Reading this book felt like poking around a magpie’s nest. Each turn of the page revealed new crisp, brightly colored artwork of locations that are now permanently on my “to-travel-to” list. These glowing pictures accentuated the assemblage of mystical places and kept me coming back to open the book just one more time. I appreciated that this list of mystical places truly spans the globe. For each location entry, readers can find a wide variety of information, from geographical trivia to archeological notes to random “fun facts” sprinkled in for interest. My favorite sections of prose included the descriptions of why these places feel magical and the explanation of legends and possible explanations for the knowledge that time has lost that surround each destination. This light read would make for the perfect in-flight companion book.

Personally, I was less interested in the ´mystical´ aspect of the book, but rather into the travel writing approach and the ways in which the travel experience of different places around the world was convened. From this point of view I´ve found the reading experience inspiring and would be interested to use some ideas in my own travel-related works. The visual content is at a great extent satisfactory and it connects smoothly with the text.

I found myself wanting more from the actual content of this book. The illustrations are wonderful and captivating, the variety of places highlight a diverse range of truly intriguing cultures and sites, and the book does well at viewing each place through a well-rounded lense (history, mythology, geography). I feel as though the use of the word "guide" is a misnomer as I got only a cursory view of each place, and no insight on how to delve deeper and pursue an actual visit. That is not to say that I won't add each place to my own personal travel list, but reading the entirety of the book did not prove to be exceptionally useful.

I really enjoyed this book, it has some stunning illustrations that really brought the places to life!

The book was very easy to read and I was able to pop in and out of the book over a few days and read a few chapters each night. I love books like this so it was right up my street.

I thought that the layout was great and the number of images in the book really worked for me and made me enjoy it even more.

It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!

In this book, we explore 25 mystical places around the world, and we learn the myths and history behind each site.

The illustrations were well done, and they added more mystical feelings to the book. The places were sporadically selected and covered most continents.

However, the writing lacked many important details. The writing style was all over the place. Some places were described in a very whimsical style that suited the monument. Meanwhile, the others were written as a third account the author heard of the place.

Overall the book is fun to read as most of the stories are unheard of.

Sarah Baxter is a British Journalist and editor for The Sunday Times. She also has a collection of beautifully illustrated books that capture the world and tell a tale. Mystical Places is part of a larger group of books from Quarto Publishing known as the Inspired Traveller's Guide series.

Thus far, this series consists of three other books of this type titled: Spiritual Places, Hidden Places, and Literary Places. Each of these books feature locations that fit into a general theme.

In Mystical Places, the author references a number of locations that fit the bill for "mystical" in some manner. The locations depicted in this book include: England, Wales, Scotland, Iceland, France, Germany, Spain, Slovenia, Greece, Czech Republic, Italy, Kenya, Senega & The Gambia, Japan, India, China, Peru, Mexico, South Korea, Micronesia, Australia, Colombia, Canada and even the USA.

Amy Grimes illustrates the book with beautifully rendered landscapes in what appears to be a combination of digitized mediums. Having a small passion for art I was able to notice some of the styles she combined including: gradients, stippling, what appears to be a watercolor-type effect, and some conceptualism. Grimes style is a cross between freehand drawing and vector graphics, which, when crossed create a surreal illustrative illusion that has texture and depth.

Take the cover for example, the perspective is from the ground but gives the impression of the close stream, the slightly distant rock, the trees beyond and farther from that another type of treeline. Frankly, the artwork is the best part of the book. I understand the concept of the series and I love it, however, I just felt it fell short of the mark. I cannot put my finger on it exactly, but I felt as though it just didn't capture me the way something like this should have.

An example of this is the section called the Cyclops Riviera, an archipelago near Sicily, Italy. What should have been a magnificent tale, blending reality and myth, felt forced. The Cyclops Riviera is a collection of small rock islands that date back 500,000 years and are composed almost entirely of basalt rock. It is hypothesized that these massive rocks are a product of a volcanic eruption from the active nearby volcano, Mount Etna. However, myth referenced Mount Etna as a firey, hot-headed Cyclops named Polyphemus, who was blinded by Odysseus and, in a rage, ripped massive rocks from the side of the volcano and threw them at Odysseus and his men.

I suppose what bothered me about this book was that is separated the real from the mythical and I felt it should have combined them more seamlessly. Give us the realistic details but feed us with the details of the myth. Make us drunk on the secrets of legend and lore so that we can experience the magic through the pages.

I felt like this book was one big, "you had to be there," sort of experience, as if the only way I could fully experience this book was if I was there. No! I want to feel it, smell it, hear it. I want to be immersed in the story so much that when I look at Grimes's illustrations I experience the complete mystical aspect.

I felt there was excellent opportunity for this book, it had what it needed but it just wasn't conveyed in the best way. I kept finding myself wanting to look up the locations on my own and see what I could learn about their history and the myth.

This book is a really exciting and creative travel book. The writer selected 25 places in the world that were somehow mystical, special, and beautifully presented them.
I love legends associated with places, so I requested it right away on NetGalley when I saw this book. I think the selection of the 25 places went pretty well: I didn’t know almost any of them, but I was interested in all of them. As for the content, I think it wasn't well-chosen because it couldn’t hold my attention. The stories weren’t bad, but they weren’t special either. I read it and I forgot about it almost immediately.
What makes the book special is that instead of images, there are illustrations about the places ... The illustrations are beautiful, they make the book really unique.
I loved this book, I found the concept exciting, but it was hard to hold my attention.

Especially in today's situation where travelling options are limited (and definitely not recommended!), books that transport me to different places are more than welcome. This book was an enchanting journey to 25 legend-filled places all over the world accompanied by gorgeous fairy tale-like illustrations.

This is my second Sarah Baxter book, and also the second one I read from the Inspired Traveller’s Guide series and I can say that I’m really enjoying myself.

The first selling point for me is the travel aspect. Offer me travel advice and I’m in. But even better, I’m a simple girl, I see a travel book about mysterious places, I click.

Mystical Places delivers, too. It offers a variety of locations all around the world, which have certain legends and a strange, magical aura linked to them. If this is the first review of mine that you’re reading, let me tell you, I like everything that is mysterious and eerie, so this book is perfect for me. In fact, I added three locations that are easier for me to visit to my travel list off the bat. I even googled how to get from the city where I live in Poland to Harz mountains – the book got me so inspired.

(Weirdly enough, this was the first time I ever read/heard about Nan Madol in Micronesia, which looks absolutely stunning, but then, as it happens, the day after I read about it was the second time I heard of the place in a completely unrelated article. How about them apples? P.S. I also googled how to get from Poland to Nan Madol, just for fun, and Google could not give me a single proposition. )

The charm of Mystical Places is that it gives a brief but interesting information about exciting and potentially unknown places (well, I’ve passed by the Old-New Synagogue in Prague on one or two occasions), and it mixes practical tips about accessibility and the normal description of the location with the more out-there-mythological ideas which locals, but not only, have about the place. From the City of Elves in Alfaborg, Iceland, past the gate of Hell in the Alepotrypa cave in Greece, to Gedi, the city of the jinns in Kenya and Malinalco, the seat of the Mexican goddess of magic, you’re in for a great adventure!

The art of the book compliments the writing wonderfully – it’s simple, but absolutely astonishing and relays the charm and mystery of the place perfectly.

I’m looking forward to the other books in the series, my wanderlusts needs to be fed!

Mystical Places is like a travel guide for mythical/spiritual places. It is a collection of places where elves once lived or the ancestors now dwell. It covers the land of King Arthur as well as the home of the Aztecs. What make this book unique, besides the histories and uniqueness of the places, is that each is accompanied by illustrations not pictures. This gives it a more ethereal quality. I found the places Baxter chose to talk about interesting. While I had heard of a few of them this book was definitely filled with more I had not nor knew any of the history.

The fourth book in the exquisite Inspired Traveller’s Guides series by travel writer Sarah Baxter this time focuses on destinations renowned for their links with folklore, magic, myth and mystery. This is a delightful romp through some of the most visit-worthy places in the world. From Scotland to Spain, India to Iceland, there is a diverse range of locations for the globetrotting among us and that will tickle the fancy of just about everyone interested in places that have captivating stories attached to them. For those in need of travel inspiration or additions to their bucket list, this series is unmissable as it has both of those in abundance, and Mystical Places is no exception. Each entry is concise yet considered and is written in surprisingly lyrical prose. Perhaps now more than ever, in this time of global health concern, visiting places such the 25 enchanting settings found between these pages can attempt to satisfy our wanderlust from the comfort and safety of our humble abodes.

There's an intriguing mix of prominent mystical locations and those that are lesser-known and the way the book is written and structured allows for you to dip in and out of it as you please. It would make a superb coffee table book for that very reason and the 2-3 double-page spreads dedicated to each setting gives enough of an overview to fascinate you as a reader and entice you to possibly seek out further books on the place in question should you wish to. One of the biggest selling points besides the entertaining writings is the lush and simply exquisite accompanying illustrations which complement everything else spectacularly. Amy Grimes’s artwork is undoubtedly some of the most stunning I've encountered in any book in a long while. A thoroughly entertaining, accessible and informative read from the moment you pick it up. Simply sublime and spellbinding. Highly recommended. Many thanks to White Lion for an ARC.

Throughout history, humankind has told each other stories. Sometimes these stories center on places that become sacred through their association to the legends that are told.

Sarah Baxter highlights 25 such locations from all over the world. Each brief chapter includes a short description of the site and the stories associated with it.

"In these pages we meet mythical kings, sacred summits, and enchanted architecture, plus a cast of elves, giants, ghosts, golems and sea creatures without which our planet might be a more logical and well-reasoned place but also less colourful and compelling." pg 6, ebook.

I thoroughly enjoyed armchair traveling from Africa to Canada, China to Portugal, and more. This book gave me so many ideas for places I want to see when I feel comfortable boarding a plane again.

And, in the meantime, there's always the possibility of travel-filled day dreams.

In the chapter about Cadair Idris in Wales, Baxter writes: "It's said that on the very crown of the peak there is a long, wide platform of stone slabs that is the Bed of Idris and that whoever sleeps on that bed will suffer one of two fates: they will wake up either as the most profound poet or completely mad." pg 18, ebook.

Worth the risk, right?

I was also taken with the descriptions of the Stone Circles of Senegambia, thousands of ancient stone monuments found in Senegal and The Gambia.

"Stories passed down the generations claim that the stones were put in place by the gods at the very dawn of time. Other legends suggest they are the gravestones of an ancient race of giants or chiefs and that a curse will fall on anyone who dares disturb them..." pg 76, ebook.

I had never heard anything about these circles, despite taking a class in ritual and religion in prehistory from Oxford. I am also fairly well-read in world mythologies yet there were surprises on almost every page.

Highly recommended for travelers, armchair or otherwise, who are seeking destinations of mystical significance or anyone who wants to learn about legends from around the world. The only trouble that may be encountered for the mystical tourist is the remoteness of some of the locations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance reader copy of this book. The brief quotations I cited may change or be omitted entirely from the final version, which I believe is slated to be published tomorrow.

Better than I could have hoped for! I loved the use of artwork rather than photographs of the regions being written about. The art itself was beautiful and made the possible to really delve into the mystical notions of each location. The moods and movements (the felt of haunting winds, cool and damp underworlds and the heat of the sun) within the stories could be felt in each work of art. As the author states, there are many more mystical places than these but I appreciated the wide range of locations featured in the book.

The perfect book for travelers, artists, or people seeking beauty in the worlds. While reading I couldn't help but think this would be the perfect book to use as references for landscape drawings since no one can travel during the pandemic. I found myself yearning to visit most of the places featured. Many of them made the bucket list! This book is pure magic and escapism, perfect for any time of the year. It always surprises me what the world has to offer.

Mystical Places beautifully transports readers across time and space to elucidate the mystical origins and stories of various places around the world. The artwork is stunningly serene and coupled with detailed but brief descriptions of how history has forged the perspective on these places. Absolutely something I'd recommend!

This short read provides an overview of twenty-five mystical destinations around the world, and is sure to stoke anyone's wanderlust. The descriptions, which span roughly two to three pages, recount the mystical qualities of each site, while meandering and mentioning lots of other sites along the way. It's not brilliantly focused, but it does appear to be well-researched and it's accompanied by compelling illustrations. This will make an excellent gift for your loved one who is sad to be stuck at home and not out having an adventure.

Mystical Places by Sarah Baxter was a tough read for me. I did not care for the writing. I also did not care for the illustrations. They were too basic and plain for me. There was nothing mystical about this for me.

I received an eARC from Quarto Publishing- White Lion through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

“Mystical Places” is not your ordinary travel guide, instead Sarah Baxter introduces us to magical locations on every continent (except Antarctica). Forests, mountains, crumbling ruins, lost cities, and mystical desert drawings inspire travel off the beaten path of the regular tourist destinations. Many of these locations have origin myths of the counties attached to them, which make them even more interesting.

I especially enjoyed the artwork. I noticed someone else mentioned they would have preferred real photographs vice drawings. I feel the drawings lend themselves to the mystical qualities of the locations.

If you enjoy travel and learning about the cultures of the countries you visit, I think you’ll enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group, the author and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed this book, feeling that you could pick it up at any point and be able to read about that location without feeling lost. The art, while lovely, could have been enhanced by some actual photos of the areas these mystical places are said to be. It's a light read, and it's a book I could see curling up with this fall, by a fireplace and pondering days gone by.

First thing I noticed was beautiful illustrations, this book looks absolutely magical! Stories themselves could be better and more detailed in my opinion, however they make you want to make more research, read about the place and visit. My only big problem with it was as an ARC it was very badly edited and extremely hard to read, however it might all be fixed for printed copy.