that reside in the natural world and the importance of respecting its delicate balance. To those who believe, the witch in the forest is a symbol of hope and the intertwining relationship between magic and humanity..
Reviews for "The Witch's Sabbath: Revelries in the Heart of the Forest"
1. John - 1 star
I found "Witch in the Forest" to be extremely disappointing. The storyline was confusing and poorly developed. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth. The writing style was also hard to follow, filled with unnecessary descriptions and repetitive phrases. Overall, I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. Emily - 2 stars
While "Witch in the Forest" had an interesting concept, the execution fell flat. The pacing was incredibly slow, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard to connect with any of the characters. The ending was also unsatisfying and left many loose ends. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and feel that it didn't live up to its potential.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I was excited to read "Witch in the Forest" based on the intriguing synopsis, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The writing style was overly descriptive and verbose, making it hard to stay interested in the story. The characters were also poorly developed, and I found it hard to empathize or connect with any of them. Additionally, the plot lacked depth and felt predictable. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and would not recommend this book.
4. David - 3 stars
"Witch in the Forest" had an interesting premise, but it lacked proper execution. The world-building was confusing and inconsistent, leaving me with more questions than answers. While the main character was somewhat relatable, the supporting characters felt flat and underdeveloped. The pacing was also quite slow, making it hard to stay engaged throughout the entire book. While I appreciate the effort put into creating this story, I can't say it was enjoyable for me.