I read Ithell Colquhoun’s The Living Stones whilst on a break in Cornwall. I really enjoyed the book as I love Cornwall, its landscapes, its history and folklore. The introduction by Ed Parnell also provided interesting background about the author, her work as an artist and her deep connection with West Penwith. I would highly recommend it.

An idiosyncratic voyage around Cornwall, its people and its folklore and traditions. This is fascinating

An intriguing and esoteric travelogue which talks about the various occult and magical aspects of the Cornish countryside. It still retains Colquhoun's distinct writing style seen in 'Goose of Hermogenes' but feels less disjointed and easier to access than her alchemical writing seen in this, which does 'The Living Stones' a service.

However, like many collections of vignettes or short stories the quality from chapter to chapter varies greatly. Some are thought provoking musings on what is black magic and what does our definition of it say about society and ourselves. While others are a drawn out analysis of etymologies of saints' names that, while highly interesting, feels like a distinct lull in comparison to other chapters of the book.