A review by meganreadingxx
The Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans by Denise Alvarado
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.