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Witchbody: A Graphic Novel
"Cerebral, passionate, and beautifully drawn. A highly distinctive and engaging book." —Joe Sacco, author of Palestine
“ Magic is everywhere —in the ordinary, the mundane, and even in garbage. It takes time to slow down and find traces of such wonder in the world, but it is rewarding once discovered. Written, illustrated, and lettered by [the author], this first work is dense in both content and artistic style. Carefully reviewed, researched, and cited, it combines the author’s knowledge of magic and witchcraft with her academic studies in the environmental sciences to create an atmosphere in which the supernatural is dynamic and ever present .” — Library Journal
Witchbody is an invitation to experience what lies hidden beneath the surface of our everyday lives—to see the magic in all things. A plant, a tree, a coffee cup, garbage bins, you, me—they're all magic. Witchcraft is simply the power we’re all born with to awaken our senses to this magic, to awaken our “witchbody.” And that awakening is essential if we are to reframe our experience with Nature and with our precious planet.
“ Magic is everywhere —in the ordinary, the mundane, and even in garbage. It takes time to slow down and find traces of such wonder in the world, but it is rewarding once discovered. Written, illustrated, and lettered by [the author], this first work is dense in both content and artistic style. Carefully reviewed, researched, and cited, it combines the author’s knowledge of magic and witchcraft with her academic studies in the environmental sciences to create an atmosphere in which the supernatural is dynamic and ever present .” — Library Journal
Witchbody is an invitation to experience what lies hidden beneath the surface of our everyday lives—to see the magic in all things. A plant, a tree, a coffee cup, garbage bins, you, me—they're all magic. Witchcraft is simply the power we’re all born with to awaken our senses to this magic, to awaken our “witchbody.” And that awakening is essential if we are to reframe our experience with Nature and with our precious planet.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 3, 2019
“Can magic teach us how to love?”
I haven’t read a book like Witchbody in a long time. Well, maybe never have, quite, because it is cartooned. It was just one of the books on the new graphic novels rack at my library. It reminded me of my witch (wiccan, white witch, Gilda the Good Witch of the North) friend Marilyn, who was into the occult, was psychic—as in going into houses to confirm spirits there, sometimes urge them to leave, and so on—and was a feminist/pacifist/environmentalist. This was the seventies, when I worked with her in a psych hospital with severely autistic older people. We of the staff sang songs to and with them, and sometimes Marilyn (guiding me; her husband was a massage therapist) and I gave foot massages to all the residents on our floor that weren't too paranoid or sarcastic to accept them.
Sabrina Scott’s Witchbody is subtitled “A Rambling Poetic Autoethnography Of Western Occult Magic as Pathway for Environmental Learning and Advocacy.” That about says it. It is marketed as a graphic “novel” but it is really a graphic lecture, and, again, rambling—she said it--and repetitive. And yes, this is Scott’s case for how witches and magic and the occult can provide a better foundation for the future than enlightenment rationality. Marilyn would have loved this book; since it was not written for me, really, I thought it was sometimes kinda interesting. But when I say I haven’t read a book like this in a long time, I mean Marilyn used to lend me books like it decades ago.
The endmatter of the book calls it a playful and sensual invitation to the experience of everyday magic, which is to say that Scott draws a woman—herself?—throughout almost always naked (that’s, I take the sensual part, the witch BODY part), and swimming or dancing (this would be the playful part), in communion with the material world. The idea here is as it ever was with romantics about getting naked (and getting "naked") is of course the clothed body as representation of freedom. The less than playful part of this book involves Scott’s stew of progressive, postmodern, feminist and occult references from Freire to Zizek that are really more “poetic” than a deep dive into the ideas she samples from. It’s allusive more than it is theoretical:
“I created this book to be a talisman”
which is to say she intends for it to have in itself “magic powers and to bring good luck.”
Scott is interested in the ways we as humans can develop relationships with everyone and everything (I mean everything, not just humans and sentient beings) around us. Body is the key here; maybe most of us think of witches as mostly spiritual, other-worldly beings, but Scott in this pagan work emphasizes the importance of bodies, things, materiality; they/we all embody everyday magic. We must awaken ourselves to the fact that magic is all around us. Yes, some of being a witch is being aligned with the dead, with spirits, with whom we can engage in psychic communication, but also developing relationships with ordinary every day objects, like coffee cups. Or trees and oceans. This is a form of awakening, crucial to our changing our relationship with the things of this world.
So, to save the planet, and not just our "souls" we have to get in touch with our essential “witchbodies.” I take it this is more an intuitive than it is rational process, which may involve naked dancing. If so, I’m all for it. What did Emma Goldman say? “A revolution without dancing is not a revolution worth having.” Especially if yours is a witchbody!
But seriously, witches and psychics of all kinds are encouraged to see how Scott connects magic to love of the planet. “What might happen when trees and concrete are perceived as bodies in the political arena?” And you know, occult-themes are not new to graphic works, of course, as a lot of Alan Moore’s work makes evident. Those into the occult, herbalism, tarot, divination, will find something to connect to in this book. It’s black and white, with I think too many words; fewer words would have made it more poetic and evocative and ultimately more persuasive. It is a version of her Masters thesis in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Education, which I think is cool.
Scott has been reading tarot and practicing witchcraft for 18 years. She is an illustrator, graphic novelist, academic, and professional; she writes,
“My practices as an illustrator, writer, and witch are all intermingling, entangled. These creative processes are my way of working out similar things using different methods and media, but the creative fire that emerges comes from the same inspiration and intuition. I want to help push forward conversations about magic, life, death, change, transformation, environment, learning, growing.”
I see at a glance that a lot of people love this book, and I'm glad for that. Again, I don't feel like I can connect on many levels with the book, so it is maybe a 2 star book for me personally, but I give a point on behalf of Marilyn, may she RIP, and because this is the second academic comics/illustrated project I have now read, Nick Sousanis's Unflattening being the first, and I want to support that. Let academia get looser and funkier!
I haven’t read a book like Witchbody in a long time. Well, maybe never have, quite, because it is cartooned. It was just one of the books on the new graphic novels rack at my library. It reminded me of my witch (wiccan, white witch, Gilda the Good Witch of the North) friend Marilyn, who was into the occult, was psychic—as in going into houses to confirm spirits there, sometimes urge them to leave, and so on—and was a feminist/pacifist/environmentalist. This was the seventies, when I worked with her in a psych hospital with severely autistic older people. We of the staff sang songs to and with them, and sometimes Marilyn (guiding me; her husband was a massage therapist) and I gave foot massages to all the residents on our floor that weren't too paranoid or sarcastic to accept them.
Sabrina Scott’s Witchbody is subtitled “A Rambling Poetic Autoethnography Of Western Occult Magic as Pathway for Environmental Learning and Advocacy.” That about says it. It is marketed as a graphic “novel” but it is really a graphic lecture, and, again, rambling—she said it--and repetitive. And yes, this is Scott’s case for how witches and magic and the occult can provide a better foundation for the future than enlightenment rationality. Marilyn would have loved this book; since it was not written for me, really, I thought it was sometimes kinda interesting. But when I say I haven’t read a book like this in a long time, I mean Marilyn used to lend me books like it decades ago.
The endmatter of the book calls it a playful and sensual invitation to the experience of everyday magic, which is to say that Scott draws a woman—herself?—throughout almost always naked (that’s, I take the sensual part, the witch BODY part), and swimming or dancing (this would be the playful part), in communion with the material world. The idea here is as it ever was with romantics about getting naked (and getting "naked") is of course the clothed body as representation of freedom. The less than playful part of this book involves Scott’s stew of progressive, postmodern, feminist and occult references from Freire to Zizek that are really more “poetic” than a deep dive into the ideas she samples from. It’s allusive more than it is theoretical:
“I created this book to be a talisman”
which is to say she intends for it to have in itself “magic powers and to bring good luck.”
Scott is interested in the ways we as humans can develop relationships with everyone and everything (I mean everything, not just humans and sentient beings) around us. Body is the key here; maybe most of us think of witches as mostly spiritual, other-worldly beings, but Scott in this pagan work emphasizes the importance of bodies, things, materiality; they/we all embody everyday magic. We must awaken ourselves to the fact that magic is all around us. Yes, some of being a witch is being aligned with the dead, with spirits, with whom we can engage in psychic communication, but also developing relationships with ordinary every day objects, like coffee cups. Or trees and oceans. This is a form of awakening, crucial to our changing our relationship with the things of this world.
So, to save the planet, and not just our "souls" we have to get in touch with our essential “witchbodies.” I take it this is more an intuitive than it is rational process, which may involve naked dancing. If so, I’m all for it. What did Emma Goldman say? “A revolution without dancing is not a revolution worth having.” Especially if yours is a witchbody!
But seriously, witches and psychics of all kinds are encouraged to see how Scott connects magic to love of the planet. “What might happen when trees and concrete are perceived as bodies in the political arena?” And you know, occult-themes are not new to graphic works, of course, as a lot of Alan Moore’s work makes evident. Those into the occult, herbalism, tarot, divination, will find something to connect to in this book. It’s black and white, with I think too many words; fewer words would have made it more poetic and evocative and ultimately more persuasive. It is a version of her Masters thesis in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Education, which I think is cool.
Scott has been reading tarot and practicing witchcraft for 18 years. She is an illustrator, graphic novelist, academic, and professional; she writes,
“My practices as an illustrator, writer, and witch are all intermingling, entangled. These creative processes are my way of working out similar things using different methods and media, but the creative fire that emerges comes from the same inspiration and intuition. I want to help push forward conversations about magic, life, death, change, transformation, environment, learning, growing.”
I see at a glance that a lot of people love this book, and I'm glad for that. Again, I don't feel like I can connect on many levels with the book, so it is maybe a 2 star book for me personally, but I give a point on behalf of Marilyn, may she RIP, and because this is the second academic comics/illustrated project I have now read, Nick Sousanis's Unflattening being the first, and I want to support that. Let academia get looser and funkier!
October 13, 2019
Oh wow, this is really white-centric, classist, and ableist, and it’s kind of gross. Like–where do I even begin? This is going to be long, you’ve been warned.
Okay, so basically, the art in this is gorgeous, but it’s very white and female-oriented. There’s no gendering in the text, which is great, but when the only thing you put in the artwork is a white woman in a short dress, that’s kind of a problem. It’s also very contradicting. It talks about how we should focus outside of our bodies, but that we need material bodies to do any kind of magic. It says that anything outside of just being in nature (ie: camping with amenities is not real witchcraft) isn’t good enough, but also that you should enjoy your organic soy lattes as a bit of magic. Um? The classist themes in this are out of control. Basically, if you can’t afford items for a ritual, you’re not a witch. If you can’t perform rituals for whatever reason, even something as simple as lighting a candle, you’re not a witch. In fact, if you can’t successfully go out and be in nature, you’re not a witch. And if you do go out in nature, but you bring something like a tent, well shucks, you’re not a witch. There’s also this ideology that we shouldn’t be amazed by nature, just accept that it’s there, but then it flips halfway through to say that if just accept nature as this concrete thing that we know, then we’re basically caging it, so we need to make sure to have the appropriate amount of wonder. But the language is so fucking over the top that none of it is actually clear.
Also, let’s step into the language for a second with a quote, “I feel that for those who practice it, magic can act as a trans-species pedagogy where ontology is inscribed and reinscribed through the repeated co-performance of magical acts. Anthropocentric hierarchies of being are disrupted through an inherent noticing and recruitment of materiality’s innate ability to act.” What the literal fuck? If someone understands this better-than-thou pretentious language, drop me a line. Because that’s exactly what this reads as. And the whole book is like this! It’s a very “if you can’t understand my high-level language, you’re not worth of it,” and I’m so fucking over classist themes like that. Witchcraft is about inclusion, not exclusion, ya asshole.
Also, it’s subtitled as a rambling and poetic autoethnography of western occult magic as a pathway for environmental learning and advocacy. Two things. Great, you’re writing about Western magic. Do you know who lives in the West? More than white people. Second: there’s no actual environmental advocacy in this. Yes, “recycling isn’t the answer, it’s a bandage, it’s passing the baton to someone else,” but you have to then follow that up with how the hell you’re advocating to protect the environment, not just shit on people who are clearly trying more than you, jfc.
And just in case that wasn’t enough of a turn-off for you: it promotes self-harm and ritualistic animal sacrifice.
Okay, so basically, the art in this is gorgeous, but it’s very white and female-oriented. There’s no gendering in the text, which is great, but when the only thing you put in the artwork is a white woman in a short dress, that’s kind of a problem. It’s also very contradicting. It talks about how we should focus outside of our bodies, but that we need material bodies to do any kind of magic. It says that anything outside of just being in nature (ie: camping with amenities is not real witchcraft) isn’t good enough, but also that you should enjoy your organic soy lattes as a bit of magic. Um? The classist themes in this are out of control. Basically, if you can’t afford items for a ritual, you’re not a witch. If you can’t perform rituals for whatever reason, even something as simple as lighting a candle, you’re not a witch. In fact, if you can’t successfully go out and be in nature, you’re not a witch. And if you do go out in nature, but you bring something like a tent, well shucks, you’re not a witch. There’s also this ideology that we shouldn’t be amazed by nature, just accept that it’s there, but then it flips halfway through to say that if just accept nature as this concrete thing that we know, then we’re basically caging it, so we need to make sure to have the appropriate amount of wonder. But the language is so fucking over the top that none of it is actually clear.
Also, let’s step into the language for a second with a quote, “I feel that for those who practice it, magic can act as a trans-species pedagogy where ontology is inscribed and reinscribed through the repeated co-performance of magical acts. Anthropocentric hierarchies of being are disrupted through an inherent noticing and recruitment of materiality’s innate ability to act.” What the literal fuck? If someone understands this better-than-thou pretentious language, drop me a line. Because that’s exactly what this reads as. And the whole book is like this! It’s a very “if you can’t understand my high-level language, you’re not worth of it,” and I’m so fucking over classist themes like that. Witchcraft is about inclusion, not exclusion, ya asshole.
Also, it’s subtitled as a rambling and poetic autoethnography of western occult magic as a pathway for environmental learning and advocacy. Two things. Great, you’re writing about Western magic. Do you know who lives in the West? More than white people. Second: there’s no actual environmental advocacy in this. Yes, “recycling isn’t the answer, it’s a bandage, it’s passing the baton to someone else,” but you have to then follow that up with how the hell you’re advocating to protect the environment, not just shit on people who are clearly trying more than you, jfc.
And just in case that wasn’t enough of a turn-off for you: it promotes self-harm and ritualistic animal sacrifice.
January 24, 2023
What is a "witchbody"?
Sabrina Scott defines this nebulous concept in graphic novel format.
Basically, to have a witchbody, the spiritual practitioner uses his or her senses and whole body to connect with everything in the world around her- be that a polluted parking lot or a clear mountain lake.
Scott touches on this idea that sometimes in our spiritual practices we only consider "pure" and "unpolluted" things as holy. They put forward the theory that, if we continue down this path, there may be nothing left to connect with as everything in existence mixes and mingles with everything else.
The spiritual is in the here and now, in the interaction of all things. I heartily agreed.
They wander through philosophy and other theories in the delivery of this message, which some readers may enjoy. I found myself wishing the text had a little more organization to it.
The art in this black and white graphic novel is beautiful. There is some non-graphic nudity- for librarians looking to categorize this book, I'd suggest in the adult graphic novel section.
As lovely as the art is, the lettering is close together and difficult to read in places. I think the author was going for the obviously hand drawn look, but I think they went one step too far. Otherwise, this book was enjoyable.
Highly recommended for spiritual seekers.
Sabrina Scott defines this nebulous concept in graphic novel format.
Basically, to have a witchbody, the spiritual practitioner uses his or her senses and whole body to connect with everything in the world around her- be that a polluted parking lot or a clear mountain lake.
Scott touches on this idea that sometimes in our spiritual practices we only consider "pure" and "unpolluted" things as holy. They put forward the theory that, if we continue down this path, there may be nothing left to connect with as everything in existence mixes and mingles with everything else.
The spiritual is in the here and now, in the interaction of all things. I heartily agreed.
They wander through philosophy and other theories in the delivery of this message, which some readers may enjoy. I found myself wishing the text had a little more organization to it.
The art in this black and white graphic novel is beautiful. There is some non-graphic nudity- for librarians looking to categorize this book, I'd suggest in the adult graphic novel section.
As lovely as the art is, the lettering is close together and difficult to read in places. I think the author was going for the obviously hand drawn look, but I think they went one step too far. Otherwise, this book was enjoyable.
Highly recommended for spiritual seekers.
April 20, 2018
As I explore various witchy books, I find myself frustrated with how many of them are... lacking in much critical thought. Many are filled with oppressive and offensive ideas, and others are just too simplistic to be of use. And then I found Witchbody, a book that spoke to my academic heart! Witchbody is a masters thesis in the form of a graphic novel. It talks about magic as it relates to materialism and the living world. It advocates for greater purpose and thought applied to our interactions with other objects/bodies. It's a beautiful discussion of spirituality and embodiedness. Definitely a must read for witches! (But really just anyone!)
June 16, 2022
I have a lot of respect for Sabrina Scott and what she's seeking to accomplish through Witchbody, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that I was disappointed with her execution. The text is essentially advocating for an environmentally conscious magical practice rooted in animism, which is great - the problem is that this is done thorough a particularly Western, post-modern, academic lens. As a result, the heart of the matter isn't effectively communicated, and the vocabulary & flow are occasionally dense and disjointed. This is coming from someone who enjoys academic texts and doesn't mind flowery or obscure language.
I also found the argument itself to be convoluted at points, and not sufficiently grounded or focused. Scott does subtitle the book: "a rambling and poetic autoethnography of western occult magic as a pathway for environmental learning and advocacy." Perhaps the intuitive, sublime is-ness of the Mysteries and the systematizing, ivory tower rhetoric of the academy don't mix well, and attempting to do so leads itself to rambling?
You might actually end up loving Witchbody. I wouldn't say don't give it a try - the artwork is beautiful and the thesis is one that's critical for our time. It's an ambitious work though, and it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
I also found the argument itself to be convoluted at points, and not sufficiently grounded or focused. Scott does subtitle the book: "a rambling and poetic autoethnography of western occult magic as a pathway for environmental learning and advocacy." Perhaps the intuitive, sublime is-ness of the Mysteries and the systematizing, ivory tower rhetoric of the academy don't mix well, and attempting to do so leads itself to rambling?
You might actually end up loving Witchbody. I wouldn't say don't give it a try - the artwork is beautiful and the thesis is one that's critical for our time. It's an ambitious work though, and it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.
January 6, 2020
So this was incredibly disappointing, it is basically like a research paper/ stream of consciousness essay broken up into pieces and set in front of illustrations that are entirely unconnected. The illustrations are lovely and interesting, but the text is far too exposition heavy and the text boxes too large. It doesn't flow well. Not a good read. I couldn't get through it.
July 28, 2018
This book's probably not what you are expecting. It's thick, not just in texture, but it text. This is a conversation. Engaging. Inviting. At times, frustrating.
I'm not sure I fully understand nor agree with some of the ideas and arguments put forth. I think I wanted to hear more about a deeper, more active participation and activism around these ideas. I was left feeling like some might see cutting off our "roots in nature" as a shallow and privileged way to not make changes. From other times I've heard Scott's voice, I'm sure that's not the intent. Those plastics and slave-mineral products that abound outside of pristine or even cultivated nature areas should be engaged, but I didn't find the relationship she was advocating one I believe in. While the artwork depicted recycling and reusing and minimal, personal impact, I was left feeling like I'd missed something. It's entirely possible that Scott and I are on the same page, but it got lost in the philosophy - which has never been a strength of mine. I'll have to dig deeper into the copious resources she listed at the end.
The artwork is delicious. Each page is a meditation. There's space to engage with your own writing and art. The ink and paper work together to create a living, changing dialogue, which is pretty cool when you consider the way this reinforces Scott's message.
I'm not sure I fully understand nor agree with some of the ideas and arguments put forth. I think I wanted to hear more about a deeper, more active participation and activism around these ideas. I was left feeling like some might see cutting off our "roots in nature" as a shallow and privileged way to not make changes. From other times I've heard Scott's voice, I'm sure that's not the intent. Those plastics and slave-mineral products that abound outside of pristine or even cultivated nature areas should be engaged, but I didn't find the relationship she was advocating one I believe in. While the artwork depicted recycling and reusing and minimal, personal impact, I was left feeling like I'd missed something. It's entirely possible that Scott and I are on the same page, but it got lost in the philosophy - which has never been a strength of mine. I'll have to dig deeper into the copious resources she listed at the end.
The artwork is delicious. Each page is a meditation. There's space to engage with your own writing and art. The ink and paper work together to create a living, changing dialogue, which is pretty cool when you consider the way this reinforces Scott's message.
March 2, 2020
Hard to read and connect to. Drawings are intricate but the writing made me think "wtf" am I reading?
March 4, 2018
I recently took a trip to NYC. If I'm staying on the Lower East Side, I always stop by Blue Stockings. It's a great bookshop that carries radical books, magazines, and zines. Seriously, if you ever get the chance -- stop by! It's nice to have a radical selection and to know your money is going to a cool organization. I am also proud to say zines featuring my writing have been sold there...
Anyway, during my last visit there was a display entitled something like "Hex the Patriarchy." My boyfriend snarkily pointed it out to me. The selection was mixed. As a pagan it quickly became clear to me that books on paganism/witchcraft/juju are repetitive. It is hard to find something new and exciting -- let alone something that isn't fluffy. This was the only book that stood out to me so I picked it up along with my haul of books and magazines, which I'm sure I'll write about here eventually.
Why did this stand out to me? The artwork on the cover is amazing. Sabrina is a very talented artist and this is maintained throughout the book. Seriously, worth a purchase if only for the artwork alone. But, I was also interested in the premise of how witchcraft and environmentalism intersect.
I did not realize this was a thesis when I purchased it, so dense theory and language is used throughout. It could be difficult to wade through after a long day at work, especially because I found it to be repetitive. But, Sabrina's message is simple: witchcraft is the radical acknowledgement that all things around us are sentient. Witchcraft is the ability to not alienate ourselves from other materials/lifeforms and to frame them from a human point of view. It is to embrace, with wonder, the mystery of things around us. To realize that the world does not consist of humans merely acting on materials/animals -- that we form relationships with them, which can be abusive or not.
Ok, I simplified the premise here, but it is still radical and worth a read. Watch out, though -- the book continues the message that paganism/wicca is somehow antiquated/cannot be radical. It's a message I've noticed in a lot of radical circles where witchcraft is practiced, and it's unfortunate.
Anyway, during my last visit there was a display entitled something like "Hex the Patriarchy." My boyfriend snarkily pointed it out to me. The selection was mixed. As a pagan it quickly became clear to me that books on paganism/witchcraft/juju are repetitive. It is hard to find something new and exciting -- let alone something that isn't fluffy. This was the only book that stood out to me so I picked it up along with my haul of books and magazines, which I'm sure I'll write about here eventually.
Why did this stand out to me? The artwork on the cover is amazing. Sabrina is a very talented artist and this is maintained throughout the book. Seriously, worth a purchase if only for the artwork alone. But, I was also interested in the premise of how witchcraft and environmentalism intersect.
I did not realize this was a thesis when I purchased it, so dense theory and language is used throughout. It could be difficult to wade through after a long day at work, especially because I found it to be repetitive. But, Sabrina's message is simple: witchcraft is the radical acknowledgement that all things around us are sentient. Witchcraft is the ability to not alienate ourselves from other materials/lifeforms and to frame them from a human point of view. It is to embrace, with wonder, the mystery of things around us. To realize that the world does not consist of humans merely acting on materials/animals -- that we form relationships with them, which can be abusive or not.
Ok, I simplified the premise here, but it is still radical and worth a read. Watch out, though -- the book continues the message that paganism/wicca is somehow antiquated/cannot be radical. It's a message I've noticed in a lot of radical circles where witchcraft is practiced, and it's unfortunate.
December 31, 2021
Like a few others here, I had no idea what I was getting into here, as I just saw this at my local library and grabbed it. I was expecting a graphic novel and did not expect it to be so academic. I've read a good deal of theory, including some that Scott sites like Karen Barad and Bruno Latour, but never in this format. I'm confused about how to feel about it, but I guess overall I never prefer academic writing. I admire writers that can make things accessible for all.
Mostly the art was lovely, but at times it bordered on Zentangle style, which is off-putting.
I think the concepts are what shines here. I find myself guilty of wanting to escape to nature, to that untouched by humans as being supreme, and I throughly appreciate the argument against this. The idea of the everyday as magical and mundane objects as sentient bodies does resonate with me. I read something similar in Braiding Sweetgrass, which notes that in the indigenous language of Potawatomi, things like mountains and waters are a verb rather than a noun. They are in a state of being and change (animacy!) The takeaway is the mutual respect built into their language. They cannot simply be objects ("its") when they are imbued with life.
Mostly the art was lovely, but at times it bordered on Zentangle style, which is off-putting.
I think the concepts are what shines here. I find myself guilty of wanting to escape to nature, to that untouched by humans as being supreme, and I throughly appreciate the argument against this. The idea of the everyday as magical and mundane objects as sentient bodies does resonate with me. I read something similar in Braiding Sweetgrass, which notes that in the indigenous language of Potawatomi, things like mountains and waters are a verb rather than a noun. They are in a state of being and change (animacy!) The takeaway is the mutual respect built into their language. They cannot simply be objects ("its") when they are imbued with life.
December 1, 2019
I like the message of this book, but it reads like someone's essay on the topic of magic in the 21st century. In fact, this book contains a rather large bibliography, but none of the information comes across as particularly compelling or well synthesized, even for a reader who is interested in this subject. The art is beautiful, but it's not enough to save a book that unfortunately feels like a chore to read.
June 4, 2020
That bibliography at the back of the graphic novel really sent me.
I was really excited to read this as an academic yet personal free flowing work on magic enticed me, however it came across as a rambling meagre repeated definition of animism?? There were however still some interesting points made as the subject matter in question is near to my heart.
I was really excited to read this as an academic yet personal free flowing work on magic enticed me, however it came across as a rambling meagre repeated definition of animism?? There were however still some interesting points made as the subject matter in question is near to my heart.
May 6, 2019
I like the ideas presented here, and the artwork is beautiful. I’m giving it four stars because I felt Scott was repetitive with presenting her central thesis, and I wish she’d spent more time elucidating on some of the other ideas that come up in the book instead.
September 11, 2019
I hated this book so much it turned me in to a republican.
December 31, 2019
Only a 3 because the forward was unnecessary and didn't fit the tone of the book. If you read, just skip it, there are some really valuable thoughts within, and the illustrations are lovely.
December 29, 2020
This book is a marvel. It's difficult to describe it because it's perhaps one of the most organic works I've read so far. This is pure stream-of-consciousness, and Sabrina Scott's consciousness is intricate and beautiful. Her teachings, if you can really call them that, as she isn't prescribing or indoctrinating you into anything, are very important. She muses about how humans need to recognize their estrangement from nature and how even in trying to reconnect with nature, we still alienate ourselves by ignoring the death and decay of nature. All things are natural, including our man-made refuse. She recommends that to become better environmentalists, better magic practitioners, or just better people in general, we need to accept that we anthropomorphize things. We should be aware of our orientations, especially if we are in the West which has been estranged from its entanglement within nature since the Enlightenment.
Scott draws from flarf poetry, from computational scholars like Ian Bogost, feminist scholars like Donna Harraway (who's theory of cyber humanism is definitely an influence), and even Slavoj Zizek's documentaries. She also draws from her own magical practice and the spirits that impart their wisdom to her.
This book is best read in one sitting. It's not hard to do so. I suggest reading it in a quiet undisturbed space in your dwelling early in the morning or late at night. It's nearly impossible not to get caught in the waves of Scott's contemplations, and there's a specific rhythm to her thoughts. The book is cyclical, like nature, and invites re-reading easily.
I'm so glad that this book found my sister, and that by extension I was found as well. This is a text that helped me come to realize that I'm not wrong for loving aspects of both cities and countrysides. That liminal states of being are not always haunted in a negative way. Even if you are not into magic texts, I'd suggest you try reading this anyway: the wisdom Scott imparts here is important to intersectional ways of being and to become a better environmentalist.
Wouldn't have expected that at the end of the year this book would upend my top 3.
Scott draws from flarf poetry, from computational scholars like Ian Bogost, feminist scholars like Donna Harraway (who's theory of cyber humanism is definitely an influence), and even Slavoj Zizek's documentaries. She also draws from her own magical practice and the spirits that impart their wisdom to her.
This book is best read in one sitting. It's not hard to do so. I suggest reading it in a quiet undisturbed space in your dwelling early in the morning or late at night. It's nearly impossible not to get caught in the waves of Scott's contemplations, and there's a specific rhythm to her thoughts. The book is cyclical, like nature, and invites re-reading easily.
I'm so glad that this book found my sister, and that by extension I was found as well. This is a text that helped me come to realize that I'm not wrong for loving aspects of both cities and countrysides. That liminal states of being are not always haunted in a negative way. Even if you are not into magic texts, I'd suggest you try reading this anyway: the wisdom Scott imparts here is important to intersectional ways of being and to become a better environmentalist.
Wouldn't have expected that at the end of the year this book would upend my top 3.
August 10, 2023
I’m really struggling with this review. The artwork is unparalleled. I love it and it’s what I totally drew me to the book. Having witchy representation is incredibly important and I’m always down to support when I’m able.
I didn’t realize that his book was going to be so dense in its material. I’m reading from other reviews that this was for a thesis and I can see that.
What missed the mark for me was it’s accessibility. I truly adored reading handwritten work but I wish it had been easier to read. I was able to figure it out but the interruptions in taking time to understand words made it even more disjointed.
I honestly feel like I need to read this again to understand it more. I got themes of having space and care for other non-human bodies. I thought it was curious that the dialogue chose that language. I can’t say I have a better word at the moment but it pulled me out of the book multiple times, just considering that word. And maybe it was meant to do that?
I love the natural word and seeing such a beautiful emphasis was encouraging. As someone who finds joy from everything in nature, it felt validating to hear and see such a distinct perspective.
What I found fascinating was honoring all of ‘ugly and detrimental’ facets of our society. So if we see pollution, honor that because it’s there and it exists. It’s a part of our world and we have to figure out how to deal with it and coexist. And at the same time, work to change it.
As a world, we do tend to run away from the ugly and scary in favor of more authentic, simple or pure spaces. We’re always running to something. And this was a good reflection on it.
There were a lot of parts of this book that I loved but the accessibility is why I’m rating this a 3 but more like a truer 3.5 or 3.7. Its a range and it’s frustrating we can’t pinpoint it closer.
I didn’t realize that his book was going to be so dense in its material. I’m reading from other reviews that this was for a thesis and I can see that.
What missed the mark for me was it’s accessibility. I truly adored reading handwritten work but I wish it had been easier to read. I was able to figure it out but the interruptions in taking time to understand words made it even more disjointed.
I honestly feel like I need to read this again to understand it more. I got themes of having space and care for other non-human bodies. I thought it was curious that the dialogue chose that language. I can’t say I have a better word at the moment but it pulled me out of the book multiple times, just considering that word. And maybe it was meant to do that?
I love the natural word and seeing such a beautiful emphasis was encouraging. As someone who finds joy from everything in nature, it felt validating to hear and see such a distinct perspective.
What I found fascinating was honoring all of ‘ugly and detrimental’ facets of our society. So if we see pollution, honor that because it’s there and it exists. It’s a part of our world and we have to figure out how to deal with it and coexist. And at the same time, work to change it.
As a world, we do tend to run away from the ugly and scary in favor of more authentic, simple or pure spaces. We’re always running to something. And this was a good reflection on it.
There were a lot of parts of this book that I loved but the accessibility is why I’m rating this a 3 but more like a truer 3.5 or 3.7. Its a range and it’s frustrating we can’t pinpoint it closer.
August 30, 2019
Beautiful artwork; such a gorgeous and unusual approach to witchcraft and philosophy.
March 30, 2020
A very readable graphic memoir for anyone who is interested in a magical practice that departs from Gardnerian Wicca and its backdoor monotheism and gender essentialism. Sabrina Scott lays out an ethos of interconnectedness with "all non-human bodies" and how that can lead to better ecological advocacy and care for our communities. It will also help you view everything around you as sacred.
May 17, 2021
This graphic novel is written in an academic voice that can sometimes be overwhelming, but I knew from the forward that it was going to be that way. In a way, this book is a memoir as well as a thesis. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it. Prepare yourself for the academic language or call this author pretentious, it’s your choice. I personally enjoyed the weird mash of academia and environmentalism.
The whole point of this graphic novel is to change your perspective of the inanimate. If we change our perception of the things around us, we give them value. If we give value to all things the way we treat our environment changes. That’s the general idea here. The art is beautiful, but I think the overall concept might go over a lot if people’s heads.
The whole point of this graphic novel is to change your perspective of the inanimate. If we change our perception of the things around us, we give them value. If we give value to all things the way we treat our environment changes. That’s the general idea here. The art is beautiful, but I think the overall concept might go over a lot if people’s heads.
April 18, 2019
This review originally appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 04/18/2019.
I remember looking through the Weiser Books catalog and seeing “Witchbody” by Sabrina Scott. It was described as a graphic novel about everyday magic. I’m a fan of comic books, particularly in their collected form, commonly referred to as a “graphic novel”, so I had to check it out. Simply put, it’s amazing.
“Witchbody” is a beautiful and poetic exploration of ecology, magic, the environment, spirituality, and ontology. Scott’s art and prose combine to create not only a book, but a true magic item. Reading it changes you.
I don’t know what else to say. In my opinion “Witchbody” by Sabrina Scott is a must read and instant classic.
I remember looking through the Weiser Books catalog and seeing “Witchbody” by Sabrina Scott. It was described as a graphic novel about everyday magic. I’m a fan of comic books, particularly in their collected form, commonly referred to as a “graphic novel”, so I had to check it out. Simply put, it’s amazing.
“Witchbody” is a beautiful and poetic exploration of ecology, magic, the environment, spirituality, and ontology. Scott’s art and prose combine to create not only a book, but a true magic item. Reading it changes you.
I don’t know what else to say. In my opinion “Witchbody” by Sabrina Scott is a must read and instant classic.
August 19, 2019
Stunningly illustrated and extremely thought provoking.
September 12, 2019
This book is gorgeous and thought-provoking. I love that it satisfies both my spiritual and academic sides, and pushes me towards further reading and practice.
November 11, 2020
Lovely art!
September 12, 2022
This was a “try something new” attempt and while the artwork was interesting, it was really hard to read the text and it was nonsensical and not what the synopsis suggests.
March 3, 2024
The art is beautiful, meanwhile the text is largely an elusive ramble.
March 15, 2020
Interesting perspective, well-composed, inspiring.
November 26, 2020
I wish more academic theses were like Witchbody.
That said, it's prone to exactly the kinds of problems you'd assume that a graduate-thesis-turned-graphic-novel would have. here's (ironically) a disconnect between the body of the text and the visuals - both of which are good on their own - which could be argued as the visuals exploring the everyday life of the author in order to embody the broadness and variety of the concept of "nature," but which feels rather like an unsureness about how to portray "realist magic" (as Tim Morton calls it). Which I take to be the base of David Schaafsma's critique below.
There's also the issue raised by Mary Drover of the book being "white-centric, classist, and ableist, and it’s kind of gross." The one I agree with the most is that it's "white-centric." It would have been good to have quoted more practitioners of magic than Timothy Morton and Slavoj Zizek, two white cishet men who don't practice magic (to my knowledge). Scott's bibliography lists Starhawk, but that's about all I found regarding indigenous voices (apologies if I did miss any on the list). And obviously there are many other voices I don't know, but who should be as known as Zizek or Morton. I trust Scott has this broader knowledge but had to trim it. Even if they don't, it still reflects on the eurocentric nature of even the anti-eurocentric edges of academia.
As for classist and ableist, these read like both a misreading of the book and a dislike for academic jargon. Which is fine, it can get too much sometimes, even for me, someone who loves philosophical language, but is as ableist and classist as any other fields highly-specialized language. At least the benefit this has over physics is that people pretend they know what "string" and "quantum" mean, while this forces people to consider the word's use.
However, this does get back to the central point, which is that this would have been helped by greater time spent meshing together the scholastic intent and the popularizing spirit. There's a reason people don't think someone like Richard Feynman's work is classist, a literal quantum physicist, and that's because he understood his audience. Hopefully, not under the pressure of releasing a graduate thesis, Scott's next book will lean more into this desire to publish something that more than five people will read (in their own words).
That said, it's prone to exactly the kinds of problems you'd assume that a graduate-thesis-turned-graphic-novel would have. here's (ironically) a disconnect between the body of the text and the visuals - both of which are good on their own - which could be argued as the visuals exploring the everyday life of the author in order to embody the broadness and variety of the concept of "nature," but which feels rather like an unsureness about how to portray "realist magic" (as Tim Morton calls it). Which I take to be the base of David Schaafsma's critique below.
There's also the issue raised by Mary Drover of the book being "white-centric, classist, and ableist, and it’s kind of gross." The one I agree with the most is that it's "white-centric." It would have been good to have quoted more practitioners of magic than Timothy Morton and Slavoj Zizek, two white cishet men who don't practice magic (to my knowledge). Scott's bibliography lists Starhawk, but that's about all I found regarding indigenous voices (apologies if I did miss any on the list). And obviously there are many other voices I don't know, but who should be as known as Zizek or Morton. I trust Scott has this broader knowledge but had to trim it. Even if they don't, it still reflects on the eurocentric nature of even the anti-eurocentric edges of academia.
As for classist and ableist, these read like both a misreading of the book and a dislike for academic jargon. Which is fine, it can get too much sometimes, even for me, someone who loves philosophical language, but is as ableist and classist as any other fields highly-specialized language. At least the benefit this has over physics is that people pretend they know what "string" and "quantum" mean, while this forces people to consider the word's use.
However, this does get back to the central point, which is that this would have been helped by greater time spent meshing together the scholastic intent and the popularizing spirit. There's a reason people don't think someone like Richard Feynman's work is classist, a literal quantum physicist, and that's because he understood his audience. Hopefully, not under the pressure of releasing a graduate thesis, Scott's next book will lean more into this desire to publish something that more than five people will read (in their own words).
October 14, 2021
5 stars for artwork but I felt it was disconnected from the text if that makes sense? The text and artwork felt almost like two different things. The forward was a little too abstract for me and I believe didn't complement or introduce the book very well... I'm stuck at around 3.5 stars I think but I hope on a second reading I might get more out of it.
I really liked some of the thoughts around environmental witchcraft though for sure.
I really liked some of the thoughts around environmental witchcraft though for sure.
December 1, 2019
this book gives the reader a lot to think about and i think it's something a lot of people desperately need to read, especially in this current age of environmental crisis and dangerous animal agriculture. the message of this book absolutely adheres to my preferred spiritual bodies of belief: scientific pantheism and non-deity witchcraft. i am not a wiccan, i am not a theist (at least in the sense that most people believe in one or more gods); scientific pantheism is the belief that god is in everything natural. i think this book veers more towards animism, in certain quotes such as 'everything is sacred, even a bic lighter', but i appreciate and understand the author's belief even if i'm less inclined to believe things not of this natural world are sacred!
to end with a slight preach, love your world, your plants and trees, rocks and stones. harder to achieve is loving your body (i fail at this) and loving our animals, big, small, domesticated or wild (meat/dairy consumers take note: eating animals or their bodily produce is not loving them or respecting them). the point is we try and keep trying, we make progress and don't give up 🖤
to end with a slight preach, love your world, your plants and trees, rocks and stones. harder to achieve is loving your body (i fail at this) and loving our animals, big, small, domesticated or wild (meat/dairy consumers take note: eating animals or their bodily produce is not loving them or respecting them). the point is we try and keep trying, we make progress and don't give up 🖤
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