ghostduchess's review against another edition
3.0
I would have rated this much higher, but the last section was about how to conjure. This is fine if that's your goal, but I wanted more information about Marie herself.
praisethee's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I learnt so much from this book and I am so grateful for it. Understanding the history, myths and truths of this incredible historical figure was enlightening. Although the final section for venerating her is not something I wish to do. I think the knowledge was vital for making me understand the practices in order to appreciate it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Religious bigotry, and Racism
Minor: Racial slurs
mvatza57's review against another edition
More about ritual than history. Not really for me.
bookbeetle's review
This book offers readers a captivating introduction to the life and experiences of the renowned Marie Laveau. As a reader, I was deeply intrigued by the first section of the book, which delves into Marie Laveau's intriguing journey. However, my overall satisfaction was somewhat diminished due to the brevity of this section and the lack of comprehensive answers to the questions it raised.
Section One: A Fragmented Glimpse: The initial section of the book provides a tantalizing glimpse into Marie Laveau's life. It paints a vivid portrait of her experiences and introduces readers to her fascinating existence. Yet, it felt disappointingly short, leaving me eager for more details and a deeper exploration of Marie Laveau's upbringing and her journey into spiritual practices.
Unanswered Questions: I found myself yearning to understand how Marie Laveau acquired her vast knowledge, particularly in the context of her familial heritage. Did she inherit her skills from her ancestors? Were there specific trade secrets passed down through generations? Unfortunately, the book did not address these questions satisfactorily, leaving a void in my understanding of her magical upbringing.
Section Two and Three: A Shift in Focus: My disappointment with the book grew as I delved into the second and third sections, as they veered away from Marie Laveau's personal story and instead delved into broader voodoo practices and the life of a Marie Laveau devotee. While these sections may be valuable to a particular audience seeking an introduction to voodoo and guidance on connecting with the spirit of Marie Laveau, they lacked the depth and personal touch that initially captivated me. And it seems to me that the title is misleading in how it did not alert to the how-to nature of this book.
Lack of Cohesion: Regrettably, I found a lack of cohesion between the first section, which introduced Marie Laveau's life, and the subsequent parts of the book. There was a noticeable disconnect in terms of tone, focus, and intended audience. As a reader who was primarily drawn to the biographical aspect of the book, this divergence proved disappointing.
Conclusion: this book had the potential to be an exceptional biographical account of Marie Laveau's fascinating life. While the first section provides a tantalizing glimpse into her experiences, it falls short in terms of length and depth. Additionally, the subsequent sections cater to a different audience, exploring voodoo practices and devotion to Marie Laveau, but lack the same personal touch. Overall, I was left with lingering questions and a sense of dissatisfaction. Despite these flaws, the book serves as a decent introduction to voodoo practice for those seeking such information.
meganreadingxx's review against another edition
5.0
I am a prime example of “white girl vacations in New Orleans and becomes fascinated by everything she sees,” which is partly why I was so glad to find this book.
As an outsider, it’s important to learn all you can without subconsciously (and prematurely) equating yourself to the ‘insider.’ I had no prior knowledge on Madame Marie Laveau and I cannot imagine anything else being as clear and helpful as this book was. Alvarado’s emphasis on the need for own-voices is spot on. I don’t believe I would learn the same from someone trying to navigate from my starting point, compared to someone who has lived their whole life in the center of it all. I thought this was a great introduction into Voodoo, and I’m very excited to go from here - beginning with Alvarado’s other works.
This book provides a rich history of Marie Laveau, Louisiana and New Orleans, and Voodoo. About halfway through, Alvarado begins instructing the reader on how to build a relationship with Marie Laveau and become a devotee - properly. There are descriptions of all major points in the worship, the components and ingredients needed, and the meanings of all things involved. I very much enjoyed this.
As an outsider, it’s important to learn all you can without subconsciously (and prematurely) equating yourself to the ‘insider.’ I had no prior knowledge on Madame Marie Laveau and I cannot imagine anything else being as clear and helpful as this book was. Alvarado’s emphasis on the need for own-voices is spot on. I don’t believe I would learn the same from someone trying to navigate from my starting point, compared to someone who has lived their whole life in the center of it all. I thought this was a great introduction into Voodoo, and I’m very excited to go from here - beginning with Alvarado’s other works.
This book provides a rich history of Marie Laveau, Louisiana and New Orleans, and Voodoo. About halfway through, Alvarado begins instructing the reader on how to build a relationship with Marie Laveau and become a devotee - properly. There are descriptions of all major points in the worship, the components and ingredients needed, and the meanings of all things involved. I very much enjoyed this.
tuesdaydg's review
informative
2.0
I picked up this novel out of pure curiosity. I have never been to New Orleans, nor was I familiar with Marie Laveau as a voodooist and cultural icon. The first half of the book is a historical account of Laveau’s life, struggles, and rise to power, all of which I found very interesting. I love how the author references historical interviews as well as scholarly sources to report a thorough account of how Laveau was (and continues to be) seen and described by others. However, following this historical background, the remainder of the book contains instructions for becoming a devotee and following various voodoo practices. While I also found this interesting, I feel as though it was directed for a wholly different audience than the first half of the book.
nfekete's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a little torn about what to rate this book.
First, a note about what it is. It begins as a (fascinating) history of what we know (and, in many cases, don't know) about Marie Laveau. The rest of the book is a kind of how-to on becoming what the author calls a "Laveau devotee."
I wish the author had divided this into two works. I'm fascinated by the Laveau biographical information and in the history of New Orleans her life reveals. I'm also interested in better understanding voodoo and other conjure. However, the back half of this book really dragged for me. Too many lists of spells, workings, etc.
I'm torn about the rating because if you are the (very) specific audience for this book - I'm sure it's great for you. For me, it wasn't really what I wanted.
That said, I do want to comment on the book's conclusion, which was a moving, beautiful discussion of why indigenous stories are important, why it's so vital they are told in their own voices, and why all of us should consider writing our own stories and traditions. Alvarado's description of that and of Laveau's significance alone were worth the price of admission.
**I should also note that I read this as an audiobook, which I do not think is a great format for this book.
First, a note about what it is. It begins as a (fascinating) history of what we know (and, in many cases, don't know) about Marie Laveau. The rest of the book is a kind of how-to on becoming what the author calls a "Laveau devotee."
I wish the author had divided this into two works. I'm fascinated by the Laveau biographical information and in the history of New Orleans her life reveals. I'm also interested in better understanding voodoo and other conjure. However, the back half of this book really dragged for me. Too many lists of spells, workings, etc.
I'm torn about the rating because if you are the (very) specific audience for this book - I'm sure it's great for you. For me, it wasn't really what I wanted.
That said, I do want to comment on the book's conclusion, which was a moving, beautiful discussion of why indigenous stories are important, why it's so vital they are told in their own voices, and why all of us should consider writing our own stories and traditions. Alvarado's description of that and of Laveau's significance alone were worth the price of admission.
**I should also note that I read this as an audiobook, which I do not think is a great format for this book.