Witchcraft, a Graphic History: Stories of Wise Women, Healers and Magic
Lindsay Squire (text) and Lisa Salsi (illustrations)
Leaping Hare Press, Quarto Publishing PLC, 2024.
128 p. ISBN 9780711295254. € 23.99 £ 14.99 (e-book ISBN 9780711295261).
Looking for a specific title in the ‘fantasy’ section of the local bookshop, next to the ‘young adult’ section, I happened to find this book on Witchcraft. I liked the cover picture but somehow missed the word ‘graphic’ in the title. In stead of a text book, with stories, this turned out to be mainly a ‘comic book’. Not in the sense of ‘comic / comical’, but a graphic novel. That was a surprise, but still the content looked very interesting.
The word ‘stories’, plural, seems out of place, since the book mainly tells the history of Biddy Early. She was a traditional Irish witch, wise woman, herbalist et cetera in the nineteenth century in Ireland. She was accused of witchcraft and brought to trial, but was released, due to insufficient evidence. She kept practising until her death in 1874 (she was born in 1798).
Lindsay Squire first tells the history of Biddy Early and how it inspired her. The story of Biddy’s life is a little dramatized, but it is in essence true. The only fictional part is the introduction of an apprentice, based on a younger version of Lindsay Squire herself. She asks questions so that Biddy can explain it not only to the pupil, but also to the reader. Inserted are also extra pages in between and at the end of each chapter, adding what probably counts as the other stories. On these pages you’ll find types of witches; an brief explanation of modern day witchcraft and magic throughout history; famous figures in the history of witchcraft; myhical creatures; herbs and potions; magical techniques and tools; the history and background of the witch hunts; et cetera. Also illustrated, but in a style that differs from the ‘comic’ (with panels and speech balloons) that is the main story.
I’ve been wondering who the targeted audience is for this graphic history. Probably people much younger than I, and the sweet depiction of the characters, plus the introduction of the apprentice, suggest young women, or maybe even girls in the age of the pupil. The clue is clearly written on the back cover of the book: “With expert insights from iconic Instagram witch ‘The Witch of the Forest’…” (Lindsay). So Lindsay Squire is famous on / from Instagram, a platform for photo and video sharing – so visual content, which explains the graphic form – and Tumblr. And her bestselling books may be the source followers of her get their knowledge of witchcraft and magick from. Well, as such it is certainly not a bad book. Maybe not 100% correct on all accounts, but which book ever is? It does explain how witch hunts can develop, and how hearsay can grow into a story over which you do not have control anymore. And how, in this case, the story ends well.
I would hope that the Instagram audience finds their way to Wiccan sources, if that is the path that suits them best, in the same way I found this book: browsing for something else. It would be a shame when separate worlds exist next to each other, and ‘never the twain shall meet’. Or maybe I’m just an old dinosaur, and other Wiccans do use Instagram, and I need not worry.
