I came into this book with low expectations. I'd read The Way of the Green Witch: Rituals, Spells and Practices to Bring You Back to Nature, also by Murphy-Hiscock, had been underwhelmed, sold the book, and then kicked myself when I realized I owned another book by her. I put off reading it for years until I finally decided to get it over with and get it off my bookshelves. Surprise: this book is quite good! (So good in fact, that I looked up The Way of the Green Witch to see if I'd misremembered the author).

The book's subtitle might be a bit confusing if it leads readers to think that this is a beginning book on Wicca. This is a Wicca 201 book, intended for people who already know the fundamentals and are wondering what happens next. The author goes over all those fundamentals, discussing them in more depth, and pointing out distinctions that tend to get blurred in beginning texts (the differences between creating sacred space and casting a circle or between consecrating an item and dedicating it, for example). She offers variations in circle-casting (triple-axis: whee!), drawing down the moon, and other techniques. The author also breaks down the steps of creating a ritual in order to explain each part.

The last part of the book covers more general Wiccan topics, including rites of passage, aspecting deities, and spiritual archetypes. Many of these topics could be books on their own, so here her discussions do become more general. Other helpful features of the book: each chapter begins with a summary of the contents, which makes the book easier to look things up in as a reference work. The appendix contains many of Wicca's basic texts, conveniently brought together in one place.

By the way, despite the title, I'd recommend this book for Wiccans who work with groups. What, you're not going to need to know the difference between consecration and dedication just because you're in a coven? ( )