As banshees were also known for heralding death on the battlefield it was more likely that men would see banshees than women. Also, for another academic paper I never came across any peer viewed source that stated men could not see or interact with banshees. Furthermore, the attribution of a changeling child was due to unexpected sickness and death of an infant and nothing whatsoever to do with autism, especially since autism was not diagnosed in the 18th, 19th and part of the 20th centuries. The information she relates about fairies and changelings is strange because when I researched peer reviewed sources for an academic paper fairies did change a human child with a changeling. The continuous usage of 'scholars' of unknown background, nameless only serve to be a distraction. The odd part of this book is the fact that when the author occasionally mentions the name of a person it turns out the person never existed! There is one or two that did exist when she suggests, however, the mix of those that didn't exist it doesn't add anything of benefit to this book.

I usually consider these types of books to be a light-heart read and not particularly serious. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review! I'd love to hear the thoughts of other readers, though, especially ones who are coming at it from the same angle I am! If you're someone who is actually invested in the idea of recognizing fae in our modern reality, I'm not so sure. The bottom line is this: if you're someone who thinks of fae as pure fantastical fiction and you want to learn more about the history there, this would probably be a great, fun fit for you. On a positive note, I really appreciated how much attention Rowland gave not only to the impact that climate change and humanity's abuse of the planet has had on fae populations, but also to the impact that colonialism has had on society's general perception of spiritual beliefs that don't align with the more widely accepted religions (such as the author's complaint regarding US scholars' dismissal of Native beliefs as 'superstitions' and 'myths').

Most readers I know are going to pick this up looking for fun stories and illustrations those of us looking for something deeper, like many practicing witches, are probably going to be left feeling about as let down as I was. It's a difficult book for me to review because I understand that I'm coming at this book from a different angle than many people are (which is the other reason I won't give it a star rating). It doesn't help that discussing fae from so many cultures would require far more pages than this book allows for, and half of the book is compiled of illustrations and graphic design art. I could not tell you once, during this entire book, if Rowland was trying to be legitimately informative, or simply piecing together social commentary and jokes with a little splash of beliefs from cultures around the world. I'm not giving this a star rating because I simply can't. Describing little-known and fascinating creatures such as the Luck Pigeon of Baltimore, the Ghost Cat of India, and the Brain Sucker of South Africa, this book will expose readers to fantastical species from a variety of cultures and communities.Ĭombining scholarship with modern lore and environmentalism, and featuring stunning hand-drawn illustrations, Finding Faeries is a captivating look at the fantastical beings that inhabit our world today. Many formerly common creatures from akeki to cave trolls have been driven out by the urban sprawl, technological advancements, and climate change while others, including ether sprites and brownies, have been able to thrive in abundance, creating homes within electrical hotbeds and massive landfills.įeaturing descriptions of magical creatures from around the globe, this encyclopedic collection details the history and adaptability of more than fifty different species of fae. And like every other being in the modern world, these wonderous creatures have been forced to adapt to the climate, industrial, and cultural changes of the modern era. Discover where faeries and other mythical creatures are hiding in our modern, urban environment with this beautifully illustrated guide to uncovering magical beings.įrom the musty corners of libraries to the darkest depths of urban sewers, faeries, boggarts, redcaps, and other fantastical species can be found all around us-but only if we know where to look.

Other fantastical touches