Thank you, NetGalley, Simon Webb, and Pen & Sword Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. It releases, today, January 30th, 2022.

I was so excited to dive into this non-fiction book, The Origins of Wizards, Witches, and Fairies by Simon Webb. I studied history in college and I loved studying the structure of different cultures which usually revolved around religion and the belief system. So I took many classes on Fairytales, Folklore, and Mythology and it never felt like enough. It is something that I am still fascinated by all these years later after graduating. My focus was on European history and one of the things that always drew my attention was the Witch Hunts. So when I was given this book, I thought this book would dive into the societal behaviors that led to stereotypes and lore that we associate with wizards, witches, and fairies today. Unfortunately, this book does not go into that. It focuses on media and how wizards, witches, and fairies are presented in the media.

One example that is brought up a lot is Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. One would think I would be overjoyed, as Tolkien’s Legendarium is one of my favorites…but the author didn’t fully grasp Tolkien’s invented history. In fact, there were actually many spelling errors when referring to the Maiar and Numenor. Then there is a reference to Game of Thrones…the show. But before the show, there were books and I felt that his argument would have been better had he referred to A Song of Ice and Fire, rather than the TV show that it is based on.

I did like the mention of Boudica. But again, even the history was very surface level. I felt that the “origins” concept was actually never answered. The structure felt very unorganized and repetitive. There was way too much focus on stereotypical objects like cauldrons, wands, and wide-brimmed, pointed hats. Again, the book barely skimmed the surface and was not at all what I was anticipating. Great cover, though! Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.