Cursed Britain is a fascinating read that considers the prevalence of black magic in Britain from 1800 to the present day (including the influences stemming from Britain's empirical and colonial past). The case studies in each section added depth to the arguments put forward, and I certainly learnt a few new things I'd never realised before. I was surprised the author glossed over Aleister Crowley, affording him only a couple of brief mentions, but perhaps he felt Crowley had already been 'done to death' in other works and wished to concentrate on more diverse, less well-known figures. Overall, Cursed Britain is an engaging book that will appeal to those interested in the history of witchcraft and magical practice, as well as social historians.

Like many other reviewers, I did notice that there was a slight disconnect between the title and the actual content. It doesn't necessarily revolve around Britain itself, and the "Modern Times" part was extremely limited, offering way more about Victorian beliefs than today's. It didn't bother me at all, but if you're looking for something that goes in depth on current witchcraft/black magic beliefs, look elsewhere.

Thomas Waters definitely knows what he's talking about and his expertise shines in this elaborate account of witchcraft and black magic. However, some parts were drawn out and I did get bored at those particular spots, which caused me to skim over some of the text. I'm certain this won't be an issue if you're really, really interested in the topic.

This book covers plenty of things that I haven't heard elsewhere, and I appreciate how much effort and knowledge went into writing it. If you've ever been interested in the deep history of witchcraft and black magic, be sure to pick this one up!

<b>★★★★☆ 4 stars </b>

Waters presents a comprehensive account of witchcraft in Britain from the 19th century up to almost the present that is comprehensive, accessible, and informative.

Non-fiction materials surrounding this topic are rather unusual, and therefore it is commendable that Waters has attempted to create a comprehensive account herein.

At times, however, I felt that the writing was very long-winded, and got rather tedious to focus on.

Overall this was an interesting read though!

<I>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i >