Book Review: The Horned God of the Witches by Jason Mankey

  • Source: I received an advance copy of this book on NetGalley

  • My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (see my review on Goodreads)

I found this book to be very well researched and extremely thorough! Everything you ever wanted to know about Horned Gods (or horned gods), their relationship to witches in particular, and their appearances through human history can be found in this book. I especially enjoyed the historical chapters, particularly about Pan and Cernunnos, but I also enjoyed learning about how Krampus and Baphomet (two of my personal favorites) are tangentially related to the Horned God lore. I really appreciated Mankey's inclusion of personal anecdotes throughout this book, because it really drove home his depth of familiarity and personal connection with these gods. Learning about the ways Pan, Cernunnos, and other horned gods have manifested in his life was really fascinating and heartening.

Mankey also includes a wealth of rituals throughout the chapters, to help you get a deeper understanding, appreciation, and connection with a particular Horned God. A rich, well-written book. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in Horned Gods. I rated it four stars mostly due to my own personal preference -- despite the interesting content, it felt a bit lengthy to me, and I had a hard time finishing it. I think it just comes down to me enjoying some parts more than others, because of my own personal topics on interest.

book reviewKelleywitchcraft, nonfiction