More than I expected, Dec 26 2002

Yet this book makes a delightful exception. I bought this book assuming that I wouldn't like it, yet I was drawn to her premise and wanted to give the book a chance. I"m very glad that I did. Her treatment of Kabbalah very obviously stems from a study in Traditional Kabbalah, which for me indicates scholarship, dediation, and true desire to help seekers understand the subject matter. It would have been easy for Ms. Laura to use entirely hermetic sources and views in her treatment of Kabbalah, but instead she teaches from the source, from the heart of Kabbalism, and for that alone, I applaud her.

I did have a few issues with some of her theories, most notably her feminization of the sephira Chokmah. I feel that this is a violation of the most baisc ideas of traditional Kabbalah, and while I understand why she did this and why she feels justified in doing so, this sat wrong with me. But it is the only major beef I have with this work.

I reserve my 5 star ratings for books that in some way change my world. This book didn't quite do that, but only because my own studies of Kabbalah have advanced beyond the level of study this book intended. Had I read it several years ago, it very well may have changed my world. As it is, it is a sound, well researched, opinionated and interesting look at Kabbalah through the lenses of feminist spirituality. Job well done.

A disappointing venture, Aug 13 2002

I was disappointed.

Perhaps part of the problem is that I don't think this book meets the current crtieria for a classification of Science Fiction. I found the book much more Fantasy driven, though the line between these two genres of speculative fiction is blurry. Neverthless, I found that the book didn't adequately address moral and ethical issues, or issues of "being" that I expect science fiction novels to address.

A further hinderance to my enjoyment of the book was that I found the characters rather flat. I cared very little about the characters, even the main character, Moon. I was unable to buy into the web of relationships between the characters, and when we see Moon fall in love during one segment of the story, I found myself surprisingly unmoved by her emotion.

The writer's style simply failed to move me. Although there were several passages where I found a true passion and glib movement in the author's voice, most of the book felt empty to me. There were some heavy themes explored in this work, but I didn't find any of them compelling. The issue of the equality of women I found especially wanting. I wish that the author had spent more time developing the ecological and feminist tensions in the book if she was going to address them at all.

Overall, I was not moved by this story. The only reason I even finished it was because I simply couldn't believe that the story had finished unfolding. I kept thinking there must be something I'd missed that will be made apparent in the end. But, I was mistaken.

Inspired poetry of theology, May 31 2002

Perhaps the most fundamental reason for the longevity of this book lies in Starhawk's ability to transcend the static "blah" of mundane life through vivid, lucid, and lyrical writing. While many of the ideas expressed in this work have been expressed elsewhere, no other Wiccan writer has surpassed Starhawk's ability to make us fall in love with the Goddess. Her powerful writing style invites us to see the Goddess as poetry-and that, in and of itself, is profoundly spiritual.

Yes, the book is political. For many people, this is a turn off. However, through its political angle, Starhawk makes religion and spirituality relevant and even complementary, not just as a tool for personal growth, but as a way to build community, to build networks of communication-in other words, Starhawk emphasizes politics as merely one way to experience the manifest Goddess.

Is the book feminist? Yes. Is it alienating to men? Maybe. Does it challenge the way we think and encourage us to ask introspective questions? Yes, and I think that's part of the beauty and power of this book.

Even if one doesn't agree with much of Starhawk's political agenda (and I can't say that I do, even), the poetry with which Starhawk writes, and the passion that she creates for the Goddess cannot be denied. It is an enjoyable read-a truly spiritual experience. One of the most beloved books of many Wiccans' libraries.

A much needed look into the theology of Trad Wicca, May 12 2002

DiZerega wrote this book with the intention of creating points of dialgoue between Christians and Pagans (especially Wiccans) so that each group might better understand the other, and in turn, enrich their personal spiritual experiences. This is probably the one way in which the book doesn't quite succeed--although there is a fountain of deep analysis of Wiccan ideas and philosophies, the book is heavily biased toward Wicca, and at times almost dismissive of Christian beliefs. However, if one reads this book as a study of Traditional Wiccan beliefs and theology, it is invaluable.

Much of the market is saturated with books on Ecelectic Wicca 101, so much so these days that if you've read two or three, you've read them all. "Pagans & Christians" is a much needed departure from that, offering the reader insight, thoughts to chew on, and perhaps most necessary, a peek into the philosophy of Traditional Wicca. This is an important book for the Wiccan religion, and one that all serious students should have on their bookshelves.