Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions Paperback – October 31, 2007

This is a very likable book, written in a style that's unpretentious and easily understood. There are a few places where the editor didn't notice the author had "gotten ahead of the instructions". One example: obtaining dirt from crossroads. This is only explained in little detail further on in the book. I assume the crossroads dirt doesn't have to come specifically from a cemetery and can be taken from crossroads in a location best suited for the solving the problem at hand. The index also could use a bit of work...try to find "Goofer Dust", for example: it isn't in the index.I disagree with the three-star reviewer that this book has anything to do with Wicca: the book isn't religious in tone. Wicca typically requires on to spend a bundle on special supplies and is a bit heavy on the ceremonial aspects of magic -- this book doesn't have that ponderous feel about it.Instead, "Utterly Wicked" seems to be intended for those who often work alone and don't want to invest a lot of time in ritual. The author offers many excellent recipes that can be made from herbs, spices and (if you don't mind digging a bit of dirt up around headstones, police stations and courthouses) you'll find you're already in possession of many ingredients and be able to create your own special blends without extra expense. The author also offers creative work-rounds that will have you buying from thrift shops and making use of magic markers and duct tape. This is all quite encouraging. In magic(k), while the props help focus our thoughts, it really is the thought that counts.Dorothy Morrison also deserves congratulations for having a conscience and knowing the importance of being absolutely correct before putting a Hex on another person or persons. This really is a process requiring a great deal of "soul-searching". When we are in a frenzy or very angered by a person we feel has committed an unspeakably rotten act against us, this may be a good time to channel our energies into getting back at the reprobate. However, I've learned that often it is best to invest the time in thinking the situation through, upsetting though it may be to do so -- often one finds they are not entirely without responsibility for a bad outcome, even though one's intentions may have *felt* entirely noble at the time. Thus, applying a curse or hex to someone would, for me, be the exception rather than the rule. I do appreciate the author including some recipes for healing oneself and others and, should one find things going very much awry, ways of putting a stop to the Curse or Hex.If I would take issue with anything in this book, it would be the suppliers recommended: these people may "have every supply and be willing to create custom blends", but they are among the most expensive of online suppliers and I was less than impressed with their sites. One might want to check into suppliers of medicinal and culinary herbs who sell in bulk or visit somaluna dot com and get an education about herbs, woods, resins, berries and the extraction process while doing a bit of comparison shopping.Overall, a well-written book with an emphasis on good old fashioned "hoodoo fusion". The attitude expressed in this book is: "it is not necessary to wait for a certain phase of the moon or require that preparation be done during certain planetary hours: again, this argues against the label of "Wicca". Just as Chaos Magick often cross-pollinates with quantum physics and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, certain philosophical and metaphysical "systems" readily overlap and blend. "Hoodoo" is based in animism and original (rather than Neo-) paganism. These are not disparate ideologies.I consider "Utterly Wicked" a keeper, filled with useful information. Better to have a copy on your shelf, rather than wait until all hell is breaking loose, the wolves are halfway through the door and you are considering possibly breaking the law in order to cause your obnoxious neighbors to move.One more added benefit: I am not, not have I ever been, a Domestic Goddess. Dorothy Morrison inspired me to do some needed deep cleaning on my abode. I thank her for lighting a fire under me! So, if you are as I am a bit chaotic or less than thorough in your housekeeping, her book will likely inspire you to get things in order -- much as it did me. So? Buy it. So be it. :)

This book is well written in a conversational style that appeals to me. She seems to know her stuff. She includes instructions on how to reverse hexes and curses, and her take on energy is more like mine than anyone I've come across so far in the arena of published books. In fact, I got a couple of good ideas from it, not so much to curse or hex, but sensible and positive use of negative energy. Her take on energy and energy use is one of the best. She makes a lot of sense, and brings up things that some people might not clue in to on their own.Much of what is covered isn't actually nasty, though some of it is very, very nasty. one I just got shivers from reading and I wouldn't ever do it. Or let me say, I can't imagine what provocation I would need in order to make me resort to it.She includes some cleansings, which are excellent. She provides alternatives for many things in the book from if you don't have a bathtub to if you can't find a reversing candle to if you don't have access to where you need to place or bury the packet or doll or item.She has a common-sense approach to getting the ingredients to a spell. as an example, when you need sulfur you don't have to buy some from a metaphysical shop or the internet, simply scrape the heads off some matches. A very practical book.Her primary requisite for the reader is focus. Will. Concentration and vividness in imagery. She seems to be spot on magickally, and her ethics and stance on the use of hexes/curses reflect my own in many ways. I like that she points out both sides, including to-be-expected repercussions and possibilities and then leaves it up to the reader without any further soapboxes or preaching.This book uses a purely magickal approach: although she does mention particular gods and goddesses now and then, it has pretty well nothing to do with spirituality; that's out of the book's purview.It is a book I would recommend without hesitation to an experienced, seasoned witch or magick practitioner.She has a nice section on poppets, and from an entirely 21st century pov along with a short reference list of substances and what they will do in the spell you use it in. She brought up things about poppets that I had not thought of.She is a proponent of using dirt in spells and hexes. Graveyard dirt, dirt from other places for other reasons, which rather startled me. I have been in the way of thinking that "dirt from a grave or graveyard" was something out of the middle ages that didn't have any real value to a modern witch or magickal practitioner. After reading this book, I have revisited that issue, and intend to try it out in workings I do, just to see. She mentions additional positive uses for it in other types of spellwork, not exclusively for cursing or hexing.I liked the book, and feel I got good value for the price.

As soon as I started reading this book I knew I was going to love it, Dorothy is a sassy pulls no punches and one of the most honest practitioners I've heard from, I'm from Scotland and its so hard to find a witch and when you do they are so liver the top love and light and maybe they haven't had the worst thing possible happen to them for them to consider hexing or curisng someone but I don't think that most practitioners have the stomach for it. This book is exactly what I have been looking for Thank you so much one of my favourites right now

Bloody brilliant. Not namby pamby or dancing round issues. Incisive, common sense, detailed, fair warning and complete acknowledgment of individual human sovereignty in the realm of magic. Not Wiccan at all thank Gods. Extremely informative.

I brought this after reading the reviews and thoroughly enjoyed reading through it, i ended up finishing it in only a few days. Hey, these things can’t help to know either 😉 if you are looking for a review in order to make up your mind here it is… DO IT!

If you are a fan of Dorothy then you will love this book it is very easy to read & understand.

This is most cheerful book, which is surprising given the subject, but once you accept and discount the cheerfulness (which may be difficult for some of us Brits) there is some good stuff in here. Very useful, and well-written.