Magick Matters

“Women, Monstrosity and Horror Film: Gynaehorror” by Erin Harrington

"Women occupy a privileged place in horror film. Horror is a space of entertainment and excitement, of terror and dread, and one that relishes the complexities that arise when boundaries – of taste, of bodies, of reason – are blurred and dismantled. It is also a site of expression and exploration that leverages the narrative and aesthetic horrors of the reproductive, the maternal and the sexual to expose the underpinnings of the social, political and philosophical othering of women. This book offers an in-depth analysis of women in horror films through an exploration of ‘gynaehorror’: films concerned with all aspects of female reproductive horror, from reproductive and sexual organs, to virginity, pregnancy, birth, motherhood and...>>

“The World in the Wave Function: A Metaphysics for Quantum Physics” by Alyssa Ney

"If quantum theories of the world are true—and empirical evidence suggests they are—what do they tell us about us, and the world? How should quantum theories make us reevaluate our classical conceptions of material objects? Nearly a century after the development of quantum theories, a consensus has yet to emerge. Many still wonder about what these theories may be telling us about ourselves and our place in the universe. Alyssa Ney here defends and develops a particular framework for understanding the world as it is described by quantum theories. This framework was initially suggested by Schrödinger in the 1920's and was further defended as an account of reality by two philosophers of physics in the...>>

“The Land of Stone Flowers: A Fairy Guide to the Mythical Human Being” by Sveta Dorosheva

"Classic fairytales get a refreshing satirical twist in this collection of illustrated stories in which gnomes, pixies, and other fairy folk share tall tales of the strange and unbelievable human world and its inhabitants. Brimming with keen observations and wild assumptions on human anatomy, customs, languages, rituals, dwellings, and more, The Land of Stone Flowers is as absurd as it is astounding, examining contradictory and nonsensical human behaviors through the lens of the fantastic: from the bewitching paper wizards who live in humans' wallets to their invisible hats, known as "moods," which cloud their view of the world. Bursting with intricate and evocative illustrations, The Land of Stone Flowers will draw readers into a...>>

“Bible Stories The Illustrated Guide: From the Creation to the Resurrection” by DK

"Revisit the most important Bible stories with this comprehensive visual guide, covering every major covenant, prophecy, miracle, and parable in the Old and New Testaments. Richly illustrated, this sumptuous and accessible new version of DK's Illustrated Bible is packed with maps, archaeological sites, historical artefacts, and fact-filled panels to retell and explain stories from the best-selling book of all time. Discover why the Bible has absorbed readers for centuries and understand its position as a historical as well as a religious document. Follow the course of the Old and New Testaments from start to finish, and trace the events and places that have shaped the scriptures. Learn about the key figures ­- from Adam and Eve...>>

“Contemporary Women’s Gothic Fiction: Carnival, Hauntings and Vampire Kisses” by Gina Wisker

"This book revives and revitalises the literary Gothic in the hands of contemporary women writers. It makes a scholarly, lively and convincing case that the Gothic makes horror respectable, and establishes contemporary women’s Gothic fictions in and against traditional Gothic. The book provides new, engaging perspectives on established contemporary women Gothic writers, with a particular focus on Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood and Toni Morrison. It explores how the Gothic is malleable in their hands and is used to demythologise oppressions based on difference in gender and ethnicity. The study presents new Gothic work and new nuances, critiques of dangerous complacency and radical questionings of what is safe and conformist in works as diverse as...>>