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Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural
Spiritualism in the Age of Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe A woman wearing a black veil convenes a séance. A magician puts a volunteer into a trance. A fortune-teller leans over a crystal ball. Everyone knows what Victorian mysticism looks like because our modern imagery, language, and practice of magic borrows heavily from the Victorians. But we have little understanding of its spiritual, cultural, and historical foundations. What made the Victorians turn to mediumship, hypnotism, and fortune-telling? What were they afraid of? What were they seeking? This book explores the history of automatic writing, cartomancy, clairvoyance, and more. It reveals how Victorian belief in ghosts, fairies, and nature spirits shaped our celebrations of Halloween and Christmas. With historic examples and hands-on exercises, you will discover how spiritualism in the time of Jack the Ripper, Jane Eyre , "A Christmas Carol," and Dracula left such a profound impact on both the past and present.
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Published September 8, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 2, 2023
I had really high hopes for this book... I love nonfiction books about the history of different cultural practices, holidays, etc. Unfortunately, this book just really missed the mark for me. I found it to be a little all over the place and the sections that addressed the history of any of the practices read more like a college essay. There were also a few sections that felt kind of random and unrelated to the topic of the book (mainly in the past few chapters). It was also a little frustrating that in the topics that I found very interesting and relevant to the topic of the book, the author mentioned that there wasn't enough time in the book to go into the topic except for a general, surface level explanation. I would have much preferred a deeper historical dive into a few topics than a general (and very short) historical background on many topics. After each section, there is also a "Try it yourself" (how-to) section about each topic, and I found that these felt about as long as the nonfiction part of the book. I wasn't really interested in that aspect of this, so that also added to my experience of this book. While that aspect was mentioned in the description, I did not realize it would be such a large chunk of the book.
I think readers who are interested in trying out some of these practices on their own might really enjoy this book. For me though (as someone who was seeking out more of a nonfiction-history like book) this one wasn't for me.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think readers who are interested in trying out some of these practices on their own might really enjoy this book. For me though (as someone who was seeking out more of a nonfiction-history like book) this one wasn't for me.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2023
Thank you to netgalley for the arc!
Spirits, Seers and Séances is a great beginner book on Victorian spiritualism! I’ve been fascinated by Victorian spiritualism since a child, and this book had so many fun tidbits! I also liked how each chapter ended with activities to do. The book also addresses important topics such as the racism that was heavily present in the Victorian age and spiritual circles. Overall a well researched book and an engaging read! 4/5 stars.
Spirits, Seers and Séances is a great beginner book on Victorian spiritualism! I’ve been fascinated by Victorian spiritualism since a child, and this book had so many fun tidbits! I also liked how each chapter ended with activities to do. The book also addresses important topics such as the racism that was heavily present in the Victorian age and spiritual circles. Overall a well researched book and an engaging read! 4/5 stars.
September 21, 2023
It's a fascinating and intriguing historical book about Victorian mysticism and it's different aspects: spiritualism, fairies, etc
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 30, 2023
This book was a wonderful look at Victorian spiritualism, magic, and the supernatural. Douris explores the history of spiritualism, séances, automatic writing, cartomancy, spirit photography, and many other things. Douris also provides information on the history of supernaturals, superstitions, magic, and Halloween and Christmas celebrations. Not only is this book filled with a wonderful look at history, it also provides hands-on exercises to try your hand at Victorian spiritualism.
This book was a wonderful introduction to Victorian spiritualism and the many facets that it entailed. I really loved that this provides brief histories of all the different aspects because this was all new to me and gave me a well rounded look at what Victorian spiritualism entailed. The hands-on activities were a wonderful bonus that were easy to follow and mostly historically accurate. Douris also was very up front in confronting the racism of the Victorian era which I think is extremely important in this current age to discuss.
Overall, this was an absolutely fascinating and informative look at Victorian spiritualism. I learned so much from this book and will do more research on this topic in the future with the helpful recommended reading list. If you are a fan of ghost stories, séances, and spiritualism I highly recommend this book, especially if you want to learn some hands-on techniques.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This book was a wonderful introduction to Victorian spiritualism and the many facets that it entailed. I really loved that this provides brief histories of all the different aspects because this was all new to me and gave me a well rounded look at what Victorian spiritualism entailed. The hands-on activities were a wonderful bonus that were easy to follow and mostly historically accurate. Douris also was very up front in confronting the racism of the Victorian era which I think is extremely important in this current age to discuss.
Overall, this was an absolutely fascinating and informative look at Victorian spiritualism. I learned so much from this book and will do more research on this topic in the future with the helpful recommended reading list. If you are a fan of ghost stories, séances, and spiritualism I highly recommend this book, especially if you want to learn some hands-on techniques.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
August 22, 2023
Dark academia - witchy aesthetics‘s – autumn lovers – cottage core revelers… This is a book you will not want to miss!
Steele Alexandra Douris does an incredible job of introducing detailed, deeply complex issues in very approachable and concise ways. How she managed to explore and explain so many new wants to topics so thoroughly in only 200 pages is a marvel to me. This is a great book, whether you have any knowledge of the Victorian or not. If you think you have knowledge of the Victorians, I guarantee you’ll learn something new. And if you are only in it for the aesthetic so far but you want to dive deeper, this is the book for you.
I was also impressed with how many practical exercises she was able to resurrect (the grave-robbing pun is intentional — I think the spiritualists would agree it’s appropriate!) I have more bookmarks for this book than I have for any I’ve read recently, it will be a joy to revisit. I also found some amazing resources in this book for further reading, that I know will inspire other readers as well.
I particular really loved the inclusion of a full table of Floriography (the language of flowers) as well as how to read with an actual deck of cards, the precursor to most tarot decks, but also so unique in its application, I can’t wait to try it. There were so many great exercises that I think will appeal to the fun-loving folks, as well as more serious witches who will see new ways to put these things into their existing magical practice.
For the witches and pagans out there, it’s important to read books like this to remember where our roots lie, who fought the early battles for recognition and for our paths to be taken seriously. Even though many of our beliefs today will be quite different from the Spiritualists of the Victorian era, there is so much red tape they cut through for us to be able to build on those foundations, and it is worth looking into our roots always on this path of the Old Ways.
On a personal note — this is the book I wish I had as an ardent Victorian-loving child! If I ever have children I will be so happy to read this with them; and tell ghost stories at Yuletide, of course.
Steele Alexandra Douris does an incredible job of introducing detailed, deeply complex issues in very approachable and concise ways. How she managed to explore and explain so many new wants to topics so thoroughly in only 200 pages is a marvel to me. This is a great book, whether you have any knowledge of the Victorian or not. If you think you have knowledge of the Victorians, I guarantee you’ll learn something new. And if you are only in it for the aesthetic so far but you want to dive deeper, this is the book for you.
I was also impressed with how many practical exercises she was able to resurrect (the grave-robbing pun is intentional — I think the spiritualists would agree it’s appropriate!) I have more bookmarks for this book than I have for any I’ve read recently, it will be a joy to revisit. I also found some amazing resources in this book for further reading, that I know will inspire other readers as well.
I particular really loved the inclusion of a full table of Floriography (the language of flowers) as well as how to read with an actual deck of cards, the precursor to most tarot decks, but also so unique in its application, I can’t wait to try it. There were so many great exercises that I think will appeal to the fun-loving folks, as well as more serious witches who will see new ways to put these things into their existing magical practice.
For the witches and pagans out there, it’s important to read books like this to remember where our roots lie, who fought the early battles for recognition and for our paths to be taken seriously. Even though many of our beliefs today will be quite different from the Spiritualists of the Victorian era, there is so much red tape they cut through for us to be able to build on those foundations, and it is worth looking into our roots always on this path of the Old Ways.
On a personal note — this is the book I wish I had as an ardent Victorian-loving child! If I ever have children I will be so happy to read this with them; and tell ghost stories at Yuletide, of course.
October 30, 2023
SPIRITS, SEERS & SEANCES by Steele Alexandra Douris offers a glimpse of what life was like during the Victorian era in the US and Europe. The book covers all manor of magicks popular at the time. It has excellent instructions and historical insight. The author walks you through each method so you can put it into practice yourself. I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be an interesting and fun book to read, and I highly recommend it!
October 28, 2023
An introductory book about the history of spiritualism and other related topics in victorian times!
I always like the victorian period, because of the large changes in society during that time; traditional/literal forms of christianity were challenged, many people moved from the land into cities, and scientific ideas became more mainstream — at the same time, tradition and superstition were still the norm.
The book describes how during that time, and through these shifts in societies thoughts, spiritualism was born.
Especially the chapters about the history, practices and believes of spiritualists were very interesting, which describe where many of todays ideas about everything from ghosts to tarot cards come from, how they evolved over time, and why that particular society was so perceptive of it.
I also really enjoyed the writing stile, the stories and newspaper articles in the book, and the „try it yourself“ sections at the end of each chapter, providing further information about how practices like a séance and automatic writing were done.
The main thing to criticize is what is missing because of the shortness of the book:
Many chapters could have been easily expanded with many photographies and pictures (especially the ones about alleged ghost and fairy photos, and the later ones about paintings and other art forms), as well as many further stories, examples and more details could have been added without that the text would have become any less interesting!
I always like the victorian period, because of the large changes in society during that time; traditional/literal forms of christianity were challenged, many people moved from the land into cities, and scientific ideas became more mainstream — at the same time, tradition and superstition were still the norm.
The book describes how during that time, and through these shifts in societies thoughts, spiritualism was born.
Especially the chapters about the history, practices and believes of spiritualists were very interesting, which describe where many of todays ideas about everything from ghosts to tarot cards come from, how they evolved over time, and why that particular society was so perceptive of it.
I also really enjoyed the writing stile, the stories and newspaper articles in the book, and the „try it yourself“ sections at the end of each chapter, providing further information about how practices like a séance and automatic writing were done.
The main thing to criticize is what is missing because of the shortness of the book:
Many chapters could have been easily expanded with many photographies and pictures (especially the ones about alleged ghost and fairy photos, and the later ones about paintings and other art forms), as well as many further stories, examples and more details could have been added without that the text would have become any less interesting!
September 22, 2023
When I started reading this book, I could visualize everything. The dark, broken up by a candelabra, with the medium in her Victorian dress. A seance has begun. This book gives history on many facets of spiritualism of the day.
Everything from automatic writing to hypnotism, tarot cards, fairies and so much more. The author gives exercises so you can try many of these. There's also a glossary of terms that I found helpful. I received a copy of this book for a honest review.
I, also bought a copy for my friend.
Everything from automatic writing to hypnotism, tarot cards, fairies and so much more. The author gives exercises so you can try many of these. There's also a glossary of terms that I found helpful. I received a copy of this book for a honest review.
I, also bought a copy for my friend.
April 28, 2025
I picked up this book as part of my research for a novel I’m writing, and it was a great overview of the historical, cultural, and philosophical aspects of spiritualism.
July 13, 2023
As someone who is always Interested in the strange and mysterious, I knew I wanted to give this essay a go. I really enjoyed it and finished it within basically a night. It defintly goes into detail of spiritualism and that to me was interesting. Defintaly alot of references too. Read while listening to spooky music helped too.
Thank you for the arc Netgalley
Thank you for the arc Netgalley
September 9, 2023
Book Review: Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural by Steele Alexandra Douris
Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural by Steele Alexandra Douris delves into the fascinating world of Victorian mysticism and its profound impact on both the past and present. Through a captivating exploration of spiritualism, the book sheds light on the historical foundations, cultural influences, and fears that drove the Victorians to turn to practices such as mediumship, hypnotism, and fortune-telling.
The author begins by immersing readers in the imagery and practices of Victorian mysticism. From a woman wearing a black veil convening a séance to a magician inducing a trance in a volunteer, the book vividly portrays the enchanting nature of these occult rituals. However, Douris goes beyond the surface to uncover the deeper motivations and desires that led the Victorians to seek solace, answers, and connections through these practices.
One of the strengths of this book lies in its exploration of various forms of Victorian mysticism. Douris meticulously covers topics such as automatic writing, cartomancy, clairvoyance, and more. By providing historic examples and engaging hands-on exercises, the author invites readers to immerse themselves in these practices and gain a deeper understanding of their significance in Victorian society.
Additionally, Spirits, Seers & Séances uncovers how Victorian belief in ghosts, fairies, and nature spirits shaped popular celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas. Douris skillfully traces the origins of these festivities back to their spiritual roots, revealing how they were deeply intertwined with the era’s fascination with the supernatural. This exploration adds another layer of richness to the book, connecting Victorian mysticism to our modern-day celebrations.
The inclusion of literary figures such as Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe further adds to the allure of this book. By examining how these iconic characters were influenced by Victorian spiritualism, Douris provides a unique perspective that will captivate both fans of occult literature and history enthusiasts alike.
While the book excels in its content and exploration of Victorian spiritualism, it does have a minor flaw. The black and white illustrations present in the copy reviewed (an ARC) might have been more impactful if they were rendered in color. However, this does not detract from the overall quality of the book.
In conclusion, Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural is an enthralling read for anyone interested in history and spiritualism. With its excellent cover design and intriguing subject matter, this book will undoubtedly appeal to those intrigued by all things occult. Douris expertly weaves together historical facts, cultural influences, and literary references to create an informative and engaging narrative. I highly recommend this book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural by Steele Alexandra Douris delves into the fascinating world of Victorian mysticism and its profound impact on both the past and present. Through a captivating exploration of spiritualism, the book sheds light on the historical foundations, cultural influences, and fears that drove the Victorians to turn to practices such as mediumship, hypnotism, and fortune-telling.
The author begins by immersing readers in the imagery and practices of Victorian mysticism. From a woman wearing a black veil convening a séance to a magician inducing a trance in a volunteer, the book vividly portrays the enchanting nature of these occult rituals. However, Douris goes beyond the surface to uncover the deeper motivations and desires that led the Victorians to seek solace, answers, and connections through these practices.
One of the strengths of this book lies in its exploration of various forms of Victorian mysticism. Douris meticulously covers topics such as automatic writing, cartomancy, clairvoyance, and more. By providing historic examples and engaging hands-on exercises, the author invites readers to immerse themselves in these practices and gain a deeper understanding of their significance in Victorian society.
Additionally, Spirits, Seers & Séances uncovers how Victorian belief in ghosts, fairies, and nature spirits shaped popular celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas. Douris skillfully traces the origins of these festivities back to their spiritual roots, revealing how they were deeply intertwined with the era’s fascination with the supernatural. This exploration adds another layer of richness to the book, connecting Victorian mysticism to our modern-day celebrations.
The inclusion of literary figures such as Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe further adds to the allure of this book. By examining how these iconic characters were influenced by Victorian spiritualism, Douris provides a unique perspective that will captivate both fans of occult literature and history enthusiasts alike.
While the book excels in its content and exploration of Victorian spiritualism, it does have a minor flaw. The black and white illustrations present in the copy reviewed (an ARC) might have been more impactful if they were rendered in color. However, this does not detract from the overall quality of the book.
In conclusion, Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural is an enthralling read for anyone interested in history and spiritualism. With its excellent cover design and intriguing subject matter, this book will undoubtedly appeal to those intrigued by all things occult. Douris expertly weaves together historical facts, cultural influences, and literary references to create an informative and engaging narrative. I highly recommend this book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
**ARC Via NetGalley**
September 1, 2023
I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was looking forward to exploring the history of Victorian spiritualism but I feel like I got an incomplete story. From the introduction, the author wants to bring up the nitty gritty and highlight the racism, sexism, and other elements that would put a tarnish to the idea of spiritualists and mediums. But the author's internal bias of their own beliefs of a spiritual world has already made up their mind whether or not Victorian spiritualism is real rather than bringing up the discussion for the reader to decide. The book only briefly mentions when mediums are revealed as frauds and only then they are made out to be victims and for a book with a plethora of resources, there aren't any resources to back up their claims, such as the Fox sisters being bribed to say that they faked their seances and their communications with the dead. There is a paragraph towards investigating the legitimacy of seances and it is to point out the flaws of the investigating society and thus negating any legitimacy they could claim. It almost makes me feel that if I don't believe in these mediums, I am buying into the sexism and not supporting working women who are helping people in the grieving process communicate with their dead ones. But each one of the techniques outlined and used in this book has been repeatedly disproven, both by the charlatan mediums and by investigators. Most notable, Harry Houdini issued a challenge to any and all spiritualists that they would earn a cash prize if they were able to get in touch with his dead mother. Many, many tried, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's wife, who tried to reach out to Houdini's mother using spirit writing. They ALL failed. They all gave different answers, shared different details, and even got facts about Harry wrong. Most importantly, his mother never spoke English so how could she communicate with these women who didn't know Hungarian or Yiddish?
This is a fun book to read around Halloween with ghost stories and the idea of seances but to market this book as a work of historical research is inaccurate given the incomplete data, the obvious personal bias, and cherry-picking details to better fit the overall narrative that seances and the people who communicate with the spirits in them are really when overwhelmingly, they are not and in fact took advantage of people during their grieving times.
I was looking forward to exploring the history of Victorian spiritualism but I feel like I got an incomplete story. From the introduction, the author wants to bring up the nitty gritty and highlight the racism, sexism, and other elements that would put a tarnish to the idea of spiritualists and mediums. But the author's internal bias of their own beliefs of a spiritual world has already made up their mind whether or not Victorian spiritualism is real rather than bringing up the discussion for the reader to decide. The book only briefly mentions when mediums are revealed as frauds and only then they are made out to be victims and for a book with a plethora of resources, there aren't any resources to back up their claims, such as the Fox sisters being bribed to say that they faked their seances and their communications with the dead. There is a paragraph towards investigating the legitimacy of seances and it is to point out the flaws of the investigating society and thus negating any legitimacy they could claim. It almost makes me feel that if I don't believe in these mediums, I am buying into the sexism and not supporting working women who are helping people in the grieving process communicate with their dead ones. But each one of the techniques outlined and used in this book has been repeatedly disproven, both by the charlatan mediums and by investigators. Most notable, Harry Houdini issued a challenge to any and all spiritualists that they would earn a cash prize if they were able to get in touch with his dead mother. Many, many tried, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's wife, who tried to reach out to Houdini's mother using spirit writing. They ALL failed. They all gave different answers, shared different details, and even got facts about Harry wrong. Most importantly, his mother never spoke English so how could she communicate with these women who didn't know Hungarian or Yiddish?
This is a fun book to read around Halloween with ghost stories and the idea of seances but to market this book as a work of historical research is inaccurate given the incomplete data, the obvious personal bias, and cherry-picking details to better fit the overall narrative that seances and the people who communicate with the spirits in them are really when overwhelmingly, they are not and in fact took advantage of people during their grieving times.
July 25, 2023
Spirits, Seers & Séances is an an introduction to Victorian mysticism. It explores the foundations of what made things like clairvoyance, automatic writing, spirits and faeries, and mediumship so appealing to the Victorians. It also includes further ways to explore the topics and hands-on exercises to try out.
This book was right up my alley, and while I’ve read books on these topics before, the style of the book felt modern and fresh and I could still learn a lot. It was interesting to read about the spiritualist community’s being slightly more egalitarian and giving women and people of color like Harriet E. Wilson, a Black American spiritualist and novelist, through her popularity as a medium a platform and larger audience to deliver more political lectures. And while I wish the book had gone into further detail with many of the people it talks about, I found the portions toward the end of each chapter detailing historical figures, places of interest and art aesthetics and novels a great jumping off point to dive deeper into the rabbit hole of the reader’s choosing.
The exercises in the book were also an interesting approach to get more into the mindset of the people living at the time and try out what was being talked about. I also really appreciated the inclusiveness in these exercises as not everyone can or would enjoy approaching them the same way.
Whether you’re a Halloween girlie like me who loves all things spooky and witchy or if you’re interested in history and the Victorian era this is an interesting, informative, and at times mysterious read. It’s perfect for when the nights start getting longer and there’s a chill in the air.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was right up my alley, and while I’ve read books on these topics before, the style of the book felt modern and fresh and I could still learn a lot. It was interesting to read about the spiritualist community’s being slightly more egalitarian and giving women and people of color like Harriet E. Wilson, a Black American spiritualist and novelist, through her popularity as a medium a platform and larger audience to deliver more political lectures. And while I wish the book had gone into further detail with many of the people it talks about, I found the portions toward the end of each chapter detailing historical figures, places of interest and art aesthetics and novels a great jumping off point to dive deeper into the rabbit hole of the reader’s choosing.
The exercises in the book were also an interesting approach to get more into the mindset of the people living at the time and try out what was being talked about. I also really appreciated the inclusiveness in these exercises as not everyone can or would enjoy approaching them the same way.
Whether you’re a Halloween girlie like me who loves all things spooky and witchy or if you’re interested in history and the Victorian era this is an interesting, informative, and at times mysterious read. It’s perfect for when the nights start getting longer and there’s a chill in the air.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2023
Spirits, Seers and Séances is a great introduction to the victorians and spiritualism. The book talks about a wide array of topics and introduces a lot of significant people of that time.
I enjoyed reading it quite a lot and liked how it gave an interesting view into the historic aspect of Victorian spiritualism as well as a closer look into the history of topics like séances, police investigations and gothic literature. It was very interesting to see how much inspiration movies, tv shows and books take from the victorians e.g. the use of spiritualists like mediums as aid in crime investigations.
One of the most interesting topics was the conversation about how Victorian women and people of color were not welcome in most spaces and how they found acceptance and community in spiritualism instead.
I think this is a great book for you if you enjoyed the background and setting of Leigh Bardugos Ninth House and want to learn more about the supernatural aspects of Victorian life and how it still has an influence in media and culture today.
The only thing this book could've done better is to incorporate pictures, especially in chapter 4 where it talks about ghost photography and famous photographs that you end up having to look up yourself.
Thanks to NetGalley and Llewellyn for this free arc in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading it quite a lot and liked how it gave an interesting view into the historic aspect of Victorian spiritualism as well as a closer look into the history of topics like séances, police investigations and gothic literature. It was very interesting to see how much inspiration movies, tv shows and books take from the victorians e.g. the use of spiritualists like mediums as aid in crime investigations.
One of the most interesting topics was the conversation about how Victorian women and people of color were not welcome in most spaces and how they found acceptance and community in spiritualism instead.
I think this is a great book for you if you enjoyed the background and setting of Leigh Bardugos Ninth House and want to learn more about the supernatural aspects of Victorian life and how it still has an influence in media and culture today.
The only thing this book could've done better is to incorporate pictures, especially in chapter 4 where it talks about ghost photography and famous photographs that you end up having to look up yourself.
Thanks to NetGalley and Llewellyn for this free arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2023
Alexandra Douris Steele, PhD candidate at Stanford University (founded by parents grieving the loss of their son and who both were known for attending seances), is an author, artist, and Victorianist who specializes in Victorian crime, Gothic fiction, and spiritualism.
Her book, “Spirits, Seers and Seances,” is extensively researched and documented with a lengthy bibliography. This overview publication gives a background on Spiritualism—typically linked to the overwhelming grief experienced by the populace following the excessive deaths in the US Civil War and from the 1912 Spanish Flu epidemic.
Steele expands her explorations into it’s various forms of esoterica such as channeling, hypnosis and mesmerism; automatic pen and Ouija board writing; fortune telling, card reading and crystal gazing, among many others.
Other fun and fascinating features covered in this Occult compendium are ghost stories and legends of fairies; magical realms depicted in Pre-Raphaelite Art; and spooky legends surrounding All Hallows Eve and Christmas.
For further fun, Steele offers suggestions on numerous activities to heighten one’s spiritual awareness journey.
JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks Author Alexandra Douris Steele, NetGalley, and Publisher Llewellyn Publications for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.
Her book, “Spirits, Seers and Seances,” is extensively researched and documented with a lengthy bibliography. This overview publication gives a background on Spiritualism—typically linked to the overwhelming grief experienced by the populace following the excessive deaths in the US Civil War and from the 1912 Spanish Flu epidemic.
Steele expands her explorations into it’s various forms of esoterica such as channeling, hypnosis and mesmerism; automatic pen and Ouija board writing; fortune telling, card reading and crystal gazing, among many others.
Other fun and fascinating features covered in this Occult compendium are ghost stories and legends of fairies; magical realms depicted in Pre-Raphaelite Art; and spooky legends surrounding All Hallows Eve and Christmas.
For further fun, Steele offers suggestions on numerous activities to heighten one’s spiritual awareness journey.
JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks Author Alexandra Douris Steele, NetGalley, and Publisher Llewellyn Publications for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.
October 17, 2025
A perfect read for anyone interested in Victorian spiritualism (and for October)! Despite her academic background, Douris' writing is vibrant and accessible. I also love that each chapter includes a "Try It Yourself" section, where Douris provides guidelines on how to create some of the Victorian spiritualism practices and traditions, from automatic writing to reading playing cards to sharing ghost stories on Christmas or the solstice.
Part I covers the main beliefs and practices of Victorian spiritualists, but I found the other parts fascinating as well. Douris also covers Victorians' views and impact on ghostlore, folklore, fortune telling, literature and art, and Halloween/Christmas celebrations.
I read the book via my local library, but I definitely want to get a copy of my own so that I can try some of the practices Douris shares. Not to mention saving all the books she referenced that I absolutely MUST read.
Part I covers the main beliefs and practices of Victorian spiritualists, but I found the other parts fascinating as well. Douris also covers Victorians' views and impact on ghostlore, folklore, fortune telling, literature and art, and Halloween/Christmas celebrations.
I read the book via my local library, but I definitely want to get a copy of my own so that I can try some of the practices Douris shares. Not to mention saving all the books she referenced that I absolutely MUST read.
August 6, 2023
Overall, I really enjoyed this read. If you are interested in dipping your toes into spiritualism and the supernatural - specifically Victorian, this is the book for you! A great beginners guide to set your research route.
I will say, the way some of the facts were presented was a bit misleading. In one section there was the concept of the end results having been murder (insert spooky music here) however, when I actually looked deeper into it (because I wanted to know), other sources said that there was no known history of what happened and the result was LIKELY murder. There was a similar presentation earlier in the book about another topic.
All that aside, this book is still very interesting and will make you want to dig deeper. I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for the e-arc!
I will say, the way some of the facts were presented was a bit misleading. In one section there was the concept of the end results having been murder (insert spooky music here) however, when I actually looked deeper into it (because I wanted to know), other sources said that there was no known history of what happened and the result was LIKELY murder. There was a similar presentation earlier in the book about another topic.
All that aside, this book is still very interesting and will make you want to dig deeper. I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for the e-arc!
August 28, 2023
Thank you to Llewellyn and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!!
This is the perfect starter book for anyone who is interested in the occult or the Victorian era.
Within its pages, you will find everything from séances, to the Whitechapel murders, to Christmas ghost stories, and everything in between. You will also find Try It Yourself sections at the end of each chapter that walk you through how to gaze into a crystal ball or perform a seance and communicate with the dead yourself. The entire concept is fascinating.
Personally, I loved Part 3, as well as the chapter on Halloween. I have a deep love for the dark and spooky, so this was right up my alley. Though I didn't know much about the Victorian era or their practices and obsession with the dead, this book gave me many references and subjects that I can look into in the future to expand my knowledge.
This is the perfect starter book for anyone who is interested in the occult or the Victorian era.
Within its pages, you will find everything from séances, to the Whitechapel murders, to Christmas ghost stories, and everything in between. You will also find Try It Yourself sections at the end of each chapter that walk you through how to gaze into a crystal ball or perform a seance and communicate with the dead yourself. The entire concept is fascinating.
Personally, I loved Part 3, as well as the chapter on Halloween. I have a deep love for the dark and spooky, so this was right up my alley. Though I didn't know much about the Victorian era or their practices and obsession with the dead, this book gave me many references and subjects that I can look into in the future to expand my knowledge.
December 11, 2023
Couldn't finish, as much as I had high hopes for this book. The author seems to have a very strong bias towards presenting Victorian spiritualism as truth, while much of those she presents as the figures of the time (The Fox Sisters, William Mumler), she seems to conveniently leave out details where these figures, during their lifetimes and since, have been debunked. A quick google search of these figures revealed as much, and I started to question and wonder how much I was reading was only half truth or heavily biased. As someone who is a Tarot reader and an active paranormal investigator, I believe there is a need to have clear delineation between myth, history, lore and truth. Otherwise, an entertaining, high level romp through this time in history.
December 24, 2024
I enjoyed this book. I learned quite a bit about the victorian era and their spiritualism. it's a book on the victorian era historical foundations, looking at the history of cartomancy, clairvoyance, seances, and other spiritualist techniques. It's a brief overview and gives you a starting place to explore more if a certain subject interests you. I do wish it was a bit more in-depth on certain things, but I did enjoy the research I did myself on the subjects that interested me. She gives excercises to try after each chapter, but their techniques were pretty basic, and I think we have better techniques these days. so there are not many of the exercises I tried. overall, it is an enjoyable wee read and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in victorian spiritualism.
August 7, 2023
4/5
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
This was a very interesting read about victorian spiritualism, the rituals they performed and the culture at the time. I liked how this delved into the context of the era and the effect this had on the people living there, how that lead to the belief of spiritualism. In the book, the author takes the readers through the different practices of the era, their origins and the advocates of it. You'll learn about séances, automatic writing, mesmerism, etc, plus the author has writen exercises at the end of every chapter so you can try some of these. I liked it but I would not recommend this to someone who doesn't believe in anything like this or who enjoys a more balanced kind of book.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
This was a very interesting read about victorian spiritualism, the rituals they performed and the culture at the time. I liked how this delved into the context of the era and the effect this had on the people living there, how that lead to the belief of spiritualism. In the book, the author takes the readers through the different practices of the era, their origins and the advocates of it. You'll learn about séances, automatic writing, mesmerism, etc, plus the author has writen exercises at the end of every chapter so you can try some of these. I liked it but I would not recommend this to someone who doesn't believe in anything like this or who enjoys a more balanced kind of book.
December 19, 2024
Spirits, Seers, Seances and Sorceresses OH MY! In Victorian times they loved all this. It was a good base introduction on all modalities, divination and history. Creative exercises were provided, which I really appreciate. It was a rough start for me, felt a little lost in the beginning but it got really good at chapter 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 -I was happy about ch10 Pathworking, visualization, putting yourself in it...which is what I do now when I meditate. Theres automatic writing (which I already knew), there is also spirit photography which felt a little freaky but interesting, for brave souls lol.
August 16, 2023
If you’ve read some of my reviews, you’ll know that I LOVE history. So this book on Victorian times was a sure thing to add to my reading list. And I adored every page of it. If you want to learn more about the hey day of the Victorian times, this is the book you want! Settle in with a cup of tea and be prepared to immerse yourself into Victorian times. Be prepared for the exercises, which makes this a real experience.
November 8, 2024
Carino per chi vuole appena approcciarsi all'argomento.
Per il numero di libri presenti nella bibliografia, mi aspettavo più approfondimenti e nozioni magari difficili da trovare da altre parti. Mi sento un po' delusa.
Ho messo due stelle, perché ad un certo punto mi sono sentita in dovere di terminare la lettura nella speranza di trovare qualcosa di succoso alla fine. Non è stato così. Peccato, perché l'ho iniziato con grandi speranze, ma è risultato un po' banale.
Per il numero di libri presenti nella bibliografia, mi aspettavo più approfondimenti e nozioni magari difficili da trovare da altre parti. Mi sento un po' delusa.
Ho messo due stelle, perché ad un certo punto mi sono sentita in dovere di terminare la lettura nella speranza di trovare qualcosa di succoso alla fine. Non è stato così. Peccato, perché l'ho iniziato con grandi speranze, ma è risultato un po' banale.
June 5, 2025
Good, but a bit all over
This book was fascinating. I loved the sections at the end of each chapter with suggestions for how to try things for yourself. The one thing I didn't like is that in every chapter it would mention something, but then tell you it will be further described later, or was described in more detail in a previous chapter. I found it a bit distracting, which is why I took a star.
This book was fascinating. I loved the sections at the end of each chapter with suggestions for how to try things for yourself. The one thing I didn't like is that in every chapter it would mention something, but then tell you it will be further described later, or was described in more detail in a previous chapter. I found it a bit distracting, which is why I took a star.
June 26, 2025
enjoyable and engaging for the most part. The first few chapters were highly interesting, but I lost interest a bit in the latter half of the book. I love the "do it yourself" bits at the end of each chapter. The author--like everyone today--cannot suppress the urge to bring up gender politics, racism, sexism, etc every five minutes when it's not really necessary. Everyone knows people had problematic ideas in the 1800s. This is not news. It needn't be harped upon.
August 24, 2023
Reading this book was like taking a whimsical trip back in time to experience Spiritualism firsthand during the Victorian Era. I had a blast reading this book. I also learned of new people involved in the movement. This was a great read! I voluntarily read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 18, 2023
Interesting book
Such an interesting book I really enjoyed learning about where a lot of things we associate with the craft came from and the people who did the work! I really enjoyed this definitely recommend if you enjoy learning about a different and more open attitude to death
Such an interesting book I really enjoyed learning about where a lot of things we associate with the craft came from and the people who did the work! I really enjoyed this definitely recommend if you enjoy learning about a different and more open attitude to death
October 20, 2023
Spirits, Seers & Seances by Steele Alexandra Douris is an exceptionally well researched non fiction read perfect for the Halloween season. This title will be an excellent introduction for those who are new to the topic but may not tread much new ground for long time spooky obsession readers.
February 25, 2025
This wasn't one of my favorites but I still liked it. I would also still recommend this book to my friends. It was just a little too slow for me and sometimes I didn't feel like picking it up to keep reading.
Thank you Netgalley and Llewellyn Publications for letting me give my honest review
Thank you Netgalley and Llewellyn Publications for letting me give my honest review
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