The story begins …My mind is wandering again… A woman is looking back over her life, reliving her early years as a child with a mystical connection to the natural world, and with it the sense of being different and misunderstood. Her first mystical experience allows her to briefly escape the horrors of school life, but more importantly opens her eyes to the possibilities of magick and the knowledge that a community of others like her exists in a forest somewhere in the west of England. The Golden Web is the story of how she leaves home to find not only her true name and spiritual family but also how a single act of magick, performed out of concern for her parents and small brother, has far-reaching consequences that will affect all of their lives.

Beautifully written with a poetic feel to the language, and very dark in places. Women with a passion for nature and the spiritual side of life, especially those who are searching, will identify strongly with Ellie and feel for her in all she has to go through before they turn the final page. The novel has a strong wiccan slant and contains lyrical invocations and spellcastings that one could incorporate into one’s own practice. Three Magic Women (the sequel) was published recently – review coming soon. ( )