Unfortunately, this book was not one that I had any interest in finishing. The author's narrative was not inviting or welcoming and I felt that as I read I was being talked down to instead of being excited about the information shared. There is some valuable information but not enough to keep my interest and finish the book.

Vorrei dare di più perché l'autrice scrive davvero bene e utilizza diverse citazioni per sostenere le sue tesi a livello accademico, inoltre condisce tutto con deliziosa conoscenza del folklore e della stregoneria tradizionale.
Il problema sorge nei commenti di Tish Romanov, che mi ha fatto venir voglia di chiudere il libro più volte a causa della sua estrema fiducia delle ebre, che a suo dire potrebbero curare tutto (anche il virus che tanto gira) se solo non assumessimo farmaci (che provocano reazioni se mischiati alle erbe). Lo trovo a dir poco pericoloso e rovina il tono del resto del libro, mi spiace davvero un sacco perché senza questi interventi avrebbe preso anche una stella in più, ma poi l'autrice ribadisce la storia della "acqua della peste" che potrebbe risorgere per il coronavirus e mi è scappata la vacca al prato definitivamente.

I had no idea what Simples were when I first started reading this book and quickly realised that it an extract from a single herb. For example, peppermint tea would be a 'Simple'! This book is a mini encyclopedia of Simples from different herbs and how to prepare them. It details which illnesses each Simple could be used for as well as when not to take them.

As this is a 'Witches Book of Simples', there is also information on the magical use of each Simple. Not being a witch myself, this was the least useful part for me, but still interesting to read!

This book also covers the history of Simples with references to lots of historic texts. It was an enjoyable read and I learnt a lot about herbs and their uses.

I really enjoyed this book that begins with a well-researched history of the use of 'Simples' (herbal remedies) and lists in reference format an A to Z of herbs. The entries are quite detailed and serve as a practical guide and also provide a historical context.
The author seems to be quite knowledgeable on the subject and is an advocate of herbal medicine.

This was not it for me, neither a readable nor useful witchcraft book.

The author adapts a haughty, snobbish tone right from the start, making the book difficult to take at face value. They then list several handy household remedies that have supposedly fallen from common knowledge, presenting them like some sort of badge of honor - this millennial knew them all thanks to my mum, thanks very much.

There's a long diatribe about the importance of fresh herbs and a long unit on how to keep a garden. So for a modern witch in a tiny apartment like me, that wasn't helpful, even the bits about window box planters.

There were haphazard notes tacked on about medical advice that just came across to me as irresponsible. A lot of people forage nowadays and there is a lot of misinformation that can be deadly, and it shouldn't be taken lightly to add as an afterthought that care should be taken. Aside from outright poisonings, the author had a weird snide remark about chemical medications and how they didn't need to worry about interaction side effects back in their day, and that was incredibly off-putting.

The book relied on large blocks of quotations for the aforementioned medical advice at times, making the manuscript look like a research paper.

Last but not least, the slur commonly associated with Roma and travelers was used. In a 2022 book.

There are way better books on remedies and craft out there.

I found this book extremely dry & hard to get interested in. The author's narration came across pretentious & at times condescending. Not at all something I have any interest in finishing.

This is a beginner's guidebook and should be treated as such. The first 2 chapters focuses on the history and controversy surrounding simples that I found to be helpful. One note, the text heavily focuses on European use of simples and casually references Chinese and Egyptian practices (the author uses G***sie when referring to Romanian practices 😬). I thought that was an interesting choice but nonetheless, I thought it was worth mentioning. Chapter 3 and 4 are the secret sauce of the book. Chapter 3 provides a list of ingredients and how they can be used and what to avoid based on if you're taking pharmaceutical drugs or have a chronic disease (not exhaustive). Chapter 4 focused is a quick guide for application and I wished was a bit longer. Overall this book was helpful but will use as supplemental rather than an everyday reference.

Disclaimer from the book (to help get a sense of the direction the author took) it is important to differentiate between conditions that are acute and potentially life-threatening - and minor ailments.

As a constant student in the herbs, I was a bit disappointed in this reference book. In theory it's a great resource but I just felt it didn't give enough info on the practical uses. I did enjoy the historical info and magical info. I just felt it was missing important information. I also felt like some standard herbs were missing so it's really couldn't be considered a complete list.

A basic text for herbalists and Wiccan practionioners.

* clearly defined and organized sections listed in the index
* brief and compact historical section on the use and importance of herbals as medicine
* section on types of herbs to grow and the best growing environments for each herbs I.e. beds, boxes
* information on harvesting, drying and preparation of herbals for use
* discussion on some of the basic or “simple” herbs used with a section about their safety and ways to prepare them
* section on ailments and best match for treating with simple herbal remedies

This book is a basic text for herbal ailments from the perspective of the Wiccan/pagan knowledge bank. This may be a helpful resource for those who consider themselves a “Green Witch”. I feel the book may be more applicable with accompanying photos of herbs and historical/folklore images.

This is a great reference book that contains history, planting guides, cultivating tips and 'recipes' for herbal home remedies. I love that it contains so much historical, mystical and practical information about each herb.. It does not pretend to replace modern medicine and even advises against assuming that it is a complete medical text. However, it is very thorough with the information about each herb, including warnings and uses medicinal and otherwise. The only thing missing is pictures (at least in my version)! This is a resource that should be in the home of every homesteader!

Such a great book, I truly enjoyed reading through this one. I will definitely want it in my kitchen once published. Organized, layout was well structured, well written & knowledgeable for those who want to explore or those who already love herbs & the magic they have.

I was really delighted to receive this book, and I'm also going to get a hardcover copy. As a practicing wiccan, I am trying to use a lot more natural remedies, and this book was such a help. Also a ton of other recommendations! And even as a bonus it's such a gorgeous cover!

I found this book to be interesting, however it was not what I expected.

First there was a long section at the beginning with a lot of history that I found quickly became boring as I was expecting a more book that was more for practical use. The copy I received had no index or table of contents, making it difficult to find things. Compounding that issue (for me, an American) is that the common names that each was listed under are the British names and not necessarily the names that I would know. Then, information on finding the plants "near a hedgerow" were not helpful as we do not have hedgerows.

For a British person living in the UK, this would be a much better and more useful book.

This is a Quick Herbal with a TON of References
If nothing else, this book contains a plethora of book recommendations! Between the ancient and historical herbals and the modern references, both in the bibliography and quoted throughout the book, it is very clear that Draco knows what she’s talking about. I have certainly added a number of books to my reading list thanks to this one.

Then there is the very long list of herbal monographs presented – each one with the scientific and common names, some information about the plant, if and how it was used as a simple (some were not and are listed here presumably for historical, folklore, and magical reference), uses, and more. Over 100 plants are listed and this section of the book is the largest for it. Not only plants, either but Draco also discussed Bicarbonate of soda in the book as well as lists Honey and Vinegar in with the rest of the plant listings.

What I Loved
My favorite thing about the book is actually in the beginning. Draco’s disclaimer about the book and plants referenced ends with “Let the wise reader learn and the fool beware.” As someone who adds disclaimers to all of my herbal writings, I felt this in my bones and really love Draco for it.

Another thing I enjoyed is how obvious it is that Draco loves this work. Digging though and referencing all those herbalists and herbals, all that history, and listing all these plants with details is definitely a labor of love no matter if published. I know how tedious it can be to do this but when you love the subject, its a work of passion and here I believe it to be the case.

What I Didn’t Love
So while I think this is a good book, it is lacking in a few ways. Firstly is the section about the Herb Garden could have been omitted or at least named differently. Very little information about gardening is found here beyond some design tips, the assurance that herbs are easy to grow (reviewer note: some are, some are not as I can share with my own tumultuous gardening experiences), and then information about foraging which, despite the assurance that the wild is part of the witch’s garden…is not gardening.

Second, the cautionary notes in the beginning go out the door when it comes to using the plants wherein it is suggested that most are safe to use (debatable) and then that comfrey is possibly quite dangerous (read here about how this is unfounded).

Third, the herbal remedy section that talks about how to create and use these simples is…lacking somewhat. While the easiest preparations – infusions, decoctions, and compresses – are covered (btw poultices are not only made with dried plant material as said here but can also be made with fresh plant such as chewing plantain and placing it on a sting or bite in the wild) but tinctures are not and oils, vinegars, and fortified wines only get a passing mention in the preservation section (and no mention of preserving or using animal fats at all).

Lastly, and this isn’t necessarily bad, it just prevents me from recommending this book to a beginner – the plant section is too long. This is entirely my opinion but I think that beginning and even well versed herbalists benefit from knowing 12 herbs REALLY well (preferably herbs that grow near them or that they grow in their garden with abundance) rather than gorge on dozens or hundreds of herbs listed and retain only a little of their info each (especially if any of those herbs are exotic, which thankfully none of these are in my area but of course that will vary by reader).

Recommendations
I found The Witch’s Book of Simples to be a fun refresher read. This is a great plant monograph reference for someone interested in predominantly Western herbs and wants an extensive book list. I would recommend a beginner that grabs this book pair it with a more extensive herbal book such as The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook by James Green or the recent The Green Witch’s Garden Arin Murphy-Hiscock which cover more information on using the herbs.

I found this book interesting. It seems there is a lot of research done including warnings if the herbs interact harmfully with medicines etc. I remember my grandmother even telling me some of these remedies. I guess I was expecting more magical properties of the herbs but I did like the “simple,” uses. All in all a good resource.

Fairly encompassing, though I feel some common herbs were missing.

It was good at what it mentioned, but I felt like there could have been a beefier guide or suggested warning for uses between two simples that may counteract at once.

I was so disappointed in this book. I use herbs a lot (for health, not magick) and I do prefer to use them as simples. When I make elderberry syrup, for instance, I just use elderberries, water and honey and don't add ten different herbs unless I happen to have a knob of ginger or a bit of cinnamon bark I want to toss in. So many herbal recipes make it seem as if you need 10 different things that will cost you a hundred dollars and it's absolutely not true. I generally use herbs like nettles, elderflowers, plantain and so on as simple, solitary remedies that work very well, so I was excited to read a book that also focused on using herbs as simples.

My biggest issue with this book is that it just doesn't give very much information. I understand that it's partly a spiritual book so a ton of the information is historical magickal uses, which is not my need. But even so, it's not very much information! Again and again, I felt like I would add pages of information to herbs that got a paragraph. There is a fair amount of historical information on the practice of simples in history but it just felt a bit like a long research paper, not like fascinating information on medical and magickal uses for herbs.

There are also no illustrations, not even black and white. Herbal books that teach about plants should have pictures of the plants.

There is no information on growing or foraging the herbs.

There is no information on how to really use them medicinally. It's all standard web search information with a line or two, not in depth information on how to really use that herb for your purposes. The few times a use for an herb was mentioned that was new to me, there wasn't any information on how to use it that way. For instance, there was a line about elderflowers (I think) being used for chilblains. I have never heard of this and my husband gets chilblains, so I was eager to learn more. That's it, though. Okay... How is that helpful? And in most cases, it doesn't mention 90% of the ways you can use the herbs that I know of.

It also doesn't include masses of herbs that should be included (especially wild ones), and it has a UK focus.

Lastly, another star deducted for use of the G slur for Romani people. I would hope the editors would realize this word is a slur and replace it even if the author is ignorant about it. Even the g**** moth has been renamed because it's an offensive term, yet people of a certain age and/or type keep using it as if it's romantic or acceptable.

I read through this book quickly and found nothing really new or helpful in it or that I wanted to make note of.

Sorry, but there are so many better books than this already.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book via Net Galley.

I love the idea of this book. I like the layout, the alphabetical order, the vast amount of herbs included, and I also love the information and the folklore.

I do desperately need visuals though. An illustration of each herb would not only make the book more aesthetically pleasing, but it would also help to remember and recognise each herb.

I also found the practical uses lacking in parts. The blurb would say what it is used for, but then wouldn't explain how to use it that way.

"A Simple is a philtre derived from a single herb and was an important element among the natural resources of the parish-pump witch, wise-women and cunning-folk". I learned so much from this book about natural remedies and cures for illness as well as to promote health. I will definitely continue to use this book.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book very interesting and informative.