There is a fascination with a time in history where spiritualism and the occult were fun and popular enough to be the focus on entire parties. Victorian spiritualism, and how this book presents and discusses it is fascinating. I loved how well-researched this book is and how it really seeks to delve deep into the subject and discuss it.

I wanted to love or even like this book. Sadly it lacked cohesiveness and flow. A bit of strong editing would have gone a long way toward reining things in. There are much better books in this category.

This book is jam packed with information about Victorian era seances and psychic/ paranormal practices at the time. I loved the little tidbits of information thrown in and you can tell the author took a lot of time and effort to research facts. Very informative and at the same time it doesn't feel like it's an informative book. One to add to my collection!

Spirits, Seers & Seances by Steele Alexandra Douris is an exceptionally well researched non fiction read perfect for the Halloween season. This title will be an excellent introduction for those who are new to the topic but may not tread much new ground for long time spooky obsession readers.

It might just be me and the research I’ve already done, but this book didn’t contain much I didn’t already know. Better for those with zero knowledge of Spiritualism who want a very cursory knowledge.

Alexandra Douris Steele, PhD candidate at Stanford University (founded by parents grieving the loss of their son and who both were known for attending seances), is an author, artist, and Victorianist who specializes in Victorian crime, Gothic fiction, and spiritualism.

Her book, “Spirits, Seers and Seances,” is extensively researched and documented with a lengthy bibliography. This overview publication gives a background on Spiritualism—typically linked to the overwhelming grief experienced by the populace following the excessive deaths in the US Civil War and from the 1912 Spanish Flu epidemic.

Steele expands her explorations into it’s various forms of esoterica such as channeling, hypnosis and mesmerism; automatic pen and Ouija board writing; fortune telling, card reading and crystal gazing, among many others.

Other fun and fascinating features covered in this Occult compendium are ghost stories and legends of fairies; magical realms depicted in Pre-Raphaelite Art; and spooky legends surrounding All Hallows Eve and Christmas.

For further fun, Steele offers suggestions on numerous activities to heighten one’s spiritual awareness journey.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks Author Alexandra Douris Steele, NetGalley, and Publisher Llewellyn Publications for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

When I started reading this book, I could visualize everything. The dark, broken up by a candelabra, with the medium in her Victorian dress. A seance has begun. This book gives history on many facets of spiritualism of the day.
Everything from automatic writing to hypnotism, tarot cards, fairies and so much more. The author gives exercises so you can try many of these. There's also a glossary of terms that I found helpful. I received a copy of this book for a honest review.
I, also bought a copy for my friend.

It's a fascinating and intriguing historical book about Victorian mysticism and it's different aspects: spiritualism, fairies, etc
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Book Review: Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural by Steele Alexandra Douris

Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural by Steele Alexandra Douris delves into the fascinating world of Victorian mysticism and its profound impact on both the past and present. Through a captivating exploration of spiritualism, the book sheds light on the historical foundations, cultural influences, and fears that drove the Victorians to turn to practices such as mediumship, hypnotism, and fortune-telling.

The author begins by immersing readers in the imagery and practices of Victorian mysticism. From a woman wearing a black veil convening a séance to a magician inducing a trance in a volunteer, the book vividly portrays the enchanting nature of these occult rituals. However, Douris goes beyond the surface to uncover the deeper motivations and desires that led the Victorians to seek solace, answers, and connections through these practices.

One of the strengths of this book lies in its exploration of various forms of Victorian mysticism. Douris meticulously covers topics such as automatic writing, cartomancy, clairvoyance, and more. By providing historic examples and engaging hands-on exercises, the author invites readers to immerse themselves in these practices and gain a deeper understanding of their significance in Victorian society.

Additionally, Spirits, Seers & Séances uncovers how Victorian belief in ghosts, fairies, and nature spirits shaped popular celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas. Douris skillfully traces the origins of these festivities back to their spiritual roots, revealing how they were deeply intertwined with the era’s fascination with the supernatural. This exploration adds another layer of richness to the book, connecting Victorian mysticism to our modern-day celebrations.

The inclusion of literary figures such as Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe further adds to the allure of this book. By examining how these iconic characters were influenced by Victorian spiritualism, Douris provides a unique perspective that will captivate both fans of occult literature and history enthusiasts alike.

While the book excels in its content and exploration of Victorian spiritualism, it does have a minor flaw. The black and white illustrations present in the copy reviewed (an ARC) might have been more impactful if they were rendered in color. However, this does not detract from the overall quality of the book.

In conclusion, Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural is an enthralling read for anyone interested in history and spiritualism. With its excellent cover design and intriguing subject matter, this book will undoubtedly appeal to those intrigued by all things occult. Douris expertly weaves together historical facts, cultural influences, and literary references to create an informative and engaging narrative. I highly recommend this book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

This book provides deep insights into spirituality in the Victorian era. Giving information on core beliefs of the time, practices, folklore, magic, supernatural beings, and celebrations. A little all over the place at times and densely packed with information. This is not for the faint of heart.

I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking forward to exploring the history of Victorian spiritualism but I feel like I got an incomplete story. From the introduction, the author wants to bring up the nitty gritty and highlight the racism, sexism, and other elements that would put a tarnish to the idea of spiritualists and mediums. But the author's internal bias of their own beliefs of a spiritual world has already made up their mind whether or not Victorian spiritualism is real rather than bringing up the discussion for the reader to decide. The book only briefly mentions when mediums are revealed as frauds and only then they are made out to be victims and for a book with a plethora of resources, there aren't any resources to back up their claims, such as the Fox sisters being bribed to say that they faked their seances and their communications with the dead. There is a paragraph towards investigating the legitimacy of seances and it is to point out the flaws of the investigating society and thus negating any legitimacy they could claim. It almost makes me feel that if I don't believe in these mediums, I am buying into the sexism and not supporting working women who are helping people in the grieving process communicate with their dead ones. But each one of the techniques outlined and used in this book has been repeatedly disproven, both by the charlatan mediums and by investigators. Most notable, Harry Houdini issued a challenge to any and all spiritualists that they would earn a cash prize if they were able to get in touch with his dead mother. Many, many tried, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's wife, who tried to reach out to Houdini's mother using spirit writing. They ALL failed. They all gave different answers, shared different details, and even got facts about Harry wrong. Most importantly, his mother never spoke English so how could she communicate with these women who didn't know Hungarian or Yiddish?

This is a fun book to read around Halloween with ghost stories and the idea of seances but to market this book as a work of historical research is inaccurate given the incomplete data, the obvious personal bias, and cherry-picking details to better fit the overall narrative that seances and the people who communicate with the spirits in them are really when overwhelmingly, they are not and in fact took advantage of people during their grieving times.

SPIRITS, SEERS & SEANCES by Steele Alexandra Douris offers a glimpse of what life was like during the Victorian era in the US and Europe. The book covers all manor of magicks popular at the time. It has excellent instructions and historical insight. The author walks you through each method so you can put it into practice yourself. I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be an interesting and fun book to read, and I highly recommend it!

This is the perfect starter book for anyone who is interested in the occult or the Victorian era.

Within its pages, you will find everything from séances, to the Whitechapel murders, to Christmas ghost stories, and everything in between. You will also find Try It Yourself sections at the end of each chapter that walk you through how to gaze into a crystal ball or perform a seance and communicate with the dead yourself. The entire concept is fascinating.

Personally, I loved Part 3, as well as the chapter on Halloween. I have a deep love for the dark and spooky, so this was right up my alley. Though I didn't know much about the Victorian era or their practices and obsession with the dead, this book gave me many references and subjects that I can look into in the future to expand my knowledge.

Reading this book was like taking a whimsical trip back in time to experience Spiritualism firsthand during the Victorian Era. I had a blast reading this book. I also learned of new people involved in the movement. This was a great read! I voluntarily read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely adored this book. It was so full of history and stories. I loved this! It was very entertaining and I read it in one day! Loved it! I love learning about seances and the paranormal. It was perfect.
I just reviewed Spirits, Seers & Séances by Steele Alexandra Douris. #SpiritsSeersSéances #NetGalley
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If you’ve read some of my reviews, you’ll know that I LOVE history. So this book on Victorian times was a sure thing to add to my reading list. And I adored every page of it. If you want to learn more about the hey day of the Victorian times, this is the book you want! Settle in with a cup of tea and be prepared to immerse yourself into Victorian times. Be prepared for the exercises, which makes this a real experience.

4/5

This was a very interesting read about victorian spiritualism, the rituals they performed and the culture at the time. I liked how this delved into the context of the era and the effect this had on the people living there, how that lead to the belief of spiritualism. In the book, the author takes the readers through the different practices of the era, their origins and the advocates of it. You'll learn about séances, automatic writing, mesmerism, etc, plus the author has writen exercises at the end of every chapter so you can try some of these. I liked it but I would not recommend this to someone who doesn't believe in anything like this or who enjoys a more balanced kind of book.

I absolutely loved reading this book. I was completely drawn into the topic and could not stop reading it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. If you are interested in dipping your toes into spiritualism and the supernatural - specifically Victorian, this is the book for you! A great beginners guide to set your research route.

I will say, the way some of the facts were presented was a bit misleading. In one section there was the concept of the end results having been murder (insert spooky music here) however, when I actually looked deeper into it (because I wanted to know), other sources said that there was no known history of what happened and the result was LIKELY murder. There was a similar presentation earlier in the book about another topic.

All that aside, this book is still very interesting and will make you want to dig deeper. I would definitely recommend.

Spirits, Seers and Séances is a great beginner book on Victorian spiritualism! I’ve been fascinated by Victorian spiritualism since a child, and this book had so many fun tidbits! I also liked how each chapter ended with activities to do. The book also addresses important topics such as the racism that was heavily present in the Victorian age and spiritual circles. Overall a well researched book and an engaging read! 4/5 stars